I've written a lot lately about perspective. It must be one of those lessons that keeps coming back to me.
The first time I visited Jim, I asked about the wind turbines. He said, "See that ridge?"
I was dumbfounded. There wasn't a ridge for 100's of miles; it felt like thousands really. I grew up in the Appalachian mountains, and I couldn't see any ridges.
It turns out that the 70 or so wind turbines near here were built on top of a "ridge," a "ridge" which is a few feet high.
When I described the landscape here to friends and family, I said, "It's completely flat; flat as a pancake!"
But now I know differently. There really are ridges ... of sorts. I know that when I drive the narrow straight-as-an-arrow road ten minutes to the next town, the road that only passes a handful of homesteads, the road on which I often see no other vehicles, I know now when to expect the dip in the road, or the little rise, or the long "slope."
Spending more time in this landscape has increased my knowledge of it. The things I did not notice the first time I visited (of course, my attention was elsewhere; ahem!) I can now see. I continue to make new observations, and wonder, "Why am I just now seeing this??"
Isn't that the way it is with God's Word? The more time we spend in it, the more we notice. We can be reading the same passage for the umpteenth time and notice something in it for the first time! And first-time observations may be proven false.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
This moment ~ smells & snacks
"What do I smell?" were Jim's words of greeting as he walked in. Remembering the horrible smell I encountered upon coming home yesterday, a nagging fear began to rise in me, as I wondered, "Have I been home all day and can't smell that awful smell?"
What a pessimist I am! He wasn't smelling an empty tuna fish can; he was remarking on the smells of dinner cooking in the crockpot.
Barbecue ribs - yumm! And now my mouth is watering, in anticipation of supper.
Some procrastinated jobs were tackled today. Some file folders are organized. Unnecessary papers are in the trash. Five business phone calls have been completed.
And now I wrap boxes. Thanks to my aunt's idea, my Sunday School class is learning the books of the Bible with realia. Each wrapped cereal box has a book of the Bible written down its spine, the Gospels in red, history in brown, epistles in green, etc.
The only problem with this plan is that we don't go through a lot of cereal. But I've discovered that pretzel and cracker boxes work just as well. Jim looked at my boxes and supplies, and asked, rather incredulously,
"In 33 weeks," he calculated.
What a pessimist I am! He wasn't smelling an empty tuna fish can; he was remarking on the smells of dinner cooking in the crockpot.
Barbecue ribs - yumm! And now my mouth is watering, in anticipation of supper.
Some procrastinated jobs were tackled today. Some file folders are organized. Unnecessary papers are in the trash. Five business phone calls have been completed.
And now I wrap boxes. Thanks to my aunt's idea, my Sunday School class is learning the books of the Bible with realia. Each wrapped cereal box has a book of the Bible written down its spine, the Gospels in red, history in brown, epistles in green, etc.
The only problem with this plan is that we don't go through a lot of cereal. But I've discovered that pretzel and cracker boxes work just as well. Jim looked at my boxes and supplies, and asked, rather incredulously,
"How many pretzel boxes do I go through in a week?!""Look on the bright side! Thanks to you, my student is going to learn the books of the Bible."
"In 33 weeks," he calculated.
Monday, June 27, 2011
1000 Gifts, Vol. 3, #96
961. heart-stimulating conversation
962. clean kitchen counters
963. continuing to learn to use space more wisely
964. motivational comments to pare down
965. more books ($2/bag) at the library book sale
966. a homeschooling textbook for my nieces for $1 (!)
967. after months of looking (and rejecting the expensive crystal ringholders at the department store and not finding any at the resale stores), an adorable ringholder found on etsy!
968. time with church ladies, serving a funeral luncheon
969. understanding more of the church culture
970. taking steps to research opportunities for volunteering
962. clean kitchen counters
963. continuing to learn to use space more wisely
964. motivational comments to pare down
965. more books ($2/bag) at the library book sale
966. a homeschooling textbook for my nieces for $1 (!)
967. after months of looking (and rejecting the expensive crystal ringholders at the department store and not finding any at the resale stores), an adorable ringholder found on etsy!
968. time with church ladies, serving a funeral luncheon
969. understanding more of the church culture
970. taking steps to research opportunities for volunteering
Friday, June 24, 2011
On being a farmer's wife
"Do you farm?" new acquaintances asked us. I was quick to answer, "He does. I don't."
A few weeks ago, I went with a group of ladies to hear Anita Renfroe (of the William Tell Overture Mom-isms song). She kept us in stitches for two solid hours.
As a former pastor's wife, she said that there's no other occupation in which the wife is expected to be proficient in the occupation as well. People were always asking her their questions related to the Bible, yet no one corners the orthopedic surgeon's wife in the grocery store and says, "I have a growth on my elbow; would you remove it right here?"
After the show, our group went to Denny's for dessert, and the lady next to me disproved Anita Renfroe's theory. "Does Jim have his beans in? There are some fields on Broadway that aren't planted yet. Why not?" And the questions continued.
That was my first experience, but my sister-in-law (with more experience than I have) said that as soon as Anita made her claim, she thought in her head, "No, they expect farmer's wives to know everything the farmer does."
I guess I'll be disappointing a lot of people. :)
A few weeks ago, I went with a group of ladies to hear Anita Renfroe (of the William Tell Overture Mom-isms song). She kept us in stitches for two solid hours.
As a former pastor's wife, she said that there's no other occupation in which the wife is expected to be proficient in the occupation as well. People were always asking her their questions related to the Bible, yet no one corners the orthopedic surgeon's wife in the grocery store and says, "I have a growth on my elbow; would you remove it right here?"
After the show, our group went to Denny's for dessert, and the lady next to me disproved Anita Renfroe's theory. "Does Jim have his beans in? There are some fields on Broadway that aren't planted yet. Why not?" And the questions continued.
That was my first experience, but my sister-in-law (with more experience than I have) said that as soon as Anita made her claim, she thought in her head, "No, they expect farmer's wives to know everything the farmer does."
I guess I'll be disappointing a lot of people. :)
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Freezer cooking in an hour
I've heard of (and known large families who made use of) freezer cooking plans, aka, once a month cooking plans. More recently, I've been intrigued by adaptations of that on a smaller scale.
I think it was in Mary Ostyn's book, Family Feasts for $75 a Week, that I read about cooking (and then freezing) after coming home from the grocery store, i.e., putting chicken directly in the crockpot, browning ground beef with pepper and onions and then freezing in zip-top bags according to the amount you would need for one casserole.
The Sneaky Chef suggests freezing her color purees, so that you always have some on hand toadd to hide in your recipes.
And when I chop an onion, but only need half, I freeze the other half, like you probably do, too.
Freezer cooking in order to prepare wholesome meals quickly does not have to be a marathon or require a gargantuan freezer ... or a dozen mouths to feed ... or preparing lots of meals in bulk.
Recently Money Saving Mom has been posting details of how she does "Freezer Cooking in an Hour."
This morning we used the last of my apple-walnut-whole wheat pancakes. One afternoon two months ago, sad that we never got to eat pancakes for breakfast, because I never got up early enough to make them, I doubled the Apple-Walnut Pancakes recipe in More With Less, and noted in my cookbook that it made 35 pancakes (using a 1/4 cup measuring cup to ladle them onto the fry pan).
We have had many delicious and healthy breakfasts (and even snacks) over the past two months.
How do you do freezer cooking?
I think it was in Mary Ostyn's book, Family Feasts for $75 a Week, that I read about cooking (and then freezing) after coming home from the grocery store, i.e., putting chicken directly in the crockpot, browning ground beef with pepper and onions and then freezing in zip-top bags according to the amount you would need for one casserole.
The Sneaky Chef suggests freezing her color purees, so that you always have some on hand to
And when I chop an onion, but only need half, I freeze the other half, like you probably do, too.
Freezer cooking in order to prepare wholesome meals quickly does not have to be a marathon or require a gargantuan freezer ... or a dozen mouths to feed ... or preparing lots of meals in bulk.
Recently Money Saving Mom has been posting details of how she does "Freezer Cooking in an Hour."
This morning we used the last of my apple-walnut-whole wheat pancakes. One afternoon two months ago, sad that we never got to eat pancakes for breakfast, because I never got up early enough to make them, I doubled the Apple-Walnut Pancakes recipe in More With Less, and noted in my cookbook that it made 35 pancakes (using a 1/4 cup measuring cup to ladle them onto the fry pan).
We have had many delicious and healthy breakfasts (and even snacks) over the past two months.
How do you do freezer cooking?
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Growth ~ slowly but surely
The fields had been brown for almost nine months. The landscape had been drab and depressing (except for the days right after a snow).
And then in early May I started noticing ground that had been worked, and then lines in the smooth brown surface of the field.
Later I could see little specks of green poking their way out of the soil. And, as the days went by, those specks were taller and taller, and some fields started to show more green than brown as I drove by.
Since each field is planted at a different time (and may have different conditions of drainage, fertilizer, and other things, not to mention the type of seed), each field displays a different vista on any given day, especially in the early weeks.
The beans out my back window are planted in both horizontal and vertical rows. The horizontal section looks like a carpet of green. The vertical section is still two-thirds brown. But it's changing everyday.
The corn is getting taller and more willowy, the beans are short and filling out. And in the bean fields which were no-till, the beans are still shorter than the long-dead foot-high remnants of the cornstalks from last year's corn crop.
The growth is steady but slow, almost imperceptible, as the plants continue to inch on up (literally). Soon the crops will be so high, Lord willing, that driving down the road, I will feel boxed in, like I'm in a maze, and unable to see the buildings and windmills and elevators on the horizon.
And then in early May I started noticing ground that had been worked, and then lines in the smooth brown surface of the field.
Later I could see little specks of green poking their way out of the soil. And, as the days went by, those specks were taller and taller, and some fields started to show more green than brown as I drove by.
Since each field is planted at a different time (and may have different conditions of drainage, fertilizer, and other things, not to mention the type of seed), each field displays a different vista on any given day, especially in the early weeks.
The beans out my back window are planted in both horizontal and vertical rows. The horizontal section looks like a carpet of green. The vertical section is still two-thirds brown. But it's changing everyday.
The corn is getting taller and more willowy, the beans are short and filling out. And in the bean fields which were no-till, the beans are still shorter than the long-dead foot-high remnants of the cornstalks from last year's corn crop.
The growth is steady but slow, almost imperceptible, as the plants continue to inch on up (literally). Soon the crops will be so high, Lord willing, that driving down the road, I will feel boxed in, like I'm in a maze, and unable to see the buildings and windmills and elevators on the horizon.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
How to get pretty flowers on your porch
 |
| These are the roses, which I have never touched, thus they are blooming quite nicely. |
2 ~ Look with envy at your neighbors. Look, Mrs. K has two huge pots of red flowers. Even the bachelor has four hanging baskets of pretty blooms.
3 ~ Quickly stop in at Farm & Fleet on your way home from a busy day and debate over and then grab four baskets.
4 ~ Set them on the porch because you can't reach the hooks.
5 ~ Watch them wilt and almost die.
6 ~ Water them, and watch them revive.
7 ~ Buy extenders, but be too embarrassed to hang wilting plants.
8 ~ Learn from your neighbor that the plants you bought will never live in that location.
9 ~ Some time later, go back to Farm & Fleet, this time armed with the information of what type of plant would be best.
10 ~ Come home with three hanging baskets.
11 ~ One day while getting water (from the non-softened, very high, water spigot in the basement) take an accidental shower with your clothes on and your hair ready for the day.
12 ~ Eventually have your husband stand on a chair to hang them up on the extenders.
13 ~ Be surprised every time you glance out your front windows and see COLOR ... HANGING on your porch!
14 ~ Put off thinking about how you will water them, not to mention pinch off dead blossoms. (Will it involve a chair???)
Monday, June 20, 2011
1000 Gifts, Vol. 3, #95
951. Edy's Yogurt Blends for when I want a taste of "ice cream"
952. Crock-pot cooking
953. Nutty Sweet Potato Waffles - YUMMM!
954. vintage 3-D lamb cake pan at thrift store
955. weekly memory verse check-in with young girls
956. a librarian who shares my reading tastes, meaning that I'll probably like the books she buys
957. family reunions
958. finding points of connection with newly-met new relatives
959. a leisurely Father's Day spent with family
960. almost finishing another volume of 1000 gifts!
952. Crock-pot cooking
953. Nutty Sweet Potato Waffles - YUMMM!
954. vintage 3-D lamb cake pan at thrift store
955. weekly memory verse check-in with young girls
956. a librarian who shares my reading tastes, meaning that I'll probably like the books she buys
957. family reunions
958. finding points of connection with newly-met new relatives
959. a leisurely Father's Day spent with family
960. almost finishing another volume of 1000 gifts!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Recent Misadventures
The other day a friend invited me to come hang out with her while her daughter was at a class. She said, "We'll do girly things." If you know me, that's probably not how you'd try to sell me on an afternoon together. :)
She took me to an old house on a tree-lined street. The house has character, and has been made into a coffee shop, with neat seating arrangements in various rooms, upstairs, on the back porch, and out in the front yard, under the trees.
We sat under the trees. The weather was perfect! Warm, but not too hot. Low humidity. A gentle breeze.
I guess the birds were enjoying the day, too, because I soon felt something on my head, and then saw something dropping onto my purse. I am now looking for a new purse, as this purse is light-colored, now with a dark stain.
*****
On my way home, I pulled out of the parking lot of a business (on a corner), and pulled on up to the red light. There were no other vehicles on the street. As the light turned green, I realized there was a line of cars headed straight for me! I was in the wrong lane!!!
She took me to an old house on a tree-lined street. The house has character, and has been made into a coffee shop, with neat seating arrangements in various rooms, upstairs, on the back porch, and out in the front yard, under the trees.
We sat under the trees. The weather was perfect! Warm, but not too hot. Low humidity. A gentle breeze.
I guess the birds were enjoying the day, too, because I soon felt something on my head, and then saw something dropping onto my purse. I am now looking for a new purse, as this purse is light-colored, now with a dark stain.
*****
On my way home, I pulled out of the parking lot of a business (on a corner), and pulled on up to the red light. There were no other vehicles on the street. As the light turned green, I realized there was a line of cars headed straight for me! I was in the wrong lane!!!
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Keeping it real
Lies ~ continued (updated)
A few weeks ago I wrote about lies. Living this side of heaven, I continue to face various lies, some stronger than others, some more frequently than others. And when I am not as diligent in fighting them, they can seem all-powerful at times.
This morning's post on lies by Ann Voskamp was especially encouraging. Read it here. The comments are valuable, too.
And another post today speaks to this topic. You can read it here.
This morning's post on lies by Ann Voskamp was especially encouraging. Read it here. The comments are valuable, too.
And another post today speaks to this topic. You can read it here.
Culture Shock at the Furniture Store
We walked into the furniture store with a clear goal. We were looking for a television stand, but not one with shelves underneath it. We wanted drawers, so that space could be used well to store CDs or DVDs or ???
After walking all over the main floor, and the basement, we finally climbed the stairs to the second floor. The saleslady, who had been our patient guide as we discussed the merits and weak points of dozens of possibilities, pointed us to a chest.
A shorter-than-normal chest of drawers, it would fulfill our requirements: a flat surface to hold a TV, and drawers to hold CDs or DVDs.
"But it looks like a dresser. We don't want a dresser in our living room," Jim said.
It took me awhile to know how to respond. Finally I recognized that I was experiencing reverse culture shock!
Many times in Japan, I saw dressers housed in the living room or dining room, and I have seen family members open a drawer on their way out the door to school or work, to grab a pair of socks or a handkerchief.
Sometimes I feel like a brain injury patient who is having to re-learn how to walk or talk or ____.
As we left the furniture store, I tried to re-teach myself, "American homes don't usually have dressers in the living room." Come to think of it, I haven't seen many dressers in living rooms lately.
After walking all over the main floor, and the basement, we finally climbed the stairs to the second floor. The saleslady, who had been our patient guide as we discussed the merits and weak points of dozens of possibilities, pointed us to a chest.
A shorter-than-normal chest of drawers, it would fulfill our requirements: a flat surface to hold a TV, and drawers to hold CDs or DVDs.
"But it looks like a dresser. We don't want a dresser in our living room," Jim said.
It took me awhile to know how to respond. Finally I recognized that I was experiencing reverse culture shock!
Many times in Japan, I saw dressers housed in the living room or dining room, and I have seen family members open a drawer on their way out the door to school or work, to grab a pair of socks or a handkerchief.
Sometimes I feel like a brain injury patient who is having to re-learn how to walk or talk or ____.
As we left the furniture store, I tried to re-teach myself, "American homes don't usually have dressers in the living room." Come to think of it, I haven't seen many dressers in living rooms lately.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Hidden Treasure
How many page-a-day calendars can a person have? For over a decade, I've daily enjoyed a Timothy Botts Names of God perpetual calendar. Now it's relegated to the guest room while we enjoy a Timothy Botts Verse-a-Day calendar. I haven't held onto other page-a-day calendars.
As I prepared the house for guests last week, I noticed the Elisabeth Elliot perpetual calendar in the guest room - cum - office. The page hadn't been turned in months. Why did we still have it? Wouldn't it be best if I put it in the garage sale pile, instead of having it collect dust here?
On a whim (or a Spirit-led move), I placed it on the windowsill above my kitchen sink. And everyday I flipped it. And, more importantly, as I stood at the sink, I would read the quote and the verse, and I had time to think about it, while doing the rather mindless work of dish-washing.
Our friend Elisabeth does not mince words, and I have been feeling the lack of such a no-nonsense voice in my life. Surrounded by American culture ~ and with a goal of putting down roots ~ combined with saying "farewell" to the nomadic lifestyle as well as the lifestyle of eating, breathing, and sleeping strategic ministry on the edge of Kingdom advancement, I have found it very easy to adopt the "my rights" mentality all around me.
I need our friend Elisabeth's reminders, and I want to be like her when I grow up!
Consider this gem:
As I prepared the house for guests last week, I noticed the Elisabeth Elliot perpetual calendar in the guest room - cum - office. The page hadn't been turned in months. Why did we still have it? Wouldn't it be best if I put it in the garage sale pile, instead of having it collect dust here?
On a whim (or a Spirit-led move), I placed it on the windowsill above my kitchen sink. And everyday I flipped it. And, more importantly, as I stood at the sink, I would read the quote and the verse, and I had time to think about it, while doing the rather mindless work of dish-washing.
Our friend Elisabeth does not mince words, and I have been feeling the lack of such a no-nonsense voice in my life. Surrounded by American culture ~ and with a goal of putting down roots ~ combined with saying "farewell" to the nomadic lifestyle as well as the lifestyle of eating, breathing, and sleeping strategic ministry on the edge of Kingdom advancement, I have found it very easy to adopt the "my rights" mentality all around me.
I need our friend Elisabeth's reminders, and I want to be like her when I grow up!
Consider this gem:
And to think I almost put her in the garage sale box! When I showed the calendar to Jim, he asked, "It was mine?!" He has no recollection of how it got here, other than the fact that he is a huge EE fan.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
A Year Ago
"What were you doing a year ago?" is a question we often ask.
I looked back in my photos to answer that question.
I was taking nieces to the summer reading program at the library
and taking cousins' sons to a state park for some living history,
seeking to savor each of the experiences that were easy to fit into my life in that season, but would change with the rapidly-coming new season.
I also was counting the days to a trip to the Midwest, seven weeks after I had last seen Jim. Life has certainly changed!
Monday, June 13, 2011
1000 Gifts, Vol. 3, #94
These gifts are just that ... gifts! And not just gifts, but the icing-on-the-cake gifts. "All I need is Jesus," is not a trite statement. He truly is the best gift. He is enough, and I do not need these other gifts. But the discipline of noticing them points me back to the Giver of all good gifts and helps me give Him my gift of thanksgiving.
941. the rich, deep colors of blue sky, green crops, and red barns just before sunset
942. being led by a little child
943. the majestic power of God displayed in summer storms
944. the sound of the truck coming home earlier than I expected
945. a surprise date night
946. Cracker Barrel's delicious grilled chicken & summer salad plate
947. an afternoon out, combining errands with an open house
948. meeting each other's friends
949. the family of seven that stopped by for a B&B
950. refreshing fellowship
Saturday, June 11, 2011
The month that was
I left for Japan 3 1/2 weeks ago. Of course the few days before leaving were busy, as I packed, tried to catch up and work ahead on my to-do list here, and organized items for Jim's lunch box while I was gone.
Then I arrived in Japan (jet lagged) and had a rich, full time, leaving before I recovered from jet lag, so that when I arrived in Dallas, my body clock was completely messed up, and remained that way, as I spent almost 24 hours in the Dallas Airport.
The next few days I was in a fog, and then we went away for five days, returning in time to hear that friends would be driving through, friends I hadn't seen in eight years, and, "Please, won't you stop and spend the night?"
That precipitated some massive house cleaning (because do you see how many weeks already had flown by without normal housecleaning?). Everything was done before they arrived, and we had a leisurely, refreshing visit (from 7 PM - noon the next day). But this week also held three trips to town, a few deadlines, and a general feeling of, "I'm so far behind!"
Thursday when I got home from town at 3-ish, I was ready to collapse, not from company, not from a busy week, but from a constantly-on-the-go month!
I needed to return something to my neighbor, and we had a rather long chat at her front door, about some weighty issues. Just as I was sitting down, the doorbell rang, and another neighbor had come to deliver some of our mail that she received. We had a nice, long chat, too. And then the phone rang, launching a 30-minute discussion about ideas and possibilities (a tad bit out of my gift mix) and when I hung up, I decided, "No more phone; no more doorbells; I'm headed to bed."
A 30-minute nap gave me energy to keep going, and cobble together enough food to just barely be considered a supper (as long as there was meat, Jim didn't mind what else was or wasn't included) ... and then the phone rang ... twice. Both times I uncharacteristically asked Jim to answer it. Both times it was for me. Both conversations were good and with people I wanted to talk with, but I was beyond tired, and definitely felt like I wasn't "there" in my listening and replying and probing.
Enter: Friday! Jim took his lunch, and, for the first time in I can't remember when, I don't have to go anywhere today!!
Then I arrived in Japan (jet lagged) and had a rich, full time, leaving before I recovered from jet lag, so that when I arrived in Dallas, my body clock was completely messed up, and remained that way, as I spent almost 24 hours in the Dallas Airport.
The next few days I was in a fog, and then we went away for five days, returning in time to hear that friends would be driving through, friends I hadn't seen in eight years, and, "Please, won't you stop and spend the night?"
That precipitated some massive house cleaning (because do you see how many weeks already had flown by without normal housecleaning?). Everything was done before they arrived, and we had a leisurely, refreshing visit (from 7 PM - noon the next day). But this week also held three trips to town, a few deadlines, and a general feeling of, "I'm so far behind!"
Thursday when I got home from town at 3-ish, I was ready to collapse, not from company, not from a busy week, but from a constantly-on-the-go month!
I needed to return something to my neighbor, and we had a rather long chat at her front door, about some weighty issues. Just as I was sitting down, the doorbell rang, and another neighbor had come to deliver some of our mail that she received. We had a nice, long chat, too. And then the phone rang, launching a 30-minute discussion about ideas and possibilities (a tad bit out of my gift mix) and when I hung up, I decided, "No more phone; no more doorbells; I'm headed to bed."
A 30-minute nap gave me energy to keep going, and cobble together enough food to just barely be considered a supper (as long as there was meat, Jim didn't mind what else was or wasn't included) ... and then the phone rang ... twice. Both times I uncharacteristically asked Jim to answer it. Both times it was for me. Both conversations were good and with people I wanted to talk with, but I was beyond tired, and definitely felt like I wasn't "there" in my listening and replying and probing.
Enter: Friday! Jim took his lunch, and, for the first time in I can't remember when, I don't have to go anywhere today!!
Friday, June 10, 2011
White Socks
"Honey, before you buy anything, wait and pray. Tell God your needs, and see how He will provide for you."A sweet older Southern lady spoke this advice to Jane*, just before Jane's wedding. Jane was surprised, because her husband-to-be had a good-paying job. But God spoke to Jane through her older friend, and Jane made it a habit to wait and pray, to see how God wanted to meet her family's needs.
Their family grew. They grew. And over time, God led them to resign from her husband's good-paying job and go to the mission field. Living without the security of her husband's salary from a multinational firm was not as hard of an adjustment for Jane as it might have been, because Jane knew that God was their Provider.
Shortly before they left for their foreign country, Jane told me this story. A few weeks previously she had noticed that her girls needed white Sunday socks. Jane had the money in her purse. How much would it cost her to go to Walmart and buy some white socks? But Jane waited and prayed. A few days later, the girls went to a little friend's birthday party and came home with their party favors - white Sunday socks!! Who gives white socks as a party favor?!? The person whom God wants to use as an answer to prayer!
Do you have any "white socks" stories?
*Name has been changed
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Where's the closest Chick-fil-A?
One thing I miss, being out of the South, is Chick-fil-A.
When we went to Louisville this winter, we went out of our way and waited in a long line, just to get a bite of lunch at CFA.
Last week we were shocked to learn that there's a CFA in the town we do most of our shopping - ?!?
Turns out that it is a licensed CFA with limited hours and also limited accessibility. One must have a badge to enter, as it's housed in the cafeteria of the national headquarters of a major company.
Shock. Disbelief. Excitement. Anticipation. And then disappointment, and even a little sense of being betrayed. All of those emotions sped through me in the few seconds it took to learn that there's one nearby, but that it's inaccessible.
Guess where I'm going next time I go south??? :)
When we went to Louisville this winter, we went out of our way and waited in a long line, just to get a bite of lunch at CFA.
Last week we were shocked to learn that there's a CFA in the town we do most of our shopping - ?!?
Turns out that it is a licensed CFA with limited hours and also limited accessibility. One must have a badge to enter, as it's housed in the cafeteria of the national headquarters of a major company.
Shock. Disbelief. Excitement. Anticipation. And then disappointment, and even a little sense of being betrayed. All of those emotions sped through me in the few seconds it took to learn that there's one nearby, but that it's inaccessible.
Guess where I'm going next time I go south??? :)
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Company's Coming
... and so I've been cleaning. Funny how a little bit of external discipline helps so much.
At first when Jim asked me what he needed to do, I had two sizable, heavy-lifting-required jobs.
But, then ...
:)
As I progressed through the layers of clutter, dust and dirt, I found new jobs. When everything was covered with a layer of STUFF, I didn't notice the computer box that fit right in. But once the clutter was removed, my eyes were opened to see things (like the box) that had become a fixture in the guestroom.
After I'd gone through the whole house, from top to bottom, removing the clutter, then removing the out-of-place big items, and finally vacuuming up the tiny particles of dirt which I never notice (but which gross me out every time I empty the bagless vacuum), I was feeling very happy with my clean house.
And then my eyes were opened to see just how NOT clean the laundry room was. And thus a new job was added to Jim's list. For months, I've been stepping over (and sometimes IN) and reaching over a filled-to-overflowing laundry basket, every time I've put clothes in or taken clothes out of the washer and dryer.
And so, Jim's list now included, "take care of box," and "go through the clothes."
What I thought was a collection of work clothes, ready by the door to the garage (in the laundry room), was really a basket full of dirty laundry.
Uggghhh. If only I had asked a couple months ago ... and washed it, then a minor irritation would have been avoided.
Even if it took external discipline, I'm happy for a clean house.
Now if I could just schedule company on a regular basis ... :)
At first when Jim asked me what he needed to do, I had two sizable, heavy-lifting-required jobs.
But, then ...
:)
As I progressed through the layers of clutter, dust and dirt, I found new jobs. When everything was covered with a layer of STUFF, I didn't notice the computer box that fit right in. But once the clutter was removed, my eyes were opened to see things (like the box) that had become a fixture in the guestroom.
After I'd gone through the whole house, from top to bottom, removing the clutter, then removing the out-of-place big items, and finally vacuuming up the tiny particles of dirt which I never notice (but which gross me out every time I empty the bagless vacuum), I was feeling very happy with my clean house.
And then my eyes were opened to see just how NOT clean the laundry room was. And thus a new job was added to Jim's list. For months, I've been stepping over (and sometimes IN) and reaching over a filled-to-overflowing laundry basket, every time I've put clothes in or taken clothes out of the washer and dryer.
And so, Jim's list now included, "take care of box," and "go through the clothes."
What I thought was a collection of work clothes, ready by the door to the garage (in the laundry room), was really a basket full of dirty laundry.
Uggghhh. If only I had asked a couple months ago ... and washed it, then a minor irritation would have been avoided.
Even if it took external discipline, I'm happy for a clean house.
Now if I could just schedule company on a regular basis ... :)
Thursday, June 2, 2011
1000 Gifts, Vol. 3, #94
931. Pomp & Circumstance
932. caps and gowns
933. Grandma and Grandpas, aunts and uncles, and cousins
934. a vacation spot enjoyed by four generations
935. Dominoes & golf
936. sand and lapping waves
937. lawn chairs and beach towels
938. naps!
939. parade
940. Memorial Day speech by the VFW
932. caps and gowns
933. Grandma and Grandpas, aunts and uncles, and cousins
934. a vacation spot enjoyed by four generations
935. Dominoes & golf
936. sand and lapping waves
937. lawn chairs and beach towels
938. naps!
939. parade
940. Memorial Day speech by the VFW
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
100 Days of Summer
Did you know there are around 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day? What images come to your mind when you consider "summer?"
I think of sitting on the front porch reading Cherry Ames, R.N., accumulating points for the library's summer reading program, and of riding along with my dad on a farm errand, totally preoccupied with memorizing extra verses for points at Vacation Bible School.
I haven't had a leisurely summer like those in years and years, but I think my mind still tries to make a shift during summer. This year I'm trying to redeem the summer, and when I learned that there are 100 days, that made it seem just right for taking up some challenges.
The church we visited during our weekend trip started a 100 Days of Summer program this past Sunday. The bulletin included the following:
:: a Bible reading plan,
:: a daily devotional for this week (future weeks' devotionals to be published weekly in the bulletin and online),
:: two suggested books, which the church has available at discounted prices, and
:: announcements of reading groups for those books (Radical by Platt and Experiencing the Resurrection by Blackaby).
We heard the first sermon in the series as well, a practical call to draw near to God.
It seems do-able for me to tag along for their 100 Days of Summer, especially since we'll hopefully be visiting that church again two or three times this summer while away for long weekends.
Do you have any plans for your 100 days of summer?
I think of sitting on the front porch reading Cherry Ames, R.N., accumulating points for the library's summer reading program, and of riding along with my dad on a farm errand, totally preoccupied with memorizing extra verses for points at Vacation Bible School.
I haven't had a leisurely summer like those in years and years, but I think my mind still tries to make a shift during summer. This year I'm trying to redeem the summer, and when I learned that there are 100 days, that made it seem just right for taking up some challenges.
The church we visited during our weekend trip started a 100 Days of Summer program this past Sunday. The bulletin included the following:
:: a Bible reading plan,
:: a daily devotional for this week (future weeks' devotionals to be published weekly in the bulletin and online),
:: two suggested books, which the church has available at discounted prices, and
:: announcements of reading groups for those books (Radical by Platt and Experiencing the Resurrection by Blackaby).
We heard the first sermon in the series as well, a practical call to draw near to God.
It seems do-able for me to tag along for their 100 Days of Summer, especially since we'll hopefully be visiting that church again two or three times this summer while away for long weekends.
Do you have any plans for your 100 days of summer?
1000 Gifts, Vol. 3, #93
928. the restfulness of a weekend away
929. the rest of being back home
930. ceiling fans!
929. the rest of being back home
930. ceiling fans!
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