All it takes...

I have discovered that it’s really hard to thank someone for something, and go on complaining and grouching and, well, being unthankful for it. (And I’m not talking about that 70’s print Rudolph sweater that’s two sizes too small that your Great Aunt gave you for Christmas.) I mean, really, if you’re truly thankful for something, you find the good in it right? Especially if I’m saying thanks to Jesus…I feel like some kind of hypocrite.

Today, in between trying not to pull my hair out, maintain sanity, and find my way upward towards the light at the end of this tunnel of paper, I found myself feeling extremely grumpy. Oh, yes, I had a smile (sort of) on my face and a fake cheerful voice, but inwardly, I was scowling, thinking how nice it would be to just ignore that voicemail, and let people know what I really thought of what they were doing to me.

Then the Voice: “You have a really bad attitude.”

Me: “Yeah. So?”
Voice: “You need to be thankful.”
Me: “For what?”
Voice: “You are blessed with work.”

It was true; I did have a really bad attitude. I wasn’t thankful. I was complaining about my work when I AM blessed with much work, and so many others are not. God is providing for me. He is teaching me. He is sharpening me. This is a training exercise in patience, thankfulness, and trust.

I had to stop this. I took a deep breath. “Thank you Jesus for this day and all You have given me in it.”

And that’s all it took. I left my desk a few minutes later to go talk with somebody about a project and then I heated up my lunch (to eat at my desk). As I got back to my desk, I paused for just a moment to survey the scene before me.
My desk isn’t small. It’s a fairly good size; I have a computer -with two monitors- and a desk that affords me about 10 feet in length of counter space altogether. Both sides of the counters had papers, file folders, and notebooks strewn about (in a semi-organized manner). My phone blinked at me, telling me there was another voicemail. My notepad-covered in various memos- sat directly under my right side monitor and somewhere underneath it, was my pencil.

“Thank you Jesus for this day.”

And I smiled. Really, truly, smiled.

Poland Planning & Prayer Requests

Yesterday we (our team from the U.S.) had our second-to-last meeting before our trip to Poland in 1 1/2 weeks. It was a good meeting; we covered the remainder of details of our iternary including when we're driving up to Vancouver BC and when we're arriving in Germany, busing to Poland, etc. I think this trip is going to feel very long.
I also found out that while we might occasionally have access to an internet cafe, I'm not sure how much contact I'll have with this blog. Basically- don't expect daily updates. :-) It might just be once or twice- but I'll try to fill in as much as I can.
Next week is our church camp and we'll have one final meeting just to touch base on a few things, make sure everyone has what they need, and just spend some time praying (some more). You can pray with and for us too. I know as a team we are excited about going, but I think the closer we get to leaving, the more the nerves start acting up. If you are thinking of us please keep these prayer requests in mind:

1) That no matter what happens, or where we go, the name of Jesus Christ would be glorified.
2) Prayer for patience, kindness, loving hearts, generosity of spirit, and peace amongst our team members traveling together. Being with people (other than your family) for 2 weeks, 24/7 I'm sure can start to wear on even the most forebearing of natures.
3) That God would prepare our way and the hearts of those we will be talking to.
4) That our travel would go safely and smoothly. (Border crossings, security, customs, 10hr flight, etc.)
5) Protection for us
6) Protection for our belongings: no lost luggage or stolen items.
7) Protection for our families while we are away from them.
8) That our ministry would be effective and a blessing to our Polish brothers and sisters.
9) That we would have good rest!
10) That we might even have fun!

Thank you for your love, support, and your prayers!!

Lovely Weekend

I had a great weekend! Warm weather, good food, and great company! This past Friday I went up to Tacoma to visit my aunt there. We had a good time-- went to the movies and saw the new X-Men film- "Wolverine". We both really enjoyed it! :-)
Saturday morning we went for a 5 mile walk, then took naps (we were both tired!) Remembered just in time to watch the Preakness Stakes, which, was an incredible race. I knew Rachel Alexandra was going to win. I just knew she would. :-) We also visited Gig Harbor and walked around, down towards the docks and watched the boats on the water.
Sunday we had church in the morning but afterwards packed up our lunch and took the dog down to the beach for some more gorgeous sunshine! I got sunburned. But that's ok.

Hopefully pictures to follow shortly. :-) I hope your weekend was as nice!

(And for all 2 of you who read this and might care...27 days til camp!)

May

Wow. I can’t believe it’s May. Well, actually I can. But it seems to have gotten here so fast. I think there are only 40 days until Family Camp starts and 47 until I leave for Poland.
Wait…did I just say 47??? Um—I think I have some list writing to do…

So, the past 25 days or so I’ve been working, doing some projects, visiting my older sister in Canada. Don’t think I mentioned that before—that’s cause I s’prised her. :-) Yup. She didn’t know I was coming. I’ve been planning this since the end of January. It was great! She had no clue and was completely shocked!
We had a great time. It was a really good for both of us. Now I miss her and can’t wait until June! :-) Only about 40 days!

(Did I just say that again?!?)

Good Friday

I like this quote

"There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man." ~ Winston Churchill

From one 'Couv to the next

Today I am headed up to Vancouver, BC with my sister Becka and our friend Adrianna. We're going up to visit some friends that are coming with our group on our mission's trip this summer to Poland.
I'm looking forward to it. *code for: I get to leave work early!*

I'm also looking forward to trying out my new toy that I just got...



I think I'll make Becka drive for a while so I can program the new thing...I'm trying to read the manual before I use it...slightly techno challenged over here... :^)

Have a great weekend!

First Day of Spring!

And it's here; gloom and rain included, but spring is here! Our daffodils in the front yard are pushing up their heads and the hyacinths are tentatively opening their buds. And I just updated my blog photo. It makes me happy. :^)

This week has been a busy one. Last week was too. Our office at work has been moving our first floor office space to our second floor office space. This has required a lot of cleaning out of large file cabinets, lateral files, emptying drawers, dumping outdated materials, an all-in-all general re-organizing and purging effort. Plus I'm training to take over the accounts for one lady who is going to be leaving at the end of the month. I've also been going to a weekly calf-sorting with my Fence Riders group. It's been so much fun--I haven't done any sorting or ridden yet, but I'm getting to know the folks there and been doing some "networking". (I think I'll have a couple options for mounts by the time Fair is here.) :^D Everyone in the club has just been so nice and I'm really happy to be doing what I've wanted to do for so long.
It's been a busy couple of weeks. I'm ready for a break. I think I'll go to Mexico this weekend. Or maybe I'll just have a margarita...that's cheaper... :^)

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I'm wearing green. And singing the Lorica (at least in my head). I love St. Patrick's Day.

And it's only 3 days until Spring!

You'd think I'd have learned...

Yesterday, I was locked out of my house. Again.
This is the second time in the past 6 months this has happened.
What makes it different this time is that Rebekah was with me.
We had been at a friend's house after church and had come home separately from the rest of our family (we take two cars to church anyway).

(In my defense, I hadn't grabbed my keys from the key rack that morning because I was riding with Dad. Since I usually take my keys with me whether I'm driving or not, I did feel like I'd forgotten something.
Again in my defense, we thought that Dad and Mom were already home. Which we found out in short order...they were not...)

I did notice very quickly, that our second story window on above the overhang was unlocked and went to borrow a ladder from a neighbor. Rebekah climbed up (she was in jeans, I in a skirt, however, I would have done it if we both were in skirts), popped the screen out, opened the window, climbed in and ran down to open the front door. I returned the ladder to our obliging neighbor, and all's well that end's well.
So maybe I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but maybe I can claim to be the most versatile???

Did I mention that I didn't have my cell phone with me? It was charging on the counter. Oh, and that unlocked window? It's locked now.

And the Word of the Day is:

revanche • \ruh-VAHNSH (the N is not pronounced, but the vowel is nasalized) -- noun
: revenge; especially : a usually political policy designed to recover lost territory or status (Thanks to Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

In other news:

I finished the 1st project mentioned in my last post. Hallelujah! And as for the second---it's all stripped of it's painted 'glory' and is ready for staining. (For those of you who are dying to see pictures...I might have some up...eventually. I make no promises. :-)

And now for something completely mindless because you have nothing else to do with your time but read my blog:

The Name Game

1. YOUR REAL NAME:
Rachel Unger

2.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME:(mother and fathers middle names)
Lenore Prescott

3.NASCAR NAME:(first name of your mother's dad, father's dad)
Joe James

4.STAR WARS NAME:(the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name)
Ungra

5.DETECTIVE NAME:(favorite color, favorite animal)
Red Horse

6.SOAP OPERA NAME:(middle name, first street you ever lived on)
Grace O. (I’m all about the anonymity)

7.SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd fav color, fav drink, add "THE" to the beginning)
The Green Coffee (seriously, that’s gross)

8.FLY GIRL/GUY NAME:(first 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name)
Raer

9.HOOD NAME:(favorite ice cream flavor, favorite cookie)
Mud Slide Shortbread (mmm!!)

10.YOUR GANGSTA NAME:(first 3 letters of last name, add izzle to the end
Ungizzle (sounds like a breed of Orc ---pardon my nerd)

11. YOUR GOTH NAME:(write in black, and the name of one of your pets)
Black Daisy

12. ROCK STAR NAME: (current pet's name, current street name)
Eighty-Sixth (I don’t have any pets :-( )

13. YOUR HIPPIE NAME: (what you ate for breakfast plus favorite tree)
Chex Magnolia

14. YOUR CRIMINAL NAME: (name of your favorite perfume/cologne, favorite candy bar)
Heavenly Snickers (what???)

15. YOUR CARTOON NAME: (favorite fruit plus garment you're wearing, with an "ie" or "y" added)
Pineapple Shoesie (related to Strawberry Shortcake?)

16. YOUR SPY NAME (favorite season, favorite flower)
Fall Yellow Rose (puhleeeeze…)

That's all for now folks! Toodles!!

Projects

I’ve been working on a few projects lately. I hope to have two of them done before April. Not that anything is happening in April, I just figured that it’s a far-enough-away-but-also-close-enough-to-motivate-me time frame, plus spring will be well on its way, and it’s before I start gallivanting off around the world in June. Wait, you didn’t know that I was a galivanteer? ;-) Actually, I’m only going to Poland with a group from my church and one other for a mission’s trip for two weeks, but we will be stopping in Germany sometime along the way; but it is the furthest from home I’ve ever been.

But I digress; the topic on hand is projects. The first that I hope to have done is the blanket I began making for my nephew a long time ago, so long, I’m not entirely sure of the date, I just know he wasn’t born yet…he’s now 14 months old….yea…time to finish. The other project is one that is the first of its kind that I’ve ever done. I acquired a dresser (for free- yes!) from a neighbor. It was in need of some repair and a lot of TLC. Thus far, I have all the drawers glued or nailed back to working order, and stripped of their hideous brown paint with a sad attempt of white distressing over it. The top of the dresser is all sanded of paint but the sides still need to be done as well as the front. I’m having so much fun! And this is actually turning out to be a rather cheap project, because I got the dresser for free, we already had glue, nails and even the stain that I’m going to use, so far the only thing I’ve had to buy is the paint stripper and cleaner - $14 total. Makes me happy. :-) I wish I had taken a before picture of the dresser so I could post an after shot, but maybe I’ll just post what it looks like now, then the final product.

Life Check

Last night we had some good friends over after church, the Dahlin family and the Shearer family. We had a great time playing games and some good discussions as well. Among those discussions came up the subject of covenant children and what kind of people do we want our children to be. We were talking about the different examples of characters and qualities (or lack thereof) that are so prevalent in our society around us and how we respond to those Biblically. Topics of smoking, tattoos, etc were brought up. I know people that I consider friends that participate in these activities. They know I don’t approve or agree and I won’t participate in them. But it makes me wonder sometimes what they are thinking.
As Amy and were continuing talking, she mentioned that she points to people like me and my sister and some others as examples of what she wants her daughters to emulate. Wow! Talk about a responsibility! While it’s nice to hear things like this, it’s also very humbling. Its things like this that God uses to help me keep my head straight. Even as an adult, I am still accountable to my parents since I'm still part of their household. But I am also being held accountable by sources much smaller (and younger) than just my parents. I teach Sunday School to 2-3 year olds. Jesus had some very heavy (no pun intended) words on this subject in Matthew 18:6. I have to ask myself: What kind of example am I helping to set? Who am I and what is my life saying to these kids?

A Spirit of Selfishness

What does it mean to sacrifice? Is it merely setting aside what we want to do? Is it just giving up on our desires, time, energy, wants, etc? We give and we give and we give. Often, I find myself saying, “Ok God. I’m giving and sacrificing, and serving—where’s my return? Where’s my reward?”
And that’s where the real problem lies. We give and “sacrifice” and we are looking for something in return. We expect something back for all we’ve given up.
I think that true sacrifice is service where nothing is expected in return. We give because Christ gave. It means giving of our time and energies, and foregoing our own desires for the service of others without expecting something back. Jesus came to serve. He sacrificed and looked for nothing. When we truly sacrifice, we will gain all.
I’m reminded of something our pastor said in a sermon not too long ago: we are not saved to a spirit of selfishness. That statement always comes back to me as a powerful reminder of who I am called to be – a servant in Christ’s Kingdom.

Catch-All

You know that drawer in your house, or that spot on the counter or table or that basket on the desk or by the stairs that always seems to have anything and everything (or just about) in it? It keeps getting added to, occasionally gets organized for about 2 minutes and then is back to holding a bunch of stuff, important, not so important, odds and ends, stuff nobody knows what to do with, wants to claim, stuff nobody know anything about.
I've discovered, that’s kind of like me: the catch-all drawer.
Somehow I know where just about everything is; know who’s in charge of what; either has the right stuff for people or can point them in the right direction; have lots of different things thrown at me at once; occasionally gets organized – at least it’s organized to me; sometimes I confuse people; sometimes I don’t; I multi-task.
Some people call it the junk drawer. They are misinformed.
That junk drawer? It’s a whole ‘nuther ball of wax...

Happy 2009!

I know it's a week past, but the Year 2009 is still very young. I hope your Christmas and New Year's celebrations were joyful. Our family had a busy month of December and we had a wonderful time visiting with our family that came to visit us.
Gramma came down from Ohio and Bethany, Alex, and Jordan were all here for about 20
days. Oh, and Baby Barendregt #2 came along...yes, I'm going to be an Auntie again in August! :-)

2008 was a good year, but I am very thankful to see it behind me. God taught me much this past year and I am so thankful for His faithfulness and love shown to me through the trials and also the good times. His mercy endures forever! One way God demonstrated His love was helping me complete all my classes required for my General AA degree at Clark College. I'm so thankful to be done and know it was not my hand that got me to the end.

I like to make resolutions every year, or at least set myself goals to measure by the end of the year. Sadly, those don't always get kept, or I go astray for a while on some of them. I decided to share most of this years goals with you. (All 4 of you) ;-) Maybe if I post them somewhere where somebody other than myself will see them, it will help me be more accountable. Feel free to ask me how I'm doing, bug me, pester, scold, encourage, etc. Accountability is a good thing!

2009 Goals

~ Bible: daily reading
~ Health: go to the gym 4x a week (I have the membership, I need to USE it!)
~ Service: seek out opportunities at church, missions, other volunteer opportunities/groups
~ Reading: the stack of theology, biographies, and history on my floor and bookshelves (I'll post the reading list later)
~ Finances: stick to budget plan; buy new car by 2010 or earlier.

I'm sure there is more that I should resolve to do this year, but I don't think all goals have to be set at the beginning of the year. Life happens and God is in control.

Cameo #6

Olivia

The baby of the family. My little Pixie. :-)

The other night, all of us sisters were sitting around the table talking and Olivia was making us laugh so hard. We weren't laughing at her, we were laughing with her. She has a very sharp wit and is really a lot of fun to be around! Sometimes it's hard to believe she's only 8. I look at her now, so tall and smart and wonder where the cute, dimpled little baby went. Well, you just have to get her to laugh really hard and you'll see the dimple. :-)

From a very young age, Olivia has had a talent for art. She has an great eye for 3-D detail and her pictures are really fun to look at. And to get!
Livy loves to sing and usually is. Her sweetness brings a smile to the face of those who know her. She's into everything Princess or American Girl. She just got another AG doll for Christmas--a friend for the one she has. Thanks to her brother, she also knows more about Star Wars and Legos than any other girl her age I've met.

She's definitely a Pixie and all our lives a bit sweeter for her.

Cameo # 5

[For those of you that thought I'd forgotten or didn't care about the rest of my family...you were wrong...I just got delayed. Hey, I can still be thankful into Christmas can't I? ;-) ]

Jared

My one and only little brother. :-)
Jared is 100% boy. Star Wars, Legos, building things, guns, action figures, you name it. If I was ever to write a handbook on little boys, I'd make sure to mention that they have hollow legs and come fully equipped with sound effects including the following: disgusting noises, explosions for 1001 different types of weaponry, and goofy laugh for silly jokes.

Jared is the kind of boy that is always looking for ways to help you. When he learned how to mow the lawn this summer, I did a little happy dance and sang the "Hallelujah" chorus-the whole thing. (ok, so not maybe the whole thing...)He always has a great attitude if I ask him to help me with the dishes or some other job where we work together. The older he gets, the deeper our conversations are. It's been really fun watching him grow and seeing our relationship develop from being just the Big sister/2nd mother figure to just being a sister and a friend.

If you ever want to know all the names of the Portland Trail Blazers, their stats, most recent scores, who they're playing next, or any other fun fact about them, Jared's your man. He loves basketball and watching the Blazers play. (He likes to remind me every time he sees Brandon Roy that he has a signed ball from him.)

Jared and I have a lot in common and a love for reading is no exception. Everytime I see him reading, it's usually a new book. I love it when he comes and asks me to borrow a book of my shelf. :-)

Jared was born when I was 11 1/2. I don't think I could ever imagine what life would be like without him. I remember holding him right after Mom and Dad brought him home from the hospital and wondering to myself what life would be like when he was my age. Suddenly, I find that time is here and I love what life is like with him in it!

Cameo # 4

Rebekah

Where do you start when describing one of your bestest friends? As I mentioned in my post about Bethany, Rebekah is the other reason why I have any fashion sense today. Not that we ever agree on clothes, but at least she admits that I look like I belong in the right century. ;-)

Rebekah has this magnetic charm about her makes everyone- old people, young people, weird people, freaks and geeks alike, love her. (I’m weird and slightly freaky so I would know.) That and she’s so darn cute! I think she’s actually beaten Bethany’s record of how many people she knows at school…
Rebekah went from being the youngest of 3 to the middle of 5. She’s borne the “forgotten-middle-child” syndrome very well.
Growing up she was my “let’s go outside, get dirty, and build forts” pal. Rebekah was a good child and Mom and Dad knew it so even though I used to try to get her in trouble, it didn’t always work.

She’s one of the only people that can annoy me and make me laugh out loud simultaneously. She’s my movie quoting, road trip, let’s-stare-at-people-and-make-up-stories-about-them, buddy; we could go on for hours and have tons of fun that only we can understand.

Rebekah is finishing her pre-reqs at Clark right now, training to be a nurse. Once again, I get to listen to all the intricate details of Anatomy and Physiology class or her current project on----- tapeworms. She has a very strong stomach and an exceedingly brilliant mind.

Some things you might not know about Rebekah:
1.I have a few nicknames for Rebekah: Buzz, Robin, and Tonto
2.She can hear song once and then go play it on the piano.
3.Rebekah inherited Mom’s wonderful sense of direction. I’ve stopped arguing with her about whether I should turn left or right or go back the other way- I got tired of hearing “I told you so.”

I suppose there is a lot more to say about her but I'll close by saying this: My life would be exceedingly dull, lusterless, and completely devoid of chandelier earrings if it wasn’t for Rebekah. :-)

Cameo #3

Bethany

My little-big sister (I’m taller than her). Sometimes I think about my friends who don’t have big sisters and kind of feel bad for them because I feel like they missed out in some way.

Bethany, as the oldest was a guinea pig for a lot of things, homeschooling for one. She got to try out all the new curriculum before I had to use it.
Growing up she was great to play Barbies with and house and dress up. She was also great for instigating trouble and then getting me into it... not that I didn’t cause enough of that on my own, but that’s a topic for another day…
Bethany has always been a girly-girl (she used to call me over to where she was to kill spiders); she liked being clean and pretty. She still is that way today, but now I know that she’s not afraid to get down and dirty if she has too.

Bethany has great fashion sense, and honestly, it’s probably because of her and my other sister Rebekah (see tomorrow’s post) that I don’t only wear T-shirts and blue jeans EVERYWHERE (only every-other-where). ;-)

Bethany is a nurse. This meant that for four years I had got to listen to the long winded descriptions of the “vast majorialis-imperlus sephornitusis.” Don’t get me wrong---she’s really smart and secretly I was impressed—if I only showed that I was annoyed. ;-)

One of the most amazing things about Bethany is watching her as a mom. She married this really great guy named Alex (who, by-the-way, is a good big brother-in-law)and they have the cutest little boy, Jordan. No, I'm not biased; he just is. To know her as a sister, a friend, see her as a wife, has all revealed things about her character. Watching her as a mom has been really neat. There’s strength of character and determination of will that I never saw, even when she was in nursing school. I admire that immensely.

Some things you might not know about Bethany:

1. She can be kind of gullible. Ask her about the ice-maker story. She might tell you. If not, see me...I will! :-)
2. She helped open a human skull in a class for nursing school.
3. I think at one point she pretty much knew every single person at Clark College either by name or just by reputation. She was popular. :-)

Yeah, she’s pretty much an amazing big sister and when she’s gone I miss her tons, and when she’s visiting, we always have a blast. Did I mention she’s coming next week?!?!

Cameo # 2

Mom

You know how mommies are supposed to be soft, warm and smell good? My mom is. :-)
Born and raised in Vancouver, WA, Mom has lived in this town her entire life. I think that’s pretty neat; not many people can say that.
Her grandmother taught her to sew and over the years, she has made my sisters and I (and my brother too) so many beautiful clothes. One of my best memories growing up was hearing the sewing machine humming in the next room as I went to sleep at night. She’s taught me to sew as well.
A stay-at-home mom, she’s one of the hardest working people I know. She has homeschooled my siblings and me from day one; something I am thankful for every day. The skills she and dad taught me, prepared me for college and for life in the working world.
Mom has an incredible eye for detail and a talent for organizing and planning. Holidays and birthdays at our house are always amazing because of Mom’s hard work and direction.
And I don’t know how she does it, but she makes the best peanut butter and jam sandwiches.

Here a are a few things you might not know about Mom:


1. She does an amazing imitation of the voice of the Wicked Witch of the West. 
2. She makes the perfect apricot pie (you know, the one my dad asks for every birthday.)
3. She has the best sense of direction out of everybody I’ve met. (A trait, that unfortunately, I don’t think I’ve inherited)

And I wouldn't be who I am without her. :-)

Cameo #1

As promised, here is the first of the cameo posts about my family.

Dad

Born in Seattle, WA and raised in the mid-west in Cincinnati, OH. He wasn't what you would call an angelic child and with some of the scrapes he got into, I think it's a miracle he lived past 5 years of age. But, God had bigger plans for him.

One of those plans involved being getting married and being a dad to 5 kids.
As a father, he's always been a wonderful example of hard work, Godly character and how to make "groan-out-loud" puns.

He loves to study theology and is very good at teaching it too. He also knows more Scripture by heart than anyone else I know. I call him The Walking Concordance.

When I was learning to drive, I found that I preferred driving with Dad instead of Mom. I think it was because he didn’t panic if I got too close or anything…he would just get loud if I did something REALLY wrong. Now he tells me that I’m a good driver. :-)

At Christmas time, you have to either hide the sugar cookie dough or just not tell him that you’re making sugar cookies. Sometimes though, I set aside a little ball of dough, just for him…(yeah, I know, I’m a suck up.)

Five things you might not know about my Dad:

1. He’s a wiz at packing the car for Family Camp or Camping or any kind of trip that involves massive amounts of luggage and ‘stuff’. It always manages to fit!
2. He’s a big softie when it comes to a cute puppy.
3. If he asks you your birthdate, it's most likely that he will remember it for the rest of his life.
4. He always asks for apricot pie on his birthday.
5. He can do a remarkable impression of a singing Elmer Fudd.

He's a great guy. Yeah, I'm kind of attached to him.

Thanksgiving

November is almost upon us. (Can you believe it?)
Autumn is my favorite time of year. The colors, the smells, warm sweaters and especially Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving. It's a great time of year dedicated to simply just giving thanks for the many gifts God has blessed us with. One of my biggest blessings is my family.

I decided that starting in November, I'm going to do a little "Thanksgiving" cameo on each of my family members. Stay tuned for those upcoming posts.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In other news:

It's cold!! I'm bundling up in scarf, coat and gloves in efforts to stay warm. I've also had to start scraping my car in the morning.
My morning ritual is going to have to start a little earlier so I can have time to warm up and scrape the car before work. I guess this means no more hitting the snooze button "one more time".

A New Friend

I have a new friend and little buddy at work.
He makes me smile.
He reminds me that it's good to be young at heart.
He also reminds me of how many movie lines I know.
He pals around with two of my favorite characters.
He's from Mattel; (well not really from Mattel, he's actually from a smaller comany that was purchased in a leverage buyout.)
And he makes my co-workers think I need the help of a professional.

He's:


REX




Don't you wish you had one too?

The Smile

What is it about a Smile?

If you're having a good day, a bad day, just one of those days, a smile can make all th difference.

It's just a hello; that warmth from a caring friend; maybe a good joke; that one just because they caught your eye.

It's meaning can hold so much. It shows they care. It's a reminder that "hey, I'm here for you." It's because they're friendly.

And it makes you feel special; it shows that you matter.
And it makes me smile too.

Here You Go

I was told that my blog needs some picturage. (Is that a word? Well, it is now.)

I thought I would post a few pictures from our camping trip this past August.



Here are a few of my favorites:





The Fam




We visited the Botanical Gardens











One of the beaches we visited had 'sand' like this; all broken sea-shells.




Driving with Rebekah is never boring!




I have a thing for my feet...someday I might be able to explain it...



This is what happens when you leave me unattended:



Don't ask...

I love Google

I really do. It's an amazing tool. I type in what I'm looking for and up pops just what I need.

For example: yesterday I was looking for a simple crochet pattern for baby hats. I typed in "crochet patterns + baby hats" and voila! The first site I click has a gazillion and one patterns. I found one I liked right away and actually made the hat in about an hour last night.
And today, I was thinking about making jam. A coworker mentioned that she had plum trees ready to drop their fruit and asked if I wanted some. I thought "Plum jam is really yummy and I bet it's not hard to make." Thing is, I've never actually made jam before-by myself that is. So I looked up "plum jam recipes" and found a link to a Home and Garden information center that was chalk full of helpfulness on jam making and recipes to boot.

Then I Googled "Betty Crocker" and made myself hungry by just looking at the pictures on the site. Excuse me now, I need to go wipe the drool off my chin...

Good News

I got the news this week that I passed my college Algebra class! Hallelujah and Glory be!! (and I'm not being sarcastic!)
It was the fourth time I'd taken the class...yes, you read that correctly...fourth. I used to be ashamed of that but then I realize that the first two times, the medium in which I took it was not good for me, the visual learner. The by the third time, I realized what it was that I had problems with and by the fourth time, I overcame!

I'm very thankful that God gave me the clarity of mind to learn what I needed, the strength and perserverance to continue and the grace to succeed.

Now on to the next one! The nice thing about the next class I have to take: it's my last one! Lord-willing I'll be done with my Associates in Arts degree by December. I'm really excited!

(But I am really glad I do get a break...at least for a month until class starts again)

I'm not sure why I'm sharing this with the whole world but at some point the truth will be known

Today, I found my first gray hair. And I pulled it out in disbelief.
I have found other hairs in my head that I thought were gray and had pulled them out, but upon further inspection they were indeed only lighter blonde and the light had made them look gray.

Upon further inspection this one was indeed gray; silvery, translucent, shimmery, undeniably gray.
I could have said it was almost pretty.

If I was 50.

But I'm not.

*sigh*

I need chocolate.

quote I got from my sister

"Be the kind of woman that,
when your feet hit the floor in the morning,
the devil says, 'Oh, crap! She's up!'"

Happy Thursday or The Weekend's Almost Here

People ask me how I can manage to be so happy and cheerful all the time.

I tell them it's the combination of Red-40 and caffeine.

In other news: I'm going to the beach this Sunday (after church of course) with my sister and two cousins for an abbreviated "Cousin's Weekend". I say abbreviated because we'll only be there for Sunday afternoon. I'm stopping by our little Weenky-dinky Foods after work to pick up some sandwich fixins' and drinks for the much anticipated outing.

Here are some of the things I have to remember to bring:
~Beach blanket
~Towels--for the very off-chance that I might get into the water
~Camera- must document these significant moments for posterity
~Ball gloves and a softball --since it's just us girls, we can play, unashamed of our skills (or lack thereof)
~Dry socks - don't ask me why, but this just seems like a good idea...and a warm one
~Sweatshirt
~Food

And now you can go into your weekend feeling complete, now that you know what I'm going to do with mine.

why is it...

that on one of the days that I'm in a hurry, and decided not to care about how my hair looks (which folks, let me tell you...is a BIG deal) that it ends up looking kinda nice and staying in place?

I will admit...I was lazy this morning. My alarm went off at 5am, as it does every morning, but I didn't get out of bed until (and I'm only slightly ashamed to admit this)...6. Which means I hit my snooze button....um...I don't think I'd better but that in print...

Anyway, I kind scrambled with getting ready; hair, makeup, breakfast, etc...and decided that my hair would have to make the sacrifice. And for some reason, it ended looking halfway decent and a couple gals at work have told me how nice it looks. Hoodathunkit?

Moral of this story: get up late and still have a good hair day ;^)
(*note: story not intended as a bedtime tale for small children.)

Colossians 3:15-17

"Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Look

who

I found... =)

“We now interrupt this programming for some random local news”

And because I haven’t blogged in a while and can’t think of anything else to write about right now…here are:

Some of the Things I Love

Getting up in the morning with the sun and hearing the birds singing

A hot cup of coffee with just the right amount of cream and sugar

Logging into my computer at work and seeing this sweet baby boy’s face on my desktop…


High-heeled shoes

Listening to my favorite song (songs) on the radio –way too loud…

A square of dark chocolate….just because…

Hearing the words of a familiar hymn that I’ve sung for years and being suddenly struck by something I never heard before

And finally...

Rodeos

She's so my sister...

I was just now sitting here at the computer looking up books at the library online (no, really! I was!!) when my youngest sister, who had been walking in and out of the room, talking about the newest Narnia movie, Prince Caspian and telling me all about the "romance" between Caspian and Susan in the film, suddenly stopped mid-sentence and proclaimed in a very dignified and shocked tone:

"I can't believe they did that!! C. S. Lewis would be horrified!!!!!!"

(and yes, there were that many exclamation points in her voice...)

You Know Your Math Professor is a Nerd When:

He starts randomly quoting Monty Python and the Holy Grail in class...

Wait...I knew what he was quoting...does that make me a nerd???

On second thought--- don't answer that.

The Latest and Greatest

Well, this week marks my last week at Columbia Credit Union. After working here for 2 years, I'm leaving to go work for Boise Paper starting a week from today. It was another one of those doors that God opened up and showed me (again) how good He is. I'm coming to understand how much I have to learn about trusting in Him.

I've spent some time today and the other day doing things at work and then thinking to myself "This is probably the last time I'll do ___". All my filing is done, my desk drawer is cleaned out (except for my hand sanitizer that I use REGULARLY), my computer files have all been deleted, besides anything important that I really need to keep and those I've emailed to myself. I've been saying goodbye to some of my members that come in to see me. A few people, that I've built good relationships with, have exchanged numbers with me so we can keep up later.

I'm really looking forward to this Saturday! It will be the first Saturday in about 4 years that I won't have to work aside from those Saturdays when I was on vacation.
Having those days off will be so nice. I'll have more time to spend with my family and other special people. =^) The new hours will enable me to continue finishing my school and still have a life after work.

All in all, life has been going really well. I'm still trying to figure out how to properly juggle some of the new things in my life, but slowly and surely, it's all coming together. It helps that people are very patient with me. =^D
I started the Family Camp countdown this past week too. I can't believe it's almost 25 days left!! Ack! I feel like I need to start packing!! Or at least making my packing list....*sigh*
Me and my lists. =^)

Goodbye Friend

Yesterday, we had to say "goodbye" to our good doggie friend Maggie. She was dying of kidney failure. We knew for a while that this was coming, but it was still hard for us to say that final goodbye.
Maggie was a wonderful pet for the very short time we had her. She would have had her first birthday tomorrow. But, God in His wisdom had better plans for her and us.
I've always loved dogs. They love unconditionally, are not embarassed by open displays of affection, protect us, and have hearts that just get bigger with time. Maggie was no exception. From the moment I saw her at three weeks old, my heart was lost to her charms. She was a total lover of a puppy--would greet me with a smile and a very wiggly body then flop down to get her belly rubbed (and I fell for it everytime...) She also was beginning to develop her protective "mama" side--would bark warningly at the door or just come and stand by you, letting you know she was there and everything was alright. She had the softest puppy-ears and would give sweet "kisses" when you let her. Her goofy side came through too--she loved to swing on the swings in our playset, I think she even tried the slide once. She may have only lived for 363 days, but she loved and was loved every minute of them.
I've been blessed in my life to have two great dog friends: my first dog Daisy, who we had for 14 years, and then Maggie. I think if they had known eachother they would have been best friends. Maybe they are already friends in heaven... I'd like to think so.
Often times God will bring friends into our lives, maybe even for a short time, that test our patience and make us grow in it, show us what it means to trust, how to laugh harder, and how to love unconditionally. Maggie was such a friend.
Goodbye baby...I'll miss you.

I’m beginning to think that the phrase “Expect the Unexpected” isn’t as goofy as I once thought it to be. But then, my thinking on a lot of things has changed over the past few months. Thankfully. I can’t count how many times I’ve foolishly questioned God and asked Him if He’s really sure what He’s doing. I’m happy to say now, that, by His grace, I’ve stopped arguing that line and started enjoying the ride. And what a ride it is! The past few weeks have brought events, opportunities and relationships that I would never have thought twice about, except for the fact that God opened doors and opened my eyes to what He’s working. I am so incredibly blessed.

“All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

Union Jack Would Be Proud

I've drunk enough tea this week to float the entire British Navy. So much tea that my Patriot Ancestors (that is if I have any Patriot ancestors) would be getting me ready to be tarred and feathered and writing my name under Benedict Arnold's on the traitors honor roll.
The reason? That dreaded 'L' word: laryngitis.
I started getting it on Sunday afternoon. What started out sounding like I just suddenly started smoking 3 packs-a-day, turned into the sound of an old rusty, squeaky door, and then completely went away. I mean gone. I was able to go to the doctor's finally on Wednesday (by then of course, my voice was rounding that last quarter mile pole and coming down the homestretch.) The diagnosis: allergies.

Look at this!

I found

this

site through Melanie's blogroll links and I can't wait to try some of her recipes! Her pictures are pretty amazing too, if you're like me and always wished you could have been born to ride a horse and live on a ranch. (I'm a pretty good rider but I haven't been in the saddle since I was in diapers or anything...)

Small Graces

Sometimes in life there are some very small and seemingly simple things to be thankful for. Those small graces that God shows us every day.
This morning, I experienced one such “small grace.” I was working the early, early shift at work today, which means myself and one of our loan officers come in an hour early to load our cash dispensers. Loading dispensers can be tricky, for various reasons and typically, this never takes place without something troublesome happening or going wrong). This morning, we had both dispensers done in record time! Nothing had gone wrong: the cash counter didn’t get jammed or decide to spit out the bills flying in every direction or count too many of the new $5 bills; (our machines HATE new bills); I didn’t whack myself in the leg with the vault door, or smash my fingers in the cassettes. It may seem like a rather small thing, “yeah, ok, so you had a good morning at work,” but for me, in my job, it was one of those moments where I saw God’s goodness to me in a very real way.
There’s a song that I remember listening to when I was little that my dad would have playing in the house or the car. It’s a song by Bob Bennett. Here are a few verses that describe my feelings very fittingly.

“Small graces surely have a meaning
Beyond their merely passing by;
They are a reminder to the heart
There’s more to life than meets the eye.

Cheerful greetings unexpected
Shared by strangers on the run,
For when the sky is clouded over
Still the promise of the sun

Is in the small graces,
The little moments when the miracles come.
These are the small graces,
Small graces pointing me to the larger ones”

Creativity and Quality Time

Yesterday, my mom, sister and I spent several hours scrapbooking together. I've been scrapbooking more now that I ever have, and now, thanks to a good friend of mine, I understand better how to put pages together and really enjoy it!
I've had pictures of our trip to Ohio and Kentucky in 2006 in an album (a big deal for me!) and I finally pulled out the pictures of the visit to Churchill Downs and scrapbooked them. I had bought paper specifically for those pictures ages ago and it was so much fun to finally sit down and scrapbook some of the most "iconic" photos of that day's trip.
I also got a couple pictures of me and my puppy scrapbooked. :^D
It was nice to sit and visit and have some good time together.

I'll try and post some pics of the pics later...

Sound Effects

This morning on my way to work I was listening to my favorite radio morning show on The Wolf (yes I listen to country!) :^D They were talking about compiling a list of the top five best movie sound effects ever. That got me thinking about my favorite movies sounds.

Here's my personal top five:

5)The arrow whizzing into the center of the target in "Robin Hood"
4)Feet tap dancing like in one of the old movies
3)Horns blowing the fanfare in "Ben Hur"
2)Lightsabers crashing together in "Star Wars"
1)The whip crack from "The Man From Snowy River" (it gives me chills!)

And now you know...

One of my favorite poems

THE FOOL'S PRAYER
by Edward Rowland Sill (1841-1887)

The royal feast was done; the King
Sought some new sport to banish care,
And to his jester cried: "Sir Fool,
Kneel now, and make for us a prayer!"

The jester doffed his cap and bells,
And stood the mocking court before;
They could not see the bitter smile
Behind the painted grin he wore.

He bowed his head, and bent his knee
Upon the Monarch's silken stool;
His pleading voice arose: "O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"No pity, Lord, could change the heart
From red with wrong to white as wool;
The rod must heal the sin: but Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!

"'T is not by guilt the onward sweep
Of truth and right, O Lord, we stay;
'T is by our follies that so long
We hold the earth from heaven away.

"These clumsy feet, still in the mire,
Go crushing blossoms without end;
These hard, well-meaning hands we thrust
Among the heart-strings of a friend.

"The ill-timed truth we might have kept--
Who knows how sharp it pierced and stung?
The word we had not sense to say--
Who knows how grandly it had rung!

"Our faults no tenderness should ask.
The chastening stripes must cleanse them all;
But for our blunders -- oh, in shame
Before the eyes of heaven we fall.

"Earth bears no balsam for mistakes;
Men crown the knave, and scourge the tool
That did his will; but Thou, O Lord,
Be merciful to me, a fool!"

The room was hushed; in silence rose
The King, and sought his gardens cool,
And walked apart, and murmured low,
"Be merciful to me, a fool!"

This is what happens when everybody is sick...

I came home from work today, and being very tired and worn out from being sick with whatever-it-is-I've-had the past 3 days, I decided to just put on my comfy p.j. pants, a t-shirt and a warm sweater. I walked into the office to say 'hi' to my youngest siblings and Olivia says to me,"Oh hi Rachel! I haven't seen you---all day!"
Turning to Jared, she states, "Look Jared, Rachel's finally up."

Maybe I need to change my tactics...

Yesterday in Sunday School class (I teach the 2-3 year olds) we practiced our 10 Commandments song. I've been trying to get them to remember what song we're learning by holding up all ten of my fingers and saying "The Ten Commandments!" (very enthusiastically mind you...) Well, I decided to try and get them to think about the song a little more by asking them (like I didn't know) "How many Commandments are there?"
One of my three-year-olds (K.S.) promptly replied in a very confident voice, "THREE!"

Snowboarding

This past weekend I went snowboarding for the first time. Maybe I should call it "butt-boarding" becuase I think I spent more time on the ground than standing up. It was fun though. :-) I also spent a lot of time laughing laughing at myself-I know I looked a sight!! I can't wait to go do it again.

(PS Thanks to Amy Shearer for helping figure out how to post pics!!)

New Year's Resolutions

This morning, my sister asked me if I had made any resolutions for the new year. I thought about it on my way to work and realized this:
Last year, I had made a whole list of goals/resolutions and looking back, I don't think hardly any of them were accomplished. I realized this is because I had set goals or resolutions while telling God that I wanted to do these things instead of asking Him for His plan for me and for guidance in my paths. Sure, I got a lot done this past year, and there were a lot of changes in my life, but those had nothing to do with myself or my strengths.
This year I hope will be different. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." ~Phil 4:13. My goal or resolution for this year is kind of summed up in the words of this poem. I know it says "A Regular Man" but I think it applies to me as a Christian. I want to be able to look back on the year and be able to see ways in which I grew and give glory to God for it.

Lord, Make a Regular Man Out Of Me
~By Edgar A. Guest

This I would like to be – braver and bolder,
Just a bit wiser because I am older,
Just a bit kinder to those I may meet,
Just a bit manlier taking defeat;
This for the New Year my wish and my plea-
Lord, make a regular man out of me.

This I would like to be – just a bit finer,
More of a smiler and less of a whiner,
Just a bit quicker to stretch out my hand
Helping another who’s struggling to stand,
This is my prayer for the New Year to be,
Lord, make a regular man out of me.

This I would like to be – just a bit fairer,
Just a bit better, and just a bit squarer,
Not quite so ready to censure and blame,
Quicker to help every man in the game,
Not quite so eager men’s failings to see,
Lord, make a regular man out of me.

This I would like to be – just a bit truer,
Less of the wisher and more of the doer,
Broader and bigger, more willing to give,
Living and helping my neighbor to live!
This for the New Year my prayer and my plea –
Lord, make a regular man out of me.

Happy New Year!!

"Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee."

~Frances Ridley Havergal

It's official!

I'm an Aunt! The little man made his entrance last night at 10:41. He's 7lbs 7oz; 20inches. His name is Jordan Peter Andries.
No pictures yet! (they say he looks like my brother Jared though...)
Praise the Lord for a safe and healthy delivery!!
Baby, Mom (and Dad too) are doing well.

So much to say--to many yawns to say it

Christmas is coming. We have our tree. It's decorated, very pretty. Mom's leaving this weekend for Canada. My sister is probably having a baby tomorrow!! I'm going to be an Auntie--officially.
I'm tired now, and going to bed. There was much more I had planned to say, but that last yawn has driven all rational thought from my head. I shall leave you now.

Happy Thankgiving!

...a day late... :-)


"We thank Thee Lord for this our food, for life and health and every good."

I hope everyone had a wonderful day of Thankgiving and rejoicing in Christ's Blessings!

Weddingness

Well, my dear, dear friend's wedding is over. *sigh* I'm pooped!! It was a beautiful wedding and a super fun party!! I'm so happy for her and her new husband, but I have to admit it feels kind of weird and I know it will take some getting used to. :-) I pray that God blesses them with many wonderful years together and that they grow faithfully together in Christ as one.
Congratulations Leah and Ryan!!!




BTW- I just thought I would mention; for ALL of you who were wondering ;-) I got my passport. yipee! Now I can run away to a foreign country. jk :-)

Thanks---I think?

What do you say when the super-bleached-blonde, Hollister-wearing boy, still in high-school, and obviously lacking a certain masculine attitude, stops in the middle of explaining his banking/transaction needs and says:
"By the way, I just have to tell you that I really like the outfit you've got going on. It's really nice!"

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or puke.

A dream is wish

I'm so glad that song is not really true. If it were I would be running for the hinterlands!!
I've been having some really weird dreams lately. Like the one where I was the only one that knew that something was wrong and how to fix it. Everybody else was running around in strange garb of ancient Greece or the 15th Century peasant look. Or the one where I married somebody that I've never seen before in my life.
Or the one where started having children and they all looked like me.
Hopefully these things aren't prophetic....or maybe I should just ease off the spicy chips right before I hit the sack.

Mindless Yet Amusing

I wonder what would happen if Jeeves was in the same cartoon as Calvin and Hobbes

C: "Did you ever wonder if the person in the puddle is real, and you're just a reflection of him?"

J: "From time to time, sir, in my leisure moments."

C: "I love the culture of victimhood."

J: "I endeavour to give satisfaction sir."

C: "Life's disappointments are harder to take when you don't know any swear words."

J: "I'm sure that your cool head and undoubted thespian powers will see you through the day, Sir."

C: "Our top secret club-- G.R.O.S.S.!! Get-Rid-Of-Slimy-girlS!"
J: "Under rule eleven, all members are required to provide the secretary with full information about their employer, sir. This not only provides entertaining reading, but also provides a warning to those seeking employment with those gentlemen who fall short of the ideal."

C: "In my opinion, we don't devote nearly enough scientific research to finding a cure for jerks."

J:"It's an interesting theory, Sir. Would you care to expatiate upon it?"

C: "What's the point of wearing your favorite rocketship underpants if nobody ever asks to see 'em?"

J: "I prefer not to dwell on it if it's convenient to you, sir."

C: "Is it a right to remain ignorant?

J: "I fear so, sir."

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

OK, so maybe that's a little premature, but with all the ads on TV and radio how can you not be thinking about it? It also seems that November 1st is that magic day to start thinking about Christmas shopping. Why the 1st? Is it because there are only 55 days left until Christmas? (Yes, I did say 55, only that would make it 53 days now.)
I've been doing Christmas shopping since July or August. I'm almost done too. I think I only have about 4 gifts left to buy. Maybe I'm a little premature. Oh well. In this case it's good for me. As I have a tendency to procrastinate on certain things, being ahead of the game in this situation makes me feel much more prepared.
Not to mention I can focus more on getting ready for Thanksgiving!!
Which is only 19 days from now, by the way. :-)

In other news:

I need to turn in my passport application on Wednesday. The passport application that has been sitting in my room for about 5 weeks. It could have probably been processed by now. But, because, as I stated in the above, I have a tendency to procrastinate, I have to pay extra to have it expedited. What joy is mine. Just goes to show that procrastination doesn't pay. Well, it does, I suppose; just has to pay extra.

I decided that I wanted to change my blog's look..

so I did. The only thing is: I'm kind of HTML illiterate and I can't get the "Links" font to match the "Recent Posts" and "Archives" font. Hmm...I suppose it will take a little more searching, but I'll get it eventually. :-)

Ok, I'll do it too

"Tagged" from my sister

Bethany

.

Rules for the tag…

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.

3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).

4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

Here are the "Facts".

1. I have in the course of my life hurt both of my big toes by more than just stubbing them--first time when I was 8 years old or so, I ripped of the toenail of the left with a three-pronged garden hoe. The second time, I broke the right when I was running up the stairs in the dark--I was on crutches for a week and a half.

2. Since I was about 9 or 10 years old, I haven't worn pink- as in clothes. (makeup doesn't count) I think I only have one shirt of the color and I've only worn it maybe twice. It just sits in my closet.

3. I think Jeeves from PG Wodehouse's books is an absolute genius. I wish he was my valet. Or personal attendant or whatever you call it.

4. When walking through the mall and I get accosted by those people that work at the little booths in between stores and want to talk to you about this or that product or want your signature on some form or are taking a survey or what have you, I like to pretend that: A) I'm deaf or B) I don't speak English. The no English kind of works because I can say "I don't speak English" in German.

5. I'm a morning person--once I'm up. Don't ask me to explain this. It takes me about 10 minutes to be completely awake, but once I am, I'm usually good to go, at least until about 10ish- then, if I haven't had coffee already, I definitely need a cup!

6. When I go shopping, I pull something off of the rack and ask myself "would one of my sisters (the ones closest to me in age that is...) wear this?" If the answer is favorable- I try it on. If it fits and I'm in a mood that likes it, I buy it. This has resulted in some garments in my closet, that every once in a while, I look at and ask myself what induced me to make that purchase. The answer is usually along the lines of "because your sisters tend to have better fashion sense than you do." They are probably the reasons I don't go everywhere (excepting church of course) in jeans and a t-shirt" Although there are days when I JUST DON'T CARE! :-)

7. I like talking in accents. British accents particularly.

There you have it; seven facts about me; totally random. I'll let you decide which ones are weird. :-) And because my sister only tagged three people, that's all I'm going to do to. Besides, almost all of the people whose blogs I read, have already been tagged.

kathryn erland

ellen walker

amber myers

A thin blanket of fog covers the sleepy looking valley. The sun was shining through the grove of trees turning the ground and fog to gold light and silhouetting the almost leafless trees. Mt Hood stood in the background, stately and covered in what looked like pink and gold snow.
One of my favorite songs comes on the radio and perfectly embodies the moment for me: "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles. I tap my steering wheel to the mellow beat, it feels like a perfect day.

Recipe notes

I made this Fudge Tart for a bridal shower tonight.
I will mention, I haven't tasted the finished product yet :-) but it was pretty easy and the batter was yummy (if that is any indication). =)
I'll post a follow up probably tomorrow about how well it went over! I hope you enjoy it!

Happy Baking! :-)

Fudge Tart

Tart:

4 oz bittersweet baking chocolate chopped
1/3 c butter
1 c granulated sugar
3/4 c all purpose flour
3 eggs beaten

Glaze:

1 oz unsweetened baking chocolate
1 tsp butter
1 c powdered sugar
2-3 Tbls boiling water

White Drizzle:

1 oz white baking chocolate
1/2 tsp veggie oil


1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 9x1-inch tart pan with removable bottom with shortening. Wrap outside bottom and side of pan with foil to prevent leaking. In 1-quart saucepan, heat bittersweet chocolate and 1/3 cup butter over low heat, stirring frequently, until melted; cool slightly.
2. In large bowl, mix granulated sugar, flour and eggs with spoon until well blended. Stir in chocolate mixture. Pour into pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until edges are set. Cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hour.
3. In 1-quart saucepan, heat unsweetened chocolate and 1 teaspoon butter over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Stir in additional boiling water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until spreadable. Spread warm glaze over tart.
4. In small microwavable bowl, microwave white chocolate and oil on Medium (50%) 20 to 30 seconds; stir. Drizzle over warm glaze. Let stand until glaze is set. Remove foil and side of pan before serving.

*Note: the glaze doesn't take that much water for it to be 'spreadable' and it sets up pretty fast.

It's amazing how little things can act a as small "pick me up" even if you aren't really feeling down. Things like a cup of hot coffee or chocolate; a recognition or compliment from someone in upper management at my job; even just seeing my family for a few brief minutes before I go to work. Small reminders of God's goodness that keep me moving through my day, reminding me that little things DO matter.

Yesterday we had monthly fellowship after church at a host family's house. The Deacon leader suggested a time of sharing our favorite Bible verse and tell why we liked it or what it meant to us. I had mine: 1 John 4:19. Many of the verses that were shared were meaningful to me as well and it was very encouraging to hear the other verses people shared and why they liked them, etc. We also had a time of singing, during which I came to the realization that I really need to be learning and practicing the hymns from our liturgy more regularly!! :^D

Reading

I have, after quite a few years, finally picked up one of the books that I have long been said to not enjoy. I first read Jane Eyre years ago and singularly disliked it. And as I think back, I don't know why I didn't like it. Maybe I was too young to understand and appreciate the style of writing or the type of story that it was.
I'm only to chapter 9 right now, but I have to admit that after 9 or 10 years my tastes have changed on this particular subject. (not that they haven't changed or matured on many subjects) =) I am liking Jane Eyre after all.

it still breathes

ok, so I admit it.
I am probably THE most delinquent blogger in the world. Or at least the state of Washington. And don't let this post fool you or get your hopes up. There's no telling when I might post again.

What's been happening since June 08, 2007? I hope I can give a quick rundown.

June:
~Family Camp: one week of awesome fellowship and fun and good sound teaching
~Came home from camp and two days later brought home our new baby - she's so cute! Tons of gold blonde hair, shiny eyes, and she' s growing so fast. Her name is Maggie and we all love her to death, especially Olivia- oh, I guess I should mention- Maggie is a Golden Retriever.... ;-)
~Felt depressed after camp and spent about 3 weeks recovering.
~Did other stuff- but can't remember now---I worked alot

July:
~Did more stuff at home
~Worked
~We started getting a new gas fireplace in our family room which set of the domino effect in the house- the piano had to get moved which moved the telephone shelf which made us move the microwave which then made us get a new range microwave. The microwave took over Mom's cupboard space for her cookbooks so we now have a really lovely black hutch/cabinet in the kitchen and a little extra counter space; always nice.
The fireplace is "in" but still have the finishing work to be done.
~I drove to Moscow the last week of July to visit a good friend: Ammy Becker. Spent four days there and had a great time! (visited Bucer's a lot- love that place!)

August - current:
~Our family went camping, this time it was far more successful and a lot of fun! Drove 5 hours to beautiful Sunset Bay State Park in Oregon (near Coos Bay, OR) I was only there for two days due to work but it was great. Went hiking, took pictures, laid on the beach, got sunburned, went boogie boarding, and did some fishing too! Now you might ask the question: Did you bait your own hook? Well what do you think? =)

So that about covers it. You can fill in the gaps with work, running errands, being at home, reading, and getting on Facebook. =)

Hope you all feel very informed by this most meaningful post and I hope it is sufficient for all of you avid readers of this blog (not really) that have been wondering if I am indeed alive or if I was taken captive by aliens, or had run away to join the circus, or had simply felt devoid of any imagination at all to write something remotely interesting. Not that this in interesting in anycase, but I felt my blog needed some attention. They can be so tempermental at times- you don't want to neglect them for too long.
But then, look who's talking.

I Believe

I know this isn't really anything new and I do think about this but, for some reason it struck me today in a new way.
I was driving to work listening to the Christian radio station and one of my favorite songs came on: Rich Mullin's 'Creed'. It's the a version of the Nicene Creed. I know the Creed by heart and we often recite corporately in worship at church. But for some reason as I was parking my car and walking into the building, singing the song in my head and slightly under my breath. I was suddenly struck by the words of the song: "I beleive in God the Father, Almighty Maker of Heaven and Maker of earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Begotton Son, our Lord." and then again "I did not make it, no it is making me, it is the very truth of God and not the invention of any man." I've been a Christian all my life and sometimes it feels like my Christian life has reached a certain point and plataued from there. The words suddenly reminded me that my life as a Christian DOES matter. The very fact that I believe in Jesus Christ as the Only Begotton Son of the Father God affects my every day life. It does have an effect on my work, my leisure time, how and what I think about, everything! "I did not make it, no it is making me." I have often heard on the TV or on the radio about how people have come to Christ and how the Love of Jesus has drastically changed their lives and I think "that's great!" And then I selfishly wish that that same thing could happen to me. This Spirit-filled reminder this morning reminded me that the Love of Jesus HAS and IS changing my life every day and every moment. Praise Him!

Spring Cleaning and Home Improvements

This time of year, I like to go through my closet, drawers, boxes and STUFF and clear out all the uncessaries that they hold. Cleaning out and getting rid of garbage makes me feel so much better.
Lately I've been thinking about how much other garbage I have in my life. Not just physical, but emotional and pyschological garbage. I think about all the trivial and mindless dribble I take in everyday, in whatever comes up on the internet, or the magazines in the grocery check out, (not that I'm reading those mind you, but once you learn to read you cant' just turn it off when you see words.) I'm reminded of the verses in Phillippians 4 "Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things."
I've been convicted lately on how I've been slacking in my Bible memorization. Sure, I'm reading it and I've been reading some heavier theology books (Rushdoony, North, Bansen, etc.), but my memorizing? Somehow it's ended up on the bottom of my priorities. Not where it should be.
I made up my mind that this was going to stop. (It was on the top of my New Years resolutions too...) So the other day, while I was washing the dishes (our dishwasher is broken) and folding the laundry, I memorized Phillipians 2:1-18. I can't tell you how refreshed I felt afterwards. And I spend the day meditating on that and other passages that I have memorized in the past. I felt like I had done some spiritual spring cleaning. I realize that it takes more than memorization of one passage to get me back on track, but it does mark a start. It doesn't take me long to memorize stuff. Good grief, I watch a movie once and I can quote lengthy passages from it. I figure, if I can manage to be memorizing movies and quoting them, I can be memorizing my Bible and quoting it.

I like to think of it as home improvements for the mind.

Family Camp

20 days and counting!!!

I must go get my packing list together.
Every year I pack way to much stuff all in the name of "What if I need it??" and every year I get to camp and don't use it! I'm determined to pare down. I will only bring two books (instead of the normal 3.) I will bring my small Bible - instead of my rather large one with the cover/carrier thingy. I will only bring one crocheting project this year instead of two. I will only bring one hat, I probably won't wear it but at least it's only one. I will bring only 1 jacket and 1 hoodie (well, maybe 2 depending on the weather report). I will bring cash, my baseball glove and two pairs of sunglasses. Last year I only brought one pair and they got lost. =(
I will not bring 50 million pairs of earrings...only 20 million.

And I will bring only 4 pairs of shoes this year... I promise!! =)

AAAGGHH!
I realized that there is only 39 days until Family Camp!! I've got to get a move on! There is a ton of stuff I have to do!
My craft prototype still isn't done, and I have quite a few kinks to work out with that and I have to work on the list of songs for campfire.
I've been thinking about doing the campdown...still not sure.
I just didn't realize it was so close! It fills me with that excited, dreaded, anticipating and pressured kind of feeling. (It's a complicated emotion...)
Now I've got to trot off! Tootles!

The mood has struck me to write a new post. However I don't think it will last long.
So yesterday was my birthday.
That was fun. And I'm having a partay today. That will be fun.
Bring on the Karaoke!

Well, that mood was short.

Maybe next time it will last longer.

Infallibility and Meaning

I've decided to make a post that is somewhat weightier than my previous posts. I've been reading through a book by R. J. Rushdoony called "Infallibility: An Inescapable Concept" and I'm really enjoying it. I found this excerpt particularly edifying.

"Because God is the absolute creator of all things, and because nothing exists outside of His creating decree, all things have their existence and their meaning from their sovereign creator, God. God, having no unconscious aspect in His being, is totally self-conscious and purposive in all His ways, so that all creation is a universe of total meaning. There is not a meaningless fact or atom in all creation, nor an event, nor any facet or aspect of anything that is not marked by total meaning. The meaning of most things eludes us. We do not understand the meaning of mosquitoes, for example, or the hairs that fall from our head, nor of the often unhappy events of our lives, because we tend to look for their meaning in terms of ourselves. The meaning of all this is theocentric-God-centered, not man-centered--which means that of necessity things are meaningless if we try to read them in terms of man, in terms of ourselves. We do not create them, govern them, nor more than slightly in a limited area and manner, influence them; they are of God's ordination. Attempts to read the meaning of things humanistically are thus erroneous, futile, and blasphemous."

Because I felt like it

I’ve thought about this for about a day now and I decided to create my own “fill-in-the-blank”. I refrain from calling it a survey because a survey usually implies that you’re going to do something with the results that you receive. I have no intention of doing anything with the results (other than maybe laughing at you and honing my campdown writing skills). I don’t want to do it to get to know people better. I think I know people pretty well. I’m just a curious person, not to mention I get to get a few good laughs out of it. I’m also not calling it a survey because there are some people who say they will never fill out a survey and because this is a non-survey, those people can fill it out without any guilt or feel that they’ve broken any record.

Humor me here. It’s one of things that comes to your head while you’re sitting around waiting for the iron to heat up so you can iron your shirt for Sunday and while you’re waiting for the Biore strip on your nose to harden into a mold that feels like a paper-mache mask that someone forgot to remove in time. But alas, I digress.

Here are my ten thoughts from Saturday evening.

1. Favorite word to use this week: impertinent. (kind of how I’m feeling now) =)
2. Least favorite color: that purple that’s not really purple but kind of a nauseating pink tone- especially bad on cars
3. If you could look like a celebrity who would it be: if Julia Roberts and George Clooney had children I would want to be one of them. Maybe a little of myself right now in there- I figure it would either look like a train wreck or turn out good
4. Favorite chore: vacuuming – I also don’t mind doing dishes or folding laundry.
5. Least favorite chore: cleaning the toilets – a grim job that has to be done
6. If you had the choice to be either 2 inches taller or 2 inches shorter would you take it: I still haven’t decided my answer to that one- I feel pretty good about myself
7. What do you think is the smelliest animal: roadkill skunks and chickens I think are pretty nasty too. =)
8. Best movie quote (not necessarily your favorite but what you think is one of the best lines): “I know this Man. He gave me water, and a will to live.” ~ BEN HUR
9. Do you prefer – mail order catalogs/online shopping or actually going to the store: kind of depends on what I’m shopping for and my mood.
10. If you could go back in time and change some invention what would it be: I've noticed that I seem to enjoy trying to re-invent the wheel.

P.S. If you recognize this, that's OK, you're not imagining things.

The New Math

“In this new approach, the goal is to understand what you’re doing rather than get the right answer.”

~Tom Leher from "An Evening Wasted with Tom Leher"

thoughts...

My latest contemplation lately has been pets. I want a dog. I know it's going to be a while before we get a dog again but I still want one. *sigh* Hopefully someday soon.

"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you; that is the principal difference between a dog and a man." -Mark Twain

*love*

Happy Valentine's Day Friends!! I love you all and am so thankful for you!

Last night my dad asked Jared if he knew who St. Valentine was.
Jared's answer: "Wasn't he some guy that got put in jail for his, umm, Christian- um, thing?" :^D

Happy 26th Anniversary to my parents too!! I love you very much and your love and faithfulness are wonderful examples. Thank you!

Quote of the week:

"Listen, strange women lyin' in ponds distributin' swords is no basis for a system of government. Supreme executive power derives from a mandate from the masses, not from some farcical aquatic ceremony."

I heartily agree.

somewhat... =)

A Key Ingredient

"Be anxious for nothing, in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made know to God." Philippians 4:6

This has been our family's memory verse this week and I'm reminding myself of it more and more. There is one thing though, that stand out to me in this verse and reminds me of another similar to it and that is "Thanksgiving". Being thankful to God in all our circumstances seems to be essential even when we are very anxious and worried about what we have to do or what life has in store for us. Too often I find myself worrying about things I have no control over and I find it hard to "give it up" to the Lord. I think part of it is I need to be more thankful for what He has given or done for me in that situation and tell Him of my worries and turst Him to take care of it. That's His job after all! =)

"Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

What's all that white stuff?

Last night we had snow. And it's still here this morning. About 4 inches of pretty snow on top of some nasty ice. Seems like the phrase "Looks aren't everything" applies to more than just people. =)
The kids were out in the backyard last night playing, making snowmen (or attempting) and having a generally good time getting cold and wet. I should have liked to make a snow angel but alas, the good ol' algebra was calling. =)


Thought for the day:
Everyone has a someday, and someday, I'll get to mine.

Happy New Year!

I can hardly believe it's 2007! The past year has gone by so quickly it seems. Last night we were at the Wilson's house and as we sat around talking, I couldn't help but feel a little sad and excited at the same time. The sadness stems from thinking back on the things that happened this past year and knowing that those days are gone and just memories now. I'm glad to have those memories. The excitement comes from having a whole new year ahead and wondering what kinds of things are going to happen. I'm looking forward to ways of growing in the Lord and growing in my relationships with my friends and I'm excited about whatever other adventures are around the corner!
We sang this song on Sunday as our closing hymn. I'd forgotten how much I love this song and I couldn't help but think that this song was so encouraging and fitting for me as I enter this new year. May God grant you grace, peace, and strength to do His will this coming year!

"Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
In working or in waiting, another year with Thee.
Another year of progress, another year of praise,
Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace,
Another year of gladness in the shining of Thy face;
Another year of leaning upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of service, of witness for Thy love,
Another year of training for holier work above.
Another year is dawning, dear Father, let it be
On earth, or else in Heaven, another year for Thee."