Not Tolstoy, Still Priceless

Kevin asked me to read to him tonight. So I read to Kevin (almost 4) and Anne (8). Thankfully I learned years ago that it just doesn't pay to be too picky about the quality of the books you read to a toddler. I mean, you just can't get past those overly-simple-repetitive-Dick-and-Jane-style classics.

For instance, tonight Kevin picked out three books.

Clifford Barks
The Bear Detectives and the Missing Pumpkin
&
Twas the Night Before Christmas

I added one book of my choosing to the list; The Three Snow Bears (I love Jan Brett! :) )

Clifford Barks was very closely along the lines of "Clifford barks at the flowers, Clifford barks at the trees, Clifford barks at the people, Clifford barks at the bees."

'Nuff said. I shall only add that it wasn't my first choice... ;)

Twas the night before Christmas - Kevin learned a new word from this one. Plump. He asked me what it meant. I said it meant chubby. He then asked; "Am I chubby?" "Are you chubby?" I answered "no" to each question. Then (because the term must apply to someone) he stated firmly, "Anne is chubby." I think that statement resulted in this picture:

I also learned something from that book that I didn't remember from the poem before...

Apparently...

Santa smokes. Ahem.

And I quote:

"The smoke from his pipe he held tight in his teeth,

and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath."

Ah for positive role models... :-D

Oh, and the bear detectives.

"Aha! You've found a pumpkin leaf,

Just show me where

you found this leaf

Then I will find the pumpkin thief."

Yeah, enough of that one too. Let's just say I'm not crazy... yet. ;)

Then we pulled out the camera and started taking pictures. Oh, and Kevin is very camera trigger happy, and he wanted to take pictures of himself making fish faces, and of the floor, and of -- my feet.

I'll spare you. :)

The Snow Bears book was my favorite. It was Goldilocks told with polar bears in Alaska. The most "classic-y" one, and I prefer classics.

No, they weren't in depth. Not even close. None of the books were terribly brilliant or inspiring or mind-developing. Actually some verged on being, well, annoying.

That's not the point. :)

Rather, it was a moment, and now a memory, and it's only once and it's just TOO MUCH FUN!

A Verse and a Thought

"Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

-Philippians 4:6-7


"Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all."
-II Thessalonians 3:17


"In returning and rest shall ye be saved, in quietness and confidence shall be your strength."
-Isaiah 30:15


I know, I've been very sporadic. No excuse really, but to be honest I have been struggling. I am thankful when He impresses His words on my heart. I believe there's a greater purpose behind our struggles, and He uses circumstances and situations to renew us spiritually and bring us back to Him. Easy to forget, painful to remember, but the end is priceless. I'm trying to hold onto this.

Oatmeal Whoopie Pies

Oatmeal Whoopie Pies

2 cups brown sugar

3/4 cup shortening

2 eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

3 tbsp. hot water

1 tsp. baking soda

2 1/2 cups flour

2 cups oats

Beat together brown sugar, shortening, eggs, salt, and baking powder. Mix water with baking soda, stir in. Add remaining ingredients. Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 F for 8 - 10 minutes until puffy and slightly browned.

Filling-

3 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Beat all frosting ingredients together until fluffy. Add more powdered sugar or milk if necessary for consistency. Frost the bottoms of half the cookies and top with another cookie.

This recipe originally came from an Amish/Mennonite cookbook. Supposedly the name comes from the fact that children shout "Whoopie!" when they are baked. :)

My family doesn't shout when I make cookies, but they do disappear quickly! :) It takes a lot of cookies to feed this crowd! :)

What I've been up too... :) the Job Search

I started to type in the title for this post and it popped up as one I had used before. Well I think it's sufficient, if not original. :) I did add on to the title. Slightly more original.

So, (obviously) I'm searching for a job now, and I had three interviews last week, which multiplied into five interviews including follow-ups. Amazing that I had follow-ups, since my interview skills seem to be declining.

Maybe not exactly declining. I never really needed interview skills before, since my other jobs were for people whom I knew well. In both cases I was asked to work, decided to take the job, and ended up filling out all the application and reference paperwork solely for records after being hired. There was that one time that I *accidently* applied at a trucking company and went in for an interview anyway - but that's a different story. :) (Yes, apparently for me it's possible to *accidentally* apply for a job somewhere... :) )

I thought that my first interview last week went very well, (considering) - until I reflected on my specific answers to questions. Namely; sick time. I was asked how often I called in sick at my previous job. Without thinking, I responded: "Well, the first year I almost never called in sick. The second year I called in fairly often."

Yes, I actually said that in a job interview! Oh, and by the way, "fairly often" is translated as a) twice I had a doctor's note to take me out of work and school, once for a week, once for a day; and b) I called in maybe three other times and went to work many other days that I perhaps could have called in. (It was an odd year.) However, calling in at all was frowned on at my old job, so the number of times I did it probably got translated in my mind as a "fairly often" which came out at the most appropriate time. :)

Anyway, the lady who was interviewing me said "Well, we don't like people to call in here. It causes others to have to cover for them." Well, I didn't expect them to like it, really. It seems as if it would be odd if an employer liked people to call in. Needless to say; I didn't get called back for a follow-up for that job.

The second job was for a nice small town family business, who were specifically looking for a long-term employee. A long-term employee who wanted to work part-time at that specific job for the rest of his or her natural life. A nice job for an older retiree, really. Because of my age, they were very cautious to make sure of the fact that I wanted part-time work - forever. Enough said.

Oddly enough I was not nervous about any of the interviews. I felt qualified and fairly confident, in spite of my blunders. But it was the last interview that I was the most at ease with. Perhaps too much at ease. Again, I felt good about the interview until I reflected later on, and realized some things that I perhaps should NOT have said.

They asked me if I have a good sense of humor and I told them how we would relieve tension at the flower shop by inhaling helium and talking or singing. (It makes your voice all high-pitched and funny sounding. They (my interviewees) did laugh. Perhaps painfully. Then they asked how I handle callers and compaints of the more nasty type. I told them that I just grit my teeth and get sweeter and sweeter as I become more annoyed but since I am convinced of my superior intelligence and handling capabilities it keeps me from ever loosing it. Again they laughed. Maybe more painfully, maybe sincerely - it's hard to tell. Throughout the whole interview I talked constantly, odd for me, and laughed at maybe too many opportunities. Than they asked what my weaknesses are...

I said that I'm told I don't talk enough. Yeah.

I'm still waiting to hear from any and all of the job opportunities. Meanwhile, if a lesson comes out of this for me I think it's the fact that God works in spite of us. Or me. Thankfully.

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose."
-Romans 8:28

They work together for good in spite of me. Even when I happen to be in the way, or in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong response. My blunders CAN be turned around.

I think it's definitely work a long sigh of relief.

And anticipation. :)

Hymns and Choruses

Yesterday after church was dismissed I was confronted by a familiar older lady.
"I have a complaint!" was her firm greeting in the form of an announcement.
I smiled and mentally prepared for a hymns versus choruses rant. This lady was notorious for intensely disliking choruses and not afraid to say it. Although; funny, it couldn't be... it was hymn Sunday. What could her "complaint" be today?

"WHY is the piano so LOUD? CAN you explain it to me?"

Very surprised, I exclaimed; "Too loud? Is it really?"

"YES. It is MUCH too loud."

Grasping for words, I replied, "Well, I'm surprised it is loud because it has rather a heavy touch compared to other pianos... it might be the acoustics of the sanctuary...?"

"Well. Isn't there a soft pedal? USE IT." She spoke firmly and did not smile.

Meanwhile I tried not to smile. Usually I am rather thin-skinned, but for some reason this lady never seems to "get to" me. I know she means well, she just has a rather odd way of showing it. Not to mention that I hadn't even played piano that Sunday to start with; so it really wasn't anything I had done.

The worship director appeared at that moment. Distracted, the lady stared at him.

"And are YOU the one who always picks THOSE CHORUSES?" Accusingly.

"Well" he said smoothly "when it's my week to lead."

"WHY do we sing the SAME THING OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN??"

Thus it began... again. :)



Here we go again. The ageless hymns versus choruses debate. And to be honest; I really don't get the controversy. I have a confession to make: I like both hymns and choruses. Yes; read BOTH. Even TOGETHER, perhaps. :) Am I very strange, and quite alone in this?

I hear it from both sides. "Hymns are soooo sloooowwww. And soooo boring. Why must we sing hymns?" "And CHORUSES! Why, choruses are redundant, and have no solid foundation. They are meaningless words that say nothing and are only an excuse to incorporate a drum beat."

In my church, we attempt to please both crowds. We alternate between a praise team/choruses Sunday and a traditional hymn/piano only Sunday. My question; am I the only one who wonders if segregation is unnecessary? I wonder, why can't we have hymns included in the praise team, or choruses on the piano Sunday. Is each worship/music style limited to the songs traditionally associated with it?

What is really here important anyway?

I think it is imporant to evaluate the words we are singing. Is the new fun chorus (or old, traditional hymn) making sweeping statements that we are not really prepared to follow up on in our lives? Do we really mean what we are singing? Also, is there meaning in what we are singing. Is it more than a string of words that sound good, but can't be defined as "worship?"

Honestly, I think the hymns/choruses debate can be funny. Here is a funny satire that I often think of when the hymns and choruses debate is brought up. :) Disclaimer: it involves cows. :)

Yeah, I think it's funny, and sometime sad, but also mind-boggling, because I just don't identify with it most of the time. I like both styles. :)

Back to my story; the lady continued with her popular "choruses are awful" dialogue, and then we went our separate ways. Later that day, she called me.

"Jennifer, I just wanted to apologize for what I said today. I did not mean to be overly critical, and I'm sorry if I sounded that way."

How sweet! I told her it wasn't a problem, (and I thought I had found a new friend). :) Then she asked me:
"By the way; who was THAT MAN who was talking to us?"

"Oh, the song leader?"

"Was THAT him? He's the one who pickes the choruses? Well. I won't be apologizing to him. I MEANT what I said to him!"

:)

Ah, life. And people. And opinions. Thank God for variety - even in music! :)

More of Passion - and the New Year Without Mistakes

Wow, it has been a long time. :)

The past month has sped by in a blur of cramming, finals, long coveted graduation, and then right into Christmas with cookie baking, shopping, gift-wrapping and family time. Not to mention the continual and thus far unsuccessful job search. :) It seemed as if as soon as I was finished with school Christmas was upon us. There was not an end to the fast-paced, busy and exhausted scheme of things.

My blog was not the only thing that got lost in the shuffle. I recently realized that there were several friends I had neglected for weeks. I called three people in a row to see how they were doing, and apologized for being so out of it. I have this feeling that I have had my head buried in the sand, and I am just now pulling it out and blinking at what I have missed. :) Crazy? Maybe, but that's the feeling I have! :)

My last post recognized that I was missing passion, but even with this recognization I passed the following month in a blur - and not a passionate one. More of a "necessary-must-to-have-to" blur.

I like how New Year's follows Christmas - our "resolutions" are often neglected quickly, yet it's a fresh new year with endless possibilities and another chance to "do things right." :) I also like how Anne Shirley says "Tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it." I always seem to make mistakes at Christmas! But the Christmas coming has no mistakes in it yet. :) I have another chance next Christmas to a) think ahead b) take some time to relax c) NOT choose the wrong shipping d) not neglect the essentials, carefully weighing what is necessary and what can be done without; and, most importantly, e) reflect on His precious gift.

Christmas is only one example, and it comes at the end of the new year. The whole year is a chance to love Him more deeply, to follow Him more closely, to glorify Him more fully, and to obey Him more perfectly. I don't usually make specific "resolutions" in fact I was never overly fond of the word; but I know one thing: that I don't want this year of my life to be wasted. I want to be infused with passion! I don't want to live a mediocre Christian life. I want to serve Him - passionately.

"But whatever you do, find the God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated passion of your life, and find your way to say it and live for it and die for it."
-John Piper

I think this quote sums up what I could say much better than I could ever say it. :) A passion worth having is worth both living for and dying for. My blurred lifestyle as a past trend isn't necessary to hamper the "living" of what is ahead.

What is your passion?

Passionless Comfort

I walked in my statistics class today only to find that it was a study day. Meaning we could study in class. Or study out of class. Or proceed at our own risk in any other direction.

I chose the latter. :)

Funny, but I can't seem to study unless, a) I am perfectly comfortable and not sick, b) distractions are minimized c) I am in my own house - preferably propped up with pillows on my bed, and d) a cup of hot herb tea is comfortably sitting beside me. Add to these e) I need frequent breaks in the form of spots of idleness in order to refocus.

Yes. I'm serious.

Apparently comfort is a high priority for me these days.

Comfortable I am. Disciplined and focused I am not. What is wrong with this picture?

Thinking about how I need to discipline myself in my studies reminded me of how we are called to be "uncomfortable Christians." It's a thought that is often passed over, but the examples we are called to follow in the scriptures were followers who were radical, passionate, firm, and unnervingly uncomfortable.

How different from our typical boxed in Christian expectations. We are comfortable with our Christianity. We are comfortable going to church on Sundays, it's so much a part of our routine that we don't even need to add it to our jam-packed schedules. We are comfortable keeping up our end of a Christian conversation. We are comfortable praying out loud, and saying "God bless you;" in safe, comfortable settings of course.

Yeah. The comfort is definitely there, but what happens to the passion? What drove John the Baptist to the desert to live on locusts and in camel hair? Doesn't sound too comfortable to me... neither does the idea of being jailed and persecuted; a real threat to many Christians who don't have the same luxury of "comfort."

Yet He promises if we give up comfort for Him, He will be our source of comfort Himself.


"For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows."
-2 Corinthians 1:5


I think that if we step out of our comfort zone and our "comfortable Christian" lifestyle, He who comforts us will keep His promise to preserve our lives, and His real comfort will be present in the form of His unfailing love.

"Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones."
-Isaiah 49:13


Stepping out of a too comfortable routine takes courage, yet what kind of a reward is merited with a lack of risk?

Uh huh. I need to work on my study skills, but at the same time, I would like to be open to stepping out of my entire "comfort" routine in order to follow Him more fully.


Hmm, I wonder if one can become "overly comfortable" with "discomfort." ;) I shall have to ponder this next... :)

Thank you Oh my Father

“We often forget the Source from which the blessings of fruitful years and healthful skies come … No human wisdom hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God … I therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States … to observe the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens."
-Abraham Lincoln

Psalm 17:15

"And I—in righteousness I will see your face;
when I awake,
I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness."

I saw something beautiful...

A young man kneeling at the church altar
An aging elder, with a four footed cane
Slowly, with difficulty making his way up the aisle
Jerky movements, yet steady progress
Painfully settling beside the young man
To pray with him

I saw something beautiful

The Lord is Able to Make Him Stand

"Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands...

...take heed lest he fall." I Corinthians 10:12

"And he will stand,

for the Lord is able to make him stand. "

-Romans 14:4b

Photographer Debut (And I don't mean me)

This is Kevin. Kevin is three.

Kevin has recently developed an obsession with cameras, and pictures, and using a camera to take pictures. He wanted to take a picture, and my seven year old sister Anne and I decided to take advantage of this and attempt to get our picture together.

Key word - attempt.

at·tempt –verb (used with object)
1.
to make an effort at; try; undertake; seek: ex. The stubborn determined three year old attempted to take a picture without murdering either the camera or his sisters

Well the results were funny, and I have wanted to post them now for a couple of weeks.

This was Take One -

Not quite, but of course it takes practice.
Getting closer, almost but not quite! Next he got bored with us and decided to go with his own self portrait:

And again:

Disconcerting images, yes. This was when Anne and I decided he needed a little more coaching, and he snapped again as we were on our way to help.

Oh dear. Finally he took a perfect one, and we weren't ready:

No, it was not a pose. And, no, I don't know exactly what we were doing either. :)

And:

Finally! Last but not least, the photographer got stuck...

Stuck, but happy. Not a bad way to be. :)

Death to Beauty

"Every twig was tipped with
gold, each leaf was edged
and veined with gold from
the gold-flooded west."
-Christina Rossetti

I've been enjoying the vivid autumn colors. Each day as I drive past the beautiful trees I tell myself to remember my camera the next, and it hasn't happened yet! I suppose I will have to do with a thousand words instead - and that was fair warning! :)

Early this fall I was admiring a display of leaves that were only just beginning to change, and it struck me, that the beauty is in the dying. It's true, the leaves are dying, and that is when we can fully appreciate their beautiful colors.

"If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
Put to death therefore what is earthly in you"
-Colossians 3:1-5a

Put to death what is earthy in you - it's dying to self. It's when our true beauty shines. It's giving up our sin nature in exchange for righteousness. It's death to beauty.

And one of these days before it's too late, I will take pictures of the fall colors!

What I've been up too... :)

(Note the grape stain on my shirt :) )

Lots and lots of grape jam! Years ago someone must have planted grapes here, and we enjoy the benefits now...



I'm finished canning grape juice and jam now until next year... now how long it will take for those purple fingers to be a normal color again. :)

Are We Men or Are We Mice?!!

I used to be terrified of mice. When you live in an old farmhouse in the country, mice can be a real threat, and I used to fearfully lie awake at night if I heard the tiniest scratch. Thankfully, we haven't always had to deal with mice, yet once in a while a little mouse does make an appearance - like last night, for instance.

At times I am tempted to consider how far I have come, say in the fear of mice, for instance. I'm not nearly as afraid of them as I used to be - at least that's what I was telling myself.

Then it happened.

In one instant I was stepping out of the shower, and a tiny flash of fur and a squeak zipped past me. The very next instant found me in a very different position... in specific - crouching on the bathroom counter, cold, shivering, dripping wet, wrapped in a towel, and afraid to lower one foot.

Ah, yes, ridiculous, no? Far-fetched it is, but none the less true. I was actively terrified of a little mouse that is a percentage of a fraction of my weight and size.

Oh dear.

I suppose I missed out on some of my farm girl training??!! ;)

Interestingly, following this incident I came across a verse I had copied.

"Which of all these does not know
that the hand of the LORD has done this?
In his hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind."
-Job 12:9-10

Whenever I had read this before, I applied it to my own life. As "in His hand is the life of every creature" -----> therefore my life is in His hand. It's an important application to consider when up against tough circumstance. Our lives are in His hand - it sounds so much more secure than being at the mercy of whatever life happens to throw in our way. Yet it does say every creature. So I would expect that every creature, most likely would include a tiny little mouse that throws me in a panic when stepping out of the shower.

Silly isn't it? For me to be frightened of a mouse - His creature, who's life is in His hand - when my life is also most assuredly in His hand.

It does give a new perspective. :)

"Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime;
it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds.
He gives showers of rain to men,
and plants of the field to everyone."
Zechariah 10:1

"Be glad, O people of Zion,
rejoice in the LORD your God,
for he has given you
the autumn rains in righteousness.
He sends you abundant showers,
both autumn and spring rains, as before."
-Joel 2:22-24

Interesting how the showers of blessing follow the storm clouds, isn't it? First the storm, the dark clouds, thunder and lightning, and then finally the rain. I love the scripture passages on rain. Rain is shown as a blessing and a promise. It's easy to see this allegory as rain as a blessing when in the middle of a drought. During a dry season the ground thirsts and cries out for rain, yet He sends it in His perfect time.

We've had a lot of rain this week. It's a good thing, since we were in a drought for so long. I like to listen to the rain on the roof at night and curl up with a book. Rain during the day is somewhat of a different story, when everything is sloppy and cold and wet. I don't enjoy it! Yet the rain has its own beauty...

I love the way it is phrased in Joel - "Autumn rains in righteousness." When I think of autumn rain, I think of the clean fresh rain-washed look against the lovely colors of fall. On the other hand, when I'm caught in the middle of a rainstorm it's not as easy to see the beauty! It's the same with life, it's sometimes hard to see the beauty of His working when we are in the middle of a turrent.

Funny isn't it. We long for rain, and when it comes we wish we were elsewhere. We pray for His refining, and we cry out in pain when He does.

He who has promised is faithful. Those blessings He has promised will come to pass, in spite of our faulty vision. The beauty of His promise will be revealed, whether presently or in a time to come.

I'm enjoying the autumn rains... that is when I am safe and snug indoors! :)

(Kevin really wanted to go out in the rain! I asked him to smile and this is as close as he would come. :) I think he looks like Christopher Robin in his boots and raincoat.)

God's Plan for Our Good

"Can we give up all for the love of God? When the surrender of ourselves seems too much to ask, it is first of all because our thoughts about God Himself are paltry. We have not really seen Him, we have hardly tested Him at all and learned how good He is. In our blindness we approach Him with suspicious reserve. We ask how much of our fun He intends to spoil, how much He will demand from us, how high is the price we must pay before He is placated. If we had the least notion of His lovingkindness and tender mercy, His fatherly care for His poor children, His generosity, His beautiful plans for us; if we knew how patiently He waits for our turning to Him, how gently He means to lead us to green pastures and still waters, how carefully He is preparing a place for us, how ceaselessly He is ordering and ordaining and engineering His Master Plan for our good - if we had any inkling of all this, could we be so reluctant to let go of our smashed dandelions or whatever we clutch so fiercely in our sweaty little hands?"
-Elisabeth Elliot

Isn't it Funny...

how they can fall asleep...

in almost any position??

(I wish I were still that flexible!) :)

Quotes from Jane Austen

YLCF had a funny collection of quotes from Jane Austen posted today. http://www.ylcf.org/2007/09/witty-remarks-from-jane-jane-austen.html#links

I love Jane Austen, there are so many humorous lines! I'm almost finished with Northanger Abbey now, and here are some good ones.

"I wear nothing but purple now: I know I look hideous in it, but no matter; it is your dear brother's favourite colour."

"To retire to bed, however, unsatisfied on such a point, would be in vain, since sleep must be impossible with the consciousness of a cabinet so mysteriously closed in her immediate vicinity."

"'I cannot speak well enough to be unintelligible.'
'Bravo! An excellent satire on modern language.'"

"...this is a very nice day; and we are taking a very nice walk; and you are two very nice young ladies. Oh! it is a very nice word, indeed! It does for everything."

"'Miss Morland is not used to your odd ways.'
'I shall be most happy to make her better acquainted with them.'"

And this one is my personal favorite... :)

"Miss Morland, no one can think more highly of the understanding of women than I do. In my opinion, nature has given them so much that they never find it necessary to use more than half."

(Ouch! :) )

A Random Oops!

I'm paying closer attention to the gender specific signs above the locker room doors these days...

That sounds like a disaster... well it wasn't, but it was close. I am still not good about navigating the gym in school, so usually my method when I don't know my way around is to fall in line behind someone who looks like he knows what he is doing. :) Hence, I was on the stairs behind the athletic director. He held the door at the bottom of the stairwell open for me, and then headed toward what I thought was the direction of the hall...

Well it wasn't.

It was the men's locker room, and I caught myself just in time before I followed him in.

It was one of those moments in which you just try to act casual and hope nobody noticed...

At least I now know where not to be in the gym!! :)