if 50 is the new 30,
then 30 is the new 10.
today i'm 11.
8.28.2006
8.23.2006
what i did on summer vacation:
there are several accounts that are standard fare for vbs Bible story time: zaccheus and the tree, philip and the ethiopian, abraham and the potential isaac slaying, and noah's ark. whilst the kids and i were sloshing around in that big old boat with noah and all those animals, i couldn't help but think of the similarity of the ark and the cross. GOD used the ark to rescue His chosen people from a worldwide flood. He used the cross to rescue His chosen people from eternal damnation. you have to love the symetry of that! something else came to light in the midst of all this thought that i love even more. GOD's instructions deemed that the ark be a certain size. He obviously knew how many animals would have to be brought on the ark and how much room they would occupy, so the ark could have been *exactly* the right size. but it wasn't. it was too big! not just "we could put another animal there mrs. noah" too big, but "did i forget my other menagerie mrs. noah" too big! GOD provided a 120 year sermon with object lesson for noah's observers. He could have wiped them all out without warning or wooing, but instead there was this enormous gopher wood box that had the foreshadowing of "cross" written all over it. by faith noah...built a boat sans sight, became an object lesson for every generation, and as a result: "became intimate with GOD."
where do i sign up.
where do i sign up.
7.14.2006
chairs 2
along with all the reading, television watching, and relaxing i throw myself at in the summer, here are a few other things i'm working on:
this is a chair i purchased at goodwill for $10.96 that was a horrible shade of antiqued green and brown. it was screaming for this shade of blue. my sister saw it and asked if she could taste it. the color is positively drinkable.
this looks like a chair with a story doesn't it? yes, the pattern is quite outdated, but it's the one i chose almost 25 years ago. (i couldn't resist the little farming people--i remember that vividly!) the chair belonged to my grandmother, and it originally sat in her little consignment shop in the sticks, oklahoma. i don't remember the previous pattern, but one summer when i, my brother and my cousins were there for our annual 2 week visit, mammaw took me to the fabric store to pick out the pattern (maybe she had a vision of my future-she also bought me minature baking pans one Christmas). she told me then that someday i could have the chair. so, 25 years later the chair is in serious want of an update. the new fabric is purchased (although i'm not as committed to it as i was a year ago) and now i'm waiting for the nerve to strike.
this is a chair i purchased at goodwill for $10.96 that was a horrible shade of antiqued green and brown. it was screaming for this shade of blue. my sister saw it and asked if she could taste it. the color is positively drinkable.
this looks like a chair with a story doesn't it? yes, the pattern is quite outdated, but it's the one i chose almost 25 years ago. (i couldn't resist the little farming people--i remember that vividly!) the chair belonged to my grandmother, and it originally sat in her little consignment shop in the sticks, oklahoma. i don't remember the previous pattern, but one summer when i, my brother and my cousins were there for our annual 2 week visit, mammaw took me to the fabric store to pick out the pattern (maybe she had a vision of my future-she also bought me minature baking pans one Christmas). she told me then that someday i could have the chair. so, 25 years later the chair is in serious want of an update. the new fabric is purchased (although i'm not as committed to it as i was a year ago) and now i'm waiting for the nerve to strike.
7.11.2006
foodies
for those that are dairy free (or are thinking of going dairy free--it will change your life--you know who you are) try this site. there are some great substitutions for things like heavy cream and buttermilk (although nothing can ever replicate smoked brie or denny's moons over my hammy or a pumpkin vanilla shake or....ahh!).
also, i've come across this blog as well. although i don't participate in the gluten free lifestyle, this woman is terribly entertaining. she photographs her food and weaves the recipie into her recent excusions. very entertaining.
also, i've come across this blog as well. although i don't participate in the gluten free lifestyle, this woman is terribly entertaining. she photographs her food and weaves the recipie into her recent excusions. very entertaining.
7.09.2006
who's afraid of the big bad wolf?
my greatest fear:
forgetting and not forgetting.
"you're going to think to yourselves, 'oh! we're outnumbered ten to one by these nations! we'll never even make a dent in them!' but I'm telling you, don't be afraid. remember, yes, remember in detail what God, your God, did to pharaoh and all egypt. remember the great contests to which you were eyewitnesses: the miracle-signs, the wonders, God's mighty hand as he stretched out his arm and took you out of there. God, your God, is going to do the same thing to these people you're now so afraid of."
deuteronomy 7:17
"forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. be alert, be present. i'm about to do something brand-new. it's bursting out! don't you see it? there it is! i'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands."
isaiah 43
(while visions of habakkuk danced in her head)
so, what are you afraid of?
forgetting and not forgetting.
"you're going to think to yourselves, 'oh! we're outnumbered ten to one by these nations! we'll never even make a dent in them!' but I'm telling you, don't be afraid. remember, yes, remember in detail what God, your God, did to pharaoh and all egypt. remember the great contests to which you were eyewitnesses: the miracle-signs, the wonders, God's mighty hand as he stretched out his arm and took you out of there. God, your God, is going to do the same thing to these people you're now so afraid of."
deuteronomy 7:17
"forget about what's happened; don't keep going over old history. be alert, be present. i'm about to do something brand-new. it's bursting out! don't you see it? there it is! i'm making a road through the desert, rivers in the badlands."
isaiah 43
(while visions of habakkuk danced in her head)
so, what are you afraid of?
7.01.2006
confession is not (always) good for the soul
as you know i’ve been sleuthing about with the spirited mme ramotswe of the no. 1 ladies’ detective agency on zebra drive in the hauntingly beautiful country of botswana. i didn’t expect the LORD to reveal Himself so clearly in my fiction reading, but i must admit when He does (as He is wont to do--no surprise) i become nearly giddy. i love the idea of the unregenerate writer unwittingly exposing miraculous truth. madame detective relates a story of when she was in primary school and the head teacher was trying to catch a young thief. he makes everyone come to his office and swear on a Bible: “i am not a thief.” everyone comes in. everyone swears. the culprit is not discovered. precious ramotswe was not guilty of the theft, and so swears. but when she arrives home to tell “the daddy” and aunt of the events, she realizes that a week prior, she had eaten a doughnut that was sitting on the kitchen counter. she fears the head teacher’s promised lightening strike, and after a sleepless night, confesses the thievery. her aunt smiles and says: “but that was meant for you, that doughnut. you did not steal it.”
so maybe it’s just me, but sometimes when things go well, and the LORD gives me something (like a doughnut for example), i feel the piper paying is piping its way around the corner. that i didn’t deserve it, or maybe that i even stole it, and eventually i'll have to cough up a good deed or a confession. that maybe all this stuff about “unconditional” is just a well planned ruse to get me to steal the doughnut and then confess. but the doughnut is meant for me, and so i can’t pinch it. no confession or deed will make me any less or more worthy of the cream filled delight. my mantra today: i am not a thief--that doughnut was meant for me.
so maybe it’s just me, but sometimes when things go well, and the LORD gives me something (like a doughnut for example), i feel the piper paying is piping its way around the corner. that i didn’t deserve it, or maybe that i even stole it, and eventually i'll have to cough up a good deed or a confession. that maybe all this stuff about “unconditional” is just a well planned ruse to get me to steal the doughnut and then confess. but the doughnut is meant for me, and so i can’t pinch it. no confession or deed will make me any less or more worthy of the cream filled delight. my mantra today: i am not a thief--that doughnut was meant for me.
6.29.2006
care to join me for some bush tea?
typically my summer reading works itself into a frenzied theme. i've had a talking animal book summer (the chronicles of narnia, redwall series, wind in the willows, beatrix potter, watership down, mrs. frisby and the rats of nimh), a pendragon summer (the once and future king, lewis's science fiction trilogy, susan cooper's greenwich series, tales of king arthur, lloyd alexandar's newbery winning high king series), fairy tales retold summer (wicked and all other's by gregory maguire, eragon, and several other's ferreted out at the library whose names i can't recall), my non fiction summer (galileo's daughter, the professor and the madman, longitude), and even a summer at sea (patrick o'brien's aubry/maturin series, treasure island, mutiny on the bounty). as has been the habit, this summer has proven to reveal it's own theme. after completing last summer's theme (on a down note i might add) by reading "son of a witch," the sequel to maguire's "wicked," i began what may be the best summer reads i've had in 13 years (except maybe the christmas i re-read the laura ingalls wilder books, and couldn't wait to get up to my room to find out what laura was up to). this has been the summer of "the no. 1 ladies detective agency" and the gently perceptive precious ramotswe as she sleuths about in the peaceful country of botswana. the smell of her red bush tea lures me in every evening. these quite possibly might be the most charming books i've ever enjoyed.
and it helps that red bush is my tea of choice (try it with a little cream and sugar).
and it helps that red bush is my tea of choice (try it with a little cream and sugar).
6.28.2006
never too late
letter noodles!
yesterday!
(we cheered and jumped like we were 7 in the aisle at the market-the people around us gawked.)
we deemed it the "find" of the summer.
yesterday!
(we cheered and jumped like we were 7 in the aisle at the market-the people around us gawked.)
we deemed it the "find" of the summer.
6.15.2006
6.12.2006
paper or plastic?
in keeping with my most recent reminders of tournaments that require intellectual stamina, i feel a responsibility to mention the highlight of the tournament season: the annual rock, paper, scissors championship. the dualing begins monday night at 10/9 central on a & e. don't miss it!
(make sure you find a little extra time today in your schedule to practice some juvenille hand-slapping yourself. it might come in handy when making those big decisions.)
(make sure you find a little extra time today in your schedule to practice some juvenille hand-slapping yourself. it might come in handy when making those big decisions.)
6.10.2006
what we can't see
last sunday nite at church we had a brief testimony time. typically i’m not one to get up and say anything even in the tiny church in which i grew up (yes, they endured the perm, the sometimes scarry easter dresses, and the bandanna phase). rather, i find it much safer to expose my feelings in writing to a large group than in person. in the midst of the testimonies about GOD’s simple provision of salvation and fellowship, the LORD slammed me with: “more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise!”--the very mantra He’s whispered in my soul since october! i heard Him say: “erin, are you willing to let me keep doing this work? my work? remember this was never about the things you wanted, but about us. this is more of the more and more people you asked for.” and the next thing i knew i found myself up on my feet speaking of the relentless pursuit of my Father through promised sanctification. oh what grace! more and more praise.
“every detail works to your advantage and to GOD’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! so we’re not giving up. how could we! even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where GOD is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. these hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. there’s far more here than meets the eye. the things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. but the things we can’t see now will last forever.” ii cor 4:15-18
“every detail works to your advantage and to GOD’s glory: more and more grace, more and more people, more and more praise! so we’re not giving up. how could we! even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where GOD is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. these hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. there’s far more here than meets the eye. the things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. but the things we can’t see now will last forever.” ii cor 4:15-18
6.05.2006
more dragon-adventuring
"but how do you begin being a Deliverer?" philip asked, sitting up and feeling suddenly very grand and manly....
"there's lots of different ways," said mr. perrin. "your particular way's simple. you just got to kill the dragon."
"a live dragon?"
"live!" said mr. perrin. "why he's all over the place and as green as grass he is. lively as a live kitten. he's got a broken spear sticking out of his side, so someone must have had a try at baggin' him, sometime or another."
"don't you think," said philip, a little overcome by this vivid picture, "that perhaps i'd better look for lucy first, and be a Deliverer afterward?"
"if you're afraid," said mr. perrin.
"i'm not," said philip doubtfully.
"you see," said the carpenter, "what you've got to consider is: are you going to be the hero of this 'er adventure or ain't you? you can't 'ave it both ways. an' if you are, you may's well make up your mind, cause killing a dragon ain't the end of it, not by no means."
"do you mean there are more dragons?"
"not dragons....not dragons exactly. but there...i don't want to lower your heart. if you kills the dragon, then afterward there's six more hard things you've got to do. and then they make you king. take it or leave it. only, if you take it we'd best be starting....."
"suppose i don't want to be a Deliverer." said philip slowly.
"then you'll be a Destroyer," said the carpenter. "there's only these two situations vacant here at present."
"the magic city" by e. nesbit:
"there's lots of different ways," said mr. perrin. "your particular way's simple. you just got to kill the dragon."
"a live dragon?"
"live!" said mr. perrin. "why he's all over the place and as green as grass he is. lively as a live kitten. he's got a broken spear sticking out of his side, so someone must have had a try at baggin' him, sometime or another."
"don't you think," said philip, a little overcome by this vivid picture, "that perhaps i'd better look for lucy first, and be a Deliverer afterward?"
"if you're afraid," said mr. perrin.
"i'm not," said philip doubtfully.
"you see," said the carpenter, "what you've got to consider is: are you going to be the hero of this 'er adventure or ain't you? you can't 'ave it both ways. an' if you are, you may's well make up your mind, cause killing a dragon ain't the end of it, not by no means."
"do you mean there are more dragons?"
"not dragons....not dragons exactly. but there...i don't want to lower your heart. if you kills the dragon, then afterward there's six more hard things you've got to do. and then they make you king. take it or leave it. only, if you take it we'd best be starting....."
"suppose i don't want to be a Deliverer." said philip slowly.
"then you'll be a Destroyer," said the carpenter. "there's only these two situations vacant here at present."
"the magic city" by e. nesbit:
6.02.2006
ursprache
a few pictures from the pre-bee activities:
"quick! somebody hand me the noodles, i need a "t"!"
(the flurry of spelling with spaghettiO's)
"quick! somebody hand me the noodles, i need a "t"!"
(the flurry of spelling with spaghettiO's)
6.01.2006
to bee or not to bee
don't forget about the most shocking television on tonite. this annual event will be feasted with fish and alphabet soup at our house (the former as brain food, the latter as practice). go see bee information (look at the pictures for the most intensely geeky kids ever. they're spelling in their free time!)can you spell ABC?
that is the question.
(oh, i couldn't leave well enough alone! yes, that's a boy with a list of words at a PIZZA PARTY! if you look closely at the mom's shirt, it says "WORD." geeky people being cool is so cool. you think i'm making fun. i'm not. love this stuff.)
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