The IDD Blog

2010-07-30T22:16:00.000-05:00

Faith is a bluebird

You see from afar

It's for real

And as sure as the first evening star

You can't touch it

Or buy it or wrap it up tight

But it's there just the same

Making things turn out right

Story, part 3

2010-07-27T19:14:00.002-05:00

"Stories tend to get out of hand, and this one has taken an unexpected turn." J.R.R. Tolkien

This is one of my favorite quotes about stories. As someone who tries to write stories, I can personally attest that often you think you know how the plot is going to go, how the characters are going to react. And then, right in the middle of everything, you notice that things aren't going as you thought they would.

You have two choices. You can become frustrated, and try to make the story go back to the way you thought it was going. Sometimes you might succeed. Sometimes it might even be the right thing to do. The other choice is to go down the unexpected road to see where it might lead you. If you don't like the ending, you can always go back and start over.

Now, in life the going back and starting over bit is a tad more difficult. Nonetheless, I would like to challenge us all to try choosing the second path. Try being open to the twists and turns we didn't forsee and didn't plan.

Who knows? They might just change our lives.

Inscription of Hope

2010-07-26T08:44:00.001-05:00

Hello all!! Yes I know I said I would have a post for you when I came home from camp but we ended up with unexpected company and I've barely been home at all!! I have a post it's just not edited yet so you will have to wait till next week. But here is a song to get you through.

I believe in the sun

even when it is not shining

And I believe in love

even when there's no one there

And I believe in God

even when He is silent

I believe through any trial

there is always a way.

But sometimes in this suffering

and hopeless despair

My heart cries for shelter

to know someone's there

But a voice rises within me saying

'hold on my child'

I'll give you hope

I'll give you strength

Just stay a little while

I believe in the sun

even when it is not shining

And I believe in love

even when there's no one there

And I believe in God

even when He is silent

I believe through any trial

There is always a way

May there someday be sunshine

May there someday be happiness

May there someday be love

May there someday be peace.

This lyrics to this song were found written on a basement wall in Nazi Germany Jewish refugees had been hiding from agents of the Holocaust.

Story, part 2

2010-07-20T10:53:00.002-05:00

[Note: My apologies for the lack of posting the last two weeks. I was insanely busy and then out of town. Here is part two, and part three will be up on time next week.]

"Story is seldom true if we try to control it, manipulate it, make it go where we want to go, rather than where the story itself wants to go." Madeleine L'Engle

If we take our stories seriously, we must also take them humbly. What do I mean by that? Very simply, I mean losing a sense of undue proprietariness. Many writers talk about the stories they write as choosing them, rather than the reverse. Obviously for a writer there is a sense of pride in a well-told story, a job done properly. But if we remember that in some way the story exists outside of us, that we do not own it, we can be humble. Rather than stamping our feet and shouting "Mine! Mine!", we have a sense of wonder and joy at this thing which has graced us.

How does all of this relate to real life? In the same way, if we remember that the story of our lives here are parts of something bigger, something which we do not own or control, our tendency to kick and scream is reduced. Rather than flouncing and saying "It's my life!", we can live it, shaping it as best we can. At the same time we can feel that sense of joy and wonder which comes from being trusted with something we do not own.

It is only when we stop trying to control our stories and start trying to listen that we can really begin to tell them as they ought to be.

Part 1 here.

2010-07-16T22:02:00.001-05:00

Hello all!!!

Sorry I've been quiet the last two weeks. Our church does organizes and puts on a Bible summer camp every year. We are leaving Sunday and it's major crunch time. I can't tell you what it's about because we keep as much a secret as we can :) What I can give you is a bit from the presentation the choir will be doing this year. (I'm the choir director)

1Timothy 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

When God will not use thee in one kind, yet He will in another. A soul that desires to serve and honour Him shall never want opportunity to do it; nor must thou so limit the Holy One of Israel, as to think He hath but one way in which He can glorify Himself by thee. He can do it by thy silence as well by thy preaching; thy laying aside as well as thy continuance in thy work." - Elizabeth Gaskell

Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

"If we did all the things we were capable of doing, We would literally astound ourselves.”
~ Thomas Edison

Luke 18:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

Mat 5:13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Stir Me!

2010-07-02T08:21:00.000-05:00

Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord, I care not how,

But stir my heart in passion for the world,

Stir me to give, to go, but most to pray;

Stir till the blood-red banner be unfurled

O'er lands that still in heathen darkness lie,

O'er deserts where no cross is lifted high.

Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord, till all my heart

Is filled with strong compassion for these-souls;

Till Thy compelling word drives me to pray;

Till Thy constraining love reach to the poles

Far north and south, in burning deep desire,

Till east and west are caught in love's great fire.

Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord, till prayer is pain,

Till prayer is joy, till prayer turns into praise;

Stir me, till heart and will and mind, yea, all

Is wholly Thine to use through all the days.

Stir, till I learn to pray exceedingly;

Stir, till I learn to wait expectantly.

Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord, Thy heart was stirred

By love's intensest fire, till Thou didst give

Thine only Son, Thy best beloved One,

E'en to the dreadful cross, that I might live.

Stir me to give myself so back to Thee,

That Thou canst give Thyself again through me.

Stir me, oh, stir me, Lord, for I can see

Thy glorious triumph-day begin to break;

The dawn already gilds the eastern sky;

Oh, Church of Christ, arise, awake, awake.

Oh! stir us, Lord, as heralds of that day.

For night is past, the King is on His way.

~Bessie Porter Head

Story, part 1

2010-06-29T19:08:00.000-05:00

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." Proverbs

The idea of Story is intensely powerful, even today. Though many have turned away from the story of the universe as the story of God's creation, we can still feel its power, however diluted. For Christians especially, Story is an amazing thing--that is, a thing which amazes us. The Bible itself is a story, just as it is also the truth. Think of all the emotional dramas, all the epic tales contained in just the Old Testament. Moses, David, Gideon, for example. And the Story itself continues beyound the Bible. All of us are part of it and our small stories help to make up the wonderful pattern which is the Story.

For the next few weeks, I would like to talk about stories and about Story, and about the ways in which the smaller stories interact with the larger. Feel free to respond, to agree or disagree, as we go along.

2010-06-25T22:20:00.000-05:00

"To observe nature closely is to follow the finger of God."

~Thomas Cole

Thankfully for those of us who are a little dense God makes it very obvious. This picture was taken last Friday, outside our house by my sister Stephanie.

90 Day Bible Challenge, Week Twelve LAST WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-06-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

Acts 6:8 thru Acts 16:37

Acts 16:38 through Acts 28:16

Acts 28:17 thru Romans 14:23

Romans 15:1 thru 1 Corinthians 14:40

1 Corinthians 15:1 thru Galatians 3:25

Galations 3:26 thru Col. 4:18

1 Thess 1:1 thru Philemon 25

Heb 1:1 through James 3:12

James 3:13 through 3 John 14

Jude 1 through Revelation 22:21

You're done!!! Great job!!!

Update!

2010-06-19T10:31:00.000-05:00

Hello All!!!

No, we haven't deserted you. We've just had a busy spring. Some of the girls have gotten full time jobs, graduated, or moved across the county, or in my case, their keyboard has gone wacko....

Rebecca is out with our Mom so I thought I would take the opportunity to borrow her laptop and give you all an update.

We are planning, God willing, to be back almost full time this summer. We're hoping to get back into the swing of things and have posts every week for you to read.

In the meantime let's have some discussion!

1) Are there any specific topics you would like to see us write about? Now is your chance! Speak or forever hold your peace :)

2) I was thinking about how the Bible instructes us to encourage, edify, and exhort one another. So, what verse do you hold onto when things are rough, the verse that encourages you the most? Or what is your favorite verse.

As a musician, songs tend to help me more than words but the chapter that always encourages me is Psalm 42.

To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

90 Day Bible Challenge, Week Eleven

2010-06-13T06:00:00.000-05:00

Matthew 26:57 thru Mark 9:13

Mark 9:14 thru Luke 1:80

Luke 2:1 thru Luke 9:62

Luke 10:1 thru Luke 20:19

Luke 20:20 thru John 5:47

John 6:1 thru John 15:17

John 15:19 thru Acts 6:7

You're in the homestretch!!!!

How is everyone doing??

90 Day Bible Challenge, Week Ten

2010-06-06T06:00:00.000-05:00

Daniel 9:1 thru Hosea 13:6

Hos 13:7 thru Amos 9:10

Amos 9:11 thru Nahum 3:19

Hab 1:1 thru Zechariah 10:12

Zec 11:1 thru Matthew 4:25

Matthew 5:1 thru Matt 15:39

Matt 16:1 thru Matt 26:56

Stand still

2010-06-03T22:25:00.000-05:00

I've had this article bouncing around in my head for a few weeks... I can't put it together exactly... so bear with me. Here are my thoughts...

1) Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. ~ 2 Chronicles 20:17

And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will shew to you to day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. ~ Exodus 14:13

2)How many times have you heard that verse? A thousand? Maybe. I always thought... "right, just wait on God." But then I thought... "wait a sec....You don't get to just lie around on your couch and wait for God to move.. or just do your thing and watch him move. You have to stand." I looked the word up in the Strongs and it means: to stand, in various relations (literally and figuratively, intransitively and transitively): - abide (behind), appoint, arise, cease, confirm, continue, dwell, be employed, endure, establish, leave, make, ordain, be [over], place, (be) present (self), raise up, remain, repair, + serve, set (forth, over, -tle, up), (make to, make to be at a, with-) stand (by, fast, firm, still, up), (be at a) stay (up), tarry. So obviously it doesn't really mean you get to lay down.... You have to stand, just stand, not walk not run, not fight, just stand.

"And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9

3) Final thoughts... God asks us to trust him to believe that he is with us. And from personal experience I can tell you He is. So in those times when you wonder if He's deserted you or you get to the point where you say I can't stand anymore God! Remember His grace is sufficient and "it was then that I carried you". When you feel like you can't go on, know that all you have to do is stand your ground and you will see the salvation of God.

Graduation Thoughts...

2010-06-01T07:00:00.001-05:00

It’s Done! I finally graduated! I completed my Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor Christian Counseling. These past few years have held so many rich experiences and so many learning opportunities. I learned so much about compassion and how God is training me to better serve women in the community through volunteer work at a local pregnancy help center. I learned about encouragement and organization through hosting young womens events. I learned how much I did not know and needed to learn from a weekly bible study with young teens. I learned about thoroughness, accuracy, and presentation through my final research project. I learned about the importance of team work and perseverance when working with CommuterLife and helping start an off-campus chapel service. I learned about communication, leadership and teaching through meaningful interactions with faculty, as a teaching assistant and Lead facilitator (peer tutor). Through encouragement and guidance of some many,so many I have discovered gifts and talents of which I was previously unaware. I learned about myself- I discovered a passion for ministry and teaching. This has impacted my work with the youth and further solidified my heart for mentoring young women. All of these experiences prompted me to begin a pursuit of ministerial credentials. I am now licensed as a minister with the my denomination. This beginning step begins the process towards ordination. While I do not what is in the immediate future I am trusting God that he will guide my next steps just he has step by step placed me in each of these place. These years have been an exciting time and I cannot wait to see how Lord unfolds his awesome plans as I begin these new adventures. Thank you for your support and prayers. I could not have done it without you!

90 Day Bible Challenge, Week Nine

2010-05-30T06:00:00.000-05:00

Jer 33:23 thru Jer 47:7

Jer 48:1 thru Lamentations 1:22

La 2:1 thru Ezekiel 12:20

Eze 12:21 thru Eze 23:19

Eze 23:20 thru Eze 35:15

Eze 36:1 thru Eze 47:12

Eze 47:13 thru Daniel 8:27

You made it through the toughest reading of all. It will get easier from here on out, and the books are much shorter which is encouraging!

Count all things but loss

2010-05-29T21:49:00.001-05:00

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."
~Jim Elliot

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, ~Philippians 3:8

The Gift of Singleness

2010-05-29T08:00:00.003-05:00

The Lord has been teaching me much these past crazy, amazing, life-changing months. I haven't been posting regularly here on the blog, obviously, but it's been in my thoughts. Someday soon, I hope, I will take the time to sit down and talk to you about some hard and wonderful lessons I've learned. The core of some of them comes down to... the topic of this video. I hope you are encouraged by it.

90 Day Bible Challenge, Week Eight

2010-05-23T06:00:00.000-05:00

Isa 14:1 thru Isa 28:29

Isa 29:1 thru Isa 41:18

Isa 41:19 thru Isa 52:12

Isa 52:13 thru Isa 66:18

Isa 66:19 thru Jer 10:13

Jer 10:14 thru Jer 23:8

Jer 23:9 thru Jer 33:22

90 Day Bible Challenge, Week Seven

2010-05-16T15:31:00.000-05:00

Psalm 89:14 thru Psalm 108:13

Psalm 89:14 thru Psalm 108:13

Psalm 109:1 thru Psalm 134:13

Psalm 135:1 thru Prov 6:35

Prov 7:1 thru Prov 20:21

Prov 20:22 thru Ecc 2:26

Ecc 3:1 thru Song of Solomon 8:14

FAITH

2010-05-14T07:00:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen the movie "The City of Ember"? You haven't?!?!?! Well, watch it!

It's based off a book. I haven't actually read the book...... but I have it on good authority (Rebecca :) ) that the movie is a excellent adaptation. Anyway, the story is about a city named Ember. The glitch is the city resides miles underground. The brain-child of scientists attempting to save the human race from extinction. I'm just going to save myself from bumbling words and copy Rebecca's review.

The story follows the adventures of young teens Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow as they discover that their home is rapidly self destructing and do everything in their power to save themselves and their loved ones from peril. Lina is a responsible girl who is raising her adorable younger sister, Poppy, and caring for her dying grandmother. Doon is the driven "jack-of-all-trades" who fights to fix everything. What Lina and Doon don't know (but we do) is that the town they have grown up in and known as "the only light in a dark world" is really an underground city created to preserve life for 200 years while the world above is destroyed through nuclear war.

War rages above. Life thrives below. For 200 years.

Until the electricity starts to run out. And the food starts to run out. And the massive generator that powers the entire city keeps breaking down leaving the entire "world" in complete darkness.

Lina and Doon must entertain the idea that there might be more to the world than this. Armed with incomplete instructions and no knowledge of anything but Ember they must venture into the unknown and darkness to save the entire city.

The world is coming to the earth. But faith remains steadfast. The people often say the builders will come. The builders will save us. They have great faith, amidst massive blackouts and no light at the end of the tunnel. Lina and Doon take off to find the provision they believe the builders left for their survival.

We re-watched The City of Ember recently and I came away really thinking about the faith that the Emberites, Emberians,.... the people of Ember possessed. Do I have faith like that? Faith that no matter what life throws my way and no matter how tough things are I still trust that God has everything in control and has a provision in it. Faith is such a powerful thing.

If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. ~ Matthew 17:20b

90 Day Bible Challenge, Week Six

2010-05-09T06:01:00.000-05:00

Monday: Nehemiah 13:15 thru Job 7:21

Tuesday: Job 8:1 thru Job 24:25

Wednesday: Job 25:1 thru Job 41:34

Thursday: Job 42:1 through Psalm 24:10

Friday: Psalm 25:1 thru Psalm 45:14

Saturday: Psalm 45:15 thru Psalm 69:21

Sunday: Psalm 69:22 through Psalm 89:13

90 Day Bible Challenge, Week Five

2010-05-02T06:00:00.000-05:00

Monday: 1 Chron 1:1 thru 1Chron 9:44

Tuesday: 1 Chron 10:1 thru 1 Chron 23:32

Wednesday: 1 Chron 24:1 thru 2 Ch 7:10

Thursday: 2 Ch 7:11 thru 2 Ch 23:15

Friday: 2 Ch 23:16 thru 2 Ch 35:15

Saturday: 2 Ch 35:16 thru Ezra 10:44

Sunday: Nehemiah 1:1 thru Neh 13:14

90 Day Bible Challenge, Week Four

2010-04-25T06:00:00.000-05:00

Monday: 1 Sam 28:20 thru 2 Sam 12:10

Tuesday: 2 Sam 12:11 thru 2 Sam 22:18

Wednesday: 2 Sam 22:19 thru 1 Kings 7:37

Thursday: 1 Kings 7:38 thru 1 Kings 16:20

Friday: 1 Kings 16:21 thru 2 Kings 4:37

Saturday: 2 Kings 4:38 through 2 Kings 15:26

Sunday: 2 Kings 15:27 thru 2 Kings 25:30

You Know You are a Big Sister When

2010-04-23T19:45:00.002-05:00

1) You recall something in the past by how old your younger siblings were, not what year it was.

2) You randomly discover that you are carrying 3 dolls and a couple water bottles but have no idea when they got there.

3) You're sleeping in a quarter of a queen size bed and the small person next to you is sleeping sideways with their feet in your side.

4) You find random toys in your purse. The purse which also contains various "Do-you-have-a" objects.

I would love to make this list longer. Any additions? Input is great!

90 Day Challenge, Week Three

2010-04-18T06:49:00.003-05:00

Monday: Deuteronomy 23:12 - Deuteronomy 34:12

Tuesday: Joshua 1:1 thru Joshua 14:15

Wednesday: Joshua 15:1 thru Judges 3:27

Thursday: Judges 3:28 thru Judges 15:12

Friday: Judges 15:13 thru 1 Samuel 2:29

Saturday: 1 Samuel 2:30 thru 1 Samuel 15:35

Sunday: 1 Samuel 16:1 thru 1 Samuel 28:19

2010-04-16T08:00:00.000-05:00

Lately I have definitely been feeling old. Nostalgic, very aware of the fact that I have history. A definite past that I remember, I'm watching my younger cousins get engaged, start lives of their own. My younger siblings are graduating from High School and College, my little brother is driving now, he drove himself to my work the other day, totally blew me off my feet. Do you ever get the feeling that everyone else's life is whizzing past and your's in in slow motion? Well, I know the feeling well.... Feels a lot like this picture.... For years I've been watching life speed fast, the years tick by, feeling sorry for myself, wondering why I couldn't be like everyone else. But recently, I stopped and looked back at the past 10 years. Observed how far I've come, the things I've learned and accomplished. Things I've overcome, the places I've been and how much I've grown. Yes, my life is speeding by like everyone else's.... but it is moving, God is working. And I'm just waiting, He has something big in store.

90 Day Challenge, Week Two

2010-04-11T06:47:00.000-05:00

Monday: Leviticus 1:1 thru 14:32

Tuesday: Leviticus 14:33 thru 26:26

Wednesday: Leviticus 26:27 thru Numbers 8:14

Thursday: Numbers 8:15 thru Numbers 21:7

Friday: Numbers 21:8 thru Numbers 32:19

Saturday: Numbers 32:20 thru Deuteronomy. 7:26

Sunday: Deuteronomy 8:1 thru 23:11

2010-04-09T23:25:00.000-05:00

Hello fellow bloggers!!

No, I have no forgotten about you! It's just been an interesting few weeks....

And now I am back!!! to give you this tiny computer tip :)

Have you ever wanted to zoom in on something on your screen? Well, if you have a mouse that has a wheel on it. Hold down the CTRL button and spin the wheel :) Or if you don't have a mouse wheel CTRL + will zoom in CTRL - will zoom out and CTRL 0 will take you back to normal. Now you don't have to squint!

My Jesus, I love Thee

2010-04-07T09:10:00.000-05:00

My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine;
For Thee all the follies of sin I resign;
My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou;
If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

I love Thee because Thou has first loved me,

And purchased my pardon on Calvary's tree;

I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow;

If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, 'tis now.

90 Day Challenge, Week One

2010-04-04T06:45:00.000-05:00

Monday: Gen. 1:1 thru Gen. 16:16

Tuesday: Gen. 17:1 thru Gen. 28:19

Wednesday: Gen. 28:19 thru Gen. 40:11

Thursday: Gen. 40:12 thru Gen. 50:26

Friday: Ex 1:1 thru Ex 15:18

Saturday: Ex 15:19 thru Ex 28:43

Sunday: Ex 29:1 thru Ex 40:38

90 Day Challenge

2010-03-31T07:29:00.002-05:00

Are you ready for the challenge?

Can you read through the Bible in 90 Days?
YES you can!!!

Over the next few weeks the IDD blog will be posting a Bible Reading schedule that will get you through the entire Bible Genesis to Revelation in 90 Days. I can't encourage you enough to take up this challenge. I did it a few years ago, and I've never regretted it. Never. Probably the best 3 months of my life.

And it's totally do-able! It takes about 45 minutes of reading time a day, depending of course, on how fast you read. Some days I had my reading done in 30 minutes, some days it took a little longer, but it was never more than 45 minutes. It worked best for me to just read whenever I had a chance during the day. 5-10 minutes in the morning as I ate my breakfast, a few minutes again at lunch, and whenever I got a chance during the day or at night right before bed. If I had extra time, I would read ahead because of course, there will be days that are crazy start to finish and you won't have as much time. And surprisingly enough I still had plenty of time to do my other recreational reading as well!

We'll be posting the weekly reading schedules every Sunday, starting this Sunday, April 4th, 2010.
Will you join me?
Grow in the Word! Take the Challenge!

Getting close

2010-03-30T23:16:00.000-05:00

“In these hymns tonight we begin to glimpse the coming joy, peeping out like crocuses through the snow.”
Frederica Mathewes-Green, Facing East, p. 71

This is where we are now. Pascha* is so close that I can close my eyes and see the candles, hear the songs, taste the food. Several times I have caught myself humming “Before the dawn, Mary and the women,” one of my favorite Pascha hymns. Every time I have to catch myself, to stop and think, “No, not yet.” Now we’re still singing “Behold the Bridegroom is coming in the middle of the night, and blessed is the servant whom He shall find awake and watching.” We have to wait a little longer, hold on until the time for celebration is come. The dark day of the Crucifixion still hangs between us. Although it might sound strange, to skip ahead to the Resurrection would lessen its joy. How can we rejoice if we have not first mourned? How can we process around the church proclaiming the Resurrection if we have not first processed around the church with Christ’s bier, singing a funeral song?

All of this is still to come. For now we are still in the quiet time, catching our breaths after the grandness of Palm Sunday. We have a chance to rest before we plunge into the end of the week, with its continuous services. I’m still going to class, still participating in the world of school and work. Soon I will detach myself and, for a few precious days, immerse myself completely in the life of the church. But for now I watch and wait.

*The Eastern Orthodox word for Easter

Living in hope

2010-03-23T18:53:00.000-05:00

"What shall I render to the Lord for all His blessings to me?"

It's so easy for me to get caught up in the worries. What do I do after graduation? How do I find a job? What if I don't find a job and I end up living in a cardboard box with debt collectors coming after me for my student loans?

You probably have different worries, but I'll bet you have something. And they're probably real worries. I know mine are (well, maybe not the cardboard box). We can't just say, "Oh, that's silly," and stop worrying.

And yet, we get so wrapped up in our own concerns, so tangled in these webs of trouble, that we forget to look at God. We forget all the gifts he's given us. Some of them are small: a sunny day, a cup of tea, a good book. Some of them are bigger: an unexpected bonus, a new friendship.

I want to challenge all of us, myself included, to stop ourselves when we start to get all tangled up in that web. I want to challenge us to cut straight through it with the knowledge of God's love and care for each of us. I'm not saying that trusting in God will make in God will make it all perfect and easy and everything will magically fall into place. But what did St. Paul say about faith? It's the "substance of things hoped for." Let's try our best to live in that hope.

Promises of God - Psalm 42

2010-03-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

This particular Promise of God might seem a little strange or out of place, but the promises in this particular Psalm have been my comfort through many trials.

To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.

My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?

When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.

O my God, my soul is cast down within me: therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar.

Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy waterspouts: all thy waves and thy billows are gone over me.

Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

I will say unto God my rock, Why hast thou forgotten me? why go I mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?

Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.

Are You Up To the Challenge?

2010-03-12T08:39:00.000-06:00

Everybody likes a good challenge, right?! Well... I do anyway...

A challenge by definition is

1) Something that by its nature or character servers as a call to battle, contest, special effort, etc.

2) Difficulty in a job or undertaking that is stimulation to one engaged in it.

3) To summon to a contest of will or strength

Something that by its nature or character serves as a call to battle. In ancient days that would be the throwing down of the gauntlet. The call to arms the night of Paul Revere and William Dawes' famous ride to Concord. - Exciting, thrilling, stimulating. Not easy, but exciting.

When we were talking about new blog topics, challenges came up. I jumped on the topic, I THRIVE on challenges. The more, the harder, the merrier. I know they aren't easy. I balk at them, not wanting to feel inadequate, incompetent. I think I can safely say that everyone prefers to do something that we are good at and know that we can excel in. But without a challenge, how would we grow? Here is a recent example.

Last week, during violin lessons, I was working with a student on their Solo and Ensemble piece. The student told me that they shouldn't have to do something because it's hard and as a teenager they shouldn't have to. I wouldn't be surprised if my mouth had dropped open. All I could think is "being a teenager is NOT an excuse!" Instead I told him that I was reading a book called Do Hard Things, and that he wasn't going to get away with pulling the teenager card out. You can do it! I sat down and laid out a challenge. It has been probably around 10 years since a violinist from the local school has gone to State Solo and Ensemble. I gave him the challenge to be the person to stretch beyond and break that streak. Well, he got the highest score you can get. But he was doing a Grade B solo and only Grade A solos can go to state... opps... I forgot about that... BUT, he is all excited for next year. He took the challenge.

Begin looking for challenges. Stretch beyond yourself. Give 100% instead of 80% or 125% instead of 110%. Be know for what you do instead of what you don't do. Take a challenge, take a stand and hold it. History is full of examples. The 20th Maine took a stand at the Battle of Gettysburg when the outlook was bleak and they were out of ammo. They didn't retreat, with one word from their commander they took the challenge and charged forward, changing the outlook of the Civil War, and ultimately our nation. The choices you make and the challenges you give yourself can be just as big a turning point in your life and the lives of the people close to you.

Start small, challenge yourself to do something beyond your comfort level. Can you read the Bible through in 90 Days? Run 10 miles? Volunteer at a soup kitchen? Often the things that would be beneficial in us and our communities require us to go above and beyond. Think of a challenge in your own life and set a goal.

"Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong." - 1 Corinthians 16:13

"...having done all to stand." - Ephesians 6:13b

Take the challenge and stand. If you need a support team we are always here and if you're looking for a starting point the IDD Blog will be hosting the 90 Day Bible Challenge, so stay tuned.

Making March Happy

2010-03-11T19:16:00.003-06:00

Even before we hit the first of March, I knew the first few days of the month would be difficult ones. My not-so-little-anymore brother left yesterday for Basic training in the Air Force. There’s a Lemony Snicket quote that goes, “It is always sad when someone leaves home, unless they are simply going around the corner and will return in a few minutes with ice-cream sandwiches.” This is no simple errand for ice cream sandwiches; he’s signed up for the next four years and after today, I don’t know when he’ll be home again. I’m not even 100% sure when I’ll see him again (I’m hoping to attend his graduation at the end of Basic, but that’s still in the planning stage).

So, March is already off to a rather difficult start. It was hard to watch my younger siblings hug him goodbye one last time Monday night. And it was hard to hug him goodbye one last time at the recruiting center after watching a leiutenant swear him into the Air Force.

March 1, 2 and 3rd have been rough. A bit teary, even. But the happiness? The happiness is my family. We’re not perfect, we’re prone to drama and we don’t always get along. But we’re a tight-knit group and love each other fiercely. Sure, if we didn’t love each other, if we weren’t so closely bound, the sadness of saying goodbyes wouldn’t be so sad. But on the other hand, we wouldn’t share in the joy and the love that comes with the sadness, either.

This is part of the Making March Happy project on Krista's blog Between the Stacks. Click over to see more posts on Making March Happy.

- Written March 3rd, 2010

Proverbs 31:23

2010-03-10T10:46:00.000-06:00

Her husband is

known in the gates,

when he sitteth among the

elders of the land.

-Proverbs 31:23

If you're anything like me you read this verse and skip right over it. You think " 'husband' ok, don't have one of those, this verse doesn't apply to me." But, since my study right now is causing me to look at the Proverbs 31 Virtuous Woman through different eyes I'm starting to see things a little clearer. I might not have a husband NOW, but I certainly would like to have one sometime in the future. So, how can I prepare for this now?

The first thing I noticed here was that this entire passage of scripture is about the virtuous woman. Not her husband. There are only a few places where her husband is even mentioned. But, even then, those verses aren't talking about HIM. They're talking about what her relationship is with him. So, I think we can assume that even though this verse is talking about a husband, there's something for us to learn from it. You've heard the saying "Behind every good man is a good woman?" I'm not saying that's completely true. And I'm not trying to peddle a feminist agenda. :) But, the basis of that idea is that if a man is good, chances are pretty high that his wife is supportive and kind. Encouraging and a good influence. She probably isn't like the woman mentioned in Proverbs 21:9 and 21:19. "It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and angry woman." Ouch.

The Husband mentioned in this verse is a respected and well-known man. He has a good reputation. Do you think he built that reputation all on his own? He could certainly do that and if he were single he would have only himself to concern with the upkeep of that reputation. But, we know for a fact that he's married because this verse calls him a husband. So, that got me to thinking about what kind of wife a respected man like that would have. I have an excellent example right in front of my nose. My own father is an elder in our church. He's also a business man of good reputation in our community. His wife (my mom) is supportive, encouraging and does an excellent job maintaining her own good reputation which in turn reflects well on my dad. It always helps me to look at things in the converse. So, I tried to imagine what my Dad's business and church responsibilities would look like if my mom nagged at him all the time. To be honest, I had a hard time imagining my dad even wanting to be a well known person if he constantly had to be dealing with a contentious and angry wife. I've been at many community events and watched my dad proudly introduce his wife to everyone he meets. What if he didn't want to introduce her because she was such a negative person? What if he introduced her to people and rather than smiling and being friendly she was rude? My dad's reputation would suffer for it.

In a conversation with our own Valerie the other day she mentioned that she felt that a lot of guys might be intimidated by the kind of man that most of us girls are looking for. This led to a discussion of what kinds of qualities we should expect to find in a good husband candidate, which of those we should reasonably expect to be matured qualities (like a heart for the Lord) and which character qualities we should only reasonably expect him to be in the process of developing. After all, it takes many years to iron out and develop a Godly character. I'm certainly not perfect and I would hate to feel that I'm being passed over as a good marriage candidate because I'm not perfect. During the conversation I mentioned that I wasn't looking for someone who was perfect. Just so he had a willing heart and a goal about what kind of man he wants to become. I'm totally willing to provide encouragement to help him get there! I'm a good encourager! And that kind of encouragement is exactly what I need in my own life! I know who it is I want to be and I'm working on reaching my goals. A little encouragement along the way would be just splendid. :) But, I digress... The point is that if we have expectations of what kind of man we're looking for as a husband, we should expect that the guys also have expectations about what kind of women they are looking for in a wife. And, if we expect to marry a certain quality of man, we need to be worthy of him.

The husband in this verse is a leader among men. Before he was married, what kind of woman do you suppose he was looking for in a wife? What kind of character traits do you suppose appealed to him? Should we assume that he married a run-of-the-mill girl? Or, that he married a girl who had the makings of being a strong, responsible, well respected women? We have a joke in our house and it takes a little bit of explaining. My dad is in a group of men at our church that we often refer to as "The Elders" :) The elder's wives are usually referred to as (creatively enough) the "Elders Wives." My mom has always encouraged her daughters to be strong women of God, leaders of our peers, encouragers and wise counselors. She set for us the goal of being the kind of women that would be good wives of good men. The kind of men that hold positions of leadership in their communities and churches. She called us "Elders Wives in Training." Or, as we quickly nick-named it "E-WITS." It's funny, and we laugh when we talk about being "E-WITS" but the principle is a good one. We should be preparing now to be the kind of woman that are well-equipped to encourage a man who is "known in the gates." Be worthy of what you desire.

Expecting

2010-03-09T08:00:00.000-06:00

Written March 1, 2010

Yesterday I had books due at the public library, so I walked over in the afternoon. It had been sunny earlier but by then the clouds had moved in. Still, I think the pearly grey light almost as beautiful as sunlight sometimes, in an entirely different way of course.

The colors of the landscape are still dark and somber--deep green grass and dark brown earth. But the first cherry trees have started blooming; their fallen blossoms are the only snow I've seen this year. The magnolias are starting too. They're a nostalgic tree: one of our neighbors growing up had a magnolia tree which every year sprang into these perfect flowers, startling in the squalor of the rest of their yard. And there were several I passed regularly on my way too and from the Tube last year.

The world feels expectant these days. Not quite hopeful. Not yet. We still have March to get through. And yet the promise of spring is on its way and the first brave flowers are pushing their way out and into the world, despite setbacks like today. It was cold! But still the daffodils by the science building are still blooming and the forsythia has started too.

Thankfulness

2010-03-05T08:35:00.000-06:00

Hey girls!!

Have you ever noticed that all my posts include me thinking.... hope that's a good thing because yep, I was at it again :-) I was thinking about how when I am thankful for something my whole world looks a little brighter. I've made it a habit of mine to come up with at least one thing everyday that I am thankful for. And find things to be thankful for in the maybe not so thankful things.

Yesterday for instance, I was thankful that my shoe got all muddy when I stepped on the grass. Because you know what, mud means that the snow is melting and SPRING IS COMING!!!

So, what are you thankful for today?

Book Review: Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye? by Carolyn McCulley

2010-03-03T07:00:00.000-06:00

Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye? by Carolyn McCulley
I give this book 5 stars and 2 thumbs up. That's how much I loved it.

Carolyn writes from her own experience and her honesty is touching, humorous and in some instances even heartbreaking. But mostly her honesty is inspiring, level headed and REAL.

Who would've thought reading a book on a subject I personally struggle with written by another woman struggling with the same thing could be so encouraging and uplifting?

I was especially pleasantly surprised to find the author addressing the topic of the Proverbs 31 woman especially relating to single women. This is a topic the IDD Blog has recently been studying. I found her insights to be invaluable.

I recommend this book to EVERY woman aged 15-95, married or single. Even though it's primary focus is single woman, Carolyn points out that single woman are just woman, who happen to currently be single. Her encouraging words apply to women in every walk of life.

You can find more of Miss McCulley's work at Boundless

My Current Creed

2010-02-26T23:11:00.000-06:00

"Here I stand. I can do no other. So help me God."

~Martin Luther

Hiding

2010-02-24T16:30:00.000-06:00

I had glasses for a long time. I was about ten when I got them and twenty-two when I got contacts for the first time.

Now, some people love glasses. Some people look good in glasses. I am neither of those people. That whole time, all twelve years, I hated my glasses. I wished I could get rid of them. They took up too much of my already small face, they made people judge me before they knew me. In middle school, when I had braces and frizzy hair, I really and truly loathed them.

So when my sister got contacts this year and my parents discovered that our insurance actually gives better coverage for contacts than for glasses, I leapt at the chance to get rid of them forever (hopefully).

At first my face looked strange and bare. I'd try to push up glasses that weren't there. But gradually, as I got used to wearing contacts I realized that I'd been hidden behind my glasses for all of those years. I'd brush my teeth in the morning and look in the mirror. Then I'd cover up the person I saw there with my glasses.

Maybe no one else ever saw me as hidden or thought that the non-glasses me might be different than the with-glasses me. But I did. I lived my life all those years feeling hidden and unseen. It's a strange idea, but since I've gotten contacts I feel fuller. I feel as if people can really see me for who I am, for the first time in years.

So, think about it. If such a little thing can make such a big difference, what's hiding you?

2010-02-19T18:10:00.001-06:00

“My life is like a weaving, between my God and me,

I do not choose the colors, He worketh steadily.

Oft times He weaveth sorrow, and I in foolish pride,

Forget He Sees the upper, and I the underside.

Not till the loom is silent, and the shuttles cease to fly,

Will God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful in the skillful Weaver’s hand,

As the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned.”

(by Grant Colfax Tullar)

Loving and giving

2010-02-18T11:42:00.000-06:00

I love stories of redemption. There are lots of them in the Bible, of course, but I love any of them. Les Miserables? Check. A Tale of Two Cities? Only the greatest Dickens ever.

And you might not think so, but there are plenty of modern books that I find attractive for the same reason. I've talked about the Attolia books at my personal blog quite a bit. One of the reasons I love the second book, The Queen of Attolia, so much is that I see it as a story of redemption. The Winter Prince, by Elizabeth Wein, is also an amazing story of betrayal and love and forgiveness (and it's based on the Arthurian legends!).

The obvious reason for me to love this type of story is that I need redemption and forgiveness. Stories where characters do awful things and are forgiven can show God's love reflected in a human way. They give me hope that my mistakes too can be erased, that I am not given up on.

But I think there's another reason I love them. Just as much as I need to be forgiven, I need to forgive. Can I be the Bishop from Les Miserables? Can I be Gen or Lleu? If someone comes to me and asks me for forgiveness and love, can I do that?

Forgiveness has been on my mind recently, as Great Lent has begun for us Orthodox Christians with a service called Forgiveness Vespers. We ask every member of our parish for forgiveness and then we have to grant it to them as well. Without the washing clean of this time, the joy of the Resurrection cannot come.

So I'd like to challenge us all to try to both ask for and grant forgiveness, to be humble and honest and loving.

Self- Confidence. (Or, The Lack Thereof)

2010-02-16T06:01:00.000-06:00

I've struggled with low self-confidence my entire life. I'm a natural introvert. As a child I was never more than an arms reach away from my mom and often so close behind her that if she stopped suddenly I would run into her. If someone spoke to me I answered in monosyllables and hid my face. When I was eleven we joined a Bible club at a local church. I cried and my mom had to stay with me the whole first night. Even at age 18 I made multiple excuses not to make phone calls. I was terrified to use the phone. I stayed home when I was invited to parties with excuses of "headaches. Actually, the truth wasn't far off. I got instant headaches at the thought of socialization. There were times that I cried for hours before going to a social gathering merely because I didn't want anyone to look at me. If they looked at me I knew they would know what a failure I was.

When I went to work at the flower shop I had to do major overcoming. I had to drive to people's houses and knock on their doors! Let me tell you, though, when you walk into an office building carrying a bouquet of flowers EVERYONE looks at you. But, surprisingly they aren't thinking "Who is that strange girl and what is her problem?" They're thinking "OOOO.... I wonder who's getting flowers?" My boss required me to make some difficult phone calls for her and once I even had to run after a customer who "forgot" to pay. Some of the things I had to do would have been a cake walk to other people. They were mountains for me. But, the thing about mountains is that once you've conquered them they become monuments, things we can look back on as battles fought and won. Every victory is a step higher.

Only a few weeks ago I was talking with a co-worker. It was a rather deep discussion and at one point I referred to myself as "Shy.”
She looked at me in disbelief. "You are NOT shy!"
I stared at her blankly. "Well, I am…"
She shook her head. "Well, I've never thought of you as shy. I mean, you're quiet and you're certainly not a big talker, but you're friendly and you certainly don't ACT shy!"
I was still perplexed. I'd worked with this woman for almost 7 years. Could she really not know? "I am shy... I always have been..."
She continued to stare at me "Well. You certainly cover it well!"

And that's when I realized the truth. I'm really not nearly as shy as I used to be and my self-confidence is really SO much better. I still don't like crowds of people. I'm still a horrible conversationalist. I'm good at listening, but really not good at talking myself. I'd still much rather be alone with my own thoughts than at a party and I still don't like anyone to look at me. I'll always be that way. But, I've learned to cover it well. I've learned to "fake it." And it's made a huge difference in my life. I'm not an expert. I still struggle with self-confidence. I still cry at night when I'm feeling 2 inches tall. I still don't have a lot of social skills that most people don't ever have to learn because they just come naturally.

But, there are a few things I've learned that help me get through a day at least faking self-confidence. :)

Don't beat yourself up, especially for the sake of humor. While it may cause people to chuckle at the time it's really not worth it in the long run. And it sends a message like a flashing neon sign "REBECCA IS OK TO PICK ON." A fellow IDDiot and I were talking the other day about making disparaging remarks about ourselves in order to lighten the mood and make a conversation. Here's what I said "[We] need to develop [our] self confidence and present [our] self-confidence... I don't really know how to describe this. This is something that I have FINALLY started learning how to do. There are still times when I cower and feel like everyone around me is SO much more accomplished, intelligent, etc... and there were/still are plenty of times when I made a conversation out of my inadequacy. Why did I do that to myself? Desperate for something to say, I guess and having nothing to say, without sounding stupid I just kind of announced my stupidity... ??" Girls, please, please don't do this to yourselves. You are worthy of being praised.

Learn your strengths and depend on them. It's never okay to ignore our weaknesses but it's certainly not necessary to hide our strengths. Work on your weaknesses. Meanwhile, put your best foot forward. If you find yourself in a conversation that's out of your depth, don't be discouraged or draw attention to your inability. Instead, learn what you can from it and speak up when you can it's a subject familiar to you. Don't let your weaknesses overshadow your strengths! Make it the other way around!

Smile. Even if you're quaking inside, even if you'd rather be anywhere rather than where you are. A smile is the universal sign of friendship. If you don't say a word your smile will still make an impact.

The secret to dealing with a lack of self-confidence is Don't Let Anyone Else Know! Acting can be your best friend. In the movie Wives and Daughters, Cynthia says, "The French girls would tell you that to believe that you are pretty would make you so." There's a lot of truth in that statement. A woman who thinks of herself as beautiful will act beautiful. She will take extra care with her clothes, hair and makeup. She will cultivate her beauty. Similarly, acting confident (even when you are not) will give you a confidence. Or, at the very least, it will give everyone else the idea that you are!

Remember that God is confident in you, His creation, even if you are not.

I'll let you in on another secret. You're most likely the ONLY person that knows that you're self-conscious and awkward feeling. I often think that EVERYONE must be able to see how awkward I am, but the truth is people don't really notice as much as you think they do. If you start focusing on others all the time and stop focusing on your own failings you'll find yourself much more relaxed in social situations.

As Oscar Wilde said "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."

Take it one step at a time. Don’t expect to change from shy to outgoing overnight. It takes time and practice. It’s worth it in the long run, though.

2 Thoughts

2010-02-12T08:18:00.000-06:00

There have been 2 thoughts bouncing around in my head, well more than two, but these are the only two that count right this minute.....

To leave a legacy, you have to live a legacy.

*************************

It well may be

That we will never meet again

In this lifetime

So let me say before we part

So much of me

Is made of what I learned from you

You'll be with me

Like a hand-print on my heart

And now whatever way our stories end

I know you have re-written mine

By being my friend... "

How many people's lives do you touch every day? How many people do I impact for the good? Impact for God? How many people have my handprint on their heart? Their life?

Proverbs 31:13

2010-02-02T06:24:00.000-06:00

She seeketh wool, and flax,

and worketh willingly

with her hands

-Proverbs 31:13

The main part of this verse that caught my eye was "She worketh WILLINGLY with her hands." Probably every one of us is familiar with that ancient saying "A man will work from sun to sun, but a woman's work is never done." I have my doubts whether or not this saying is really true of the sexes in general. I've met men who never stop and woman who like to take plenty of breaks. :)

Regardless, every single woman in this world, married or single, mother, sister or grandmother has more than enough projects, jobs, etc. (feel free to fill in the blank here with whatever it is that keeps YOU busy) to distract her every minute of every day. How many of us have moaned for the luxury of 36 hours in a day instead of 24? In fact, I'm pretty sure we were having a conversation along these exact lines on the IDD forum just the other day. :) I'm convinced however that whether we were given 36 hours a day or even 48 every single one of us would remain just as busy and behind on our "to-do" lists as we are now.

Here's why: From the minute I wake up in the morning, and often even before I've woken up in the morning, I am planning my day. I wake up with a list in my head entitled Things To Get Done Today. I get out of bed and before I've even washed my face the list has grown. It goes like this: On my walk to the bathroom I add Sweep Kitchen Floor and Make Coffee. As I'm putting on my makeup and brushing my teeth I mentally add Buy a New Toothbrush, Look at Garden Plan, Save Money, Wash Towels and Talk to Mom about This Weekend. All of this is before I've even poured my coffee or eaten breakfast. As soon as I open the refrigerator to get out the milk I start adding things to the Grocery section of my list and planning dinner. I check my e-mail during breakfast (Three cheers for multi-tasking!!) and start adding more things to the list Pay Insurance, Write a Blog Post, Check on Library Books Due Dates, Water Plants. If I'm feeling super organized I might even pull out my phone and start putting my list into a drafted text message that I keep for this exact purpose. But, honestly, the thoughts come faster than I can put them into my phone and realistically I can't walk around with my phone in my hand all day long adding things to my list. I walk to my car and the list grows. Get Gas, Take Out Garbage, Practice Piano. I arrive at work and my "Home" list retires to a "Look at Later" file and my "Work" list comes out. Re-cut Flowers, Clean Roses, Order Plants, FIND MORE PENS, Clean vases, Call Other Shop.... During the day I think of people and add their names to my "Call and See How They're Doing List." But, who has time for an hour long conversation with each of those 25 people? I'll be perfectly honest. By the time I've arrived home at the end of the day I've forgetten 80% of the things on the list, and of the remaining 20% maybe 5% of THOSE actually get done. I fall into bed and try to sleep as the image of my "Things to Get Done Today" list haunts me with it's lack of check marks. Imagine how it would be if we had 48 hours to spend thinking of things to do? I, for one, would definitely be just as behind on my projected goals as I am now. Maybe more so.

This is the life of a young, single woman with no husband to think of and no children to care for, and supposedly plenty of energy. I'm not trying to give you the impression that I work uber-hard and deserve a vacation in Hawaii. (Although that would be nice...) As a matter of fact, I'm really trying to show you how discouraging it is to NOT get things done. I, of course, take the lions share of the blame for things not getting done. I could be more efficient. I could prioritize better. I could be less selfish and choose to spend my time doing the things that I know need to be done but I don't really want to do. I could probably sacrifice an hour of sleep.

Above all, I could have a better attitude. That's all I'm really trying to say here. The Virtuous Woman WORKS. It's true. But, more importantly, she works WILLINGLY. You've heard the saying "Attitude is everything"? It's absolutely true. I would be willing to bet that I could sweep the floor faster and more efficiently if I have a good attitude versus sweeping the floor with a bad attitude. If I go through my day with a willing heart I'll probably remember more of the things on my list. I'll probably get more of them done and I'll definitely be a better example, a better employee, better sister and all around a better person to know. On the flip side, if I scowl and complain about everything I do, I'll probably talk myself out of doing things, be less productive and no one will want to be around me.

A woman's work is never done. And, according to Proverbs 31, the Virtous Woman is WILLING to shoulder that burden. Something every single one of us can work on every single done. Because as long as there's work to be done, there can and should be a willing attitude to go along with it.

Last Chance!!!

2010-01-29T08:00:00.002-06:00

You have until Monday to sign up for the Annual IDD Chocolate Swap. I loved getting my chocolate in the mail! Definitely a highlight from last Valentine's Day! Monday is the deadline for entering and we still have spots available so sign up now! Go HERE for the information and don't forget to email us your address.

Christa-Taylor

2010-01-26T06:46:00.001-06:00

Why is there such a lack of fashionable, feminine, MODEST clothing?

Ever felt the frustration? I think all of us have asked this question at one time or another. Meet someone who has actually DONE something about it.

Christa-Taylor is an online company devoted to providing cute, fashionable clothes for the modesty-conscious crowd. :) In her own words "...Feminine and beautiful without compromising self respect and dignity." You can read more about how the company started and all about Christa Taylor HERE.

To start with I want to say that Christa-Taylor is not paying me to talk about her company. She didn't send me any free products. Everything I've ordered from Christa-Taylor has been purchased with my own money. I happen to think that they have a great mission and I think their clothes are cute so I don't mind supporting them one bit! By the way Christa-Taylor donates 5% of every purchase to Warm Blankets Orphan Care International. which is pretty cool.

I've ordered from them several times and every time I've been very pleased with my purchases. I bought my winter coat from Christa-Taylor, and I wear it EVERYWHERE and get compliments on it all the time. In fact, just today a random lady I walked by stopped me to tell she loved my coat.

Their shipping is super fast, I always receive my order in two to three days. Look at these sweet dresses I just bought!

Blue Best Friend Dress
I don't care if it is the middle of winter. I wore this dress to church last Sunday with tights, a cardigan sweater and boots. I LOVED it!

Vintage Dot Dress This one, I admit isn't exactly in my color scheme... But, I don't care. It's so adorable, I had to get it anyway!

Christa-Taylor also has a BLOG that she updates usually once or twice a week full of fashion and beauty advice that I highly recommend you check out. Right now she's got an awesome post up about how to shape and maintain your eyebrows. :) Every girl needs to know how to do this!

I hope you check out Christa-Taylor and find something you like!

Proverbs 31:11

2010-01-22T08:00:00.002-06:00

Choosing to not date doesn't ensure that you can give your future husband a perfectly intact, non-bruised heart. (See: Hello Mr Wrong). Face it, we live in a world where sensuality is prevalent and encouraged. Where you supposedly learn by giving your heart to person after person only to have it held, loved, and then returned to you broken, bruised and worse for wear. If attraction is encouraged and cultivated what happens when you get married?? The attraction doesn't just automatically turn off or transfer to only your husband. It's still there.

So, how do you protect your heart? Some time ago a thought popped into my head and it's been a big help to me. The thought was to practice being faithful to my husband even before I know who he is. I am destined for one man, saving myself, keeping my heart for him. But, allowing myself to be attracted to other men is not being faithful. It's running around on him. Behave as a married woman. Practice faithfulness now! So that when God blesses you with, as Peter Marshall said, "The highest halls of human happiness". It won't be hard to protect your heart from outside attraction and you will be able to give your husband a fuller, less bruised or unbruised complete heart. A heart that belongs to him, that is beating out a tune for him and him alone. Just think about it. "The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, so that he shall have no need of spoil."

What I Want to Be When I Grow Up

2010-01-19T06:46:00.001-06:00

Every high school student knows those dreaded words “So, what are you doing after high school?”

*balk*

*gulp*

*scream*

Choosing a career path can be a daunting, scary and in all honesty, (let’s face it) an IMPOSSIBLE thing to do. At age eighteen my chosen career path was “Wife and Mother.” I was raring and ready to go. One teeny-tiny problem: “Wife and Mother” is one of those joint-partnership occupations, it goes hand-in-hand with “Husband and Father” and the “Husband and Father” division of the corporation was conspicuously absent.

So, maybe, I decided I should look at some alternate career options. Something just to pass the time, you know?

I’ll just be honest and come totally clean here. That was me ten years ago, and it’s basically still me. Passing the time…

Don’t get me wrong. I haven’t been completely idle. In fact, I don’t think I’ve been idle at all. I’ve worshipped while I’m waiting done everything I could think to do while I’m waiting, and I’ve been happy and fulfilled.

But, my future is still out there, Gigantic and Unknown and getting closer and closer. I’m still looking at career options. Of course, my first choice is still my first choice, and if it becomes available I’ll jump in with both feet. Meanwhile I continue to search and pray and be led.

There are a lot of well meaning people that have tried to help.

“You should be a teacher.”

“You should be a writer.”

“You should be a makeup artist.”

“You should be a chef.”

Oh, incidentally, I want to say that I LOVE getting these suggestions, so I’m not saying that people shouldn’t offer up ideas. Please, if you have an idea let me know! It’s fun to think of the possibilities and I have certainly given my share of career opinions to other people.

At age eighteen, one person made a career suggestion to me that I am ashamed to say I rolled my eyes at.

“You should be a Virtuous Woman.”

Come on, really? That’s not a career!

(Almost) Ten years later I look back at my younger self and I have to disagree. Virtuous Woman is the ultimate career.

It’s the job that, if done properly and wholeheartedly will make any other path you walk successful. The Virtuous Woman radiates success, accomplishment, wisdom, education, self-confidence, beauty, happiness, kindness, love. All the things that we all want and need in our lives.

Ten years ago I had two opinions about the Virtuous Woman.

A) That she was abstract and unattainable.

and

B) That she was an overused stereotype. And I didn't want to be a stereotype. I wanted to be DIFFERENT.

Silly me. Of course I'm going to be different. God created only one me. I'm certainly not going to be like anyone else. What I failed to realize was that working to become a Virtuous Woman wouldn't interfere with developing my individuality. Rather, the opposite. Being a Virtuous Woman gives us the tools we need to become the best versions of ourselves. The career path of Virtuous Womanhood is created by God to bring us to our full potentials in Him.

The IDD Blog is going to publishing over the next few weeks an insightful, topic by topic look at the Virtuous Woman. We want to encourage every young lady to make Virtuous Womanhood her goal, and we hope to offer practical advice on how to apply these principles to you own life.

We want to stress that even though The Virtuous Woman is described as a Wife and Mother that we believe that a single female supporting herself has just as much chance of achieving Virtuous Woman status as a married woman. It's never too early or late to start!

Hear Ye!!! Hear Ye!!

2010-01-15T08:00:00.001-06:00

It's time for the annual IDD...........

CHOCOLATE SWAP!!

Here's the details:

What: Chocolate Swap

Where: The IDD Blog

Who: Anyone who wants to participate

When: February 14th, 2010

How: If you are interested comment here, then email us your address by February 1st. (Our email address is in the sidebar). After that we will compile names and addresses and email you the name and address of a fellow IDDiot. You get to buy chocolate and send it to that person. They buy chocolate and send it to you! Try to have in the mail before Feb 14th. Then on the 14th (Valentine's Day) we can all enjoy our chocolate together!!! (If you have any allergies let us know in your email so we can send them on to your "Chocolate Santa".)

Helping

2010-01-14T20:12:00.001-06:00

Dear girls,

I know that many of you have seen pictures or heard about the devastation in Haiti. It's truly heart-rending to hear what has happened there. We want to take this opportunity to encourage you all to do three things.

Pray. Pray for strength for all those suffering in the wake of this tragedy. Pray for those who are on their way to help them, that they can endure the struggles and terrible sights they will find.

Donate $5. If you can give more, that's wonderful, of course, but even five dollars can do so much. You can find a list of agencies to donate to here (if anyone knows of another one, feel free to leave their name in the comments). The Red Cross is always a helping hand, or there are other agencies, like the Baptist Haiti Mission which "is operating an 82-bed hospital that is 'overflowing with injured.' "

Love. Love the people of Haiti, who have suffered poverty and neglect for years. Love those around you, because if there's one thing we should learn from this tragedy it's that life is precious. Love God, in spite of this horror.

Not By Sight

2010-01-11T06:53:00.000-06:00

Today we have a special guest post by Susie!

You know that analogy about the person or persons in a raft riding the rapids of a river twisting through a deep canyon? They can't see where they're going and what's around the next bend, but fortunately they have somebody looking out for them.

A helicopter hovers above the canyon looking down on them with a clear view of where the raft is, where it's been and what's ahead.

Now comes the most important part of the analogy: A two-way radio.

The helicopter can communicate with the raft. Warning them and giving directions so they can navigate safely, when the river splits ahead of them telling them which direction to go. The raft has to trust the helicopter, disobeying or disregarding the helicopter's instructions can get them hurt, lost or even killed.

Here's another analogy. A small town girl moves to a big city. She isn't used to the traffic much less navigating her way around in a city 30 times bigger than back home. Six lanes of traffic, exit ramps, entrance ramps, signs, lights every moment feels like you're heading around a blind corner.

Fortunately She has somebody looking out for her. A GPS satellite orbits this planet up in the atmosphere broadcasting signals to GPS receivers all over the world.

The most important part of this analogy is Grandpa and Grandma's GPS receiver attached to the girl's car window. (We would like to interrupt this paragraph with a special "Thank You!" to Grandpa and Grandma) This specific GPS we will now refer to as "Ginger"; Ginger Penelope Siggy. Ginger gives specific turn by turn directions, advises lane changes and alerts you to exits and entrances, with mile by point mile accuracy giving her exact location all the way through the big city.

Ginger has three ways to communicate with this misplaced girl.

1. An audible voice speaks to give instructions and warnings.

2. An animated digital map complete with color coded streets and a cute little blue care to give visual aid.

3. Written instructions are easily read on her bright screen.

Also if the small town girl misses an exit or takes a wrong turn she won't be lost for long because Ginger can get her back on track as fast as you can say "Recalculating".

Both of these analogies correlate with our spiritual journey, walking the Christian path of Faith. We are pilgrims, in this world but not of it. We have a destination a goal but the immediate future is as uncertain as the bend of a river or the exit ramp three lanes over. Every day, every moment we have decisions to make, ruff rapids to struggle through, people all around us, signs pointing every direction, a wrong move can get you hurt, lost or even killed. We can't navigate through life by ourselves.

"There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." Proverbs 14:12

Fortunately we have someone looking out for us: An All Seeing, All Knowing, All Powerful Heavenly Father. Most importantly we need to be listening and obeying Him. He's always speaking to us giving us clear directions so that we can walk this road as His children.

He speaks to us in three ways.

1. That great "voice of many waters" and yet "a still small voice" speaks to the hearts of men.

"I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly." Psalms 85:8

2. All around us He has shown His plan in the very earth He created for us if we would only see it.

"But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fish of the sea shall declare unto thee. Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath off all mankind." Job12:7-10

3. He wrote it all out in the Bible His own Word for us to read and understand.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." Psalms 119:105

Also if "we like sheep have gone astray" He will find us and bring is back to Him. He love us and has us in the palm of His hands.

Wrap it up!

2010-01-07T06:00:00.002-06:00

Typically when I think of good stewardship, money handling comes to mind very quickly. One of my most bothersome monetary puzzles was "The Thing".
It stares at you everytime you enter your room. Mostly pennies are inside of it, but you have a few nickels too. Maybe a few dimes. A quarter or two.

You know what I mean--it's "The Change Jar". The open item where you dump the change from your pockets, or purse, or wallet, or whatever holds it. The item you keep wondering what to do with, because well, you can't exactly take it to the store to dig through and count out the $23.70 you need. So it sits there. And you fill it. Little by little.

You could take it to a money counting machine--if you don't mind paying a percentage out of each dollar you put in. But since saving money is one of my favorite hobbies, I use a different solution--recycle it.

No, don't dump the jar in with the plastics to be taken to the city recycling place--but do take your jar and find a nice flat surface to work on. And you will need a bag of coin wrappers like these:

which you can get at Wal-Mart inexpensively. Or you might check with your bank and see if they'll give you some for free.

I like to dump out most of my jar, and divide the coins into sections, like nickels in one pile, dimes in another, etc. Then count out the right amount into each cartridge and fold down the top--like 50 pennies to make 50 cents, 50 dimes to make $5, and so forth. The great thing about this is you usually only do it every few months, depending on how long it takes you to fill your jar up. So it's not really that time consuming. Plus, it helps me cut back on how often I have to deposit money from my paycheck into my checking--my recycled change becomes extra money for checking.

Next, assess the amount you have after it's all wrapped up and take it by your bank sometime to deposit it all back into your account.

Then wait till your jar is filled up again and repeat.

And now to borrow and slightly alter the words of Benjamin Franklin: "A penny wrapped is a penny saved."

Happy wrapping--North & South is a great money wrapping movie, in case you wanted to know.

A strange and most wonderful mystery

2010-01-06T17:40:00.000-06:00

Tonight all around the world Old Calendar Orthodox Christians, like myself and my family, will be going to church to celebrate Christ's birth. Ineffably (one of Orthodoxy's favorite words) the church becomes the cave where Christ was born; we become the shepherds and wise men come to glorify Him. The service says "Heaven and earth are united today, for Christ is born. Today has God come upon earth, and man gone up to heaven. Today for man's sake is seen in the flesh He who by nature is invisible" (Festal Menaion 263). We have been given the greatest gift possible: the gift of God's love for and mercy toward us. The paradoxical beauty of this feast, that He who is without time became part of time, points to the mystery of our faith.

Throughout the night we will refer to the prophets of the Old Testament, those who foretold the birth of Christ and the redemption of mankind. The patriarchs and righteous women of old are the lineage through which Christ was born to save us all, so we honor them as well. We sing the rich and ancient words that the Church gives us: "A strange and most wonderful mystery do I see: the cave is heaven; the Virgin the throne of the cherubim; the manger a room in which Christ, the God whom nothing can contain is laid. Him do we praise and glorify" (Festal Menaion 282).

In this great mystery of Christ's birth, we see His love for us. So let us say together:

Christ is Born!
Glorify Him!

LIVE

2010-01-05T08:20:00.000-06:00

I am inspired by Nichole Nordeman's song "Live."

Did you come that we might just survive?
Did you come so we could just get by?

Did you walk among us
So we might merely limp along beside?

I don't want to "just survive." And I don't think I was ever meant to just survive. There's so much more to life than that.

I want to thrive. I want to be the best version of myself. I want to take every opportunity given to me, whether it looks like one or not, and I want to grow.

I don't think I'm asking the impossible or building ivory towers. I choose to believe that I was created for great things. That I was meant not to just survive, or just get by.

I believe I was meant to LIVE.

You make me want to live...
You came to shake us
And to wake us up to something more
Than we'd always settled for
And you make me want to live

It is because of Christ's great love for me that I want to live.

It is through submission to His great love for me that I can live.

If, without Him I am nothing... than is it not equally true that WITH Him is my greatest potential?

"...We have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us,

and we gave them reverence:

shall we not much rather

be in subjection unto the Father of spirits,

and live?"

Hebrew 12:9

Never give up.

Never back down.

Never despise the chastening.

Learn to grow.

And as Ralph Waldo Emerson said

"Without halting, without rest,

lifting better up to best."

The New Year

2010-01-01T05:30:00.000-06:00

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year
'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.'

And he replied,
'Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!'

by Minnie Louise Harkins 1875-1957

A look back at my New Year's Resolutions

2009-12-29T14:13:00.000-06:00

This is the time of the year when people stop and evaluate their lives. The look at the New Year's Resolution's they made last year, see if they accomplished what they set their minds to do. New Year's Resolutions....
I'm not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions... they seem somewhat petty, like you can't just do stuff during the year, you have to wait till January to start something right. But last year I decided, why not. I'll just try anyway see what the big deal is. I made two resolutions; easy ones I figured wouldn't be too hard to keep.

#1 - Work on my relationship with God
#2 - Exercise

I figured the first would be a pretty much no-brainer, except I wanted to do it a lot. I thought I would work towards the place where you are;
"Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; " - Ephesians 6:18
Well, I didn't get there, but all throughout this past year, I kept thinking about the resolution I had made to
"...press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 3:14 and it would spur me on in God.

The second resolution was a bit harder to keep. I wanted to exercise more and not because I wanted to lose weight and look like a model, but because I knew I wasn't in the best physical shape and I knew exercising would be good for me. Well... sometime early this year I almost herniated a disk in my back and was put on restrictions for several weeks. So that x'd any thoughts for exercising for a while. After that I was just busy and too lazy to try and exercise. Then, when I was seriously trying to fit it back into my schedule, I locked my hip. And yep, that x'd exercising for another few weeks. After that I decided that was enough, I'm just going to do it. I need to get my body back into shape so I'm not getting hurt!! I bought a DVD so I could exercise at home and not have to go to a gym or try running (which I stink at). I've started doing it a couple times a week. And you know what, not only am I enjoying it, but I'm noticing a difference. I feel better, I don't get winded as much and I walk taller, more confidently and I haven't hurt myself since the locked hip. Plus, I'm not a big fan of the music on the DVD so I try to pray while I'm exercising. It's not bad music, just not my preferences.

So all in all, my resolution to have New Year's Resolutions turned out pretty well. I got somewhere with them. My final thoughts on the subject. Am I a fan of resolutions? Yes, and No. Yes, as a person who enjoys rising to a challenge, absolutely; it spurred me to do something and keep with it. No, I don't think they are for everyone and it depends on the resolution, don't just think of something; put thought into it, decide to do something you actually WANT to do. Ditch New Year's, start it NOW. Make resolutions all the time to push on in God, to Do Hard Things and allow God to make a difference in your life and the lives around you. Resolve to let God consume your life into His will.

Philippians 3:13-14 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

It's a Wonderful Life

2009-12-25T08:00:00.014-06:00

"I wish I'd never been born."

The familiar line from the classic Christmas movie "It's a Wonderful Life". Have you ever thought that? Wondered if you've made a difference in a life? Figured that you could never make as big of an impact as George Bailey did? But, did you ever stop and think about it, looked at your life through different eyes Have you ever tried to look at your life as God does?

My "It's a Wonderful Life" experience happened over a month ago and I'm afraid it's not nearly as entertaining as George Bailey's. But, it's certainly made me stop and assess my life. I was talking to mom about my life. Bemoaning the fact that I didn't feel like I had accomplished anything. That I didn't make much of a difference in the lives of the people around me. Mom of course had encouraging words, she started pointing out things that I did that make a difference, and some of them I agreed with. I might not see a huge difference, but there are the little ones here and there. Like going into work everyday. I'm not a nurse, I don't save lives everyday, I merely feed people, smile and say 'Have a nice day!'. One day there was a benefit in town for a man who has a rare form of cancer. We had donated a bunch of food for the benefit and I was on the phone talking to the lady in charge of the benefit. She had some questions about picking it up and such. Before hanging up she told me that we were just wonderful. I believe the word she used was angels. We had made a difference in her life just by a simple act. What about you? It is possible that your smile changed someone's life yesterday. Yes it's possible that your life touches just as many people as George Bailey's did.

Here's another thought; what if you'd never become a Christian? If just a smile makes a difference, changes someone's day, or maybe even their life, can you imagine what a difference having God in your life makes for other people? The gift of Jesus in your life makes the difference. If Jesus had never been born, or decided to not get on the cross and die for our sins, we would all be lost. Stop and think about it. Jesus is the Reason for the Season. Take a moment to thank God for the gift of His son. And take a moment to look at your life through God's eyes. It truly is a Wonderful Life.

While You Were Sleepin'

2009-12-24T06:03:00.000-06:00

John 14:2-6 (ESV)

"In my Father's house are many rooms.
If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
"And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again and will take you to myself,
that where I am you may be also.
"And you know the way to where I am going."
Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going.
How can we know the way?"
Jesus said to him,
"I am the way, and the truth, and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me."

In the winter

2009-12-23T14:22:00.000-06:00

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone.

Those lines are from Christina Rossetti’s poem “In the Bleak Midwinter.” They’re so evocative of winter with its barrenness, its frozen landscape. I get cold quickly, so maybe it’s just me, but winter’s a hard time of year for me. I long for warmth and greenness and beauty: all the things that winter doesn’t have.

In short, I wish I were anywhere but here, in any time but this one.

And that’s how Rossetti starts her poem: with the earth hard as iron, water like a stone. It’s not where she ends, though. She goes on to say:

Our God, heaven cannot hold him,
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When he comes to reign;
In the bleak midwinter
A stable place sufficed
The Lord God incarnate,
Jesus Christ.

Into the midst of all of this barrenness, Christ came. Now, I know that the actual date of Christ’s birth is debated, but let’s lay aside that debate for the moment. Because the image of Christ coming into the midst of a world that is winter is true. He came and made all things full of life.

It’s kind of humbling, isn’t it? Here I am, complaining about my cold hands, and there’s Christ, the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, coming down and being born as a human, to save us all. Not just us, but all of creation. How awe-some is that?

So, maybe in this cold season I should stop complaining. Maybe I should start trying to make just a tiny bit of Christ’s warmth in this frozen world. Maybe I should do what Rossetti says: “Give my heart.”

Investing in Lives

2009-12-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

Last night we watched "It's a Wonderful Life." I'm assuming most of you have seen this movie, so there will be spoilers in this post... just warning you.

I walked away from the movie and fell asleep comfy-cozy in my bed while the temperatures outside dived below zero. And I thought about it before I fell asleep and when I woke up this morning I was still thinking about George Bailey.

The man gave everything away. Not just his money, not just his time, but his dreams too.

I love the part when he's getting ready to leave on his honeymoon and he gets delayed because of the bank run. As soon as his wife shows up with his life savings he runs to begin distributing it to people in need. And not because they really NEED the money. After all, as he's already informed them, they could walk into Potters office and get half their money in 5 minutes. He does it to save his father's business (which he hates) and to save these people from making a bad investment with Potter. My sisters and I looked at each and asked "Do you think he ever got that money back?" I don't think he did. Maybe eventually... over time. But, did he ever have that $2000 lump sum again? I highly doubt it.

Countless times he gives up what he wants or plans in order to do something that appears to be the best thing at the time... for everyone else.

I was struck for the first time with George Bailey's attitude. He so obviously does NOT want to make a lot of the sacrifices that he makes. But, he makes them in spite of himself.

And that brings me to Do Hard Things.. We've been reading this book in our Bible Study lately and I'm finding something inspiring in every chapter. But, mostly I'm convicted by the entire of concept of those three words. Do. Hard. Things.

In other words, Don't do the easy thing, when you have an option to do something harder.

George Bailey's hard things just kept piling up, making the hard things he did harder and harder. But, every hard thing he did was an investment in another person's life. Every hard thing HE did made someone else's life a little better and a little easier. He was making investments in people's lives. The kind of investments that aren't easily forgotten because they start as tiny seeds and grow and grow. Little by little he bought the kind of friends that are just waiting and watching for an opportunity to give back. So, ultimately, though everything he did was for others, HE was the mnost blessed in the end.

And as Clarence says: "No man is a failure who has friends."

What kind of investments are YOU making?

Christmas/Winter Craft

2009-12-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

Remember that totally adorable Thanksgiving Craft that Rebecca did? Well here is a totally adorable Christmas/winter craft.

You can find the original directions and better pictures here. I was trying to help two children make snowflakes and take pictures at the same time.

It's pretty simple, you need 6 squares of paper, tape, scissors, stapler, and glitter (opt.)

For the smaller snowflake I cut a 8.5 piece of paper in half and then made the squares.

Fold the square into a triangle and cut into it 3 times on each side. Make sure to leave a space at the top of the pyramid, don't cut all the way so the cuts meet.

Decorate (opt)

Unfold and roll center diamond, tape.

Roll next diamond opposite direction, tape

Continue with all 6 diamonds until you have the 6 "arms" of the snowflake.

Hold 3 of the "arms" together by one end and staple to make half of the snowflake. Ditto with other 3.

Hold 2 halves together by stapled ends and staple together creating 1 complete snowflake. Then staple the
arms together where they meet.

We did 8 squares and while it makes a dense more detailed snowflake it's hard to get your fingers and the stapler in there!

Peanut Butter Balls

2009-12-15T05:58:00.001-06:00

PERFECT for the holidays!

1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup of butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar
chocolate bark

Mix peanut butter, butter, vanilla and powdered sugar by hand to form a stiff dough. Shape into balls. Refrigerate. Melt chocolate bark in microwave. Dip balls in chocolate. Refrigerate. Serve.

YUMMY!

Do or Don't

2009-12-11T08:53:00.000-06:00

Our Bible Study group has been reading through Do Hard Things. Granted the study is mostly adults, there is actually only one of us who is still technically a "teen". But we're reading it anyway, and applying it to life as an adult. An Adult Rebellion Against Low Expectations :-) I was working through the chapter for this week when I ran across this passage:

Lindsey is a "good girl" who seemingly never does anything wrong. She won't watch R-rated movies, wears a promise ring her dad gave her on her thirteenth birthday, and won't even date (or "court," as she puts it) until she's ready to get married. It doesn't make her highly popular among some of her peers, but she cares more about what the adults in her life think. And they praise her constantly - usually while they bemoan all the "bad stuff" other teens today are involved in.

She loves it when she gets compliments for being such a "wonderful girl," but when Lindsey is honest, she knows she's become exceptional for what she doesn't do. She doesn't attend wild parties, cause trouble, or want a tattoo. But what does she do? Is the Christian life all about avoiding "bad stuff" or is it about doing "good, hard stuff" for God? Deep down Lindsey knows the answer, but she's already praised for being such a godly girl. Isn't that enough?

The words jumped off the page and smacked me over the head. I can completely relate. I know the feeling all to well. So here's the thoughts..

Are you (and me) known for the things we do or the things we don't do?
And what kind of things can you or we do to change that?

I'm going to leave you with one thing. Just a little encouragement for all of us.

The Tomorrow Promise

2009-12-08T06:00:00.000-06:00

It is truly one of God's many mercies that He always promises us a fresh tomorrow morning.

[His mercies] are New

every morning:

great is Thy faithfulness

-Lamentations 3:23

As I told a friend the other day "Sometimes when I've had a bad day or I'm lonely... I don't delay going to bed. The sooner I can start tomorrow morning the better."

Because as Anne Shirley says:

"Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is always new... with no mistakes in it."

Thank you God for Tomorrows.

George Mueller's Faith

2009-12-01T06:00:00.000-06:00

"If God fails me at this time,
it will be
the first time."

-George Mueller

This from the man who:

Began his ministry caring for orphans with 2 shillings in his pocket.
Built 5 large orphanages.
Cared for over 10,000 orphans in his lifetime
In 1834 there were accomadations for only 3,600 orphans in England and twice that many orphans under the age of eight were in prison. 50 years later, through George Mueller's hard work and dedication England was able to care for over 100,000 orphans.
Became a travelling missionary (a lifelong dream of his) at the age of 70 and continued for the next 17 years.
Travelled to 42 countries preaching on average once a day often to crowds of 5,000.
Read his Bible cover to cover more than 200 times.
Took in donations for several million dollars for the orphans without once asking anyone for money.
Gave up his small salary when he discovered it was paid for by the rental of church pews and didn't take a salary for the next 68 years.
Never took out a loan or went into debt.
The orphans never went hungry although several times they prayed over empty plates, only to have food arrive at the last moment.
Founded 117 schools.

"The beginning of anxiety is

the end of faith,

and the beginning of

true faith

is the end of anxiety."

-George Mueller

"Now faith is the

substance of things

hoped for,

the evidence of

things not seen."

-Hebrews 11:1

Psalm 95:1-7

2009-11-27T07:55:00.000-06:00

O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand...

Psalm 95

A Good Day to Give Thanks

2009-11-26T00:20:00.000-06:00

Up, down,up, down.

The corn beneath my hands seemed to sing as I worked the new wooden grinder my father had made last week. With each thrust of the heavy pole my excitement mounted.

Today was the special one. The last meal of thanksgiving. And the brown men and women were coming again.

Never in my ten years had I witnessed such a bounty of harvest.
Never had I joined with my friends and family in a whole week of feasting.
It was a day to remember, a day to celebrate the goodness of our God, Mother said.

Our God who preserved us through the long journey from England.
Our God who saved some from certain death in the winter months.
Our God who blessed us with wonderful provision.

"Mercy!! Be the samp done yet?"

The mention of my name pulled my mind back to its proper place, and I responded to Mother that no, it was not done yet, but soon. I knew of a truth that soon better not be far away. Mother was not of a mind to tolerate foolishness with so much to do. I was her only daughter, therefore she depended on me. I must finish this corn.

The smell of roast duck permeated our small thatched house, and out the window I saw my elder brother preparing the fish he caught that morning. My hunger grew stronger, and I worked quickly to complete my task.

I gathered the samp, the ground corn, into my apron and took it to Mother. Our bread was so different here in the New World. Unlike our bread of wheat, this bread of corn was thicker, and heavier. Sustaining for the days of hard work in the colony.

The villagers came forth from their houses, carrying food to make ready for our guests. Squash and corn lined the tables, next to the onions and beside the fish my brother and his friends had caught. From a distance our friends, the natives, came to enjoy this last meal of thanks with us. They carried with them deer, something I had never tasted before. It was a good day. A good day for giving thanks.

I carried the roast ducks out to the tables, first one duck, then the other. The bread was placed beside the fowl, and soon both native and colonist sat down to eat and rejoice in surviving a harsh winter, and receiving a successful harvest.

I glanced over at the head table,where the village leaders and the Indian chiefs sat. Such strange head coverings the chief wore. Strange, yet beautiful, with their many feathers. There was the one called Squanto sitting there too. Father said Squanto taught us to plant corn, so we could eat. I was glad, for I knew enough of dire hunger from the winter. I did not want to know it again.

Our heads were bowed as a prayer of thankfulness was offered to God. We ate and talked, and prayed, and ate. The deer meat was better than I supposed it could be. I hoped we would have it more often.

Later that day as my friends and I played games with the Indian children, my mind reflected on the hour upon hour of merriment and brotherhood of knowing dependence on each other and God. It was a day I would never forget.
I knew that. The last day of the feast.

A good day to give thanks.

Thanksgiving Craft

2009-11-24T07:40:00.002-06:00

Here's a fun, super easy craft we did here last week.

First trace a wreath shape onto a piece of cardoboard or heavy cardstock.

I just used a dinner plate and desert plate to make the proper sized circles. One inside the other.

Cut the circle out with scissors.

Next trace handprints onto colored paper. It helps to have a variety of different sized hands to trace. :)

Next: DECORATE! We used glitter-y glue to outline the handprints, but you could use anything you like. Be creative!

After the glue dries, cut out the hand shapes.

Now, the fun part. :) Make a list of things you (or your helpers :) ) are thankful for and label the handprints.

Glue the handprints around the cardboard ring to create a colorful wreath!

Decorate to your tastes. We used ribbon and leaves from our garden.

Enjoy! and

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Psalm 17:6-8

2009-11-19T10:24:00.003-06:00

I call upon You, for You will answer me, O God;
incline Your ear to me; hear my words.

Wondrously show Your steadfast love, O Savior of those who
seek refuge from their adversaries at Your right hand.

Keep me as the apple of Your eye; hide me in the shadow of Your wings...

Solving the Rubik's Cube, My Journey

2009-11-17T05:51:00.000-06:00

I can't tell you exactly when it was that my fascination with Mr. Rubik's Magic Cube began. I remember we had one once when I was little. I regarded it as one of those things that everyone has but no one knows what to do with. I grew up in the 80s when the Rubik's Cube was first born and was at the height of its fame. The Cube, in my eyes was an unsolved mystery and would remain that way. Forever. And that was ok. I didn't know anyone that could solve it. I still don't know anyone that can solve it.

The next phase in my Rubik's Cube obsession started when I saw The Pursuit of Happyness. Chris Gardner claims to be able to solve the cube (even though he never has) and in one suspenseful taxi-ride with his entire future weighing in the balance... he solves it. The solving of that "magic" cube has an impact on the rest of his life. If you were to say that if Chris Gardner hadn't solved that puzzle he wouldn't be where he is today and there wouldn't be a movie about him... I'd probably agree with you.

Obsession phase three. Somehow, somewhere I heard of someone who could solve the cube because, get this, they watched a tutorial on YouTube. Yeah. Really. And when I heard that I got a crazy idea. I thought "If it's on YouTube... I could watch that tutorial. I could solve the cube, too." I don't know what came over me. On my way home that night I stopped at the drugstore down the street and picked up a Rubik's Cube.

My family looked at me like I was nuts. Perhaps I should explain. I'm not what you'd call... smart. Book smart maybe. Math smart? Tech-y smart? Geometry smart? Puzzle smart? NO. I don't even do jigsaw puzzles. Two of my sisters and my dad LOVE jigsaw puzzles. I don't have the patience. I was never into solitaire. I never got higher in math than Algebra 1. But there was something about the Rubik's Cube. Something about the idea that if I, REBECCA could solve a Rubik's Cube... I would never feel dumb again. Or so I thought. Honestly, I don't know what possesed me.

So, the YouTube tutorials were not a myth. They exist. I started out watching the one that I had heard about. Some guy made a video on how to solve the Cube. He had, like, 12 million views on his tutorial. 12 MILLION. And almost as many comments from people who were thanking him for explaining it so well. These people had evidently solved the Cube. I watched the tutorial. And promptly got lost. Very very lost. Confused. Distorted. WHICH WAY IS UP? My Cube was perpetually scrambled. Frustration mounted. I decided to give up. It seemed the logical thing to do.

But then I saw something else. Another tutorial. A 9 STEP tutorial. I went to this other guy's YouTube channel and read the sidebar. He claimed that his method was "beginner friendly." Of course, at this point I'm assuming I'm not even a beginner since I couldn't make heads or tails out of tutorial number one. Is there a level below beginner? Basement level? Sub-basement level? If you're even lower than the sub-basement level do the smart people just say to you "Go home, sell your Cube on E-bay. You're not smart enough to own it." I DID spend $5 on the cube... I decided to give it another shot. I'd try the "beginner's method."

Right away trial #2 went much better. I actually solved one side of the cube. WOW. I mean... that's something right? But, how do you move on to solving another side without messing the first side up? And if you solve another side then you have two solved sides and you still have to solve 4 more sides without messing up the first two.

But the tutorial I was watching had a strange effect on me. The guy explaining it was doing such a good job. He kept saying things like "Don't worry." and "I'll show you that again" and drawing diagrams and explaining things over and over and showing every single possibility and what to do with every single possibility. Something about it gave me courage to keep trying. And trying. And trying. And trying.... Maybe it was the Pursuit of Happyness that kept me going. Maybe, I thought, somehow deep down being able to solve the Cube would change my future.

That was a VERY long weekend. I worked on the cube Friday night. All day Saturday. My family went from giving me amused glances to concerned ones. "Um, Rebecca? Maybe you should take a break?" I knew they were thinking the same thing I was thinking. The smartest people I knew couldn't solve the cube. What made me think I could? Saturday night I kept hitting the same wall over and over again. I could get the puzzle to a certain place. Almost solved. Only the top layer to go. And every time I messed it up. Majorly. My eyes burned. I had to start over again. I would get to the top layer... and screw it up. Start over again. Again, I messed it up. Just when I would think I had it... It would be scrambled beyond fixing... and I'd have to start over.

Frustration came and sat on my shoulders. I started breathing shortly. A huge lump settled in my throat. You're not smart. You've never been smart. Why are you even trying? You shouldn't even try doing this smart stuff, you're just proving to yourself that you can't do it. Give up. Give up. Give up. Why did I keep going? My sisters tried to help "Um, Rebecca? Do you think you're being a little obsessive? I think you need to take a break?" They threatened to take it away from me. Saturday night at midnight I slammed it down. "I can't do it. I don't know why I tried." I ignored my sister's tortured gazes, swallowed down the painful lump in my throat, stalked into my bedroom and closed the door on my tears. I flopped into bed. And I knew that I had just proved to myself how stupid I really was.

Have you ever been in that place? When everything you do and think just shows you all your imperfections? I started affixing all sorts of meaning to my inability to solve that silly game. As if not being able to solve the Rubik's Cube was the final straw. I was now, officially Not Going Anywhere In Life. I was doomed to live a simple, poverty stricken life. I mean, obviously I couldn't solve the Rubik's Cube, so what good could I possibly do myself or anyone else? Chris Gardner solved the Cube and changed his life for the better. I didn't solve the Cube. 'Nough said.

Sunday morning I woke up and walked into the living room. Only to see that colorful scrambled cube sitting there mocking me. Or, was it challenging me?

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

I couldn't solve the cube. But, God could. That guy on YouTube could. That guy on YouTube was TELLING me how to solve the Cube. I decided to give it one more shot. Why? I don't know. I guess deep down I believe God has good things in store for me. And that belief is stronger than my unbelief. Even when I don't see it myself and even when I tell myself I don't believe it. I realized that if my future really depended on solving the Cube I would never give up so easily. And I realized that even if I tell myself I'm a quitter, I'm not.

So, I tried it one more time. Maybe it was two more times. I remember my sister walked out of her bedroom and looked at me trying to solve it again. I heard her sigh as she walked into the next room. I read the algorithums over and over. I flipped the sides of the cube. Red, Green, Blue, Yellow. Right turn clockwise, Top counter-clockwise, Back 180 degrees, flip, turn, switch, line up the colors. And then it came. The final turn. The turn that 50 times had stared me in the face saying "You did it wrong. Again." But, this time was different. Left 180 degrees. And I had it. 6 sides. All of them a single color. A beautiful Rubik's Cube, just the way it came in the package. Solved.

I don't know how to explain the emotions of that moment. I can tell you that they were too much for me to deal with. I didn't scream or shout or jump up and down or wake up my sister screaming "I SOLVED THE CUBE!!!!!" Instead I set the solved cube on the coffee table and went into my bedroom. And I just thanked God. Maybe my whole future doesn't depend on solving the Cube. I will probably never be in a taxi with a man who could give me everything I need if I could just impress him enough. I doubt I will ever apply for a job where I can claim "Ability to solve a Rubik's Cube" as a job qualification. But, who knows? Maybe someday. For now, I know that solving that cube gave me a self-confidence I've never had before. Sure, discouragement still comes. Solving the Cube didn't give me automatic knowledge in every subject that "smart people" excel in. But, I learned something about myself and about God in me. I learned that I'm not a quitter, because God didn't make me a quitter and doesn't intend for me to ever quit anything He sets in my path to do. I learned that I can do things I think I can't do if I try, REALLY try, because I have God on my side, and He can give me the strength to do anything.

drumroll

2009-11-14T18:41:00.004-06:00

Congratulations to Hanna 'The Von Seven', winner of our basket give-away!

Hanna, to claim your prize, e-mail us (see side bar on the right) with your mailing address, and we will get the basket to you as soon as possible. :)

Don't forget to enter!!

2009-11-13T16:26:00.002-06:00

Today is the last day you can enter for our Gift Basket Giveaway!

"Little" Miracles

2009-11-12T06:30:00.001-06:00

There's a song that says "God gives to all His children talents both great and small".

My talent seems to be getting lost in big cities.

Maybe I'm just too navigationally challenged. Maybe my farm girl roots just can't handle the city. For whatever reason, I always get lost. Always.

But that's not the amazing thing. The amazing thing is, I always find my way back around again.

Because of "little" miracles.

Such as God opening up a spot for me on the interstate when I pray for one, or guiding my eyes to the right sign at the right time, or keeping anyone from coming up behind me so I can switch lanes to make the correct turn and get back to where I'm supposed to be. And stretching my low gas to keep me from being stranded as I try to figure out where I am.

Over and over again I've witnessed God taking care of me, even in small things. Things that don't really seem important or noteworthy. Little miracles, you might say.

I'm convinced there is no such thing as a "little" miracle. I don't think we understand how many times but for the hand of God on us, something would have happened. How many car accidents further down the highway we've avoided because of that slow car in front who delayed our driving. How many times danger or tragedy lurked around the corner but God kept it away from us.

Little miracles that we barely notice. Yet had they been absent, our lives would not be the same.

We praise God for the "big" miracles, but do we praise Him for the "little" ones? Or do we take them for granted?

I believe part of praying without ceasing is thanking without ceasing. For the big miracles. But especially for the "little" ones.

Poppies

2009-11-11T20:56:00.001-06:00

The Dead

These hearts were woven of human joys and cares,
Washed marvellously with sorrow, swift to mirth.
The years had given them kindness. Dawn was theirs,
And sunset, and the colours of the earth.
These had seen movement, and heard music; known
Slumber and waking; loved; gone proudly friended;
Felt the quick stir of wonder; sat alone;
Touched flowers and furs and cheeks. All this is ended.

There are waters blown by changing winds to laughter
And lit by the rich skies, all day. And after,
Frost, with a gesture, stays the waves that dance
And wandering loveliness. He leaves a white
Unbroken glory, a gathered radiance,
A width, a shining peace, under the night

Rupert Brooke (1887-1915)

Dr. Jak's November Sunday

2009-11-10T08:50:00.000-06:00

What I wore to church last Sunday.

Gorgeous, GORGEOUS Indian Summer weather inspires me to wear

Indian Summer colors.

Rich browns and tans and a splash of something brighter. :)

Sweater dresses are IN this fall.

So are Big Belts and Cowboy Boots... :)

I'm wearing brown and silver earrings and brown tights to help with warmth and modesty. :)

Gift basket give-away!

2009-11-07T08:00:00.016-06:00

This time we are giving away a basket full of pampering goodies as a thank-you to all of our readers! Each of our blog readers has contributed something special, and this basket is full to overflowing with fun items!

Check it out:

"Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young, a book of daily devotions.

Burt's Bees Hands and Feet kit containing a pumice stone, cuticle creme, small tins of hand creme, lip balm and a tube of foot lotion
Manicure set, including nail brush, clippers, metal file, cuticle pusher, tweezers and mini emery boards.
4 oz.Vanilla Caramel scented candle (which smells AMAZING. I keep opening it to take a whiff as I type this up!)
A bar of Kirk's Original Coco Castile body soap.
Sheer Mauve Revlon nail polish.
Apple Cinnamon soap bar.
Hand-made bracelet by ThinkVictorian (thinkvictorian.etsy.com yes, I'm taking this moment to shamelessly give my own store a shout-out ;-P )
The basket itself... embellished with bead bangles.
White exfoliating gloves.
Lavender Blosson bath gel.

Is that everything??? *digs through basket* Well, I'll throw in some tissue paper and red
crinkly basket filler for no extra charge. Now, how does this work?

To enter, just leave us a comment! Tell us how you think we are doing with the blog, what you like/dislike about it, what kinds of things you like to see in future posts, or any questions you might have for us. Now, you are only allowed to enter once, unless you give us a shout-out on your own blog/LJ. Link back in another comment, and your name will be entered twice. I was going to say that for a third chance just drop me a check for $5 in the mail, but then my concience got to me. Maybe next time.

You have until next Friday to enter. The winner will be announced one week from today.

The Vision and the Reality

2009-11-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

We have seen what we are not, and what God wants us to be, but are we willing to be battered in to the shape of the vision to be used by God? The beatings will always come in the most common, everyday ways and through common, everyday people.

~ Oswald Chambers

Empty or full?

2009-11-04T10:51:00.003-06:00

Sometimes I feel empty. How could I possibly sit here and write something moving? How could I hope to teach what I don’t know? The questions just keep piling up until I feel like I have nothing, like I am nothing.

But then I remember one of my favorite poems (I will admit that I have a great many). It’s called “A Better Resurrection” and it was written by a Victorian woman named Christina Rossetti.

I have no wit, no words, no tears;

My heart within me like a stone

Is numbed too much for hopes or fears;

Look right, look left, I dwell alone;

I lift mine eyes, but dimmed with grief

No everlasting hills I see;

My life is in the falling leaf:

O Jesus, quicken me.

My life is like a faded leaf,

My harvest dwindled to a husk;

Truly my life is void and brief

And tedious in the barren dusk;

My life is like a frozen thing,

No bud nor greenness can I see:

Yet rise it shall—the sap of Spring;

O Jesus, rise in me.

My life is like a broken bowl,

A broken bowl that cannot hold

One drop of water for my soul

Or cordial in the searching cold;

Cast in the fire the perished thing,

Melt and remold it, till it be

A royal cup for Him my King:

O Jesus, drink of me.

We will feel empty. We will feel “dimmed with grief.” We live in a fallen world. But we also have the greatest gift we could possibly be given: the love of God and the promise of his mercy and healing.

Book Review: The Great Divorce, by C.S. Lewis

2009-11-03T06:16:00.000-06:00

"There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, 'Thy will be done,' and those to whom God says, in the end, 'Thy will be done."

The Great Divorce by C.S. Lewis is essentially built on this premise.

The author takes a trip to heaven, by way of a bus that picked up him and his fellow travelers at a bus stop in hell. Once there he and his fellow travelers have conversations with Spirits. Men and women that have died and live in heaven.

I found this book very insightful and eye-opening.

I have always loved Lewis' views on heaven. As a place infinitely more REAL than the place we are in, so much more real that we realize the place we have been in all along is simply a shadowland.

I was captivated and somehow quickened at the same time when he described the difference between the passion of pity and the action of pity.
The passion being "The pity we merely suffer, the ache that draw men to concede what should not be conceded and to flatter when they should speak truth... a weapon by bad men against good ones..."
And the action being "...a weapon on the other side. It leaps quicker than light from the highest place to the lowest to bring healing and joy, whatever the cost to itself..."

I really can't even begin to describe how many things I learned from it, because I know there are so many more things I will learn as I continue to think about this book and read it over and over.

As Lewis says:
"Thirst was made for water, inquiry for truth."

Prayer

2009-10-30T08:00:00.000-05:00

I've been searching for a topic to write about. Something to inspire me to get my non-writer-fingers moving. I couldn't land on anything, at all. But, while I was doing dishes, a thought dropped in my brain. I've been working my way through a series of books. They are very intriguing. The thing that got me was the way the main character is with God. He trusts completely. There is one place in the books where he goes, kneels down to pray, and stays there, pleading for an answer. He didn't move until he got a audible answer. Which got me thinking, what do I ask God for? And truly trust that he will answer? I've never gotten down on my knees and stayed there till I got an answer. Never. Do I even trust him to actually give me a audible answer? He can. So here is my question to myself, and to you.

When you pray do you trust? Are you doing lip service or are you seeking an answer?

"And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive."
Matthew 21:22

Hello Mr. Wrong

2009-10-20T06:00:00.001-05:00

Before we begin I want to point out something that you will probably realize as you read on. I am not a believer in the idea that Courtship can save you from a broken heart. Neither do I believe that "Dating With a Purpose" or for that matter ANY kind of relationship method can prevent broken hearts. Broken hearts happen. In fact, God ALLOWS hearts to break. And if He does than it's all for our own good. To "bring us to an expected end." I believe that God has the perfect person out there for each of us. I believe that God will bring two people together. I believe that if a couple places their relationship in God's hands He will direct the relationship so that it remains pure and God-honoring.

    There are many, many, many, many, many "Successful Courtship" Stories out there. Every couple has one. And they're all sweet and inspiring and encouraging. What we don't see as often are the "Failed Courtship" stories. I'm convinced it's not because they're not out there. There are obvious reasons for not sharing this kind of thing. It's a personal matter, and I'm certainly not saying that everyone should publish their "Failed Courtship" stories. But, it's good for us to understand that this kind of thing does and can happen. (Incidentally, I don't actually believe in "failed" relationships. If two people enter a relationship toward marriage with the idea that God will direct them and show them how/if they should get married, and it ends up not working, it wasn't meant to work. In that case, I would have to call it a "successful relationship." We certainly wouldn't want two people to get married just because they started a courtship/relationship if they discover it's not meant to be. In these cases God has a much better match for each of them.)


    The other thing that we never hear of but I believe MUST happen more than we think is the relationship that fails before it even gets off the ground. Before it progresses to the "Courtship/Dating/Dorting/RELATIONSHIP" stage. I'll be up front and honest here. It's happened to me. Twice. It's happened to some of my friends. It's important to know we're not immune to this sort of thing just because we've committed ourselves to a higher standard of purity.



    I'll be honest. It's hard. For those of us who believe in "Courtship", "Dating-With-A-Purpose", "Dorting" or whatever you choose to call it there's a seriousness of thought that comes with all potential relationships. When I was in my teens and early 20s I never thought of any scenario except a perfect one. I imagined a guy approaching me about starting a relationship.... Of course I said yes! I was already in love with him! Or, I imagined getting to know a guy as a friend and gradually falling in love, and when we both realize what is happening it's obvious we're destined to be together forever. Or, my dad comes to me "Rebecca, 'So-and-so' has asked to start a relationship with you. What do you think?" And I take it to prayer and recieve a resounding "YES!" from God, and a "YES!" from my parents and fall madly in love and live happily ever after. *sigh* It seemed impossible to me that all the right components could be there without adding up to the right answer. I never once imagined that a Godly, nice guy would approach me about starting a relationship and the train would come jerking to a halt. And yet, that's exactly what happened.

    I'll walk you through the emotional rollercoaster that is a potential relationship.
            A) Guy approaches you/your father/however you think it should go

            B) Hope ignites. At this point I think to myself "This could be it! I've been waiting my whole life for this to happen, and now it's happening! Could this really be it?" Not to mention the heart-warming "He LIKES me!" Wow. I mean, surely he wouldn't be attracted to me if it wasn't God's will. Right? Um, wrong. Guys can struggle with crushes and attractions just like us girls.

            C) You take it to prayer. At this point you become aware that you do NOT already have feelings for this guy. The place in your heart that supposed to be going "ZING!" is rather... empty.

            D) Then the questions you ask yourself. Is this guy really the one for me, but I'm immune to falling in love with him? Am I destined to be married to someone I don't love? Or, am I supposed to marry him because all the lights are green (except my heart) and eventually I'll "grow to love him"... maybe.
      I remember a time when my Dad asked me how it was going with a certain guy. This guy was interested in starting a relationship with me. I wasn't so sure... I looked at my dad while trying to sort my thoughts into a coherent sentence that would somehow communicate every question, concern, uncertainty, fear, hope, dread and depression that I felt all swirling around in my heart and Dad interpreted it all into one brief fragment of a sentence. "No spark, huh?" Wow. Relief. "Yeah, no spark." He just nodded and walked away. As if to say "Well, that's that. No spark." Yeah. No spark. What a relief to understand that there is SUPPOSED to be a spark. If there's not, Red Light.
            Of course, no spark isn't the only reason you should nip a relationship in the bud. There are MANY other things to consider. Do you agree with this guy on all important subjects? Doctrine, Child-raising, are you compatible? I could write another whole article on these subjects but these issues have mostly already been addressed by more qualified people than myself.

            E) The dread. The doubt. This could really be it. The last train for marriage-ville. I'm not getting any younger. This guy is attracted to me. He'd probably take good care of me. If I don't agree to go with him... there's a good chance no one else will ever ask me. I could be doomed to spinster-hood!!!!! In the infamous words of Mr. Collins of Pride and Prejudice fame "...You should take it into further consideration that, in spite of your manifold attractions, it is by no means certain that another offer of marriage may ever be made to you."

            F) The decision. The "breaking it off." Is it really breaking it off if it never even starts?

            G) Then the guilt. I probably really hurt this guy's feelings. Now I feel like an ice queen. Am I incapable of love?

            H) Back to the single life. Except now I feel even more single than ever.

            I) Then the self questioning. "God, why did You allow this to happen?" For me, this is one of the hardest parts. As Jessie Brown says in Cranford "It's not the despair that hurts, but the hope." Even if your hope never materializes into the feelings you hope it will... the disappointed hope can still leave a bruise that may take a long time to heal.

   A friend said to me the other day "God will allow our desires (even good ones) to be tested." This is so true! False start relationships can be discouraging, believe me I know! But, it's always better to look on the bright side. Be thankful for the experience! Be thankful that God is working in you! Be thankful that you made the right decision! Know that God doesn't walk us through darkness for no reason. He tests us because He loves us. Every test and trial we go through is one more test or trial behind us. Don't give up!

If there's three things I want you to understand they would be these:

Just because a guy wants to start a relationship with you doesn't mean he's the one. I consider marriage a very serious decision to be made. A possible relationship should be seriously considered. But, don't fall into the way of thinking that a possible relationship is automatically THE relationship. If there's a perfect man out there for you, there are no rules saying he has to be the first to ask.
Trust your gut instincts. God will not ask you to marry someone you don't love or feel right about. If he really is the one for you God will make it clear to BOTH of you.
Don't allow yourself to doubt. There's nothing wrong with you. Everything in our lives should contribute to our growth. And God will use any situation to draw you closer to Him. And there IS a perfect someone for you somewhere out there. Don't get discouraged.

I know many girls will never have to deal with this sort of thing. But, I also know that some of us will. Please don't give up hope or feel alone.

I believe in happy endings. If it's not happy... it's not the end.

My Thyme Is In His Hands

2009-10-15T07:00:00.001-05:00

I've never had a green thumb. Blue and black on occasion from missing the nail head with the hammer I'm swinging, but not green. I don't think I even have green blood in me--a grave dilemma for a flower lover.

My sister bought me pansies for my birthday when I was probably 9 or 10, which I tried oh so carefully to care for--they died.

A few years later I purchased some seeds for some lovely blue morning glories,which I planted at the right time and faithfully nurtured--they died.

People have given me plants off and on through the years, plants I've tried everything and anything to keep their little hearts ticking away--they died.

So it's with a sigh of acceptance (or resignation, take your pick) that I admit I am no gardener. Vegetable gardens I seem to be capable of--but flowers dislike living with me, so much that it literally kills them.

Thus my attempts have turned to herbs, for I could not give up--my mother has a green thumb, so surely, SURELY some of her greenness transferred to my genes. It's a small hope, but a live one nonetheless.

I brought home some chives & thyme from the nursery 3 miles away. It's a nice little place,with a decent plant selection and prices. I purchased planting soil, and some darling little flowered flower pots I found at the dollar store. I read the instructions carefully (yes, I have to read instructions when I plant) and set them in the proper place to get just the right amount of sunlight and watered them as often as the instructions said. The chives grew beautifully!

Soon I was cooking with them, eating them in salads, and finally getting the satisfaction of knowing I wasn't permanently doomed to silk leaves and buds. But the thyme........it grew slowly. Barely. Not dying--which I was relieved over--but not growing like I'd hoped. I tried and tried to get it grow. I tried to manage it to produce the results I wanted. I'd been told not to water it a whole lot, so I didn't.

Still it didn't work.

Finally, I got tired of trying. I left it out in the heavy rains and just forgot about it. I didn't care at that point if it lived or died. It was eminent--my thumb was not and never would be green.

I went about my business day after day, not thinking about it until I happened to glance over at it and wow, it was growing like never before--tall, strong, big. I couldn't believe it. I let go of my thyme, and it grew!

You're all probably guessing where I'm going with this. The fact is, my mom and I often make little puns about "my thyme" meaning "my time". Mostly because we're both goofballs and we're glad to have someone else who understands. But the Lord has often used that little lesson of letting go of my thyme to teach me a lesson about letting go of the other kind.

You see, I don't like to be interrupted very much. My time is MINE.

Or so my selfish human nature wants to think. The truth is, God is very good at constantly bringing someone into my day who needs me to pray for or with them, or help them with something, or just listen as they pour out their heart, or just talk with them so they have someone to talk to, or a myriad of other reasons why I must give up my time for someone else. Even something as simple as setting aside the paperwork I need to do, for a few minutes, to play with my niece. Time is precious, yes--but people matter more.
And if Jesus is Lord of my life--isn't He Lord of my time as well?

It's His to use as He wishes--to give to whom He wishes. It amazes me how whenever I let go of my time for someone else, and put it back in His hands, He flourishes it, and somehow I'm able to still do what I need to do along with giving that time to others.

Maybe some day I'll grow a green thumb. Even then, I'm leaving my thyme--and time--in the hands of the One who created it all for His glory.

Wodehouse Day

2009-10-14T21:22:00.003-05:00

What ho!

Tomorrow is October 15th. One might say, indeed. And the day after will be October 16th. This is true. And yet, October 15th is a special day, one which will forever shine...or perhaps live in infamy. You see, old sports/beans/comrades, October 15th is P.G. Wodehouse's birthday.

P.G. Wodehouse, if you don't happen to know, is the English author responsible for the creation of characters such as Jeeves, Bertie Wooster, R. Psmith, Baxter, Freddie Threepwood, Aunt Agatha...the list goes on and on.

For the Wodehouse fans amongst us, October 15th ought to mark a day of wearing lemon colored pajamas, singing "Minnie the Moocher," and humming the theme music to the Jeeves and Wooster TV series.

Here are a few ideas:
+ Wear a chrysanthemum in your button-hole
+ Start sentences with, "Oh, I say!" and "What ho!"
+ Call your friends "sport," "bean," or, if you wish to be Psmith-y, "comrade"
+ Throw flower pots. Do try to avoid actually hitting anyone, though
+ Find a stuffed moose and stick it in your hallway

I personally plan to eat pshrimp, re-read Leave it to Psmith, my favorite of all Wodehouse's novels, and watch as many of the Jeeves and Wooster series as possible.

Further information:
Wodehouse on Wikipedia
Hugh Laurie (played Bertie Wooster) on Wodehouse

Rebelution!

2009-10-10T13:43:00.000-05:00

Since the publication of their book Do Hard Things, Alex and Brett Harris have toured the country to present conferences. A small group from my church, with the support of our church leaders, was able to go down near Washington D.C. in September to take part in one. What an amazing thing for me, being from a small town where most the believer I know are the people in my church, to see this huge auditorium full of (mostly) other Christians, ready to get going and Do Hard Things.

When I got home, people asked me what I learned, what my favorite parts of the conference were. Here are a couple of things I took away.

The day was broken up into sessions, Brett and Alex taking turns speaking. One session though, they gave to their dad, Gregg Harris. He spoke about parenting and raising Rebelutionaries, but eventually he worked carefully up to an invitation. Most of us have been in churches of conferences where they give an invitation at the end of the service. "With all heads bowed and no one looking around... please raise your hands really quick if you said that prayer..." Well, this was not a typical invitation. With all heads up, and everyone looking boldly around, those who had prayed stood and declaired Jusus Christ as their Lord. His point in this was "If you can't to stand and declair Jesus as your Lord in a building full of other Christians overwhelmed with joy and ready to recieve you into the family, how are you going to go home to your friends and familiy and be able to tell them?" I hope I don't come across as bashing churches who do give the typical invitation, but my personal view was that this is much more in the way of not being ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.

Alex and Brett giving away books by way of a rocket launcher.

Another thing that I came away with was this; the Harris boys are well aware that many conferences and church events give youth a spiritual high that they loose as soon as they go home. They have the same friends, same family, same routine, same good and bad habits, same good and bad influences in their lives, and so they go home and become the same again. The whole point of the conference is to encourage people (of all ages, really) to let God use them to be the best they can be, and how can they do this if they forget the whole thing a week later? Well, they have a very profound saying. "If you want to change something in your life... you have to change something in your life." Profound, isn't it? Just think about it for a minute. They are right. It does us no good to decide we are going to be stranger for the Lord, live in a better way, make a difference in the community or our homes, then just sit there wondering why you can't seem to make anything better. You seriously, literally have to CHANGE SOMETHING. Realize the bad influences in your life and get rid of them, challenge yourself to overcome procrastination, become an active part of your church family, there are so many things you could change if you just CHANGE.

2009-10-09T15:54:00.000-05:00

Autumn songs

2009-10-08T00:01:00.004-05:00

In the community where I grew up, singing was an important thing. So was the passing of the seasons and the celebrations we have to mark each. I dug up a few of the songs I remember from my childhood. Most of these can be found in the wonderful songbook, Sing Through the Seasons.

Autumn Roundelay

Here I sit and wait for you,
Neath the spreading branches.
Cool the grass with shade and dew
Sunlight on me dances.

Hi lu leea leea la
Now my voice is ringing
Hi lu leea leea la
Songs to you I'm singing

Fall is in the air today
Hear the wild geese crying
Don't delay come out and play
Snow will soon be flying.

Hi lu leea leea la
Now my voice is ringing
Hi lu leea leea la
Songs to you I'm singing

Come You Thankful People

Come, you thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in
ere the winter storms begin;
God, our Maker, does provide
all our wants to be supplied;
come, with all his people come,
raise the song of harvest home.

The Boughs Do Shake
The boughs do shake, and the bells do ring,
So merrily comes our harvest in,
Our harvest in, our harvest in,
So merrily comes our harvest in!

We have ploughed, we have sowed,
We have reaped, we have mowed,
We have brought home every load,
Hip, hip, hip, harvest-home!

The boughs do shake, and the bells do ring,
So merrily comes our harvest in,
Our harvest in, our harvest in,
So merrily comes our harvest in!

Hurry, Hurry  [listen to it HERE]
Rabbit twitched his twitchety ears on a twinkling autumn day,
He could hear the North Wind whistle and he scampered off to say:
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, we must all get fat and furry,
Not a moment to be lost, I can hear bold Jackie Frost.

Groundhog sniffed her sniffety nose on a snappy autumn day
She could smell the winter coming, and she waddled off to say:
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, we must all get fat and furry,
Not a moment to be lost, I can smell bold Jackie Frost.

Squirrel shivered a shivery shiver on a shiv'ry autumn day
He could feel the North Wind's fingers, and he scurried off to say:
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, we must all get fat and furry,
Not a moment to be lost, I can feel bold Jackie Frost.

Black Bear blinked her blinkety eyes on a blust'ry autumn day
She could see the snow clouds gather, and she lumbered off to say:
Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, we must all get fat and furry,
Not a moment to be lost, I can see bold Jackie Frost.

In His Steps

2009-10-06T09:23:00.000-05:00

I remember when my Grandma first mailed me this book. I was probably in 5th or 6th grade and literally devouring every book I could get my hands on. But, my taste ran more towards light fiction... as Molly Gibson said: "I don't much care for steady reading as Papa calls it" Well, I read a lot of Nancy Drew, anyway...

So, Grandma thought I ought to read something with a little more value, and so she sent me one of her favorites, In His Steps. Being a teacher she also required a book report. I dragged my feet... I had a pile of Nancy Drew to read... but, once I picked it up, I never regretted it. I loved it.

"What I am going to propose now is something which ought
not to appear unusual or at all impossible of execution....
I want volunteers from the First Church
who will pledge themselves, earnestly and honestly for an entire year,
not to do anything without first asking the question,
"What would Jesus do?"
And after asking that question, each one will follow Jesus
as exactly as he knows how,
no matter what the result may be..."

Caldo Verde (Green Soup of Portugal)

2009-10-02T08:00:00.001-05:00

In a big pot, combine:
1/2 cup onion, cut
1/2 lb. pepperoni cut in 1/4 in. slices
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 cups potatoes, diced and peeled
2 quarts boiling water

Cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes or till potatoes are tender.

Add:
2 cups cabbage, shredded
3 tsp. salt and pepper
2 cups spinach, chopped

Cook about 2 minutes over medium heat. This serves 4. Eat with crisp bread. It is REALLY good!!!

Don't go off the picture, I didn't have any spinach so I doubled the cabbage. It didn't taste as good...

Whip up a batch of biscuits while the soup cooks. They go great together!

2009-09-30T20:30:00.003-05:00

"It may be that the night will close over us in the end, but I believe that morning will come again. Morning always grows again out of the darkness, tough maybe not for the people who saw the light go down. We are the Lantern Bearers, my friend; for us to keep something burning, to carry what light we can forward into the darkness and the wind."
Rosemary Sutcliff, The Lantern Bearers, p. 279

Rosemary Sutcliff is, in my opinion, the best of the best when it comes to historical novels. While she is considered a children's/young adult writer, I'm still discovering new works by her and being entranced by the beauty of her language and the way she draws her characters.

Pumpkin Art

2009-09-29T06:17:00.003-05:00

I love pumpkins. :)

I love fall and I love pumpkins. :)

I DO cook with pumpkins, but my favorite thing to do with pumpkins is decorate with them!

Here's some fun ways to dress up plain pumpkins.

Use tape to make a design on your pumpkin. Remember that the design you make will be a negative of the finished product. You'll be decorating on the un-taped parts of the pumpkin. So, wherever you put the tape will be pumpkin colored when you are done.

Now comes the fun part. You can use whatever you want to decorate. Paint, Decorative pins, Ribbon, Glitter, whatever you like.

For this particular pumpkin I sprayed the entire thing with spray adhesive glue which you can get in any hardware or craft store. Or, you can make your own spray-on glue by mixing glue with water.

Then I generously dumped black glitter all over the entire pumpkin. Put something underneath to catch the extra glitter. You can put it back into the container to use later.

Let it dry.

Remove the tape and decorate to your hearts content!

Try using different colored paints or glitters for custom looks. Here's a few more I did just to help get your creative juices flowing. :)

Beware! This project is addicting! I almost couldn't stop!

Have fun! Be creative! Give them as gifts!

Do Hard Things: A Review

2009-09-26T08:00:00.002-05:00

Teens today…

That phrase alone is enough to set any mind toward negative thoughts. Teens act up. Misbehave. Do things they really shouldn't do. Flunk school. Don't work. Don't even keep their rooms clean, for crying out loud. Or, if one does, he is the exception. One online teen-parent help guide suggested that teens should be expected to do one chore a day, make their bed every morning and clean their room once a week; but that parents shouldn't expect their teens to do ALL of those things, as long as they are doing some. Those are the types of thoughts that most people have about teens. It's what's expected of teens, so we all kind of groan and try to ignore it as well as possible.

Alex and Brett Harris are two young men - teens - who have refused to ignore it. Their book, Do Hard Things is a challenge to young people everywhere that there is more to the teen years than goofing off all summer and just trying to pass tests all through the school year. They take us back in history to read about teens who did marvelous HUGE things very early in life; and did you know that teenagers weren't even invented til 1941?

Their point is that teens are capable, MUCH more capable than people expect, to do hard things and take on responsibility, change their world for the better. First off they tell the story of the truly hard things they've done, not to brag about their accomplishments, but to show us that they don't just have a neat idea that sounds cool as a book title. Their theory that teens are being suppressed by low cultural expectations is real, and teens like themselves can Do Hard Things.

The most encouraging section of the book to me was entitled "Small Hard Things". As an adult daughter living at home I sometimes look around at the amazing things my peers are doing in the Christian culture, and wonder where I can possibly fit in to all of this. The Lord has not lead me to amazing, world-changing ministry (yet ) or founding an organization or program that glorifies Him in some profound way… but there are many daily, ordinary things that are hard, especially because I am young and see the whole world laying before me, asking me to come discover it all. It can be as simple as washing dishes. Washing dishes with a joyful spirit is HARD. Honoring my parents when I disagree with them is HARD. Sticking to priorities and not getting distracted is VERY HARD. But with encouragement from the Harris boys and thousands of young people who are part of the Rebelution, and the grace of God, all of these things can be accomplished to His glory. Our culture does not expect it of us, but God does… that's why we rebel against low expectations.

Friends and Fellowship

2009-09-25T08:49:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking recently about the fellowship and friendship that is IDD. You see, a few days ago I was reminded of a conversation I had with my mom about 10 years ago. In this conversation I was bemoaning my lack of close friends and generally just the lack of fellowship with girls my own age. (Not counting my lovely sisters, whom I could never do without.) I really didn't have any close friends outside of my sisters and I longed for an outside source of fellowship. there was a family in the local homeschool group that I had decided we should get to know. I thought we would get along well and wanted Mom to help me start something. She understood my request and said she would try. It never amounted to anything. God had other plans. I had close friends growing up but it seemed like once I hit my teen years I become friendless, that's what it felt like anyway. Maybe I'm just a hard person to get to know, I don't know. All I now is that there was a desire within me for friends to talk to and share with, to laugh and cry with.
It was about a year later that I started hanging out with a different group of girls in the homeschool group. Sadly it was our senior year and college separated us. We still talk, its just not the same. Later that year I stumbled on IDD quite by accident. Let me tell you it was the best accident ever! I found out that a friend of my sister's was on IDD and figured why not! It didn't take me long to feel accepted. I fit in. We talked and laughed, prayed and discussed. I felt needed and when I was internetless for one summmer the heartfelt cyber hugs when I returned felt awesome.
IDD became a safe haven for me. A place to share thoughts and struggles. A place where my friends were. Years went by and I now have real friends, best friends, soul mates. Granted we rarely see each other in person and most of our conversations involve a computer and an invention we call cyber space. But its real.

Looking back, I realize I've kinda taken IDD for granted all these years. The fellowship it brings is irreplaceable. I don't know where I would be without it. So, to all you IDDiots out there., THANK YOU!!!!! Thank you for the fellowship and friendship. For the times you've listened to me. The cyber hugs and shoulders you've lovingly gave. For the laughter and memories. For the unexpected snail mail and texts that arrived just when I needed the reminder that someone cares. Thank you for everything. You have impacted my life and the friendships we have formed will never be forgotten.

No, I'm not going anywhere. I just wanted to tell you all that you are appreciated For those of you who aren't on the forum feel free to jump on the band wagon. The link is on the right.

Making Memories

2009-09-23T06:00:00.002-05:00

It was the sight I looked forward to all year.

I'd hear the dogs barking and rush to the window, in the hopes that maybe I would see her coming.

My Grandma--coming down the pasture lane seperating our properties. With a batch of freshly-made cookies in her hands.

Not just any cookies-- my birthday cookies.

My grandparents were simple German farmers who couldn't afford to give numerous gifts to their grandkids for birthdays.
So each year I expected the same thing--a birthday card, a dollar inside the birthday card, and (the absolute best part) my favorite cookies from Grandma.
You had to get your order in early enough so she knew which kind you wanted. I usually chose the same thing--Lebkuchen, a spicy German honey cookie that melted in my mouth and made me dive for a book and comfy spot as I indulged.

Every year I got Lebkuchen for my birthday. Every year I saw my Grandma coming down the lane.

Then one year, she was diagnosed with cancer, and became too sick.
After she had gone home to be with the Lord, the thought hit me that I wouldn't have birthday cookies anymore--and I wouldn't have Grandma.
But I have my memories. And I have her recipe, which I've included down below.

I've made this cookie numerous times over the years, but it never tasted as good as Grandma's. I guess there are some things that just have to have the right hands to make them--loving Grandma hands.

Share them with others, and make memories yourself.
Life is too fleeting to forget the little things.

Grandma M's Lebkuchen (has to chill for several hours before rolling out)
1 egg
3/4 brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 dark molasses

1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 & 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg

Beat egg--add brown sugar and beat till fluffy. Add honey and molasses, mix well. Sift dry ingredients, add gradually to first mixture, mixing well.
Chill several hours or overnight. Roll out and cut with cookie cutter. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. Let cool. Brush with Glaze Icing.

Glace Icing:
Boil 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water till mixture threads. Remove and mix in 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Brush on cookies.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Pride and Prejudice: My Experience

2009-09-22T06:24:00.000-05:00

I am a convert.
I have joined the ranks of the Austen-Insane. And may I never recover.

ok, that's a tad dramatic.

Let me explain:

So, I (or, rather, all my friends) went through this phase about 10 years ago, when ANYTHING Jane Austen was just fantastic. We loved it.

So, I did love Austen, for about a year or two. But, I got over it. Austen's stories never were as high on my list of faves as Charles Dicken's works, or Victor Hugo, (umm... or Agatha Christie *shhh*) but those stories weren't the rage, and no one I know of ever formed a Dickens fan club. And, while I would certainly admit that Jane Austen is a genius in her own right, what I was too embarrassed to admit is that I didn't love the movies enough to invest time in the books. And that is what is wrong with novel to film adaptations. (But, I digress) The only Austen novel I had read was Emma. I once started Persuasion. Until this week. My guilt finally overcame me. Why do people always ASSUME that I must be an Austen fanatic just because I'm a 20 something girl? And if I squealed slightly when faced with the prospect of seeing the new adaptation of P&P, or if I was very willing to join in the "girls night" when the new Austen adaptations aired on Masterpiece Theater last winter, or if I bought DVDs of my favorites of those adaptations (Just Sense and Sensibility) it's because I knew it was expected of me. All the while knowing I was not really a "Jane-ite." Wouldn't a true "Jane-ite" love the movies enough to buy the books so she could devour them at least quarterly if not monthly? Or, in all truth, a TRUE "Jane-ite" would have loved the books long before the movies were even heard of.

One of my goals this year is to read the books I always planned to read, but never did. The ones I pretend I have read, but really have only read the cliff notes. To read the classics that I never before had the stamina to wade through. One of them is Pride and Prejudice.

I have a new-found, freshly formed respect and delight in this story. I LOVE it. You know Colin Firth? The "Oh-so-perfect-Mr.-Darcy-help-I'm-going-to-swoon"??? Yeah. I never liked him much. What's his name who plays Darcy in the '05 version with Keira-Pirate-Queen-Knightley? Him not so much, either. Maybe better than Firth. Maybe. The Mr. Darcy on the page in Austen's own words? SO much better. I'm still not a swooning fan-girl but I definitely did not expect to like him as much as I did. I liked him better than Elizabeth, especially in the beginning of the book.

And Elizabeth? It's so interesting to read a character for the first time as the author intends and not how the actress interprets. She is an interesting mix of Jeniffer Ehle and Keira Knightley's interpretations... and yet... not. Much less likeable (especially in the beginning) than Ehle. Much less self-consumed than Knightley. Much more prejudiced than both of them.

I really can't express my thoughts completely on reading this novel for the first time. The A&E, 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice is almost word for word adapted from Austen's original work. And yet... how interesting to read the exact same dialogue and so much more fully understand and appreciate it.

I don't know if there is anyone else like me out there in blog land. Maybe you've seen all the movies and when people suppose you to be enamored by anything Austen and imagine that you must harbor a secret crush on Mr. Darcy (or at the very least Colonel Brandon) you just allow them to suppose it. Read the book. If you're still not an Austen appreciator, fine. But, maybe you'll be like me, and after seeing the '95 version 50 times and the '05 version maybe 10, and you're heartily sick of both of them, you'll read the book and discover a story and characters you had previously underestimated.

What are the ALT and CTRL buttons for?

2009-09-18T08:00:00.002-05:00

Along with a little help from my brother I've compiled a short list of keyboard shortcuts involving your alt and ctrl buttons.

Alt + Tab = switches between open windows (any open windows)
Ctrl + Tab = switches between tabs in firefox and internet explorer
Ctrl + mouse wheel = zooms in on screen (mostly the text)
Alt + F4 = Closes current window
Ctrl + L = selects/goes to address bar

Teamwork

2009-09-15T09:22:00.000-05:00

There is a picture in my head that I will never forget.
It was a sunny day in Florida and we were at a church picnic. Someone was organizing games for the children and oneof them was "tug-o-war." I wandered down to see what the kids were up to and enjoy their antics. I'll never forget the lesson I learned next. Some of the children decided to challenge some of the dads to a game of "tug-o-war." The dads were against it at first, afraid they'd hurt the kids, but finally gave in... and lost. The dads recruited reinforcements... and lost again. More dads came. More kids joined the kids side. Again and again, those little kids pulled the dads slipping and sliding across the finish line. I stood on the sidelines with some of the moms and watched in awe, we cheered at first, but as we continued to watch silence descended among us. There was something amazing about this. The dads had all the muscle, all the strength, but the kids had the TEAMWORK. They had a person on the sidelines keeping the beat. "PULL! PULL!" Every single little foot moved in rhythym, every hand pulled in time. Every time they out-pulled ten or twelve dads.

Teamwork goes beyond individual strengths.
Andrew Carnegie said that "[Teamwork] is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results."

In my life I have been blessed to be involved in many different situations that have taught me the value of teamwork. Families are the first place to start. Every family should function as a team and every member is vital to making that happen. I was having a story-swapping session with a co-worker recently and she said: "You and your sisters (referring to the two sisters I share a house with) don't fight, do you? You don't seem like you do. That's amazing." I felt like I had to clarify. "We DO disagree," I responded, "And we do talk about our disagreements and sometimes there are hurt feelings, but we don't FIGHT." I thought about that for a minute. Why don't we fight? I can think of one reason, my mom didn't ALLOW us to fight when we were little. We're not in the habit of fighting when we have problems. When we had a disagreement as children my mom's constant response was "Work it out." Just work it out. Make it work. You'll probably have to give a little. You may have to give a lot. But, work it out. Because whatever you work out between all of you is going to be stronger and better than whatever you were going to do by yourself with no support.

I worked at a fast food restaurant. It is absolutely impossible to run a restaurant through a busy lunch hour by yourself. Similarly, you can have a big crew, but if everyone is trying to do everything themselves or nothing themselves it will be equally impossible.

My current job is somewhat different. I'm a florist, and a lot of the projects I work on are individual efforts. I design bouquets by myself, but my boss is a HUGE advocate of teamwork. At the end of a busy day she never forgets to say "Great job guys! See what we can accomplish with teamwork?" It's the kind of team where we bring everything we have to the table, we depend on each other's strengths and cover each other's weaknesses. We make it a point to encourage each other and learn from each other. I'm a better floral designer because I work with other good floral designers. We ask each other's advice and opinions. Because we know we're stronger that way. The shop is stronger and does better that way. And if the shop does better WE do better. Ultimately, we're looking out for each other, and each other's lives and families.

And that's what teamwork is all about. It's really true that
Together Everyone Achieves More

Memories of 9/11/01

2009-09-11T13:14:00.000-05:00

September 11th, 2001.

Yes, I remember where I was when I heard. I know what I was wearing.

I remember how it felt to realize the enormity of what was happening.

The tragedy.

The hopelessness.

I felt so helpless.

My first emotion was denial.

Then horror.

At that moment, as I watched the footage on TV

As I took in people screaming, crying,

The death

The despair

I knew that if I could have prevented this massacre

I would have