25

Millions long for immortality who don’t know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
Susan Ertz

Yesterday it rained all day, and today it is grey, overcast, wet, and cold. The nasty conditions are kept at bay in the house, were we are warm and comfortable, so long as no one opens the door.  A cold, more miserable than that outside, has been working its way through some of the members of the family. A cold which yours-truly is willing to avoid at all costs, even that of bloating herself with gallons-worth of the foul-tasting ‘Airborne’.                                                                                                                                                     And yet, there is something very homey, and comforting, about bad weather (when one can stay warm indoors). Think: a crackling fire, comfy love-seat (all to oneself! YES!), a warm animal-friend curled at your feet, a cup of steaming hot coco or tea, and a good, engaging book.                                                                                                                                             Yes, these are the things that winter evenings are made of!

Ahhhh, books. I am afraid I don’t read as many as I should…but then I compare myself with two incorrigible bookworms (I love you two!!).   The word sparks noble thoughts in my mind. Thoughts of knowledge-gained, and wisdom-won. And thoughts of how much I haven’t gained or haven’t won….But here I digress. On one of the blogs I frequent she challenged her readers to come up with a 25 book list for the year. Yeah, we’re talking 25 books, 12 months, 365 days. For some “incorrigible persons” this might seem like cake, for me it’s one of those “impossible” things which I will not be satisfied unless I achieve it. And so, last night I wrote up the list, trying to keep it well balanced with little to no fiction fluff (fiction fluff is not to be confused with Literature or good ole Classics). Today I found more that I wanted to add to my 25, but refrained. After all, there will be 2011, Lord willing.  In the end my list consisted of books I’ve read, wanted to read, or should have read. And here I share my list, along with insignificant comments which I cannot refrain from making. =)

Book List 25

1. The Bible (this is one that I normally go through every year anyway, but it’s worth putting on the top of the list. None of the following are in any particular order…just the order they came to mind)                                                                                                                      2. His Excellency- by Joseph J. Ellis (A biography on G.   Washington)                                    3. George Muller of Bristol -by Arthur T. Pierson (OK, this one is a bit of a cheat as I started it last year,but it’s a great biography which I would recommend)                            4. The Railway Children - (a book I regret not reading as a kid, and so now I shall endeavor to finish it)                                                                                                                               5. Jo’s Boys – Alcott (I re-read Little Women last spring and so fell in love with it that I want to read the continuation)                                                                                                              6. Little Men – Alcott (Read the above comment)                                                                          7. Daughters of Destiny- Wheeler (an inspirational and motivational book, I assume as I haven’t read it yet. ;D )                                                                                                                          8. Feminine Appeal- Mahaney ( one of the Author’s of the blog Girltalk. The book has the tag-line “7 Virtues of a Godly Wife and Mother”…hmm…I don’t think I fit the bill yet, but it might be nice to go ahead and prepare myself.)                                                                  9. Silas Marner – Eliot (I am ashamed to say that I don’t recall if I have ever completely read one of Elliot’s works. Tisk, tisk!)                                                                                                   10. Alice in Wonderland – (OK, I put this on my list last night, but picked it up today and have gotten halfway through. It is much more amusing that I had anticipated. I actually find it quiet humorous.)                                                                                                           11. Captivating – Eldredge (a “must”, according to my sister. =) )                                          12. MacBeth – Shakespeare (Now, I couldn’t leave out Shakespeare, could I?)                   13. The Well Trained Mind- Wise and  Bauer ( written by a mother/daughter team, concerning the “classical education”.)                                                                                               14. Lady Susan - Austen (the only complete novel of Austen’s which I have not read)                                                                                                                                                               15. Nicholas Nickleby – Dickens (Almost nothing stimulates my mind more than Dickens.)                                                                                                                                                         16. A Christmas Carol - Dickens (because I failed miserably to read it this Christmastide) 17. First Delights – Tasha Tudor ( a delightful child’s book, which will never grow old. A definite re-read, because it’s so timeless)                                                                                           18. Common Sense – Thomas Payne (or is it spelled “Paine”? I can’t remember. I thought that, as this pamphlet is a very intricate part of our nations history, I ought to give it the read-over. Payne’s writing did a lot of “shakin’ and movin’ “)                                            19. Gettysburg Address – Lincoln (Now that I’m “older and wiser” I will appreciate reading it…and maybe remember it better)                                                                                   20. Miss Rumphius – Cooney ( A book I got one birthday when I was a little girl, a treasure worth the re-read)                                                                                                                21. The Roman Way – Hamilton (What’s so cool about it is that it was written like, ages ago. I’ve always “disliked” Roman and Greek history…it gives me the heevy-jeevies…But I have decided to get beyond that.)                                                                                                     22. The Incomplete History of World War 1 - (Figured I should read this before I go to the next book by that Author…” The incomplete history of World War 2.”…How refreshing, at least someone admits they don’t know it all.)                                                                            23. Female Piety (A young woman’s friend and guide) - John Angell James (I find it fascinating that this book is not only written by a man but also was written back at 1860. Now days only a woman is allowed to write something of that title or the man will be labeled an “extreme suppressor to the female sex”.)                                                             24. Enemy Brothers - ( A book I regret not reading as a young teen. So I figured I’d read it. =) )                                                                                                                                                        25. Dog Jack – (Of the books I had to read for school, this one was one of my faves. It’s set during the Civil War, and follows a young, free African-American and his dog as he fights for his country. A very unique and compelling story)

And there, I’ve put you to sleep. =)

Here I pass the challenge on to you. Pick out 25 books to read, and try to make the selection varied. Read those good ole books that you’ve always wanted to re-read, read something that will expand your knowledge and broaden your horizons, go for something that will stretch you, and go for some hard reading, even go for some children stories.

It’s the perfect fix for a cold, wet, winter’s day.

 

Knitting for Leprosy

“Knit on, with confidence and hope, through all crises.”

Elizabeth Zimmermann, 1910-1999

Knitting.
The word brings to mind elderly women of days gone-by sitting on a rocking chair with a ball of yarn and clicking needles. A quaint picture, yes, but not one I was particularly eager to join.
But then there was my Mom…

Mom started back knitting a few years ago, and the summer after I had graduated and decided to stay home from college, she found this site. It’s focus was knitting (or crocheting) bandages for lepers, specifically in Vietnam. At the time I wasn’t to thrilled with it, after all there are a lot of “good” things to do out there. And one can’t do them all.

But then, almost a year later,  I was praying about how the Lord might use me to minister to people. A friend and I had challenged each other to actually find something to do besides donating to charities, and I was having a hard time finding my “niche”. I mean, there aren’t many options in the sticks. But then the Lord reminded me of that site. I went back to check it out, and my negative thoughts concerning it quickly turned into joy of the thought of actually helping someone besides myself.

I have read about leprosy in the Bible ever since I was young, and I understood that it was pretty serious. In Leviticus 13 God gives detailed instruction about the cleansing of leperous spots, whether it was on a human being, house, or earthen ware. The thought of loosing my body parts was disturbing, but here in America it was never a real concern.
The real connection came for me when I actually saw photographs of the  disease. Leprosy is an infectious disease, it is characterized by ‘disfiguring skin sores, nerve damage, and progressive debilitation’. Not a very pretty sight. To see those people missing limbs, whose lives would never be the same, made it come alive in a scary way.

The accounts in the four gospels took a more realistic hue for me, they were no longer the nice and tidy miracles I had pictured in my mind. And when I read the words of Luke 5:12-13, I can not pass over it without sympathy, no more do I think of it as far away and long ago. Nor do I think anymore that the disease is not to be found in this modern age of medicine.
“While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, ‘Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.’ And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him.”
I can’t imagine being covered in leprosy. But I can imagine falling on my face begging for the healing only the Savior could give.

Now days, there is treatment for the disease, praise God. But the need is still out there. Particularly in third world countries. But why not send money to buy the supplies? Or send ones bought at the store or gauze?
leprosybandages.blogspot.com says: “The leper bandages breathe better, and can be sterilized for reuse. The lepers wear these bandages on their stumps as well as on sores. In some cases the bandages become like their shoes as they move on their stumps. Gauze would wear out much too fast.”

All the above being said, I would like to invite you to join me, if you are so led. I understand, there are other things that perhaps the Lord is calling you to spend your time doing…from missions in a third world country to serving in a soup kitchen for a Saturday, or being a witness for Him on campus. But IF this is something that your would like to give a try, I would love to encourage you in it. Also, bear in mind, these bandages can be crocheted (but I can’t crochet for the life of me, so I knit). If you are already a knitter (advanced or beginner), or share the same mind-set I did of “Knitting is for geeks”, it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that you have a heart to serve the Lord through serving others.
The bandages do not have to be perfect. I mean seriously, if they will accept mine then they will certainly accept yours. Trust me. =)

So, if this is something you would like to have take part in, then check out:
http://leprosybandages.blogspot.com/2008/06/updated-instructions-for-making-leprosy.html
It will give you all the details and instruction you will need.
Thanks for taking the time to read this, I have a hard time sharing what’s on my heart.

 

Word of the Month

The word of this month is…………..

Implacable: adj. 1. Incapable of being placated or pacified; not capable of being appeased, significantly changed, or mitigated.  2. inflexible; intractable.

Sometimes we all get into one of those “implacable” moods…nothing anyone can say will satisfy us. Nothing they can say will make it right, or changes us. Sometimes we need to allow ourselves to be moved, sometimes we need to have an open mind….though sometimes we do need to stand fast.

Here’s a quote for you:

If there is a sin against life, it consists perhaps not so much in despairing of life as in hoping for another, and in eluding the implacable grandeur of this life.

-  Albert Camus

 

Little Red Flowers and Chocolate Brown!

Remember that one of my “Resolutions” was no more unfinished projects?? Like that crate that I have yet to finish painting because my brother’s dog drank the milk paint?

Well, I just finished one of those “unfinished” projects.  (Yes, you can tell I’m proud of myself, can’t you? Little pat on the back). I’m terrible with “unfinished projects”. It takes forever for me to actually begin them – I must have everything plotted out (ahem, planned. I meant planned) several months in advance, I’m a perfectionist in that area. And then when I finally begin it is very unwillingly, and painful, for me.

So, I started working on this apron back in the fall. A gardening apron, to be precise. And it soon became evident that it would not be used until the spring…hehe, could have told you that before I started it in September!…It’s my first major sewing project by myself… To be fair, I did sew something “solo” last year. It was little pin cushions for my friends…yeah, that was a mess. Even my dear friend (who shall remain nameless, but you know who you are!) texted me to thank me for the “cute little pillow”. Hey, at least she said it was cute. That’s working for me…. But to get back on the train of thought here…

I was pretty cautious to cut out the pattern….one wrong move and….

I was aiming for pattern “D”…but to be honest, I would be happy if it

didn’t come out looking like a toga… =)

Ok, put the pattern pieces on the fabric and pin them into place…

Now, take the scissors (don’t freak out, don’t freak out!) and CUT the fabric out!

Right-y! Still breathing? Good, keep it up! Now, look at these.

These are the pieces that will make up your apron!

These are the pieces that YOU cut out!!

These are the piece you have planned and calculated for!!!

These are the pieces…OK, snap out of the motivational-speech-fantasy…

Pull out the sewing machine and figure out how the thing works…again.

Pin the pieces together and then….

SEW!!!

Be proud, this is the bottom half. This is the skirt.

The rest of it! Sew the rest of it! Do not stop now, it’s mid-January!

And finally, it is done!

Bask in the joy of a job finally accomplished….there’s not that many “first-times”.

(It was a pretty simple apron, but the bodice was the hardest part. Gathers have never been my thing…at least, if I actually ever sewed they wouldn’t…)

The finished product. Voila!

It modeled, with a slight turn…Do I see pockets in this apron’s future?

(There is a reason you can’t see me in this photo…the expression would be one of crazed enthusiasm, whilst the hair would be crazed fluff…and therefore we give you the headless apron-woman…or should we go with maid?)

…Perhaps pockets. If so, that will be another weekend’s project…

…when I feel up to wrestling the sewing machine again.

And that is the result of careful *cough* planning and extended sewing….I think I will enjoy it a lot once spring comes along. Though next time I’m going to find thicker fabric….and maybe I’ll do a tool-belt on it…ohhh, a cute green and brown…or maybe some pinkish something…or………..

 

New Year’s Resolutions…

I’ve been staring at this blank screen for some time…I guess you could call it blogger’s block.

All my thoughts were what my friend would call brambling rambles…so I procrastinated and went to practice my violin. Squeak squeak, scratch scratch, done. Still, no thoughts.

I wanted to write about New Year’s Resolutions…but it’s hard to be resolute. I guess one of my resolutions might be goal-setting. I get more done that way. Oh yeah, and no more un-finished projects…working on that one. Biggest resolution? That would be the one which involves my spiritual life….ouch, we don’t want to go there though, right?

Request denied.

The center of the solar system is the sun. Scientist do not know what the center of the universe is yet…but if it is infinite it should stand to reason that there is no center. I mean, you have to know the boundaries of something, the edges so to speak, before you can appoint a center for that same something.  But skip that, back to the sun. At one time scientist believed the sun to be the center of the universe, but even before they figured out that the sun was the hub of our revolving solar system, it was believed that the sun revolved around us, the earth. Stood to reason, I mean, why shouldn’t it?

I am the earth. Not literally. Here’s how I mean: I go about, living life, eating lasagna and scarfing down chocolate, under the delusion that I am the center of the known universe. The sun with everything else, well, it all just rotates around me. Then one day I am older, and not much wiser, and I realize that I am NOT the center of the universe. Life doesn’t rotate around me, I rotate around life.  So a switch is naturally desirable. No longer am I living a lifestyle that says “ME”, I am no more in-tune with the outer-world, reality.

This is as far as most of us get. I mean, some of us get stuck at the whole “me” place and never wake up to the fact that there is more to life. But what if someone woke up and said, “Yes, the world, life, doesn’t rotate around me. I rotate around it. But life, the world, isn’t the center of the universe either. The Universe has no known boundary, there’s something more than all this out there.”

What? What is that something more? I have dared to allegorize (to pen a word) myself as the earth, and the world (and life in general)as the sun. What then, pray tell, is the universe? What is that vast extension of the unknown, undiscovered? Where does it end?….Does it end?

A smart blogger would leave it at that, allowing her readers to think on it and decide for themselves. And then everyone would be happy.

But I’m not a smart blogger…in fact I’m a rather un-savvy, and so I’ll stick my foot in it.

There is something that is very infinite and beyond all of us. Someone. That someone is the One who made the earth, perfectly suited to life, and who made the sun, our source of light and what makes us tick, and who made that big unknown.

That Someone is the Creator. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was moving over the surface of the waters.Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.”

That Someone is the reason for living beyond ourselves. And for living beyond other circumstances and people.

So my biggest resolution? My biggest is to know more about God, to be more focused on Him than me, to seek Him out with my heart every moment of my life, and to be so awe-stricken with Him that I see everything else as it really is in His radiant light. That’s my life’s resolution.

You can live for the sun, because we rotate around it, but if you do you must realize that the sun isn’t the center of the universe.  So I think I won’t settle for anything less than the One who made it all.

 

Life ~ 2009

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

 

The Post that Warrants No Title…

I was planning on doing a post on new year’s resolutions and the such….but that will have to wait (Trust me, I will be sorely disappointed if I never get to it). Why must it wait? Because I was reading in a blog that I recently found (and enjoy!), and the post I was reading was an answer to this question:

I enjoy reading your work and was wondering whether if you don’t get married by the time you’re 30, will you stay at home when your brothers are grown up or will you take up some missionary work?

Now, the surprising thing is that I didn’t find the question outrageously odd. I found it to be the question I often turn over in my head, and after reading that post I had to wonder: ‘Why in the world do I assume that once a single girl turns 3o she is suddenly “un-eligable” ?’ Why do with think this way? Why is 30 the end of the road?And just a note, in response to the question the girl jokingly replied that at 21 she would end her miserable life as a spinster…and that end was arsenic, not marriage. =) I couldn’t help but laugh. I’m 21….Great…..Don’t have much hope, do I?

And then, why is it that, for a 30 year old spinister, Missionary work is the only opption? I have nothing against missionary work, but I actually believe that “missionary” work should be a part of your daily life. If our Lord served daily, shouldn’t it be part of our daily service? There is the misconception that you are only doing missionary work if you are ministering to someone who speaks a different language than you do.

These are misconceptions that I have had, and that many girls share as well.

But how do we deal with these misconceptions? I mean, why would I write a post about them if I did not have the ultimate answer? Seriously.

And then the question that’s even more pressing to me, What is a girl to do if marriage is not in her near future?

What is wasting your time? And what is making full use of it? What is serving the Lord? And what is serving self?

I wish there was a cookie-cutter answer…but there is not. I don’t even have the answers to all of them….Okay, most of them. But I do know that God doesn’t leave us without them. He is the Wonderful Counselor after all. And you know, faith is walking through the fog anyway. And faith, well faith is  the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Not seen. Well, there’s a lot I don’t see. Hope. That’s a good word, I recall a verse that goes:

“For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.” – Romans 8:24-25

Who hopes for what they already see?

You can say I’m naive, that I’m a day-dreamer. But I’ll take that hope, whatever it brings. And I’ll live my single years by God’s will for them, not man’s.

I fear that I’ve raised more questions than I’ve answered. Maybe I’ll take the the time to answer them all soon….when I know all the answers….=)

 

Good Bye, Old Year….

I saw this on another girl’s blog and wanted to do the same (yes,yes, I know I’m a copy-cat).

Wishing you a great new year, but also that you don’t forget the magical moments of the past year!

 

Christmas Morn Part 2

And to continue with post two of Christmas day in the morning……(hey, we took over 1000 pictures, so be grateful I didn’t include them all!) Again, photo credits to my sis and Dad who helped out (you can tell theirs from mine….mine are the blurry, odd ones. =D). I hope you enjoy!

Soon the grandparents arrived on the scene,

followed by brother, sister-in-law, mother-in-law, and nephew.

Look who has everyone’s undivided attention.

Hmmm….would could this be?

This is the season when our curiosity is at its peak.

Does it shake?

How many shirts did Charles get?

I’m not quite sure…..

Trying to decipher the writing on the back of John’s shirt.

Turns out it was Latin….and who’d have guessed my Dad reads Latin. =)

He keeps us laughing.

Ah! Metal picture holders????

For me????

In the words of Sally:
Christmas it about getting while the getting is good.

jk!

Grandma’s little helper.

Spike (the dog) made a special book of coupons for Mom….

…how original of him. I must say, he has very neat handwriting for a dog.

Dressed for success….

…or at least for the job.

A perfect gift for Mimi from the grandson.

Guess who will be taking lunch to work in that nifty John Wayne lunch box??

“Speak low, speak slow, and don’t talk too much.” -J. Wayne

What’s this growing smile about?

Hope did a family collage for Dad’s office.

There’s an interesting story behind that gym bag…

The little nephew got balls and more balls, amongst them was a squishy green one with

tentacles which he was desperate to pluck off.

She done got her some boots!

She’s gone country…

“Yeah, we know we look like hicks, and there ain’t nothin’ we’re gonna do about it.”

=D

The delights of the season.

(when words fail me, there’s always Jane Austen)

In my Mom’s family there is a long, long-standing tradition of embarrassing a

family member once a year with the gift of the family long johns.

Who got it this year????

Charles is the lucky winner!!!

Unfortunately there are too short, or he is too tall, for him to try them on.

*he sighs a sigh of relief*.

And that is what happened on Christmas day in the morning.

God bless us, everyone!!!!

 

Christmas Morn’

Christmas morning is a time of magic that begins around four or five a.m. for most families.

But not for us.

Christmas morning is a day we can sleep in, some of us wake up early-ish, but not to peak at presents….OK, not only to peak at presents…. and a day Dad often hunts on. Around 8:00 you will see us stirring, and when we begin to stir…do we stir!!! Breakfast to be made, a Ham to roast, and (a ritual most parents perform Christmas Eve)  stocking stuffin’.

Being older now, we fluctuate between doing stockings at our house. Last year we didn’t, this year we did, next year who knows.  Usually stockings, when done, are done before breakfast, and after breakfast the gifts.  This year we got carried away and did not have breakfast until noon. After all, it was Christmas. =)
It was almost 10 by the time we got rounded up in the living room, after some drama about cameras and the rest, Dad read a verse out of Isaiah and John said a Christmas blessing, and then we began! I got more pictures than I would count, and so many I want to share that this will come in two posts. Please keep in mind that the camera is on its last leg and this photographer has been having a difficult time of it of late. Also, there is photo credit to my Dad and sis, Hope (Who took most of the most worth while photos). I hope you enjoy….here it is: OUR CHRISTMAS!

Opening stockings….what a jolly Christmas!

What’s this? A holiday drama?

Or perhaps a comedy.

Dad handed out the gifts.

Don’t ask me why that look is on Charles’ face.

Trying to hide a smile. =)

Whose fan is he????

The New England Patriots, that’s whose!

Mom got a pair of Peanut (Charlie Brown peanut, not the peanut, peanut.) pajamas,

which she ADORES.

The Chipmunk Trio!

Apparently there were some of us who…ahem….warranted certain CDs

after becoming avid listeners during this Christmas tide. *cough*

We’re all Cowboy fans, but John is THE Dallas Cowboy fan. =)

Our sunshine girl…aptly named Hope.

What she received for Christmas could be summed up as follows:

Coffee everything, PJ’s, and anything with the word HOPE on it.

Can ya tell she likes coffee?

Dad found that especially to stick in her stocking. It says,

“DRINK COFFEE

Do stupid things faster and with more energy.”

Cute, huh?

And nothing describes the boys like the word FOOTBALL

That book is about 2 inches thick….

…bettcha he’ll have it all memorized by the new year. =)

And bettcha he’ll be playing that by then too.

Where she sat it was difficult to get her picture…the light would not cooperate.

I believe that is a book about Brittany Spaniels.

What is this that Mother-dear is opening?

*Gasp!* She disappeared!

Aha!

The much wanted purse!

Yes, chipmunks. These little guys were some of my favorites, I can still remember that theme song…
“Chip-chip-chip n’ Dale, rescue rangers!!!” a-do-wa! =)

And that little embarrassing photo concludes part 1 of Christmas in the morning. =)