OK, well November is about gone. I was forced into a Pioneer Woman cooking break with Thanksgiving and show debuts, etc, BUT I did manage a few awesome recipes before the madness took over.
Here is a quick review:
Edna Mae's Sour Cream Pancakes -- absolutely worth it! But go ahead and double the batch or even triple. It doesn't go as far as you'd like. Also, mind the griddle. There's no telltale done-ness bubbles like traditional pancakes. The family really enjoyed these--even my husband--king of the breakfast griddle.
Perfect Pot Roast--The title does not lie! It is divine! So perfectly moist and flavored it wants to melt. I've actually made it 3 times in the last month. I ended up doing one for my son's 13th birthday party for making french dips. Also, I made another for Thanksgiving to help stretch the turkey. I think I liked it better than the turkey! I'd probably gone years--well, at least months--without making pot roast and now it's becoming a habit. I whole-heartedly recommend this recipe!
Creamy Mashed Potatoes--I made these BUT I didn't actually put in all the cream cheese or butter that the recipe called for. I wanted to maintain a little sanity and also the current weight decade. My husband also made them for Thanksgiving. I can't say how much or little he followed the recipe, but I can say that we ran out far before we wanted. They were very creamy and delicious.
Buttermilk Biscuits-- Yes!! Try these! They are flaky and yummy. I made them, and also my son and husband collaborated on them to make biscuits and gravy for our Saturday breakfast. They are great savory or with honey.
Cowboy Calzone--I did not use the Hot breakfast sausage but opted for the good old normal sausage. I was glad because there was plenty of heat from the tomatoes and chilies that are in there. This was pretty yummy although not much like what you'd think of with an Italian calzone. It seemed more like a really yummy, fancy hot pocket. The biggest problem for us was that it only makes 8. It would have been nice to either have some for lunch the next day or else some for the freezer. I have plans to try this recipe again in the very near future and right the wrong by making a bigger batch.
As you can see, I'm much more into the savory. I guess I'll have to try that Chocolate Sheet Cake just to balance things out.
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Censoring God?
Have you ever found yourself avoiding praying for something because if you don't ask for it you can't be told "no"? Well, I found myself doing that just yesterday.
Each day before we jump into school work, we have a time of Scripture memory, reading and prayer. We mention things we want to be praying about and then pray together.
Well, there is something in particular that my daughter and I have been praying about for 3 years now. There are some things going on that could possibly be the answer to those prayers but also it could go the other way--in fact, it looks like it will most likely go the other way . And when it came time for prayer yesterday, I nearly brought it up as something to specifically ask God for again, but I stopped. I made the conscious decision NOT to pray about it. I had my reasons.
You see, it makes no sense that it would happen. There is every reason for it not to work out. Good reasons. Reasonable reasons. It's never worked out before reasons. It would be too good to be true reasons. I've been here before reasons. Cynical reasons.
And though my excuse was not wanting her to be hurt or disappointed in God, the truth is deeper. I don't want to be disappointed in God. I maybe already am.
When I awoke this morning, my mind was already back there. Wishing. Praying. Wondering if fasting would help (and knowing that I'd be sunk even if it would). Then it was like the Lord pointed to me and said, "You CHOSE not to ask when you were with your children." And then all the Scripture I've ever learned on prayer came flooding back:
"You do not have because you do not ask".
"You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives,"
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
"With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."
"For nothing will be impossible with God."
"Truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed.."
Wow, had I really tried to censor what the Lord is doing and wants to do? Had I become bitter with God? Would it now affect my children through discouraging prayer? Lord forgive my unbelief and my bitterness. How my faith in God lacks and my need to control abounds! He is more than capable of deciding what my kids can handle in regards to prayer. But He wants us to ASK!
I went over why we WOULD ask for this particular request again in my mind:
Would it further His kingdom?
Would it bring Him glory?
Would it show His greatness?
Would it demonstrate His love and care for us?
Well, yes. All of those!
What would happen if He said "no"? Would it provide an opportunity to trust Him despite the disappointment?
Absolutely.
Should either outcome be missed by my children because I think I already know how things will turn out? Should the opportunity to see God work and "do something for which only He would get the glory" be missed? Should it be missed if it means that my kids learn that He is trustworthy despite the circumstances? Despite the answer?
God is good all the time. And here is an opportunity to show them that. Lord forgive me for trying to censor YOU.
Each day before we jump into school work, we have a time of Scripture memory, reading and prayer. We mention things we want to be praying about and then pray together.
Well, there is something in particular that my daughter and I have been praying about for 3 years now. There are some things going on that could possibly be the answer to those prayers but also it could go the other way--in fact, it looks like it will most likely go the other way . And when it came time for prayer yesterday, I nearly brought it up as something to specifically ask God for again, but I stopped. I made the conscious decision NOT to pray about it. I had my reasons.
You see, it makes no sense that it would happen. There is every reason for it not to work out. Good reasons. Reasonable reasons. It's never worked out before reasons. It would be too good to be true reasons. I've been here before reasons. Cynical reasons.
And though my excuse was not wanting her to be hurt or disappointed in God, the truth is deeper. I don't want to be disappointed in God. I maybe already am.
When I awoke this morning, my mind was already back there. Wishing. Praying. Wondering if fasting would help (and knowing that I'd be sunk even if it would). Then it was like the Lord pointed to me and said, "You CHOSE not to ask when you were with your children." And then all the Scripture I've ever learned on prayer came flooding back:
"You do not have because you do not ask".
"You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives,"
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."
"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son."
"With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."
"For nothing will be impossible with God."
"Truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed.."
Wow, had I really tried to censor what the Lord is doing and wants to do? Had I become bitter with God? Would it now affect my children through discouraging prayer? Lord forgive my unbelief and my bitterness. How my faith in God lacks and my need to control abounds! He is more than capable of deciding what my kids can handle in regards to prayer. But He wants us to ASK!
I went over why we WOULD ask for this particular request again in my mind:
Would it further His kingdom?
Would it bring Him glory?
Would it show His greatness?
Would it demonstrate His love and care for us?
Well, yes. All of those!
What would happen if He said "no"? Would it provide an opportunity to trust Him despite the disappointment?
Absolutely.
Should either outcome be missed by my children because I think I already know how things will turn out? Should the opportunity to see God work and "do something for which only He would get the glory" be missed? Should it be missed if it means that my kids learn that He is trustworthy despite the circumstances? Despite the answer?
God is good all the time. And here is an opportunity to show them that. Lord forgive me for trying to censor YOU.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Trying to Gain Perspective
Well, there's no denying it. I'm disappointed with the results of the election. Sick feeling, actually. Nothing to do but trust ourselves to the hand of a sovereign, just and merciful God. That's a good place to be.
With all the bad news this evening, it's almost hard to remember that there was a hopeful, enjoyable day that preceded it. But it was a fun day and I'm going to share a little about it.
The younger kids and I took the day off and went on a field trip with Ryan. He took us up to Portland to a studio to watch an Intel marketing video being shot. It was fun to watch the dancer perform on a giant green screen and observe the production process. My 3 year old would observe and then mimic the dance moves. I half expected them to halt everything and thrust HIM into the spot light. I'm sure we'll be getting a call any day now.
We also got to partake in all the food they had on the set, which meant we finally got to try Portland's famous Voodoo Doughnuts. Free! Woohoo! And there was lots of pizza too. The kids were very happy.
It's always a mixture of awkwardness and discomfort for me when my husband brings us along for work related stuff. You are thrust into a room of artsy, hip, Portlanders doing their thing and are introduced as a stay-at-home-homeschooling-mom. Oh, and you have 3 of your 5 kids in tow too. You are pretty much a new species to them.
But you have your cute 3 year old with you and he is always a big hit, so you take a deep breath, smile and try not to do anything to confirm their preconceived ideas. I have to say that they were very friendly and gracious to us. We also took a nice walk through the leaves and enjoyed the break from the rainy weather. Overall, a good time.
After a stop by the mall for Legos, smelly soap and shoes, we headed back to our little corner to make dinner and watch election results. I do wish it had been a better outcome. But I know that God who blessed us with good today will undoubtedly bless us tomorrow too. His steadfast love never ceases, His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning.
With all the bad news this evening, it's almost hard to remember that there was a hopeful, enjoyable day that preceded it. But it was a fun day and I'm going to share a little about it.
The younger kids and I took the day off and went on a field trip with Ryan. He took us up to Portland to a studio to watch an Intel marketing video being shot. It was fun to watch the dancer perform on a giant green screen and observe the production process. My 3 year old would observe and then mimic the dance moves. I half expected them to halt everything and thrust HIM into the spot light. I'm sure we'll be getting a call any day now.
We also got to partake in all the food they had on the set, which meant we finally got to try Portland's famous Voodoo Doughnuts. Free! Woohoo! And there was lots of pizza too. The kids were very happy.
It's always a mixture of awkwardness and discomfort for me when my husband brings us along for work related stuff. You are thrust into a room of artsy, hip, Portlanders doing their thing and are introduced as a stay-at-home-homeschooling-mom. Oh, and you have 3 of your 5 kids in tow too. You are pretty much a new species to them.
But you have your cute 3 year old with you and he is always a big hit, so you take a deep breath, smile and try not to do anything to confirm their preconceived ideas. I have to say that they were very friendly and gracious to us. We also took a nice walk through the leaves and enjoyed the break from the rainy weather. Overall, a good time.
After a stop by the mall for Legos, smelly soap and shoes, we headed back to our little corner to make dinner and watch election results. I do wish it had been a better outcome. But I know that God who blessed us with good today will undoubtedly bless us tomorrow too. His steadfast love never ceases, His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning.
Monday, November 5, 2012
My Best for God's and How that Relates to Moving 5 Times In 6 Years
Since our big move to this area 2 years ago, something our college pastor said way back in the 90's, came back to my memory. He told us that in our futures, we should consider moving/relocating on the sole basis of attending a good church. At the time, I pondered it for about 3 seconds before it bounced off me as "not for me". Little did I know.
.
Friday night, Ryan and I were visiting with some friends. The subject came up that we had lived in a nearby neighborhood 6 years before. I added that we have lived 5 places since then. (3 of which stemmed from our one decision to relocate here.) We laughed and shook our heads. One of them asked if it had anything to do with Ryan being former military. I conceded that that could have something to do with it. After all, when you are military, you know that moving is part of life and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. You realize that it is just part of the job description. Yes, I suppose that experience made me realize moving is just a "thing". It was a piece of my past that made me understand that I could pick up and go and that life would reset and then go on. It made the decision to help with this church plant that much easier.
I didn't verbalize our personal struggles with the Lord over it all. We had settled in nicely to a home and a life near friends and family and a church community that would easily see us through all the ups and downs of life. But God had other plans for us.
I'm not saying these things I wanted were wrong. They were good! But God desires good gifts from us. He wanted our "perfect life" on the altar. He wanted my dreams of being settled. He wanted our social lives. He wanted our educational plans. He wanted the best we had to give.
Even though the decision was hard and the reality is sometimes harder, He has been faithful. He has given back what we thought we were losing. It is different what we have now, but given by Him to experience and enjoy. Being a part of our church family here has been truly an amazing blessing that I wouldn't trade. Seeing God work in my children's lives through their own sacrifices has been priceless. Getting occasional glimpses of what God is doing in other's lives in this community is such a privilege. All along the way He has blessed us with laughter, friends, beauty, rest and good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle. We feel at home. We are glad we came.
There is this adventure we are all on as believers. An adventure of following the Lord, of trying to please Him in all respects, of bearing fruit in every good work. Many times it calls us out of our comfort zones into the unknown. Sometimes it has us plugging away, being faithful right where we are. But always, it His story being written, not ours. As much as we think we have it figured out, as much as we think we are settled in our houses and communities, He is choreographing our lives and adds beauty, intrigue, suspense and His beautiful grace.
.
Friday night, Ryan and I were visiting with some friends. The subject came up that we had lived in a nearby neighborhood 6 years before. I added that we have lived 5 places since then. (3 of which stemmed from our one decision to relocate here.) We laughed and shook our heads. One of them asked if it had anything to do with Ryan being former military. I conceded that that could have something to do with it. After all, when you are military, you know that moving is part of life and what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. You realize that it is just part of the job description. Yes, I suppose that experience made me realize moving is just a "thing". It was a piece of my past that made me understand that I could pick up and go and that life would reset and then go on. It made the decision to help with this church plant that much easier.
I didn't verbalize our personal struggles with the Lord over it all. We had settled in nicely to a home and a life near friends and family and a church community that would easily see us through all the ups and downs of life. But God had other plans for us.
I'm not saying these things I wanted were wrong. They were good! But God desires good gifts from us. He wanted our "perfect life" on the altar. He wanted my dreams of being settled. He wanted our social lives. He wanted our educational plans. He wanted the best we had to give.
Even though the decision was hard and the reality is sometimes harder, He has been faithful. He has given back what we thought we were losing. It is different what we have now, but given by Him to experience and enjoy. Being a part of our church family here has been truly an amazing blessing that I wouldn't trade. Seeing God work in my children's lives through their own sacrifices has been priceless. Getting occasional glimpses of what God is doing in other's lives in this community is such a privilege. All along the way He has blessed us with laughter, friends, beauty, rest and good things so that our youth is renewed like the eagle. We feel at home. We are glad we came.
There is this adventure we are all on as believers. An adventure of following the Lord, of trying to please Him in all respects, of bearing fruit in every good work. Many times it calls us out of our comfort zones into the unknown. Sometimes it has us plugging away, being faithful right where we are. But always, it His story being written, not ours. As much as we think we have it figured out, as much as we think we are settled in our houses and communities, He is choreographing our lives and adds beauty, intrigue, suspense and His beautiful grace.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Maddening, Soothing Shrimp Pasta
Over the past couple of weeks I've plugged away at my Pioneer Woman recipes and tried a few more. I must say they are quite good. I can see why she is pretty much a millionaire now.
The first was Penne alla Betsy--named for her sister's famous shrimp pasta dish. I made this on a Friday night after our home school co-op group. We needed some cozy comfort food as we settled in for a rainy weekend and this fit the bill. Penne alla Betsy calls for a pound of uncooked shrimp with tails on, etc. I've no idea why those tails were so important because we had to remove them--almost immediately. And furthermore, she asks us to cook the shrimp! Next time I would most definitely buy the already cooked shrimp and shave a whole buncha time off of the prep. I don't want to know how much of the deveining they miss either. But Pioneer Woman likes to do things the hard way for some reason. Since I'm trying to follow her recipes the way she intended, I bought the raw and spent a good portion of my life peeling and deveining. If you are impatient this is probably not the job for you--it is tedious work. If you are easily grossed out, this is definitely not the job for you. The good news is that if you are the type of person who finds peeling sunburns (or other such mom things) therapeutic, than it's not so bad--maybe even soothing.
The rest of the dish called for garlic, onions, butter, tomato sauce, cream and of course, penne pasta with a handful of parsley and a bit of basil tossed in. The final product was just what I was hoping. It was creamy, savory and satisfying. I give it 5 out of 5 stars--especially if you cut down on the shrimp hassle. I would definitely make it again. Served up with garlic bread and a nice salad, it could pass for a fancy-shmancy meal and a nice change from more cliche' pasta dishes.
The first was Penne alla Betsy--named for her sister's famous shrimp pasta dish. I made this on a Friday night after our home school co-op group. We needed some cozy comfort food as we settled in for a rainy weekend and this fit the bill. Penne alla Betsy calls for a pound of uncooked shrimp with tails on, etc. I've no idea why those tails were so important because we had to remove them--almost immediately. And furthermore, she asks us to cook the shrimp! Next time I would most definitely buy the already cooked shrimp and shave a whole buncha time off of the prep. I don't want to know how much of the deveining they miss either. But Pioneer Woman likes to do things the hard way for some reason. Since I'm trying to follow her recipes the way she intended, I bought the raw and spent a good portion of my life peeling and deveining. If you are impatient this is probably not the job for you--it is tedious work. If you are easily grossed out, this is definitely not the job for you. The good news is that if you are the type of person who finds peeling sunburns (or other such mom things) therapeutic, than it's not so bad--maybe even soothing.
The rest of the dish called for garlic, onions, butter, tomato sauce, cream and of course, penne pasta with a handful of parsley and a bit of basil tossed in. The final product was just what I was hoping. It was creamy, savory and satisfying. I give it 5 out of 5 stars--especially if you cut down on the shrimp hassle. I would definitely make it again. Served up with garlic bread and a nice salad, it could pass for a fancy-shmancy meal and a nice change from more cliche' pasta dishes.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Peach Crisp & Pot Pie
This week I tried PW's Peach Crisp with Maple Cream Sauce and Chicken Pot Pie which, in turn, required me to try Perfect Pie Crust.
I will begin with the Peach Crisp. I made it for our Bible Study on Wednesday so I doubled it. That is probably going to be the downside of me cooking these recipes. I will double or 1.5 them and they won't be exactly what she intended. Some of my peaches were nice and ripe and some were hard as a rock, but with a little extra sugar sprinkled over them and plenty of cooking time, they turned out just fine. But with that many peaches, it generated quite a bit of juice which in effect, transformed my "crisp" into more of a cobbler. It was yummy though--even with the lemon juice giving it a bit of a lemony flavor. (I don't care for lemon, but I still liked this.) I baked it the evening before, so I decided to give it quite a bit more heat time right before Bible Study. That seemed to help thicken the juice quite a bit, but I would still call it more "cobbler" than "crisp".
But the real story here, Folks, is not the crisp. It's most definitely the Maple Cream Sauce! I have never concocted such decadence before. I had to substitute FAKE maple syrup for the real that it called for--not quite ready for a second mortgage on this house--but it still was wonderful! I did add a splash of maple flavoring to make up for my cheap syrup and maybe that helped? Anyway, that stuff was amazing! It made everyone forget the crisplessness of the crisp. I am now dreaming up multiple uses for it. It could be added to coffee to create caffeinated amazingness or some chocolate desert to cause an over-the-top effect. Summer and I added some to our hot chocolate this afternoon. Yum!!
On Saturday I made the Chicken Pot Pie. I must confess, that like homemade mac n cheese, I'd never made it before. I'm generally not a fan and I don't make things I don't like--it's that whole "I'm in charge of the kitchen" thing so I'll make what I like. But PW claimed that it was Hall of Fame material. And...it IS in the book, and I am trying to cook everything in there soooo...
Once again, I doubled it--one for us to eat and one to freeze. It was surprisingly fun to make. It was just what this tired out cook needed to restore some kitchen fun. I love, love the smell and sounds of onions sizzling in butter--it makes me feel alive! I used a Costco roast chicken instead of boiling my own--can you blame me? It was fabulous! The gravy was so yummy I knew the pie would be edible.
The biggest disaster occurred when I was putting the top crust on. I had rolled it out, folded it in quarters for the transfer and then set it aside to stir or season or something. When I went to unfold it on top, it was stuck together and wanted to rip apart. I then proceeded to drop it into the gravy filling and got it all sloppy and ruined. But I rinsed it in cold water and added some more flour and rolled it out again. It went on fine and turned out mostly normal.
The finished product was very well received--especially by my boys who had tried KFC's chicken pie and proclaimed mine at LEAST equal to. I know. But they really raved about KFC's at the time and begged to order it again. (Not going to happen because they charge waaay too much for those with a family of 7 ordering, but now I get why. It takes some work! And I'm sure the colonel's workers make them from scratch.) Anyway, my men LOVED it. My girls said they liked it too but I suspect they have my genes in the matter. I liked it too, but meat pies aren't my thing generally. (It could have something to do with a certain childhood incident involving a TV meat pie dinner and resulting illness.) I think this was totally worth the work though. And like I said, it injected some fun back into my cooking. We are all excited to have the spare in the freezer.
There you have it. I'm not sure how this project is going to work with my one other personal goal of losing 15 lbs (actually, I'm pretty sure.)
I will begin with the Peach Crisp. I made it for our Bible Study on Wednesday so I doubled it. That is probably going to be the downside of me cooking these recipes. I will double or 1.5 them and they won't be exactly what she intended. Some of my peaches were nice and ripe and some were hard as a rock, but with a little extra sugar sprinkled over them and plenty of cooking time, they turned out just fine. But with that many peaches, it generated quite a bit of juice which in effect, transformed my "crisp" into more of a cobbler. It was yummy though--even with the lemon juice giving it a bit of a lemony flavor. (I don't care for lemon, but I still liked this.) I baked it the evening before, so I decided to give it quite a bit more heat time right before Bible Study. That seemed to help thicken the juice quite a bit, but I would still call it more "cobbler" than "crisp".
But the real story here, Folks, is not the crisp. It's most definitely the Maple Cream Sauce! I have never concocted such decadence before. I had to substitute FAKE maple syrup for the real that it called for--not quite ready for a second mortgage on this house--but it still was wonderful! I did add a splash of maple flavoring to make up for my cheap syrup and maybe that helped? Anyway, that stuff was amazing! It made everyone forget the crisplessness of the crisp. I am now dreaming up multiple uses for it. It could be added to coffee to create caffeinated amazingness or some chocolate desert to cause an over-the-top effect. Summer and I added some to our hot chocolate this afternoon. Yum!!
On Saturday I made the Chicken Pot Pie. I must confess, that like homemade mac n cheese, I'd never made it before. I'm generally not a fan and I don't make things I don't like--it's that whole "I'm in charge of the kitchen" thing so I'll make what I like. But PW claimed that it was Hall of Fame material. And...it IS in the book, and I am trying to cook everything in there soooo...
Once again, I doubled it--one for us to eat and one to freeze. It was surprisingly fun to make. It was just what this tired out cook needed to restore some kitchen fun. I love, love the smell and sounds of onions sizzling in butter--it makes me feel alive! I used a Costco roast chicken instead of boiling my own--can you blame me? It was fabulous! The gravy was so yummy I knew the pie would be edible.
The biggest disaster occurred when I was putting the top crust on. I had rolled it out, folded it in quarters for the transfer and then set it aside to stir or season or something. When I went to unfold it on top, it was stuck together and wanted to rip apart. I then proceeded to drop it into the gravy filling and got it all sloppy and ruined. But I rinsed it in cold water and added some more flour and rolled it out again. It went on fine and turned out mostly normal.
The finished product was very well received--especially by my boys who had tried KFC's chicken pie and proclaimed mine at LEAST equal to. I know. But they really raved about KFC's at the time and begged to order it again. (Not going to happen because they charge waaay too much for those with a family of 7 ordering, but now I get why. It takes some work! And I'm sure the colonel's workers make them from scratch.) Anyway, my men LOVED it. My girls said they liked it too but I suspect they have my genes in the matter. I liked it too, but meat pies aren't my thing generally. (It could have something to do with a certain childhood incident involving a TV meat pie dinner and resulting illness.) I think this was totally worth the work though. And like I said, it injected some fun back into my cooking. We are all excited to have the spare in the freezer.
There you have it. I'm not sure how this project is going to work with my one other personal goal of losing 15 lbs (actually, I'm pretty sure.)
This Is For Fun (and a couple of you who know how to flatter.)
Alright, a couple of my friends have convinced me to blog my reviews of Pioneer Woman Cooking. A little flattery goes a long way and now you're stuck with me. (Actually, you are quite free to ignore me and that would be just fine with someone who quite frequently wakes up in the middle of the night with "WHY did I post that??" regrets.) This is mostly for me--it's fun.
I must first state that I in NO way consider myself an "expert" or an authority on cooking or the culinary arts. I DO admit to loving food and try to only make stuff that I personally find tasty--one of the best parts of being in charge of the kitchen. This has led to eternal chubbiness--one of the worst parts of being in charge of the kitchen--aside from clean-up. I am not original in any sense. I pretty much make what I've tried from treasuries of those more talented than me. I will eventually tweak them to include more bacon or garlic or cheese, but that is as creative as I seem to get.
Well, this past year--summer, in particular--has seemed to suck the life out of my cooking repertoire I don't know if it's the homeschooling, or perpetual moving or what, but my menus were lacking variety, excitement and awesomeness. A few weeks ago, I picked up my copy of Pioneer Woman Cooks and remembered. I had purchased it right before the big move broke loose, with the intention of mimicking the Julie & Julia idea of cooking through a whole collection of recipes. And now, with the chaos behind me and a place to call home, I would very much like to follow through. I set very few personal goals. I'm not one to achieve. I'm more about surviving. But I would like to do this. I don't have time for hobbies, but this one is practical and very gratifying and the whole family can participate in the reward.
Sooo, even if no one ever reads these, I will have some fun and we will eat some food that's new to us. I'm having so much fun already. I should set personal goals more often!
Monday, September 3, 2012
A I Thessalonians 5:24 kind of Evening
I did a lot of laundry today, along with banana bread baking, a haircut in the kitchen for my oldest boy, shucking corn with my littlest boy.
We grilled steak and ate on the deck, lingering in the beautiful evening, reluctant to let the summer go. As it slips away into the night, I am preparing to send another child out tomorrow--out from MY comfort zone and into "the world". I am surprisingly at peace this evening before another new beginning. This was NOT the case a few short months ago when I nearly panicked at the thought.
I had taken my daughters to the year end speech awards night at the high school. There were lengthy speeches (and I DO mean lengthy) given by the departing seniors of how much Speech had meant to them. ( I was like: Speech? Really?? But that's another post.) Somewhere in the midst of these speeches filled with good and bad, reminiscing and advice, I became utterly filled with fear. I suddenly could not picture putting my son into this realm. For some reason, it seemed so much more scary putting a boy into that atmosphere than it had a girl (and I had been plenty scared then). I was afraid to the point of wanting out--out of Silverton, out of our small church and back--back to the safety and cleanliness and godliness of living that our former Christian school and large church community offered.
I went home that night and poured out my gut-wrenching fears to my husband. He, as usual, calmed me down and told me all would be well. He reassured me that our boy would be just fine, that he had a good head on his shoulders and that God would take care of him.
Well, since I had come to the end of my math expertise, and there were no available Christian schools nearby, and my son would have been devastated to spend another year in the dull-drums of being tied to my apron strings; and since my husband seemed to be so confident, I had no choice but to take a deep breath and pray.
Somehow, between now and then, God has given me peace. I've seen godly maturity developing, and I've seen his excitement unfolding at this new adventure. It helps to have his big sister there looking out for him. And I'm sure having an insanely busy summer has helped redirect my energies as well. I've seen God's faithfulness to my daughter. And I've observed that God has used her to be a light to a dark world. Such great joy I have when I hear of how she's been able to share about God's plan of salvation with a friend, or how a teacher is blessed by her attitude. And imagine the puzzlement they all experience when they hear why we've moved here to begin with! So strange!
Well, the hour is late and tomorrow will be here too soon. These are just some reflections from a proud, scared, and blessed mom. It's a good evening to remember I Thessalonians 5:24.
" The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it."
We grilled steak and ate on the deck, lingering in the beautiful evening, reluctant to let the summer go. As it slips away into the night, I am preparing to send another child out tomorrow--out from MY comfort zone and into "the world". I am surprisingly at peace this evening before another new beginning. This was NOT the case a few short months ago when I nearly panicked at the thought.
I had taken my daughters to the year end speech awards night at the high school. There were lengthy speeches (and I DO mean lengthy) given by the departing seniors of how much Speech had meant to them. ( I was like: Speech? Really?? But that's another post.) Somewhere in the midst of these speeches filled with good and bad, reminiscing and advice, I became utterly filled with fear. I suddenly could not picture putting my son into this realm. For some reason, it seemed so much more scary putting a boy into that atmosphere than it had a girl (and I had been plenty scared then). I was afraid to the point of wanting out--out of Silverton, out of our small church and back--back to the safety and cleanliness and godliness of living that our former Christian school and large church community offered.
I went home that night and poured out my gut-wrenching fears to my husband. He, as usual, calmed me down and told me all would be well. He reassured me that our boy would be just fine, that he had a good head on his shoulders and that God would take care of him.
Well, since I had come to the end of my math expertise, and there were no available Christian schools nearby, and my son would have been devastated to spend another year in the dull-drums of being tied to my apron strings; and since my husband seemed to be so confident, I had no choice but to take a deep breath and pray.
Somehow, between now and then, God has given me peace. I've seen godly maturity developing, and I've seen his excitement unfolding at this new adventure. It helps to have his big sister there looking out for him. And I'm sure having an insanely busy summer has helped redirect my energies as well. I've seen God's faithfulness to my daughter. And I've observed that God has used her to be a light to a dark world. Such great joy I have when I hear of how she's been able to share about God's plan of salvation with a friend, or how a teacher is blessed by her attitude. And imagine the puzzlement they all experience when they hear why we've moved here to begin with! So strange!
Well, the hour is late and tomorrow will be here too soon. These are just some reflections from a proud, scared, and blessed mom. It's a good evening to remember I Thessalonians 5:24.
" The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it."
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
This Probably Explains My Annoying Passion A Bit
Back in the day, when I was about 11 years old, I watched my first political convention. It was not my choice by any means. But my parents wanted to see what was going on, so we gathered around our 13 inch black and white and watched Ronald Reagan accept the nomination for president. Of course, back then you were at the mercy of the main stream media to tell you how things went and what everything really meant. That really irked my dad, I learned.
That was the same summer we gathered around that little TV to watch May Lou Retton win gold for the USA in gymnastics. I remember both events. I remember both as being important and exciting to me. But only one of those events really has impacted my life and ultimately the lives of my children and the world.
As I had fair and balanced parents, we also watched the Democratic National Convention that year. I still remember listening with interest as Geraldine Ferraro gave her acceptance speech as the first woman vice presidential candidate. I gathered some basic knowledge of who the Kennedy's were and others like Tip O'Neal--whom I would see at the State-Of-The-Union addresses that I also got to take in every winter. (Oh, Little House on the Prairie, how I longed for you then!)
I didn't understand much of either party's rhetoric back then, but I did learn from my parents' response. I gained an interest in the future of my country and the type of leadership we hoped for. And, as it turned out, I took in some pretty awesome history too.
That was the same summer we gathered around that little TV to watch May Lou Retton win gold for the USA in gymnastics. I remember both events. I remember both as being important and exciting to me. But only one of those events really has impacted my life and ultimately the lives of my children and the world.
As I had fair and balanced parents, we also watched the Democratic National Convention that year. I still remember listening with interest as Geraldine Ferraro gave her acceptance speech as the first woman vice presidential candidate. I gathered some basic knowledge of who the Kennedy's were and others like Tip O'Neal--whom I would see at the State-Of-The-Union addresses that I also got to take in every winter. (Oh, Little House on the Prairie, how I longed for you then!)
I didn't understand much of either party's rhetoric back then, but I did learn from my parents' response. I gained an interest in the future of my country and the type of leadership we hoped for. And, as it turned out, I took in some pretty awesome history too.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Finally Exhaling
Phew! I'm glad to have that behind me! As I come to the last leg of summer, I feel I can finally take a deep breath and look back at the past few months. It's been a while since I've written anything and that is, for various reasons, but mainly, it's just been too busy around here. As I've thought over my summer, I've found myself thinking things like: "It was a horrendous summer." Or "It was the summer from Hades". (My husband says I can tend to be negative--I've no idea why.) But even I know that I am being over dramatic and negative when I think these things because in all truth, God has blessed us beyond measure and it wasn't that bad because He provided the strength. Here is a rundown of the previous 3-4 months. (Please beware that I deleted the word "quick" before "rundown".)
In April, we got to take a wonderful, family trip to Disneyland. While there we were notified that our house we were renting was being placed on the market. I begged for them to hold off another week until I could get home, clean and get things ready to be show-worthy. They obliged; I cleaned; it went on the market. The day before our church's ladies retreat, I was up to my neck in food prep and had Costco trophies stashed all over my house as I was in charge of food. A realtor called wanting to show the house--there was no other time their clients could come--boo hoo. So they came--and bought the house.
We were now in need of a house, so we prayed and waited and prayed. We placed our old Tigard home on the market. Our renters did not clean. That house is still for sale. (I'm not bitter....really.) But despite that ..or is it "inspite of that"...God made a way for us to purchase a home here while still owning the Tigard home. We still need that house to sell to really make things work, but it was so clear that this was the way God wanted us to proceed that I have a lot of peace. We literally had no other place to go--there was not even a rental available. They accepted our offer and we were able to move in early, before closing and rent free! God truly provided.
As all of this house hunting/purchasing/moving was going on we had lots of other summer things going on. Our daughter took a missions trip to the Philippines. We drove to Seattle to pick her up when she returned. We had a beach trip with friends in June, and then a camping trip 6 days after moving. We hosted a gathering 4 days after moving. Our other daughter joined the YMCA swim team with practice every day and a few swim meets thrown in. There was kids camp for our son to work at and orthodontist appointments to keep. One of the big highlights (and reasons we were so grateful to have a house to live in) was that my brother and family from Virginia made a much anticipated visit. We were glad to be able to host a big open house birthday party for him to catch up with Oregon friends and family. The day after that, we were so blessed to go as a big family to hear my nephew preach at his church in Salem. That afternoon, we packed up and headed to the beach with our Virginia family and my mom and sister to spend a few days. The next day we celebrated my daughters 11th birthday--she wanted The Olympics theme--no rest for the weary but it was fun.
After returning home from that trip we packed up the next day to visit Ryan's family in Sun River. Since we still had family in town on my side, and since we had to close on the new house, we drove back home for a couple of days to say goodbye to family and take care of business. Then we packed up again and headed back across the mountains to finish out the week at Sun River. Of course the week after that was filled with more daily appointments, etc getting everybody ready for the school year. That brings us to this week and today.
Ryan drove into Hillsboro for a long day of meetings, Savannah left on a camping trip with a friend, Reagan went in to take his math placement test for starting high school next week, and I am loving the freedom of being at home today with nothing more on the agenda for a few days and leftovers in the fridge.
As I look back at this past spring, I recall reminding the Lord that we didn't have a house of our own and that the kids were getting so close to leaving home and that I'd really love to have a place of our own before they all graduated. At that point, I didn't think a house of our own here would be possible. When our house that we were renting went on the market, I wanted it to either sell quickly so I wouldn't have to go through the trouble of showing it over and over, or stay on the market until I could get through the summer. God knew best and answered. It sold with the first showing. And then God closed every door that we thought would be a possibility and opened just one--one where we would have a house of our own. Isn't He kind? Isn't is fickle of me to call this a "horrendous summer" when God has blessed us so much?
This spring, when we returned from Disneyland and I was cleaning my socks off, I wrote out a portion of a verse on our little chalkboard in the kitchen. I have purposefully left it there all summer as a reminder. "I will bless the Lord at all times." It was a reminder and also a prayer. A prayer that I would indeed do that. Of course, I failed. But He is faithful.
I do bless Him. I bless Him for providing. I bless Him for Savannah's opportunity to serve over seas. I bless Him for our health. I bless Him that Summer could improve her swimming and make friends. I bless Him for the good times with friends in the midst of the chaos. I bless Him for moments of quiet snatched at a lake or the beach. I bless Him for the laundry that somehow stayed manageable throughout the coming and going. I bless Him for reconnections with precious family. I bless Him for the strength to pack and unpack one. more. time. I bless Him for faithful friends and family who graciously bent over backwards to move us one more time. I bless Him that maybe next summer I won't have to move. (Can I get an "Amen"?!) I bless Him for that awesome fridge that came with the house and the volunteer tomatoes and the beautifully prepared garden beds that I inherited. I bless Him for the opportunity to trust Him with our unsold home. He is so good---even when all I can dwell on is the negative. I will bless the Lord at all times. Lord, let this be true.
In April, we got to take a wonderful, family trip to Disneyland. While there we were notified that our house we were renting was being placed on the market. I begged for them to hold off another week until I could get home, clean and get things ready to be show-worthy. They obliged; I cleaned; it went on the market. The day before our church's ladies retreat, I was up to my neck in food prep and had Costco trophies stashed all over my house as I was in charge of food. A realtor called wanting to show the house--there was no other time their clients could come--boo hoo. So they came--and bought the house.
We were now in need of a house, so we prayed and waited and prayed. We placed our old Tigard home on the market. Our renters did not clean. That house is still for sale. (I'm not bitter....really.) But despite that ..or is it "inspite of that"...God made a way for us to purchase a home here while still owning the Tigard home. We still need that house to sell to really make things work, but it was so clear that this was the way God wanted us to proceed that I have a lot of peace. We literally had no other place to go--there was not even a rental available. They accepted our offer and we were able to move in early, before closing and rent free! God truly provided.
As all of this house hunting/purchasing/moving was going on we had lots of other summer things going on. Our daughter took a missions trip to the Philippines. We drove to Seattle to pick her up when she returned. We had a beach trip with friends in June, and then a camping trip 6 days after moving. We hosted a gathering 4 days after moving. Our other daughter joined the YMCA swim team with practice every day and a few swim meets thrown in. There was kids camp for our son to work at and orthodontist appointments to keep. One of the big highlights (and reasons we were so grateful to have a house to live in) was that my brother and family from Virginia made a much anticipated visit. We were glad to be able to host a big open house birthday party for him to catch up with Oregon friends and family. The day after that, we were so blessed to go as a big family to hear my nephew preach at his church in Salem. That afternoon, we packed up and headed to the beach with our Virginia family and my mom and sister to spend a few days. The next day we celebrated my daughters 11th birthday--she wanted The Olympics theme--no rest for the weary but it was fun.
After returning home from that trip we packed up the next day to visit Ryan's family in Sun River. Since we still had family in town on my side, and since we had to close on the new house, we drove back home for a couple of days to say goodbye to family and take care of business. Then we packed up again and headed back across the mountains to finish out the week at Sun River. Of course the week after that was filled with more daily appointments, etc getting everybody ready for the school year. That brings us to this week and today.
Ryan drove into Hillsboro for a long day of meetings, Savannah left on a camping trip with a friend, Reagan went in to take his math placement test for starting high school next week, and I am loving the freedom of being at home today with nothing more on the agenda for a few days and leftovers in the fridge.
As I look back at this past spring, I recall reminding the Lord that we didn't have a house of our own and that the kids were getting so close to leaving home and that I'd really love to have a place of our own before they all graduated. At that point, I didn't think a house of our own here would be possible. When our house that we were renting went on the market, I wanted it to either sell quickly so I wouldn't have to go through the trouble of showing it over and over, or stay on the market until I could get through the summer. God knew best and answered. It sold with the first showing. And then God closed every door that we thought would be a possibility and opened just one--one where we would have a house of our own. Isn't He kind? Isn't is fickle of me to call this a "horrendous summer" when God has blessed us so much?
This spring, when we returned from Disneyland and I was cleaning my socks off, I wrote out a portion of a verse on our little chalkboard in the kitchen. I have purposefully left it there all summer as a reminder. "I will bless the Lord at all times." It was a reminder and also a prayer. A prayer that I would indeed do that. Of course, I failed. But He is faithful.
I do bless Him. I bless Him for providing. I bless Him for Savannah's opportunity to serve over seas. I bless Him for our health. I bless Him that Summer could improve her swimming and make friends. I bless Him for the good times with friends in the midst of the chaos. I bless Him for moments of quiet snatched at a lake or the beach. I bless Him for the laundry that somehow stayed manageable throughout the coming and going. I bless Him for reconnections with precious family. I bless Him for the strength to pack and unpack one. more. time. I bless Him for faithful friends and family who graciously bent over backwards to move us one more time. I bless Him that maybe next summer I won't have to move. (Can I get an "Amen"?!) I bless Him for that awesome fridge that came with the house and the volunteer tomatoes and the beautifully prepared garden beds that I inherited. I bless Him for the opportunity to trust Him with our unsold home. He is so good---even when all I can dwell on is the negative. I will bless the Lord at all times. Lord, let this be true.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
If That's My "A" Game....
I'm pretty tired...and wired. I shouldn't have had those two Cokes at Red Robin tonight and that iced tea at Burger King at lunch (come on! I don't eat out all the time like this. It was a busy, on the road kind of day). But it's been a while since I've posted and if any day lately was a "blog worthy" one (well MY kind of "blog worthy") this would be it.
It was heavily scheduled and one that required keeping a sharp eye on the clock and adherence to the schedule in order for me to get successfully to that highly anticipated Red Robin moment with friends. We began with taking my youngest daughter to the optometrist this morning. And can I just say right here that having an appointment in the same town you live in cuts out 90% of the stress? That's all I need to say about that part of the day. It went well. Glasses were ordered. Nobody blacked out this time. I even remembered her cool personal sunglasses for the dilation and she wouldn't have to wear the dorky ones they hand out. "A" Game on!
Unfortunately, things went more typically for me after that. After a 25 minute drive to my mom's for the boys to mow her lawn, the lawn mower wouldn't start...not even a little bit. We had to get on the road to Beaverton. So, I headed to my In-laws' who had agreed to drop my boys at a church-sponsored all nighter later on. All the while I was praying Friday, spring break traffic would hold off until I could get safely back to my home exit. Since they would be gone, when we arrived, my mom-in-law had shared the code to get the boys into the house. Warning bells rang all over the place when this plan went into place but I proceeded with hope. Sure enough, it wouldn't work for us. I am code challenged and as it turns out, so are my boys. The boys were determined to handle this and wouldn't let me call my husband for help. When they started picking up stones to remedy the situation, I put a stop to it and told them they'd just have to wait outside. We were able to read through the window the nice note Grandma had written to them welcoming them and telling them to make themselves at home, so that was nice. The clock was telling me that I had to move on to pick up my daughter's friends from school and ferry them home with me for a sleepover. PLUS, I had to get home for an Easter music practice being held at my house in a little over an hour. Did I mention we live an hour away and this was Friday before spring break and 217 and I-5...
So with all this in mind I drove off with my boys in my review mirror, sitting on Grandma's porch waiting for Grandpa and Grandma to get back in a couple of hours. Once at the school, I just had to wait for the girls to be dismissed and then get back on the road. To my surprise, the younger of the two was entrusted with the class gold fish for spring break. "You may want to drop this off at their house." Her teacher told me. I looked at the clock and knew that wasn't possible, so little Splash was headed to Silverton for a sleepover. Of course, with my "I've got to get us on the road before the horrendous traffic takes over" driving skills, a good portion of fish water was spilled onto the pillow pet before we even made it out of the parking lot. And of course, the horrendous traffic had taken over. But we made it back to our house eventually. The practice was able to start without us and I was only 20ish (with emphasis on the "ish") minutes late.
The evening was looking up with a fun double date planned with friends from church, and I soon found myself seated at Red Robin. This time I threw caution to the wind and ordered the Coke AND a burger, fries and a half a bottle of ranch. It was fabulous. Our plan was then to go see Act of Valor but as we double checked, we found that not only would we be late, but the theater wasn't even playing it anymore. (Don't ask how you can be late to something that isn't even happening. But if one can be late to something like that, I will be.) So we did some more checking and found a different movie playing at the needed time at a different theater. It wasn't until we were well settled into our seats and starting the movie that I remembered I had emailed an invitation to a new attender at church to join us for the previous mentioned movie no longer in existence at a completely different theater at a completely different time. -Sigh- If that by itself isn't bad enough, he's thousands of miles from home, new to the area, homesick, gluten and everything intolerant, and......(really cringing here) it was his birthday.
I'm not really sure what the point is to all of this other than: 1) I am lame. 2) Drive carefully when you're hauling a goldfish. 3) If you are incompetent with codes and locks, you could very well just be generally incompetent.
Right now I am just hoping for all those caffeinated drinks to wear off and that our friend isn't a regular email checker.
It was heavily scheduled and one that required keeping a sharp eye on the clock and adherence to the schedule in order for me to get successfully to that highly anticipated Red Robin moment with friends. We began with taking my youngest daughter to the optometrist this morning. And can I just say right here that having an appointment in the same town you live in cuts out 90% of the stress? That's all I need to say about that part of the day. It went well. Glasses were ordered. Nobody blacked out this time. I even remembered her cool personal sunglasses for the dilation and she wouldn't have to wear the dorky ones they hand out. "A" Game on!
Unfortunately, things went more typically for me after that. After a 25 minute drive to my mom's for the boys to mow her lawn, the lawn mower wouldn't start...not even a little bit. We had to get on the road to Beaverton. So, I headed to my In-laws' who had agreed to drop my boys at a church-sponsored all nighter later on. All the while I was praying Friday, spring break traffic would hold off until I could get safely back to my home exit. Since they would be gone, when we arrived, my mom-in-law had shared the code to get the boys into the house. Warning bells rang all over the place when this plan went into place but I proceeded with hope. Sure enough, it wouldn't work for us. I am code challenged and as it turns out, so are my boys. The boys were determined to handle this and wouldn't let me call my husband for help. When they started picking up stones to remedy the situation, I put a stop to it and told them they'd just have to wait outside. We were able to read through the window the nice note Grandma had written to them welcoming them and telling them to make themselves at home, so that was nice. The clock was telling me that I had to move on to pick up my daughter's friends from school and ferry them home with me for a sleepover. PLUS, I had to get home for an Easter music practice being held at my house in a little over an hour. Did I mention we live an hour away and this was Friday before spring break and 217 and I-5...
So with all this in mind I drove off with my boys in my review mirror, sitting on Grandma's porch waiting for Grandpa and Grandma to get back in a couple of hours. Once at the school, I just had to wait for the girls to be dismissed and then get back on the road. To my surprise, the younger of the two was entrusted with the class gold fish for spring break. "You may want to drop this off at their house." Her teacher told me. I looked at the clock and knew that wasn't possible, so little Splash was headed to Silverton for a sleepover. Of course, with my "I've got to get us on the road before the horrendous traffic takes over" driving skills, a good portion of fish water was spilled onto the pillow pet before we even made it out of the parking lot. And of course, the horrendous traffic had taken over. But we made it back to our house eventually. The practice was able to start without us and I was only 20ish (with emphasis on the "ish") minutes late.
The evening was looking up with a fun double date planned with friends from church, and I soon found myself seated at Red Robin. This time I threw caution to the wind and ordered the Coke AND a burger, fries and a half a bottle of ranch. It was fabulous. Our plan was then to go see Act of Valor but as we double checked, we found that not only would we be late, but the theater wasn't even playing it anymore. (Don't ask how you can be late to something that isn't even happening. But if one can be late to something like that, I will be.) So we did some more checking and found a different movie playing at the needed time at a different theater. It wasn't until we were well settled into our seats and starting the movie that I remembered I had emailed an invitation to a new attender at church to join us for the previous mentioned movie no longer in existence at a completely different theater at a completely different time. -Sigh- If that by itself isn't bad enough, he's thousands of miles from home, new to the area, homesick, gluten and everything intolerant, and......(really cringing here) it was his birthday.
I'm not really sure what the point is to all of this other than: 1) I am lame. 2) Drive carefully when you're hauling a goldfish. 3) If you are incompetent with codes and locks, you could very well just be generally incompetent.
Right now I am just hoping for all those caffeinated drinks to wear off and that our friend isn't a regular email checker.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Introspective Sunday
I was having a hard time in church today. I don't know what to blame for it, really. Could have been any number of things making me emotional. All I know is I couldn't make it through the songs without my eyes leaking significantly. You see, directly behind me was a visiting couple that I have known my entire life. My parents led them to the Lord 46 years ago. We'll call them Mr & Mrs S. They decided to visit our church today. They were seated next to my own aging mother--my mother who spent countless hours with Mrs. S seated at our kitchen table, mentoring and counseling her. Not long after becoming believers, Mr S decided to go to Bible college and he's spent many years in the ministry now. God completely changed the course of their lives 46 years ago. My parents were only the tools in the right place at the right time.
I guess I just plain missed my dad. He would have been all smiles and sparkles and stories having them there. Me? I got all introspective and weepy.
As I looked around our little fellowship of believers, I was struck with the possibilities of being in the right place at the right time. Others are in similar places that Mr & Mrs S were 46 years ago that just need someone to be there, faithful to the call. It's a sacrifice for our pastor and family to be here and for many of our families too. It's a sacrifice for my own kids to be there. But as we were singing, I could clearly hear our visitors voices:
All that thrills my soul is Jesus
He is more than life to me
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see
By the crystal flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing
And forever and forever
I will praise and glorify the King
It was their voices that stopped me cold. I couldn't sing because I knew. I knew that all the hard work, every disappointment and every sacrifice and crumby part of building a church can be worth it. Because if it results in even one couple, forty-six years from now, singing about what Jesus means to them...
Just when I about had myself pulled back together we sang the next hymn: I'd Rather Have Jesus.
And I was a lost cause.
I guess I just plain missed my dad. He would have been all smiles and sparkles and stories having them there. Me? I got all introspective and weepy.
As I looked around our little fellowship of believers, I was struck with the possibilities of being in the right place at the right time. Others are in similar places that Mr & Mrs S were 46 years ago that just need someone to be there, faithful to the call. It's a sacrifice for our pastor and family to be here and for many of our families too. It's a sacrifice for my own kids to be there. But as we were singing, I could clearly hear our visitors voices:
All that thrills my soul is Jesus
He is more than life to me
And the fairest of ten thousand
In my blessed Lord I see
By the crystal flowing river
With the ransomed I will sing
And forever and forever
I will praise and glorify the King
It was their voices that stopped me cold. I couldn't sing because I knew. I knew that all the hard work, every disappointment and every sacrifice and crumby part of building a church can be worth it. Because if it results in even one couple, forty-six years from now, singing about what Jesus means to them...
Just when I about had myself pulled back together we sang the next hymn: I'd Rather Have Jesus.
And I was a lost cause.
Friday, January 13, 2012
You've Been Reading A Lot of Amish Fiction When...
1) You know the meaning of "Ferhoodled", "Rumspringa", and "Daudi Haus".
2) You know the meaning of "Ferhoodled", "Rumspringa" and "Daudi Haus" and try to incorporate them into your everyday, Englischer life.
3) You find yourself "redding up" the house.
4) The plot of your story involves young people in conflict about joining church or owning a car.
5) The Mennonites are the "rebels".
6) You start wondering if celery really does have fertility merits.
7) You find yourself hoping the bride chooses to take her vows in purple instead of green.
8) You suspect that they've outlawed buttons primarily because the bishop's wife hates to make buttonholes.
9) You can name half the counties in Pennsylvania.
10) You totally get the gravity of the following excerpt: "Her beau freely admitted to not only riding a bike, but taking his turn driving a dune buggy..."
2) You know the meaning of "Ferhoodled", "Rumspringa" and "Daudi Haus" and try to incorporate them into your everyday, Englischer life.
3) You find yourself "redding up" the house.
4) The plot of your story involves young people in conflict about joining church or owning a car.
5) The Mennonites are the "rebels".
6) You start wondering if celery really does have fertility merits.
7) You find yourself hoping the bride chooses to take her vows in purple instead of green.
8) You suspect that they've outlawed buttons primarily because the bishop's wife hates to make buttonholes.
9) You can name half the counties in Pennsylvania.
10) You totally get the gravity of the following excerpt: "Her beau freely admitted to not only riding a bike, but taking his turn driving a dune buggy..."
Thursday, January 12, 2012
So Predictable
This admission will probably not really surprise anybody. In fact, it will probably just confirm a few things for you. I love Amish fiction. "But they are all exactly the same." you might say. Of course they aren't EXACTLY the same. There are minor plot changes. For instance, the widowed heroine versus the young girl still in her rumspringa versus the 23 year old "maidel" who thinks there is no hope for her because she's too old to go to "singings". There's the occasional buggy accident, barn fire or threat of shunning to keep things spicy and motivate me to get through the dishes faster.
I've had just enough German to make me really confused with their Pennsylvania Dutch while at the same time giving me the feeling of bilingualism. "Wie bisch du?" "Oh, they're saying 'How are you'. Wait! Why aren't they saying 'Wie bist du'??
The description of their food intrigues me with their simple, hearty recipes and inspires me to ...well not really. I do manage to convince myself that there really is no need to diet, 'cause look at the Amish. They cook and eat all the time. All you really need is enough hard work. (As I turn the page and reach for another Dove.)
The other night I was excitedly telling Ryan about the new series that I got for Christmas. "The plot is all different!" I said. And I elaborated on how the plot had taken several twists and turns that I hadn't encountered before. My husband's response was "That doesn't sound very stimulating." Come. on.
I had to actually defend myself by playing the "I'm-a-mother-of-five-and-home-schooler- Do-I need- more stimuli?" card.
And Amish books make me more grateful. Grateful for God's grace. I don't have to worry about following extra-Biblical rules to earn and keep my salvation or stay in fellowship with friends and family. And I'd be lying if I didn't admit to being grateful for electricity, a car, make-up, blue jeans, some guy who mows my lawn every Tuesday, and the fact that my husband isn't expected to wear one of those dorky beards. (So shallow, but I KNOW he is grateful I don't have to wear the dowdy clothes.)
My Amish Fiction is cheesy. I know. It is all the same except for the names....no that's not true either.But I love it. I'm a plain and simple kind of girl.
I've had just enough German to make me really confused with their Pennsylvania Dutch while at the same time giving me the feeling of bilingualism. "Wie bisch du?" "Oh, they're saying 'How are you'. Wait! Why aren't they saying 'Wie bist du'??
The description of their food intrigues me with their simple, hearty recipes and inspires me to ...well not really. I do manage to convince myself that there really is no need to diet, 'cause look at the Amish. They cook and eat all the time. All you really need is enough hard work. (As I turn the page and reach for another Dove.)
The other night I was excitedly telling Ryan about the new series that I got for Christmas. "The plot is all different!" I said. And I elaborated on how the plot had taken several twists and turns that I hadn't encountered before. My husband's response was "That doesn't sound very stimulating." Come. on.
I had to actually defend myself by playing the "I'm-a-mother-of-five-and-home-schooler- Do-I need- more stimuli?" card.
And Amish books make me more grateful. Grateful for God's grace. I don't have to worry about following extra-Biblical rules to earn and keep my salvation or stay in fellowship with friends and family. And I'd be lying if I didn't admit to being grateful for electricity, a car, make-up, blue jeans, some guy who mows my lawn every Tuesday, and the fact that my husband isn't expected to wear one of those dorky beards. (So shallow, but I KNOW he is grateful I don't have to wear the dowdy clothes.)
My Amish Fiction is cheesy. I know. It is all the same except for the names....no that's not true either.But I love it. I'm a plain and simple kind of girl.
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