There is a perfect way to boil Easter eggs. No joke! I learned it from Martha Stewart. You put them in a pan, cover them with cold water, bring them to a boil, turn the heat off, cover it with a lid and let them rest for 11 minutes. Viola! Perfectly boiled Easter eggs! Of course you have to take the time to dye them and decorate them. I used to dread that part of Easter when my kids were little. The messy dye, the fragile eggs, the clean up afterwards. This year I did it alone. No mess, no broken eggs, no fun! Now I can’t even get the kids to eat them. What happened?
This is the first year since we’ve had children that I didn’t do Easter baskets. I did one communal basket and put unopened bags of candy in it. That was it. I bought one little Beanie Baby for my grandson and called it good. It didn’t help that Wal-Mart was in the middle of expanding and I walked around for twenty minutes without finding a single thing to buy. Fred Meyer wasn’t much better. They are redoing their floors and nothing is where it belongs! I can get that at home! I didn’t even buy a new dress, hat, shoes or even gloves. Where is the Easter Spirit?
Well, it could be in my perfectly cooked ham (Martha didn’t teach me that, it’s been trial and error), the sunshiny mandarin orange and pineapple fruit salad or the lovely tulips Jolene brought home. But somehow I think it would all just be empty celebrating of spring without being able to respond, “Indeed, He is risen,” to my sister’s cheery greeting of, “He is Risen!” Somehow between December 25th and April 12th, the “Sweet Little Jesus, Boy” became the “Lamb that was slain” and then the “Risen Messiah.” It’s like the old song says about love and marriage, you can’t have one without the other. The babe in the stable would have been just another poor baby if he hadn’t become a sacrificial Lamb, the slain Lamb would have become just another sad story without the resurrection. Somehow this realization puts perfectly boiled eggs and baskets filled with candy and bunnies back into perspective.
So, on this snowy Monday, I will clean the snow off my car, head out to work and rejoice knowing, “He is Risen!”
Monday, April 13, 2009
Thursday, April 2, 2009
A Day At Home
The coffee pot was empty again! Three times this morning I went to get a cup of fresh coffee and it was just dregs! My children are becoming what Kristen put so eloquently, coffeepot heads. But now they are all gone to work and school and the only one left is Rosie and she doesn’t drink coffee. So I will enjoy my bubbling, gurgling, steaming cup of fresh brewed coffee ALL BY MYSELF!
I have tulips on my table. They are so lovely! It’s amazing how the rest of the house can be a total clutter catastrophe and a little beauty will capture my attention and make me less frustrated. They speak of warmer days to come and lend me a little natural color to off set the bleak white and gray of snow and ash.
I’m home today and it’s a good day to be home. The wind is blowing and the sky is cloudy and looking like more snow. It’s too cold for an April Shower so holing up with a book is a blessing. On days when I can stay in my house for a full day without even checking the mail I am at my best! I exercised, ate raisin bran cereal, and now I’m sitting in my mismatched grubbies emptying my brain onto a paper that doesn’t really exist. I’m looking forward to an afternoon with Julian and the evening being relaxed. Yes, Thursdays are usually my favorite.
I’m always glad when the month of March is over. It’s usually the cruel month with the come-hither sunshine that lures you into sweaters and jackets, then zaps you with cold breezes and unexpected rain or snow, and this year, ash. But as the snow begins to fall outside my window, I realize that April doesn’t know that it’s her turn to shine. Of course it’s only day two of the month, but we’ve been waiting a long time! Wake up, April!
I have tulips on my table. They are so lovely! It’s amazing how the rest of the house can be a total clutter catastrophe and a little beauty will capture my attention and make me less frustrated. They speak of warmer days to come and lend me a little natural color to off set the bleak white and gray of snow and ash.
I’m home today and it’s a good day to be home. The wind is blowing and the sky is cloudy and looking like more snow. It’s too cold for an April Shower so holing up with a book is a blessing. On days when I can stay in my house for a full day without even checking the mail I am at my best! I exercised, ate raisin bran cereal, and now I’m sitting in my mismatched grubbies emptying my brain onto a paper that doesn’t really exist. I’m looking forward to an afternoon with Julian and the evening being relaxed. Yes, Thursdays are usually my favorite.
I’m always glad when the month of March is over. It’s usually the cruel month with the come-hither sunshine that lures you into sweaters and jackets, then zaps you with cold breezes and unexpected rain or snow, and this year, ash. But as the snow begins to fall outside my window, I realize that April doesn’t know that it’s her turn to shine. Of course it’s only day two of the month, but we’ve been waiting a long time! Wake up, April!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
On Purpose!
I was doing a Bible study not too long ago and the question was asked: "As a child, what were your feelings when you were in the presence of your sisters? Brothers?" Well, ignored was the answer for the sisters, but for the brothers portion my immediate response was PAIN! It seemed it was my brothers’ sole intent to torture me. There was the Indian rope burn and Chinese water torture, elbow jabbing, wet willies, knuckle haircuts and a myriad of other such imaginative teasing. Of course my one defense was tattling. And I must admit I was very good at it. It went something like this:
Me: Mom, Bobby pulled my hair and Kenny laughed at me!
Bobby: Did not! She’s just a baby! Besides, it was an accident!
Me: Huh uh! He did it on PURPOSE!
There was an art in convincing the judge, my mother, that the personal assault on my hair was a first-degree offence. If it were so deemed a first-degree offense, on purpose, then my brother’s would be sentenced to their rooms for an hour or possibly sent to sweep the driveway. And I, smug in my victory, would receive my mother’s solid whap on my backside as I made an ugly face at their retreating backs!
At that tender age, I doubt I had a true understanding of the term "on purpose," or with intent.
Intent or intention: An aim that guides action; an objective; simply signifies a course of action that one proposes to follow: what one plans to do or achieve; implies deliberateness: idea of resolution or determination: an idealistic or long-term purpose; often implies that the end or goal can be reached.
The new buzz word it seems is "intentional." I'm seeing it in Bible studies, self-help books, radio broadcasts and TV talk shows. I wonder if Someone is trying to tell me something. I do have that way of living everyday life with the shotgun method. This method usually consists of trying to make a small dent in everything that crosses my path. Needless to say, it is a very inefficient way of living! So, for the next few weeks, I'm going to try to be more intentsional about the way I do housework, diet, work, and most of all, live for Christ. This may consist of lists (haven't decided yet), a daily planner, keeping my cell phone charged and my Through the Bible in a Year Bible handy.
I'd love to hear how all of you (all 3 of my readers) do things intentionally. Maybe we could learn a thing or two from each other...on purpose!
Me: Mom, Bobby pulled my hair and Kenny laughed at me!
Bobby: Did not! She’s just a baby! Besides, it was an accident!
Me: Huh uh! He did it on PURPOSE!
There was an art in convincing the judge, my mother, that the personal assault on my hair was a first-degree offence. If it were so deemed a first-degree offense, on purpose, then my brother’s would be sentenced to their rooms for an hour or possibly sent to sweep the driveway. And I, smug in my victory, would receive my mother’s solid whap on my backside as I made an ugly face at their retreating backs!
At that tender age, I doubt I had a true understanding of the term "on purpose," or with intent.
Intent or intention: An aim that guides action; an objective; simply signifies a course of action that one proposes to follow: what one plans to do or achieve; implies deliberateness: idea of resolution or determination: an idealistic or long-term purpose; often implies that the end or goal can be reached.
The new buzz word it seems is "intentional." I'm seeing it in Bible studies, self-help books, radio broadcasts and TV talk shows. I wonder if Someone is trying to tell me something. I do have that way of living everyday life with the shotgun method. This method usually consists of trying to make a small dent in everything that crosses my path. Needless to say, it is a very inefficient way of living! So, for the next few weeks, I'm going to try to be more intentsional about the way I do housework, diet, work, and most of all, live for Christ. This may consist of lists (haven't decided yet), a daily planner, keeping my cell phone charged and my Through the Bible in a Year Bible handy.
I'd love to hear how all of you (all 3 of my readers) do things intentionally. Maybe we could learn a thing or two from each other...on purpose!
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Cruisin'!
We are back to zero temps here in Alaska. Ordinarily I would complain and hole up under my electric blanket for the day, but I have a reason to get out of bed today! My suitcase is packed, my spending money is in my pocket and I'm heading for a warmer climate! Yes, Tom and I are going to be cruisin' for the next ten days. Sea, sand and sunshine are on the agenda and I'm voting "YES!"
Tom, unbeknownst to me, has been saving and planning a Mexican cruise for a couple of years now. I can see the signs now that I look back. My jealous rages when a friend got to go to Hawaii caused him to snicker behind his newspaper, my complaints about gaining at weight instead of losing causing him to grimace when he thought I wasn't looking. Yes, all the signs were there, I just never thought I would see the day. But at last, it has arrived!
We are keeping a close eye on Mount Redoubt today. If she decides to blow her top and the wind is blowing in the right direction, our cruisin' plans could be put on hold. We have been holding prayer vigils that she would calm down and let us get to Seattle before the excitement begins. After that...let her blow! I've been here during one volcanic ash event and that was enough to last me a lifetime. There is not a paper mask to be found anywhere (except Tom's garage has a stash), computers are sporting garbage bags and people are stocking up on groceries just in case. Life in Alaska is always a little on edge. My youngest son asked me why we live here when Alaska is daily trying to kill us? Well, in spite of the cold, the ice, and volcanic eruptions, or maybe because of them, Alaska is an exciting place to live!
Tom, unbeknownst to me, has been saving and planning a Mexican cruise for a couple of years now. I can see the signs now that I look back. My jealous rages when a friend got to go to Hawaii caused him to snicker behind his newspaper, my complaints about gaining at weight instead of losing causing him to grimace when he thought I wasn't looking. Yes, all the signs were there, I just never thought I would see the day. But at last, it has arrived!
We are keeping a close eye on Mount Redoubt today. If she decides to blow her top and the wind is blowing in the right direction, our cruisin' plans could be put on hold. We have been holding prayer vigils that she would calm down and let us get to Seattle before the excitement begins. After that...let her blow! I've been here during one volcanic ash event and that was enough to last me a lifetime. There is not a paper mask to be found anywhere (except Tom's garage has a stash), computers are sporting garbage bags and people are stocking up on groceries just in case. Life in Alaska is always a little on edge. My youngest son asked me why we live here when Alaska is daily trying to kill us? Well, in spite of the cold, the ice, and volcanic eruptions, or maybe because of them, Alaska is an exciting place to live!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
New Year News
The new year has started with a very cold bang! It seems since Christmas we have had sub zero temperatures almost constantly! We have doubled our hot coffee and tea consumption, carb loaded without meaning to, turned up our electric blankets and waited out the high pressure system that has been trying to hold us captive.
Finally the last two days have been a sultry 10 to 20 F. It feels like a heat wave! I guess cold can be relative. For those who live in the southern states our fairly freezing Fahrenheit temps would seem very cold indeed!
Speaking of warm southerly places, Tom and I will be leaving on a cruise to Mexico in a couple of weeks. I have dreamed, longed and gave up hope of such a wonderful excursion! I am constantly distracted by thoughts of sandy beaches, moonlit ship decks, and sunshine in my hair! I can hardly wait to get on that red eye flight and I doubt that I'll sleep a wink en route.
It has been my New Years tradition to set goals for myself and not resolutions. I cannot keep them no matter how hard I try! My goals for this year? Hmmm.... I haven't really thought about them much yet and it's already, what? The 12th? 13th? Spiritual: to improve my prayer life and read my Bible through again. I also would like to be more creative in my ministry opportunities and endeavors. Physical: Simply to be healthier December 31st than I was on January 1st. That means less potato chips and more exercise! Personal: to not waste so much time doing the nothings that steal my time. The Nothings would be TV shows that are not time worthy, books that are not worth my reading time, arguments that lead no where, etc. If someone out there in Blog Land would keep me accountable, that would be great!
Happy New Year to All!
Finally the last two days have been a sultry 10 to 20 F. It feels like a heat wave! I guess cold can be relative. For those who live in the southern states our fairly freezing Fahrenheit temps would seem very cold indeed!
Speaking of warm southerly places, Tom and I will be leaving on a cruise to Mexico in a couple of weeks. I have dreamed, longed and gave up hope of such a wonderful excursion! I am constantly distracted by thoughts of sandy beaches, moonlit ship decks, and sunshine in my hair! I can hardly wait to get on that red eye flight and I doubt that I'll sleep a wink en route.
It has been my New Years tradition to set goals for myself and not resolutions. I cannot keep them no matter how hard I try! My goals for this year? Hmmm.... I haven't really thought about them much yet and it's already, what? The 12th? 13th? Spiritual: to improve my prayer life and read my Bible through again. I also would like to be more creative in my ministry opportunities and endeavors. Physical: Simply to be healthier December 31st than I was on January 1st. That means less potato chips and more exercise! Personal: to not waste so much time doing the nothings that steal my time. The Nothings would be TV shows that are not time worthy, books that are not worth my reading time, arguments that lead no where, etc. If someone out there in Blog Land would keep me accountable, that would be great!
Happy New Year to All!
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Christmas Season
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat and so am I! I've been munching on green and red M&Ms all afternoon! I can't seem to sit still and I keep turning the radio up during I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus. The Christmas Spirit is upon me and it is making me long for malls, Christmas wrap, ribbons and eggnog lattes. I've watched four Christmas specials in the last two evenings and every Christmas movie that hits the basic cable channels (that's why we only have basic cable, I'd be in front of the TV 24/7!). I have ignored my Homiletics homework, laundry and cooking dinner to write Christmas Newsletters, knit mittens and go to choir practice. My family keeps looking at me like I'm someone else. What's the deal?
I'm usually the commonsense person at our house when it comes to the Holidays. However, this year I'm thinking that I may as well make the most of the season, after all, I'm turning the five-oh this year and how many more Christmases can there be ahead of me? Thirty tops! That means I don't have any mistletoe to waste! I have a feeling my husband will pull me in when we set out on the shopping trip next week. Little does he know I've already hit the Internet and a couple of stores at the mall. That'll be our little secret!
This is a picture of my brother, Bob, at about 4. I love this picture. He looks so sweet and innocent. He lost that look at about 6! Just kidding, he's really a great guy. That look of concentration as he listens to the rattle of that package reminds me that the anticipation of Christmas is sometimes the best part. My mother used to tell us kids, "Christmas is a season, not a day." I'm feeling the truth of that statement this year. Therefore I will go to choir practice tonight to sing about baby Jesus, eat red and green M&Ms, hit every potluck party I'm invited too and probably spend more than we can afford. I will leave the tree up until New Year's Day and watch Christmas movies until the kids complain!!! Have a Merry Christmas Season!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
The season for giving thanks is upon us. I try to be thankful everyday, but when a special day is set aside for thankfulness it makes it even more in my thoughts.
This Thanksgiving I will be cooking. Dinner will be at my house. The whole family, well, most of the family will be there. It will be noisy, crowded, and wonderful! I will think of my brother Bob and his family in Idaho, and my sister Lenora and her family who are also in Idaho. My little brother, Ken is around the state somewhere, and I will miss them all. I will also think of my mom and dad who for so many years made Thanksgiving a memorable holiday for me. This year our new little grandson, Julian will be here. He was just a day old at Thanksgiving last year. This year he will get to sample some of the goodies from the table. Kristen will be absent. I'm still trying to reconcile myself to the fact that this new boyfriend must be a serious matter for her to be invited to his parents house for Thanksgiving dinner! But she'll drop by with Josh for desert later.
Other than the well loved family mentioned above, I am most thankful for my good health (except for my arthritic toe of course), a warm bed at night, and someone (Tom) to cuddle with when my feet are cold. The Lord has been good to me and mine and I pray he has been to you and yours also. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
This Thanksgiving I will be cooking. Dinner will be at my house. The whole family, well, most of the family will be there. It will be noisy, crowded, and wonderful! I will think of my brother Bob and his family in Idaho, and my sister Lenora and her family who are also in Idaho. My little brother, Ken is around the state somewhere, and I will miss them all. I will also think of my mom and dad who for so many years made Thanksgiving a memorable holiday for me. This year our new little grandson, Julian will be here. He was just a day old at Thanksgiving last year. This year he will get to sample some of the goodies from the table. Kristen will be absent. I'm still trying to reconcile myself to the fact that this new boyfriend must be a serious matter for her to be invited to his parents house for Thanksgiving dinner! But she'll drop by with Josh for desert later.
Other than the well loved family mentioned above, I am most thankful for my good health (except for my arthritic toe of course), a warm bed at night, and someone (Tom) to cuddle with when my feet are cold. The Lord has been good to me and mine and I pray he has been to you and yours also. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
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