My 12 Stones

2011-05-02T16:00:00.002-04:00

Today as I was in the car from 1:00 to 3:30 picking up both kids from different schools across town from one another, I was complaining in my heart and thinking how I can’t wait until school is over and for next year so our lives will slow down, etc., when I was convicted about my bad attitude and remembered what a privilege it is for my kids to not only attend school, but to be able to put them in private Christian schools this year. I once showed Rachel a video of girls in Africa who don’t get to go to school because they have to get water for their family every day. When she would complain about school I reminded her that she GETS to go to school and that not every girl does. I guess I needed that reminder, today, too.

Spinach-Strawberry Salad

2010-06-10T11:05:00.003-04:00

This is so yummy. Strawberries are just going out of season here, but we have eaten this numerous times this spring and the girls just loved it.

1 pint fresh strawberries, sliced/chopped
12 oz fresh spinach, torn into bite sized pieces

1/2 c. toasted sliced almonds (opt)
1/4 c. salad oil (canola or sunflower)
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp minced green onions
1 tsp. salt
Dash of tabasco sauce
2 Tbsp. cider vinegar

Prepare strawberries and spinach. Mix remaining ingredients together in food processor and serve on the side.

Peace

2010-06-02T11:47:00.004-04:00

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. (Acts 17:26-27)

I love those verses. Especially the part about God knowing our times and places. At the moment, we have no idea where we will be living or what we will be doing 3 months from now, but I am strangely (?) at peace about the whole matter. I say strangely at peace because I am a chronic worrier. Typically I would be worrying about where we will live and how we will earn money and where our kids will go to school. But ever since we made the decision to return to the U.S., I have been completely at peace. It helps that we do have a temporary place to stay, but that is temporary and I have absolutely no idea what comes after temporary or how long temporary may be. On the one hand, David is excited because he feels like the possibilities are endless and that we are at a crossroads where he can try something new. He is leaning heavily towards going back to school, but is also exploring a few other possibilities. Thankfully, we have zero debt, which helps.

And there is the matter of schooling for Rachel. Last night I was contemplating options and starting to get a little worried, but then I just reminded myself to trust the Lord and remembered that He loves her and has also set her times and places. I'm staying tuned with you to find out how that situation turns out!

You know how sometimes a verse you read at a seemingly random moment will keep fluttering in your head for days on end? But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that (1 Tim 6:8) has been one of those verses for me lately. I was thinking about it yesterday and thought it interesting that Paul doesn't say if we have food, clothing, a house, good schools, health insurance...fill in your blank...we will be content with that. Simply food and clothing.

Bop Turns 4

2010-04-30T11:37:00.008-04:00

Last Saturday was Bop Bop's birthday. We began the day with a family outing to a local churreria, where we had churros and chocolate. Later at home we celebrated with a mini party including a specially requested monkey cake and of course, presents.

This is the best we could do. I made a chocolate cake with white cream cheese frosting. Then David freehanded this monkey with chocolate icing. Impressive, huh?

Rachel helping him read his card.

A new bus (from Grandma and Grandpa).

And this awesome superman costume from Uncle Herb and Aunt Maddie. (With his very own umbrella from mommy and daddy).

The joys of my life

2010-04-26T07:56:00.003-04:00

My little girl celebrated this milestone yesterday. Her first lost tooth. It had been wiggly since the first of April, yes more than 3 weeks! David had tried pulling it several times but it never would come out. Yesterday Rachel and I had gone to a baby shower and while there, she came up to me and showed me how wiggly it was. The lady sitting next to me (another ECA mom) offered to try and pull it out so with paper towel in hand, she twisted it and voila! Rachel was thrilled. And of course she was even more excited about the Euro she found in her tooth fairy pillow this morning.

And we have been working on memorizing this passage for a few weeks. I am so proud of my little boy! Here is the text he is quoting.
Stand up and praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.
Neh 9:5-6

Downcast

2010-04-23T04:41:00.003-04:00

This has been kind of a down week for me. I was saddened by the news of the death of a sweet girl I used to know. She died of breast cancer at age 36, leaving her husband and 2 little girls. Then I found out that another amazing couple I knew in college have separated/divorced, which just leaves me grappling with the fact that it really can happen to anyone and made me want to guard and cultivate my marriage like never before. And we were informed by one of our most faithful supporters that they were no longer able to give financially. In all, quite a discouraging week.

This morning before Rachel left for school, we read Psalm 116 (we started with Psalm 1 and have read a psalm every weekday morning before she leaves for school). Psalm 116:15 says "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." I love that verse. And it was timely that Psalm 116 is about the compassion of the Lord and how he hears us when we call to him. The psalmist talks about crying out to the Lord and the Lord heard him in his distress. It didn't say that the Lord made him happy or immediately took away his trouble, but that the Lord had heard him. The Lord protects us and is unending in his compassion. I needed that reminder.

I have been reading to Rachel in the evenings from Revelation. The other night we read in Chapter 4 the description of the throne of God and the 24 elders who fall down before him, laying their crowns before him saying, "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."

This morning after I pointed out Psalm 116:15 and we talked about how God sees Leslie's death as precious and valuable. I was able to remind Rachel, too, that the awesome thing for Leslie is that now she is in the presence of God and his throne and she understands him fully now in ways that we cannot. She is able to witness the sea of glass and able to join in with the 24 elders as they worship Him who is the holy and almighty God.

Rachel

2010-04-19T05:20:00.007-04:00

It's been a while since I wrote anything about my sweet little girl. I can hardly believe she is almost finished with first grade. This has been such a wonderful year for her. She has thrived in school and we regularly hear good reports from her teacher and other parents. But besides growing in maturity and academics, it has been a joy to watch her deepen in her faith and understanding of world events, missions and basic Biblical knowledge. The other night before bed we told her she could pray for whatever she wanted. She prayed, "Dear God, we pray that you would end the wars that are going on in the world and that the people would be happy and have peace." I have no idea where that came from!

A few weeks ago she had a bad eczema attack, which we suspect was an allergic reaction to something she ate. We have an appointment with an allergist next week to see if we can have her re-tested and find out what she is allergic to. We haven't had her tested since she was a baby.

At school, all the kids refer to her as "Little Red." There is a 3rd grader who also has red hair and she is "Big Red." Rachel loves her nickname. And the other day she came home very excited that her substitute p.e. teacher had called her "Carrots." I'm so thankful that she likes the nicknames and is not embarrased of her beautiful red hair.

And one more very special thing that happened last week. Like every other elementary-aged girl, she has been wanting an American Girl doll for as long as I can remember. She has read almost all of the books and most of her friends have them, but I would never spend that much money on a doll. So a year or so ago we had gone to the home of some missionaries here whose kids go to ECA. They have a teenage daughter who had the Josefina doll. Rachel had so much fun playing with the doll while we were at their house. The other day, the teenage daughter called to say that she had been thinking about her doll and how she had outgrown her and really would love it if she could give it to Rachel. Of course, I said that Rachel would be thrilled. So the next day, Hannah brought her Josefina doll to school along with several sets of clothes and doll accessories.

I told Rachel how special it was that Hannah had given her the doll, that it was so much more meaningful that it came from someone she knew and who had already loved Josefina for all those years. I also told her of God's faithfulness to us, yet again, and how when I was pregnant with her I remember wondering how in the world we were going to afford a baby, and yet I looked around our tiny house that was filled with everything we needed and knew in my heart that if God provided all this for us, how much more would he provide for his little child. And he did provide. We were overwhelmed by the blessings he poured out on us and had everything we could possibly need and more. And here is just one more example of his provision. Not only did he give Rachel the doll she had been wanting for so many years (at no cost to us), he added in the special benefit of a relationship with Hannah, a new bond between them and a special blessing to the giver.

God is so good.

Here she is with her new Josefina doll. Rachel is dressed as Felicity, another of the American Girls who happens to have red hair. Fitting, isn't it?

Paris

2010-04-08T15:36:00.001-04:00

Ok, so more than a year ago David’s parents suggested one day that it would be fun to meet us in Paris over spring break. Having never been, of course I was thrilled at the possibility. David’s family spent a year in Brussels, Belgium, for a year when he was 16 as they were studying French before moving to Africa so they had been to Paris several times already, which was great because they knew the language and knew their way around.

So we found a cheap flight on Easyjet (a no frills European airline) and we met them at the airport on Saturday and found our way to the apartment we had rented through vrbo.com (wonderful website!) and got settled in. Renting the apartment was the way to go. It was so nice to be together and have a kitchen rather than staying in separate hotel rooms and having to eat out all of our meals. I would highly recommend it and can give you the vrbo # if you are interested.

(our apartment is above the brown storefront, next to the bakery)

Once we were settled in we took a quick stroll around our neighborhood and a quick trip to the grocery store. We were within walking distance from Notre Dame Cathedral and the Siene River.

Sunday we went to the Louvre Museum, one of the largest museums if not the largest in the world. We spent most of the day there looking at the Mona Lisa, French 18th century art and the most interesting of all – the Egyptian and Greek sculptures and statues. In college I only took one class of Art History and unfortunately it was towards the end of my college career or I very well may have minored in it. I absolutely loved it. Studying philosophy and the ancient cultures of Egypt, Greece and Rome is something I really loved and putting it into the context of their art and civilization made it all come together for me. I never dreamed I would one day see it in person. It was also fun for me to show Rachel some of the Egyptian artifacts and hieroglyphics because we did a brief study of that in our homeschool geography last year.

Monday we ventured to the Eiffel Tower. It was a gorgeous day. We didn’t climb up into it but it was still cool to see it in person. It really is an amazing piece of architecture. After a nice lunch of steak and frites (french fries), we took a tour boat down the Seine, which was nice because it explained a lot of the buildings and sights as well as some history of the city. Living in Europe makes me wish I knew more about world history. I’m not sure how I missed that class in school, but anyhow. I’m always learning.

Tuesday we went to Luxembourg Gardens, where we found an amazing playground that the kids loved, of course. We did a lot of just walking around seeing the sights.

Notre Dame was amazing, of course. I can’t tell you all the history of it but it was neat to again see in real life the famous rose window, flying buttresses and towers that I have only seen in books. Because it was Holy Week there were services going on throughout the week and when we walked through, there was a lady singing and the acoustics made it such a beautiful experience. I could have sat and listened for hours, probably. So reverent and so beautiful in such an amazing building. Truly one of my most emotional and favorite moments.

Early Wednesday morning we took a high speed train to Brussels, Belgium, to spend the day. It was a long day with a lot of walking

but again I was delighted to see another city with its own distinct architecture, food and culture. David’s parents have pedometers and at the end of that particular day, they registered over 18,000 steps!

Thursday we went to another cathedral in Paris, Saint Chapelle, which was built by King Louis (later deemed “Saint Louis” FYI). It was so beautiful, surrounded by stained glass windows which depicted the entire Biblical narrative.

Thursday evening we took advantage of our babysitters and David and I went out to dinner, which is very rare for us these days. We found this nice little Italian restaurant on the Champs Elysees near the Arc de Triomphe. It was a lovely evening.

Friday we went to the Museum D’Orsay, which houses the largest collection of French Impressionism art, my absolute favorite period. We saw original works by Renoir, Monet and Van Gogh among others. Interestingly, both Rachel and Mathis recognized some of them from their “Baby Monet” DVD and Rachel knew some from other art books she has seen. I love love LOVED showing her the art and looking up close at the brush strokes and detail that one doesn’t see from a print. It was amazing. And she loved it.

I never dreamed how beautiful a city could be. I never dreamed that I would one day get to go. I never dreamed how much I would enjoy sharing it with my family. I never dreamed how rich the experience of seeing in person things I had only seen in books would be. What an opportunity!

Funny

2010-03-23T06:17:00.004-04:00

Sunday we went to the international church in Madrid and sent the kids to Sunday school as usual. When we went to pick up Mathis, he came out with his coloring page, which had his name, "Bob" written on it. I imagine the conversation went something like this.

Teacher: "What is your name?"
Mathis: "Bop Bop."
Teacher, thinking to herself, "Bob Bob? He must mean Bob." and proceeds to write Bob on his page.

A few weeks ago at the dinner table Jesse asked him if his name was Mathis and he said, "No, but people call me that."

So Rachel has been sick with a fever and sore throat for the last two days and we camped out on my bed and watched Leave it to Beaver, which she had never seen. She loved it, of course, and I found it entertaining on a new level, having a little boy of my own. In the pilot episode, Beaver's teacher calls him to the front and addresses him as "Theodore," and he corrects her, saying his name is Beaver. She asks if that is given name and he replies, "Yeah, my brother gave it to me." In the end, she agrees to call him Beaver. It makes me wonder how long Bop Bop will be Bop Bop. Maybe forever. :)

On trusting God…

2010-03-21T12:02:00.001-04:00

I’m still working through Jim Elliott’s biography, Shadow of the Almighty, and because it is so rich I am taking it in small doses. I admit that all I really knew of him I had learned from reading books by his widow, Elisabeth Elliott. I knew her side of their story and I knew of his famous martyrdom while attempting to share the Gospel with the Auca tribe in Ecuador. But reading this book has given me such a deeper insight into the life and thoughts of a man who was far from perfect and would not consider himself a hero, yet who valued the Word of God above everything else and who, for our benefit, was an excellent journaler.

One of the first stories is set while he was a student at Wheaton College and had been offered a job as a business manager, which he turned down. “After a long session of prayer my mind became settled, and I found peace in believing it was not the Lord’s will that I take it. Yet I still cannot set down reason for the decision save this, that the Lord showed the psalmist the way of life, evidently by him simply lingering in his presence (Psalm 116:11). I waited for Him and somehow the answer came. I trust it was of the Spirit. ‘A man’s heart devises his way.’ said Solomon, ‘but the Lord directs his steps’ My heart has devised to serve him. I must leave the next step to Him.”

The quote he is most famous for is one he wrote in his journal years before he set foot in Ecuador, “He is no fool who gives up what he cannot keep for that which he cannot lose,” but there are so many other meaningful and profound things he thought and wrote. I found it interesting, also, that after he graduated from college, he did not have a job so he moved back home to Oregon to live with his parents while he did odd jobs and waited for clear direction from God. He talks about how others were talking about him and criticizing the fact that he didn’t have a job yet, but he left the vindication to the Lord and continued to do the next thing until the way was made clear, which incidentally was several years later.

He was focusing on 2 mission opportunities – one in India and one in Peru, when he “just happened” to hear of a letter from a missionary in Ecuador…But he believed that the way would be obvious when the time came, provided that he continued fulfilling the duties which stared him in the face. As George MacDonald wrote, “obedience is the opener of eyes.”

Psalm 100

2010-03-13T10:23:00.003-05:00

Thursday at school, the elementary held their "speech meet," where every student had to stand up and recite a poem, speech or something else they had memorized. Rachel said Psalm 100 and afterward, was chosen among the best elementary students to give their recitations to the upper school speech meet the following day. We are so proud of her! Here is a video of it and unfortunately the sound isn't great, but anyway... my girl. :)

Today

2010-03-09T07:48:00.005-05:00

Outside My Window...
It is 50 degrees and sunny. I hung our laundry outside today for the first time in weeks.

I am thinking...
about my dad who is having hip replacement surgery today.

I am thankful for...
Romans 8:32 which says that God, who did not spare his own son, will faithfully give us ALL THINGS.

From the learning room...
I admit I have slacked off on our preschool routine, but I did find these Brainquest workbooks and am excited to start them when they get here. Rachel amazes me daily with her knowledge and abilities. I just finished the book Through Gates of Splendor, the story of Jim Elliott and 4 others who were missionaries in Ecuador who were murdered. I knew the story, but had never read this particular book. I wanted to know more so now I am reading Shadow of the Almighty - the personal journal and biography of Jim Elliot. It is so rich.

From the kitchen...
We had chickenetti last night with green beans and steamed sweet potato and apple chunks with carrot-coconut bread. Delicious.

I am wearing...
sweatpants and a long sleeve t-shirt, my usual outfit for days when I don't leave the house.

I am going...
home this summer.

I am reading...
my new vegan cookbook.

I am hoping...
that Mathis doesn't suffer for having not been in a classroom setting before starting school.

I am hearing...
the whirr of the fan which continually blows on our CPU because otherwise it will overheat, in addition to the heater we have blowing our our wet concrete walls to dry them out and hopefully prevent the mold from returning as well as a dehumidifier to suck the moisture out of the air, which is caused by the heater blowing on the wet walls. It's a bit noisy, but I'm used to it now.

Around the house...
you can always find a pile of blocks, cars or pillows these days.

One of my favorite things...
is still reading to my kids. I think it always will be.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Mathis-ism

2010-02-15T16:21:00.003-05:00

Tonight we were praying before bed for our Compassion little girl, Anfany. We asked Mathis to pray for her mom. He agreed. Then a minute later, he asked, "Does she have a daddy and a Bop Bop? I mean, a boy like me?"

So funny.

He also has his own pronunciations for things like
arrow is "euro" as in "dat euro is pointing up and dat euro is pointing down!"
except is "epcet" as in "God provided a ticket for us epcet we can't see it yet."
olives have "pips," as in "Mommy, I didn't eat the pip."

Is it wrong to not correct your children's mispronunciations? Rachel still calls it a soupcase (suitcase) and she also calls pits "pips." Because we think it's so cute we never correct them. I suppose one day she'll figure it out.

Tuesday Tip

2010-02-09T10:38:00.003-05:00

I really love to cook from scratch. One of my timesavers is to chop fresh onions by putting them in the food processor and chopping them. I do one or two onions at a time and keep the finely chopped onion in a container in the fridge. Then, whenever I need chopped onion for a recipe, I just spoon out as much as I need and save the rest. It saves time and also adds flavor. And because the onions are so tiny, those family members who don't like them won't even know they're there!

Homemade yumminess.

2010-02-03T08:51:00.005-05:00

Hummus from scratch:

1 can/jar of garbanzo beans/chickpeas
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin.

Drain and rinse beans. Add everything and blend in food processor or mash until smooth.

Salsa Roja

28 oz can diced tomatoes, drained.
chopped jalapenos to taste (I put about 1 tsp)
chopped onion to taste (I put about 1 Tbsp)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp salt
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Blend in food processor.

No-queso quesadillas (recipe from compassionatecooks.com)

tortillas
hummus
salsa
chopped green onions (optional).

Spread hummus on tortilla, followed by salsa and green onions. I like to spread some margarine (Smart Balance in the U.S.) on the pan-side of the tortillas to give it some golden crunch. Cook on a griddle or skillet for 3-4 minutes until warm. These were so delicious! I didn't even miss the cheese.

2010-02-01T12:42:00.003-05:00

My mother in law sent me this. It is interesting, but sad, too.

Thursday 13

2010-01-28T04:31:00.003-05:00

13 Miscellaneous Thoughts.

1. I really like magazines. I prefer the hard copy, real thing, in my hands where I can sit in a comfortable chair and peruse. I do not like online magazines. I love the internet, but I don't like reading for hours staring at my screen.

2. The same goes for books. My father-in-law was talking about Kindle the other day and the electronic book advancement and I said that I will always prefer the real thing. It's just not the same to read it on a screen.

3. The other day at recess, I saw Rachel whisper in one of the little boys' ears. I asked her what she had whispered and she said, "That I love him." I asked her why she loved him and she said, "Because he likes to pretend he's the Blue Knight and I'm the princess and he protects and defends me." I told her that was a good reason to love a boy. I'm going to keep my eye on that one!

4. David has a really bad cold. He's so pitiful when he's sick. Mathis and I both have mild symptoms, but David is far worse. I feel sorry for him.

5. Mathis's favorite activity lately is to pull all the pillows and blankets off his and Rachel's beds and pile them in the living room, making forts or houses for his animals or tents for camping - whatever he is pretending at the moment.

6. I have returned to healthy cooking. We used to be very healthy (well, at least we tried) and cooked with whole wheat everything, avoided anything with partially hydrogenated oil and tried to stay away from high fructose corn syrup. But when we moved to Spain, it was so hard to just cook normally, much less try to avoid everything. But I have begun making whole wheat bread and rolls again, buying whole wheat pasta and am working on avoiding artificial dyes and high fructose corn syrup - although it's harder said than done. They don't label foods here as well as in the U.S., but the more I can cook from scratch the better.

7. Our power goes out regularly. Sometimes it's caused by something outside the house, but most of the time it's because the circuits get overloaded. Our house is modern (only about 10 years old), and yet if we run too many electronics at the same time, the circuit breaker can't handle it so it cuts off.

8. The other day I babysat for an almost-2 year old boy. He was very easy, but two different times I went in the kitchen to find that my washing machine and dishwasher buttons had been pushed, turned or played with, in turn affecting the laundry and dishwashing. It reminded me again that I am thankful for the ages of our kids - old enough to not be into everything all the time.

9. I was reading something the other day about being "all there," when you are in a conversation with someone and I was thinking how I really need to be better about that. So often, my mind is somewhere else when I am listening to someone, especially my kids. I really need to pay more attention to people and their thoughts and words.

10. I started the year reading through Acts and the epistles because I feel like there are so many instructions in them on how to live a life that pleases the Lord and many of them are "small," things like "be joyful always," "Pray continually," "Be hospitable," "Give thanks in all circumstances," and yet I don't do those things. I need to be reminded of them and ask the Lord to help me obey Him in those things.

11. We have decided to stay in Spain for one more year, but have absolutely no idea what we will do after that. David has no idea what kind of job he would like to do and we have no idea where we will live. Probably Chattanooga, but who knows. I'm not worried at all about it, though. I know the Lord will show us in time.

12. I particularly like food magazines. If you ever want to send me a care package, stick a foodie magazine or two in and you would absolutely make my day! (David would like something computer-related).

13. I miss driving. Every now and then I get the urge to throw Mathis or Rachel in the car and just go to the mall or go to Panera or drive to a friend's house. But that is not my life right now. Most of the time I'm ok with it, but once in a while I miss my old life.

Memories

2010-01-25T15:32:00.004-05:00

Things I want to remember.

Rachel and Pink Ellie sitting at the breakfast table. Rachel tightly gripping Pink Ellie's tail.

Bop and his monkey.

The line up.

Breakfast

2010-01-25T15:25:00.004-05:00

I have a love/hate relationship with breakfast. I love eating a big breakfast, but I hate cooking a big breakfast. Generally, I am not a morning person and it takes me a while and a cup or two of coffee before I can really function well - just ask anyone who has ever lived with me. I am also not usually hungry for the first two hours I am awake. But I love eating a big breakfast when it all comes together. If I am ever afforded the opportunity to go out for breakfast, I jump at the chance. Because my favorite breakfast is eggs, hash browns and pancakes/waffles/French toast. My favorite at Panera was the baked egg souffle, preferably the spinach/bacon version. I can't do sweets early in the day either, so that limits me from consuming sweet cereals or pastries. Lately, I have been making quiche or breakfast casserole - savory, not sweet - and keeping it in the fridge to heat as needed in the mornings and it has been working well. But I do love breakfast and often dream of having my own cook who would make me eggs, toast, hash browns and maybe a tiny side of fresh fruit for breakfast every day. Sounds delicious, doesn't it. Maybe someday...

Mathis-ism

2010-01-19T15:23:00.002-05:00

We are unsure of our plans for the summer. We are trying to decide whether to come home for a while or whether to try and do some traveling around Spain and possibly other parts of Europe. Of course, we would love to come home for a few weeks but the ticket prices have been in the $900 range and have not budged in months. And at that rate, we really can't afford it. But my kids really want to go to Grandma's house, so we have been praying (the kids and I) that God would provide tickets for us to come home this summer.

So tonight during family worship before bedtime we flipped in our prayer book to Joel and Laura’s page and I told Bop Bop to pray that God would provide for their needs. He said, “Can I also pray that God would provide a ticket for them to come and see us?” It was funny. I’m not sure exactly what goes through his head, but it was cute anyway. And he asks me daily if we should ask God to provide a ticket for us to go on the airplane to Grandma's house.

We'll see what God does with it. :)

Contentment

2010-01-17T15:02:00.002-05:00

This afternoon Rachel stopped me as I was passing through her room and said, "Mommy, do you know the one thing I really want?"
"No, what?" I said.
"A locket. The one I saw at Claire's."
And it got me thinking.
Back up a few weeks.
We just had an unbelievably blessed Christmas with lots of gifts, followed by her birthday - more gifts, and to top that off, I just gave her another "just because" gift. One of her birthday gifts was the movie Molly - An American Girl on the Homefront, which tells the story of Molly, whose childhood is during WWII. Molly is also a tap dancer and Rachel has been mimicking the tap dance moves and dancing along with the movie with coins taped to the bottoms of her shoes. So I was thinking how much she would love a pair of tap shoes and found a pair on ebay, and presented them to her yesterday. Of course she loved them and has worn them nonstop for 2 days. And yet...she is still thinking about a locket she saw at the mall last week. It annoyed me because she wasn't expressing gratitude or thankfulness for the mounds of gifts and toys and books and games and wonderful things we have provided for her. She was only focusing on the thing she didn't have. And it was such a clear picture to me of how the Lord must feel when he gives us so many good things and we complain and grumble and covet after the (relatively few) things we don't have. She loved the tap shoes and was so excited to have them. And now, 48 hours later, she is already discontent and wanting something else. And I am no different.

Day 15

2010-01-15T02:46:00.003-05:00

I'm not achieving one a day, but it's close. ;)

I finished a book this week called "A Gathering of Days," by Joan Blos. It's children's fiction and I was previewing it for Rachel. It's in the format of a journal, written by a 13 year old girl in New Hampshire in the 1830's. A good, short read. Her last entry describes herself sitting in the downstairs of her house (think Little House on the Prairie), while everyone else is asleep the night before she is to leave for Boston to assist her relative in the birth and newborn days of their child. She is reflecting on how much she loves her home and I loved this quote.

I am to leave at daybreak and can not sleep tonight. Thus I have stolen down the stairs - their every, rough edge known to me - to sit by a single candle's light with this, my companion, my journal. I wonder if it is common to feel that never is a place so loved as when one has to leave it?

Thankfully I am not in that boat at the moment (the leaving boat, that is), but I have been in it and will be again in the not too distant future. But I think the quote is true for places as well as people we must say goodbye to. A good quote I wanted to remember.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-13T04:19:00.002-05:00

A few pics from the last few weeks...

Mathis and his "Bob the Builder" hat.

Rachel and her favorite Russian stacking doll set.

The Birthday Girl. 6 years old.

Rachel and Emma in their matching dresses.

Our little monkey in his monkey pajamas and slippers.

Day 11

2010-01-13T04:11:00.003-05:00

Have I mentioned how much I love reading historical fiction? I read this book over the break and enjoyed it immensely. It is based on the Biblical story of Queen Esther, but as good historical fiction authors do, it provided so much insight into her life, specifically before becoming queen. The Bible tells us that she was an orphan who was raised by her uncle, Mordecai, but I loved how this book went into detail (speculative, of course) as to how she became an orphan and what her youth was like. Also, it had never really occurred to me what it must have been like for all the young girls who were chosen as candidates - being taken from their homes and families, knowing they may never see their families again. I gained a lot of perspective from the historical narrative and would highly recommend the book. Afterward, we watched the movie One Night With the King, but I admit I was disappointed. The book is SO much better and goes into so much more detail, as is usually the case.

Day 10

2010-01-10T14:45:00.004-05:00

SNOW! I would never have expected so much snow in a country known for its dry arid climate, but this year it has snowed twice already and is snowing again as I type. Big, soft, white flakes. As I was taking the trash to the corner drop off, I was loving it and thinking about "Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes..." And it is sticking! Mathis was so excited watching it, while making big plans to play in it in the morning. He said, "Mommy, does God have big snowballs that he is dropping out of the sky?" Then, when we were ready to eat dinner tonight we couldn't find Rachel. I called for her and looked around - no answer. I opened the front door and called for her outside and she came running. She had climbed out her bedroom window to go play in the snow. At least she remembered to put her shoes on! :) We just got the call that school is delayed tomorrow and they will reevaluate in the morning to see whether to cancel it for the day. Lots of excitement tonight, as you can imagine!

Day 9

2010-01-10T14:40:00.002-05:00

Chicken-etti. One of our family's favorites.

12 oz spaghetti noodles (or any other pasta), cooked.
8 Tbsp butter
8 Tbsp flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp celery seed (opt., but it really adds good flavor)
3 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. finely diced onion
2 c. chopped cooked chicken, shredded
2 c. shredded cheese

Cook pasta and drain. Meanwhile, melt butter, flour, salt, pepper and celery seed together in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Once mixture is bubbly, stir constantly for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and slowly stir in 3 c. chicken broth. In a large pot (I use the pot I cooked the pasta in) mix pasta, sauce, chicken, onion and 1 1/2 cups cheese. Pour into greased 9 x 13. Sprinkle remaining cheese over the top and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes, until bubbly and melted. Serve with some colorful veggies and bread.

Day 8

2010-01-08T17:34:00.004-05:00

I think my favorite pie in the world is Key Lime. Lately, anytime I've made Mexican food for dinner, it has seemed like we should have a key lime pie for dessert. Something about the creamy coolness of lime juxtaposed with the spiciness of mexican... And it's so easy to make! Even here in Spain and that says a lot! For the crust: graham crackers + melted butter in a food processor to get mixed together and press into pie plate. Then mix 1 can sweetened condensed milk, juice of 2 limes and some of the lime zest - pour into crust and refrigerate for 2 - 3 hours until set. Tonight I had some leftover coconut milk/sweetened condensed milk mixture leftover from a coconut cake I had made a few weeks ago so used it instead. The coconut taste was subtle but even more delicious than plain key lime. Try it!

Day 7

2010-01-07T14:58:00.003-05:00

The chatterbox phone. I had one of these when I was little and in fact my mom still has it at her house - one of the several special toys she kept from my childhood. Mine was wooden, as I recall, which would never pass safety regulations today I'm sure. But anyway - over the break we were talking with some friends whose daughter had been given one of these and we were commenting on how funny it must seem to toddlers nowadays because - who has a real phone like this? Do the kids even know what it is and what to do with it? I daresay most people don't even have phones with cords much less the round dial. Anyway - just something funny.

Day 6

2010-01-06T09:14:00.003-05:00

I've always been a fan of Burt's Bees. Today I received an email indicating they now are producing a natural toothpaste. I would love to try it...ahem...if anyone would like to send me a tube...hint hint. :)

Day 5

2010-01-05T14:34:00.005-05:00

Rebajas. Literally translated "discounts." I suppose it's the equivalent of after-Christmas sales in the U.S., only here they don't start until January and last through the middle of February. Last year everything was still new to us and we were in survival mode so we didn't notice. But today we hit the mall and were thrilled to find 50 - 70% off on nearly everything. I was so happy to find clothes for Rachel for next year, especially. I came to Spain with 2 years' worth of clothes for her, but having decided to stay a third year, I was not prepared. But again - the Lord is providing through rebajas. :)

Day 4

2010-01-05T03:17:00.003-05:00

Rain. It has been raining for days. We really haven't seen the sun in over a month, I think. And yet I find it so refreshing. It's not fun to be out in it, but when I'm safe inside and snug in my comfy clothes, I love that it's raining. Things that have been brown for the last 8 months are beginning to turn green - the fields, our yard. And I had a valid reason to get these cute rainboots a few days ago. :)

Day 3

2010-01-03T12:48:00.002-05:00

Today I finished a long-term project I have been working on a little bit at a time for at least 2 weeks. It is a good feeling to be finished. We have also been working all afternoon on writing thank-you notes for Christmas gifts and to a few new supporters. We have much to be thankful for, and that makes me happy.

David made homemade chocolate chip cookies with Mathis this afternoon.

And I am making salmon-loaf, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots for dinner. Yum!

31 Things

2010-01-02T13:48:00.002-05:00

Happy 2010 to my few and faithful readers!

Not one for making resolutions, I am still going to try and keep the ol' blog alive for 2010, starting with 31 things that make me happy. One each day. I'm also hoping it will keep me focused on good things rather than on the dreary doldrums that accompany January and February for me most years. Since it's already day 2 of January, here are my 2 things.

Day 1 - We had a wonderful Christmas break (not over yet...) and enjoyed having our home full of life and laughter over the break. But after our guests left yesterday, my need to restore order to the home kicked in and I spent all afternoon undoing Christmas decorations, packing them up and putting my house back in normal mode. I still have to mop, but I feel so much better.

Day 2 - Today I slept in, ate a late breakfast and spent all day at home, reading and playing with my kids and finishing the book One Night With the King - a novel based on the story of Esther. It was so enlightening. I love historical fiction and feel like I gain so much perspective on an otherwise brief account, in this case -the story of Esther. A fascinating read I would highly recommend.

Mathis-ism

2009-12-04T05:22:00.002-05:00

Yesterday morning before school I was praying with the kids and had asked Mathis to pray for Daddy. He was having some trouble so Rachel started whispering to him, telling him what to say.

Rachel to Mathis: "And please help daddy with his students."
Mathis to God: "And please help daddy get some donuts."

Southern talk

2009-11-17T10:35:00.004-05:00

Today Rachel brought home a stack of papers from school, one of which was a spelling practice sheet. It has 6 pictures, each with two words to choose from, all using the short e sound. As I was reading through them, I found myself questioning the validity of the short-e sound. For example, I do properly pronounce the words bed, shed, and neck, but my southern accent changes the words hen (hin), leg (laig) and pen (pin). Once again, I feel sorry for people who are learning to read English, much less learning to spell in English. I was thinking the other day about the -ough and -ea- sounds and how difficult it must be to explain that those letter combinations make several different sounds. cough, tough, through, plough. Then there's sweat, tread, treat and meat. I'm so thankful it comes natural to me. :)

Best Pumpkin Bread Ever

2009-11-04T16:43:00.002-05:00

Shannon B.'s Pumpkin Bread
(makes 2 loaves)

3 c. sugar
1 c. veg. oil
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin (or 2 cups fresh roasted pureed pumpkin)
2 c. white flour
1 ½ c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
½ tap cloves, ground
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2/3 c. apple juice

Preheat to 350. Mix sugar, oil and eggs. Add in pumpkin. Stir in dry ingredients. Then apple juice. Pour into 2 loaf pans. Bake 1 hour until done in center.

Rachel and Mathis - October 2009

2009-11-03T03:22:00.002-05:00

Best friends.

Bop and his blocks.

One of the elementary teachers at school took this of Rachel and some other girls during recess one day.

Accomplishment

2009-10-30T06:28:00.006-04:00

It all started several years ago when David taught at CCS. One of the moms brought him a loaf of homemade pumpkin bread. It was the most delicious thing I had ever eaten. I asked her for the recipe, which she graciously shared, and since then, this has become probably my very favorite fall food. Her recipe called for canned pumpkin, which is impossible to find here. So last year I stocked up on cans when I was in the U.S., and we made enough batches to get us through the fall. This summer when we were home, I couldn't find canned pumpkin because evidently it's only a seasonal commodity. So this week I determined that I was going to attempt pumpkin bread, only using fresh pumpkin. I have never cooked a pumpkin, but thanks to technology, I watched a 5 minute youtube video and gave it a shot. Here is how it went.

This is what the pumpkins look like in Spain. Not exactly the bright orange I am used to, but more of a grayish-green.

But when cut open, it looked like a regular pumpkin. So far, so good.

After roasting cut side down for 1 1/2 hours, they looked golden and delicious.

Once cooled, I scooped out the flesh and put in the food processor.

as a side - this is our cute food processor.

2 c. fresh pumpkin puree.

The ingredients for pumpkin bread.

Baking for 1 hour in our tiny European oven.

The finished product.

And it was a success!

My version

2009-10-23T16:45:00.005-04:00

Ok, Esther. This is not as complicated as it sounds. I guess I should have just given my modifications in the previous post. Here's how I made it.

First, make the syrup.

Combine 1 c. sugar with 1 c. water in a pot on the stovetop, stirring often, until sugar is dissolved. Add in spices (2 T ground cinnamon and 1/2 t. each ground cloves and ginger) and simmer for five minutes. Strain the spices and grit out of the liquid by pouring it through a few layers of cheesecloth (which I always have on hand, how can you not?!), then add 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract.

Once the syrup is strained, make your super-strong coffee. We have one of these "espresso pots," that sits on our stove. I've seen them before at T. J. Maxx and other stores so I know they're not just European, but anyway. Or you could just make half a pot of very strong coffee in your normal coffee-pot.

To make a latte, combine 1/2 cup of espresso/strong coffee with about 2 Tbsp. spice syrup, then add about 1/3 c. warm milk (which I heated in a glass measuring cup in the microwave). Top it off with whipped cream and a smidgen of cinnamon. How easy was that?!

Pumpkin Spice Latte

2009-10-22T16:07:00.004-04:00

HERE is the recipe for the most delicious fall pumpkin coffee beverage. Tastes JUST LIKE Starbucks, only without leaving the artificial orange color in your empty cup (yuck!). I found this recipe and had all the ingredients, including the whipped cream and cinnamon to sprinkle on top. Delicious. Try it and tell me what you think.

http://thinkinsidetheicebox.com/2008/10/04/pumpkin-spice-latte/

Mathis-ism

2009-10-17T15:24:00.002-04:00

Last night we were praying before bedtime and asked Mathis to pray for my friend Lisa, who has recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and who is serving with her young family in the Czech Republic. I asked Mathis to pray for her, that God would make her healthy and strong. So when it was his turn to pray, he said, "Dear God. Thank you for this day. Please help Lisa to grow and grow really big."

Evidently, "healthy and strong" to him is the same as growing really big. :)

Art class

2009-10-15T16:06:00.002-04:00

This was just emailed to me by Rachel's art teacher, Mrs. Humes. This is a picture of her with 3 of the first graders.

My job

2009-10-05T06:41:00.003-04:00

A few days ago, I got a comment from a friend who asked, "Do you enjoy housework more now than you did in TN? Sometimes I think I'd enjoy it more if we had much less (things and space!)....just wondering."

I've been thinking about this question for a while and here is my gut response.

Interesting question. I don’t know if I have ever enjoyed housework when it is defined as a repetitive cleaning of messes and never having a sense of completion because there will always be another mess tomorrow. But I do think that our life here is different because I see it as a ministry. My home is my ministry. My “job,” is to see that all who live here or are here for any length of stay feel cared for, by having clean clothes, clean sheets, clean bathrooms, plenty of food – basically seeing that all their physical needs are met. Then, of course, there is the social and emotional care that I am called to give to our boarders just as with my own children. So because I feel like it’s my job, it doesn’t feel like something I have to do on top of life. The girls have recently commented a lot on how much they like the food, which is HUGE for me because last year was full of challenges in that area, but I told them that it makes a difference that I am home all day long and have the time and resources to cook so much and do so from scratch. In my previous life in Chattanooga, I had fewer mouths to feed, way more food packaged in convenient time-saving ways, and I didn’t work outside the home, and yet I was so much busier. I don’t think it’s a matter of having more or less stuff or space. The house we live in here is significantly larger than our house in Chattanooga, and we have less stuff, but messes are messes and with as much cooking as I have to do, I am in the kitchen for a good part of my waking hours. I think that I love it because I love taking care of the people in my home. I think that the Lord called me to do this and I feel fulfilled by using the gifts and desires He put in my heart. I have been meaning to do a study on the use of the word “home,” in the Bible and to see how many times it is used and what the Bible says about it. I know the Bible does not teach that every woman should be a stay-at-home mom, but clearly our homes are the heart of our families. If my home is a place of refuge and peace for all those who enter it, then I will have been doing my job.

Super Easy Mac & Cheese

2009-10-01T15:15:00.002-04:00

I ran across this quick and easy recipe yesterday and my kids LOVED it.

3 c. cooked noodles (I used bowtie because that's what I had)
2 small cans evaporated milk
2 c. shredded cheese (I used parmesan, but you could also use cheddar or monterey jack)

Cook and drain macaroni. Meanwhile, heat milk in a saucepan over medium-high heat until almost boiling. Add cheese and stir until cheese is melted and sauce is thickened. Pour over noodles and Voila! How easy was that?!

Rachel said, "Mommy, this is the cheesiest mac and cheese I've ever had. Can you please make it again tomorrow?"

Today

2009-09-24T06:59:00.002-04:00

Yes, it has been a while. I'm sorry. My life is kind of routine and ordinary and I don't have much to share that I haven't shared before. And partly, I'm staying remarkably busier than I expected to be. Alas. So you don't think I've completely abandoned you, here is today.

Outside My Window...
Gorgeous day, about 75 degrees, very blue sky, sun shining down on the laundry with a slight breeze, helping clothes to dry.

I am thinking...
how much I love this job. I told David the other day how sometimes I sit back and think I was designed to do this. The cooking, cleaning, organizing, getting to do laundry every day... I love every minute of it.

I am thankful for...
fly-swatters in every room.

Preschool...
This week Bop Bop and I are talking about lighthouses and beacons, the octagon, the letter S and the number 5 and memorizing Psalm 34:13 "keep your lips from evil and your mouth from speaking lies."

From the kitchen...
This morning I made quiche for breakfast and am making vegetable soup and grilled cheese for dinner.

I am wearing...
a khaki skirt and a t-shirt.

I am creating...
food, constantly.

I am going...
to be the recess monitor one time a week, starting next Wednesday. They needed volunteers and this way I can go to lunch with David, then Bop Bop can play on the playground with Rachel while I "monitor."

I am reading...
Commentary on Psalms by James Montgomery Boice and History of the Ancient World by Susan Wise Bauer (yes I know that makes me a nerd, but I don't care.) :)

I am hoping...
Mathis will eventually be to a point where he doesn't have potty accidents.

I am hearing...
quietness.

Around the house...
I have a new cleaning system that is working marvelously. I have areas (bathrooms, dusting/mopping, master bedroom, kids' rooms, windows) that I focus on each day (Mon - Thurs), in addition to the regular clutter pick up every afternoon, but I have been very pleased with it and feel on top of things. Also, I have become quite good at my fly-swatting skills. The flies are horrible this time of year. I probably kill 30 - 40 a day. It's digusting. I don't know which is worse - having them buzz around me all day or cleaning up all the dead-fly-guts left after the swatting frenzies. YUCK!

One of my favorite things...
watching Mathis play with his animals and use his imagination. It's quite impressive. They all have different voices and he makes up these dialogues with them. It's hilarious.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...
No plans, really, other than a birthday party for one of Rachel's friends Saturday night.

Just some thoughts

2009-09-08T09:29:00.006-04:00

This past weekend David and I were having one of our usual "what should we do next year," discussions and I reiterated how much I really just don't like living here, and how at the same time, I can't with any good reason say that we should go home next year, either, and that rather to the contrary - I think this year is going to be amazing for him with his classes and in our home with the girls we've got. Clearly the Lord is using all of us and our home to minister and it's very exciting and fulfilling!

Several years ago we were required to attend pre-field orientation, which taught us all about third-culture kids and their specific issues and assets and were given tons of good information on how to minister to them. I walked away from that conference feeling a huge burden for these kids and at the same time, questioning the logic of making a two-year commitment to a ministry. Pastors and "professional ministers," it seemed to me, rarely get hired on or go into a ministry for an up-front limited time frame. It seemed more likely that if God was calling us to this school, how arrogant it was of us to draw the line and say in our hearts, "Ok, God, I will give you two years to serve you in Spain, but after that I'm coming home to my safe, comfortable life." David and I both felt like we needed to just leave the door open and let God show us when it was time to move on. There was (and still is) the small matter of financial support in that we have only about half our monthly need given through regular monthly donors, but I truly believe that is a small matter and that the Lord does continue to provide for us as we need it.

All that to say - in my heart, I just really don't like Spain and have recently said as much to David about how much I dislike living here and how I really don't know why people want to come here as tourists. But maybe that's just God affirming for me that I am here because of Him and not because it's an attractive country (to me, anyway). And yet...! YET I am so confident that God wants us here, for these MK's who quite possibly don't want to be here either but are here because their parents are obeying the Lord. God doesn't only establish us where we are happy or comfortable or in love with a place's food or culture. In Jeremiah 29 the exiles were in that very situation. They had been sent to a new place and were told by God to settle there, to build houess, plant gardens, marry and have children. They probably felt a lot like I do in a sense, but God still required it of them and tells them not only to settle there, but to pray for the peace and prosperity of the land. We haven't exactly been told to "settle," in the same way they were, nor have we been given a promise to return to our homeland. But my heart is certainly not in Spain. At least, not yet. I am here because I am being obedient.

I don't know what my point is in writing all this exactly, but it's what I've been thinking about lately and as the title of this blog states, I'm aiming to build a memorial to God's faithfulness and this is just one more stone on that memorial.

Thanks for reading my thoughts.

Creative girl

2009-09-02T09:18:00.004-04:00

Rachel regularly asks for fabric scraps to make clothes for her dolls. This particular day she wanted to make a matching dress for her doll, Emma. Note the yellow dress with white polka-dots.

This is another creation of hers. It's an "I love you frame," with names of people she loves in it. Included are mommy, daddy, Bop Bop and Abigail.

One afternoon she and Mathis entertained themselves for several hours with these cardboard boxes. Here are pictures of her reading to Bop and Monkey.

2009-08-30T04:08:00.005-04:00

Beginning in January, I began the Daily Bible, and my goal was to finish it in six months, but I finished today, in 8 months. I took my time and stopped to study the Bible Atlas and visualize places, as well as looking up things I didn't understand, writing down things that stood out to me, and because it is the living Word, I gained new perspective, especially pertaining to the life of Jesus. I know I've said before how much I love the chronological aspect of this particular Bible, but this time, especially, as I was reading through the four gospels, I let myself truly read Jesus' story as just that - his story, his biography, his journeys (atlas in hand) because it was in one continual flow from his birth to his ascension.

One thing that struck me was a paragraph in Luke 8:1-3, where it names three women, Mary Magdalene, Joanna and Susanna as being among the women who traveled with the disciples and Jesus and "who provided for him out of their means," - showing again how "he became poor," and gave up his heavenly riches to live a life dependent on gifts and charity from others. The King of creation gave up everything, and while I often know in my head that yes, he gave up communion with God to come and die for us, it struck me that he lived a life here on earth and that his life was full of everyday experiences, just like ours in a lot of ways. I imagined him walking with Andrew and Simon Peter (the first of his disciples) from Bethsaida to Cana and it's a good distance to walk so I wondered what they talked about. What was it like to eat lunch with him? Was he constantly teaching or did he joke around with them and talk about everyday things, too? It says he traveled around the region of Galilee teaching and preaching, but it doesn't say where he stayed each night. Did he make friends and stay as a guest in various people's homes? Did he ever complain about his feet hurting or it being too hot (an obvious no)? He must have been likeable, even though in my head I have always pictured him very serious. Luke 10:38 says that as he came to a certain village, a woman named Martha opened her home to him. And while all this was happening, he was my age. Would we take seriously someone in their early 30's today? He really was here as a man who lived life among common people just like us. And he was GOD.

First Day of School

2009-08-28T14:42:00.003-04:00

CLICK HERE to view pics from Rachel's first day. It wasn't as sad as I expected. She was beside herself with excitement all morning and went confidently into her classroom. She had a great day and so far, has loved every minute of it. :)

Bittersweet

2009-08-25T09:06:00.002-04:00

I vividly remember one evening when Rachel was 2 1/2, it was August and David was busy getting ready for the school year and we were sitting at Stone Cup on a date and I was thinking about the whole back-to-school season and and how I couldn't wait for Rachel to start school because I couldn't wait to buy her a backpack and crayons and markers and new shoes and a lunch box and all those cute "first-day-of-school" accessories. At the time this whole Spain thing wasn't even on our radar and I totally expected that she would be heading to CCS in a few years and knowing all the kindergarten teachers there and knowing the school so well, I couldn't wait for her to experience it to the fullest.

Now here we are and she is heading to a different school this Thursday. Tomorrow is new-student orientation and today I'm fighting my feelings of anxiety about letting her "go." For the last 5 1/2 years I have been with her all day almost every day and have controlled almost every aspect of her life and it is a bit scary to let go of that control. I know her teacher fairly well and she is a wonderful lady, but she's not me. It's probably normal. She really needs to go to school and she needs to be challenged academically and socially and she is excited. And I need to trust the Lord with her. We have the backpack, new shoes, crayons and markers and yet this is not nearly as fun and exciting as I thought it would be. I'm thankful we have a good schooling option here and that I'm not sending her off to boarding school like many missionaries do with their first graders. Nevertheless, I'm still a bit of an emotional wreck this week.

I'll let you know how it goes. :)

Mathisisms

2009-08-15T03:34:00.010-04:00

While eating a peach, "Mommy, can you take out this pip (pit)?)"

He likes to eat garola (granola) for his brettis (breakfast).

If you ask him a question, he will respond with a very drawn out "weeelllll," before his answer.

He loves to batend (pretend).

Every night before we pray we ask him what he is thankful for. And every night he says, "My monkey." Then we make him pick something else. Last night he said, "my cars."

Sunshine Salad

2009-08-13T06:51:00.004-04:00

Several years ago Rachel found a recipe in one of her magazines (Highlights or Clubhouse Jr., I don't remember) for this salad. I made it once or twice for her and then forgot all about it. She didn't. The other day she reminded me about it and asked if we could make it. So we did. Healthy and delicious!

Sunshine Salad ingredients:

Lettuce
canned pineapple
mandarin oranges
a dab of yogurt in the middle (instead, we used these little cheese balls we get here)

I also made my own poppy seed dressing to drizzle over the top of it and it was sooo delicious.

Poppy seed Dressing

2/3 c. sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/3 c. white vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1 c. salad oil (I used sunflower oil, but could use canola)
1 1/2 Tbsp poppy seeds

Mix all ingredients except poppyseeds in a blender or food processor. Add in poppyseeds and pulse until blended. (Can also be served over fruit such as grapefruit or avocado.)

Little Life Lesson

2009-08-05T08:02:00.003-04:00

This morning Rachel had asked to do a certain craft, which I said no to. She threw herself on the couch and threw a little mini-fit. I gently explained to her that I was not prepared to supervise this specific activity and that we had just filled her very own room with tons of books, activity books, dolls, my little ponies - tons of things she could play with, and that instead of being grateful for all those blessings, she was focusing all her energy on being upset about not doing something new. As I was talking, I realized what a life lesson this is that we all struggle with. God has blessed us beyond measure with every good gift, and yet I so often find myself longing for that which I do not have, failing to believe that He has his reasons for not letting me have it and failing to be content with that which he has given me.

Food

2009-08-04T02:53:00.002-04:00

A friend emailed the other day asking if I knew any websites for easy dinner ideas, especially involving the crock pot. Of course I do! Here was my response.

Dinner ideas. YES. One of my favorites is www.crockpot365.blogspot.com This lady did a whole years worth of crock pot meals and is now in her second year of posting. I don’t use my slow cooker a ton, but I sure am glad to have one here for those times I really do need it. It seems like I used mine all the time in the States. David just bought me an immersion blender for our anniversary (when he gave it to me he said he knew you’re not supposed to give kitchen gadgets for romantic occasions, but he knew I wanted one and he was totally right!) So far I have only used it for milkshakes because I don’t have a regular blender here, but I plan to use it a lot in soups this winter. I never had one in the States and used my blender or food processor for everything. Another blog I like is http://everybodylikessandwiches.blogspot.com because there are like 25 other food blogs listed on her sidebar. But really, the one I use more than anything is www.myrecipes.com which is the website for Southern Living, Cooking Light – all their publications’ recipes in one spot and you can search a lot of different ways. I seriously use Southern Living recipes for at least 50% of my cooking. Plus, if you have a clipped magazine recipe from years ago, you can find it on this site and print it like new.

Happy cooking!

Second in a week

2009-08-01T15:30:00.001-04:00

This is the second full rainbow we have seen in a week. It has barely rained either time, but we have LOVED seeing the rainbows. This photo was taken out our back bedroom window.

Rachel's new room

2009-07-27T07:09:00.007-04:00

So I mentioned I was thinking about moving Rachel into her own room. After two days of working tirelessly, it was finally finished. She's happy. I'm happy. In the beginning stages, I was thinking through it, trying to decide what to move where and what I would need to buy, but was a bit convicted about it as I remembered all those who sacrifice monthly so that we can be here. When I think about our money situation, we really try to be the very best stewards we can be. So before I really began, I prayed one evening that God would show me what was important and what was not and that I would make good decisions about it all. And the next two days I moved furniture and rearranged furniture and in the end, all I spent was about 15 Euros ($20) and that was only for a new rug for Mathis's room. Amazing.

We moved her into the office, moving the computers back upstairs. I was able to use a bed that was hiding in storage along with a comforter one of the girls had left here, move the dresser/closet from Mathis's room into hers because she has more clothes and needs more storage. I moved a bookcase that I never liked from my bedroom into hers and moved a smaller one into my room (which I LOVE, by the way), moved tons of toys and books into his/hers containers in their respective rooms, thus turning my living room back into a living room instead of a playroom. I love it.

Daddy and Mathis assembling the new bed.

Seriously concentrating...

Rachel's new bed. Because this was our office, we had maps on the walls, but I kind of liked them so they stayed.

Rachel on the floor with the new arrangement.

Mathis's room. We bought this cute little city road rug at Ikea.

She likes it! :)

And this one just for fun. Bop and Monkey. So Happy Together...

I love it when a plan comes together...

2009-07-20T03:43:00.005-04:00

...so I'm going to be making one shortly. We are contemplating moving Rachel into her own room (she and Bop have always shared one) and it has renewed a new organizinational frenzy within me. Oh, the possibilities if they each had their own space, small though it may be... And with Rachel starting school, I am trying to come up with a reasonable list of "before-she-leaves-for-the-day" chores. So I was looking online for ideas and a sample chore chart when I found this amazing site. This woman is clearly more organized than I am, yet I feel like her ideas are much more do-able than flylady (whose goals, by the way, I've never quite achieved). SimpleMom.net, however, is written by a stay-at-home mom with small children, and she has created a home-organizing site with tips on everything. Take some time and check her out. I'll let you know how my plan turns out. :)

Ruth Bell Graham

2009-07-17T15:15:00.003-04:00

*sigh* Back home and back to the blogosphere. We had an amazing visit back in Chattanooga and after a long couple days of traveling, are back home (home?), well back to our home in Spain anyway. I’ve had a lot of things I’ve wanted to blog about, but just haven’t had the time to sit and do it. One of the things that I’ve been reflecting on is the biography of Ruth Bell Graham, wife of Billy Graham. I read her biography many years ago when I was single and in college, but wanted to re-read it again, since I am in such a different place in life than I was then. I always enjoy reading biographies of wives and mothers of great men because I like to know what goes on “behind the scenes,” of those whose lives are public - to know the quiet strength behind these men of greatness.

I look at her and I think, "How can a person become that way?” I don’t think her life reflects her faith; I think her life is her faith. The way she thinks, the way she talks, and the way she encourages is based on her faith. The Bible is truly her favorite book. How do you become that way? She was forced to make Jesus her best friend for a lot of reasons: because she was alone a lot, because she had to be private. I’m sure that desire grew and it just became natural to her. I like it when you bring up spiritual things. Her face lights up; she loves talking about it. (p. 37 Celebrating an Extraordinary Life)

Then another quote.

As she turned page after page, it seemed as if every other verse were underlined. It was apparent that each of them had spoken to her in a special way. When she reached the thirty seventh Psalm, Ruth laughed softly. “I’ve set up camp in Psalm Thirty Seven.” She ran her finger down the page and stopped at the fourth verse. “This is the one I think I love more than all others,” and she read,” Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

“My favorite translation is from the Septuagint Bible,” she said. “It goes – ‘Indulge thyself also in the Lord.’ I love that thought of indulging myself in the Lord. Really, the main thing in studying the Bible,” she said,” is to get into it and enjoy it.”
(p. 41)

I’m not much of a goal setter, but I can say that I desire more than anything in the coming year to depend on Jesus as my best friend and to indulge myself in the Lord.

Keri is...

2009-07-10T21:21:00.001-04:00

going to blog again soon...keep checking back. :)

Home sweet home

2009-06-16T15:39:00.003-04:00

We arrived home (Chattanooga home) last night after a long trip and are so thankful for the safe and relatively uneventful flight. The past few weeks have been rather busy for us and I had not really been eager to come home, not that I didn't want to - I just was too busy to really think about it, but once we stepped off the plane in Atlanta and entered the customs area, I just got so excited. David thinks I'm crazy, but I told him that that customs lobby is one of my favorite places in the world because it means I'm HOME. There's no feeling quite like it, to me. Then to come home to the house I grew up in, it's just such a welcoming feeling. Today we went to run a few errands, including a stop at Staples and Wal-Mart and it was so nice to be able to communicate clearly with the cashiers and to be able to DRIVE! :) It's not that I don't like my life in Spain - it's just so nice to have a home to come home to.

And a funny story. Last night Rachel had used the potty here and had to get David to show her how to flush. The toilets in Europe are different and she didn't know what to do. And Mathis is completely amused by watching the water swirl down in the toilet. Our toilets in Spain are more suction like, kind of like on an airplane, and they flush with a button on the top of the tank. Anyway - an unexpected cultural transitional moment for us. :)

Rachelism

2009-06-13T17:21:00.002-04:00

This afternoon, Rachel said something unkind to Mathis. Afterward, we discussed how it makes us feel when others say things that hurt our feelings, etc., and I told her she had to take some time and write down five things she loved about him. Here is her list.

He's funny sometimes.

He always says that he loves me.

He plays with me.

He watches movies with me sometimes.

He is so cute.

A little seamstress...of sorts

2009-06-09T13:48:00.004-04:00

The other day, Rachel wanted some fabric scraps so she could make matching outfits for her and her doll.

Here she is working hard.

And the finished product.

Ramblings

2009-06-07T11:25:00.004-04:00

So we head to the U.S. next week and I am very excited about seeing our family and friends and about the FOOD(!). David and I were talking last night about how we have changed this year and what we think it will be like to be "home." On a personal level, I have learned that I am better off without TV, Target and the Starbucks drive-thru. This year, I have read through the entire Bible 1 1/2 times, read countless other books, watched my kids become best friends because they only had each other all day long. I came with a suitcase of clothes and left crates of clothes in our storage container back home. Sometimes I wish I had more to choose from here, but in general, I have all I need here with me, which makes me wonder why I have so much in the first place. Our kids share a tiny room. We have one bookshelf of toys for our kids, plus a decent sized fenced in yard. Sometimes less really is more. Of course, I do plan to visit Target, Starbucks and will probably watch some TV (though I am most excited about PBS for my kids - hoping Mathis might finally learn his alphabet...) because those things are not bad in and of themselves, but I recall the day David mentioned to me that he thought we should consider moving overseas - those were the things I first thought of that I hated to leave and thought I couldn't survive without. I guess what I'm getting at is that I have learned to love the quiet and stillness of here. I have also loved living in a community (imperfect as it is at times) where people are in our home on a daily basis. I love that I can walk to the store, walk to school, walk to other peoples' homes. Of course it hasn't been an "easy" year. Adjusting to a new culture is hard, no matter where it is. But we have adjusted and I expect that our re-entry in July will be much easier than it was last year.

Children Desiring God

2009-06-03T16:48:00.004-04:00

I was thinking the other day that I wanted to find a good curriculum to use to teach Rachel and Mathis about the attributes or names of God. So I did a quick google search and discovered that John Piper's ministry has an entire children's curriculum - for all ages. www.childrendesiringgod.org It looks fantastic. Has this been around for a while and I just discovered it?? I'm going to order one of the Sunday School curriculums and do it with them weekly, because I can't pass up such a thorough curriculum that focuses so much on the God-centeredness of the gospel. Not only do they sell curriculum and VBS materials, you can listen to the speakers from their annual conference. I have only had time to listen to John Piper's, but I'm hoping to hear the rest soon. Check it out.

Bibliophile

2009-05-26T03:12:00.003-04:00

literally "lover of books." I can't help it. I was an early reader and have loved reading my whole life. My dad is a "super reader" as well. I was telling David the other day that my love language is books. If he (or anyone else) were to give me a book they had read and thought I would enjoy it or gain something from it, it would be the best gift he could give. David is not a super-reader, although I thought he was when I married him. I had these dreams of us sitting in our respective chairs, both reading all evening, sharing something with the other when appropriate. *sigh* But after I married him, I found out that I was misinformed and that he really doesn't read that much.

So last night I was searching on Amazon for books to order - to bring back with me this summer, and my balance was rising. I asked David how much money I could spend on books and he reminded me that I had $300 in Christmas money set aside in our account that I had never spent. "REALLY??!!!" *happy blissful smile* :)

New Camera Fun

2009-05-25T02:10:00.007-04:00

As an early birthday/anniversary present, David bought me a new camera this weekend. He said it was for me, but I really think it will end up being his toy. :) Anyway - here are a few fun shots we got this weekend.

Spring garden

2009-05-15T05:09:00.004-04:00

As I mentioned, because of our uncertainty about where we will be living next year, we decided to do container gardening rather than in-the-ground-gardening. We started our seeds around the first of March and here are the plants now.

We have several varieties of tomatoes, green peppers and 3 yellow squash plants.

Can you see the baby yellow squash? We are SO excited. They don't sell summer squash here, but it's one of David's favorites. Thanks for sending us the seeds so we could grow our own!

Here is a pic of our first tomato bloom.

And my first ever geranium window box brings joy to me every time I do dishes. :)

Southernisms

2009-05-12T15:27:00.006-04:00

I just finished re-reading the book Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns. It's a fictional story of a boy and his very southern extended family, which takes place in 1906 in Cold Sassy, Georgia (named for the sassafras groves travelers who were headed west used for shade). Even though I'm technically a southern transplant (born and raised out west), I consider myself a southerner and found myself laughing so much at the drama of this small-southern-town.

I also found this paragraph amusing. Will (the 13 year old boy telling the story) explains,

"You need to understand that in Cold Sassy when the word "aunt" is followed by a name, it's pronounced aint, as in Aint Loma or Aint Carrie. We also say dubya for the letter "w", sump'm for something, idn' for isn't, dudn' for doesn't, raig'n for reckon, chim'ly for chimney, wrench for rinse, sut for soot, as in train or chim'ly sut, and like for lack, as in "Do you like much of bein' th'ew?" Well, I know that how we speak is part of what we are. I sure don't want Cold Sassy folks to sound like a bunch of Yankees. But I don't want us to sound ignorant, either, and pronunciations like sump'm and id'n sound ignorant. So I'm trying to remember not to use such - except right now to tell how Loma became Aint Loma."

Id'n and Dud'n are regular words in our house. What about yours? :)

Thursday 13

2009-05-04T06:59:00.005-04:00

Can I do a Thursday 13 on a Monday? Anyway.

1. The other day David was helping some friends move into a new house. While doing so, a conversation about tv came up and someone told him that if you plug in a digital receiver, you can receive about 28 channels that are broadcast free. We happened to have one in our TV cabinet but didn't know it was there. After living here for 9 months, we finally have "real TV." We had it all along, but didn't know it. Before, we only got about 6 channels, all in Spanish, none worth watching. Now we get a good variety, including the Disney Channel and several English channels. Although I'm not sure it's a good thing. We'll see.

2. The weather FINALLY is warming up. It's been in the 60's for most of April and the forecast this week is showing high 70s and 80s. This makes me very happy. :)

3. We are returning to Chattanooga for a month this summer. I have not been feeling homesick anymore, but I am REALLY looking forward to some Taco Bell and Sonic, especially.

4. We have no idea what we will be doing here next year as there are currently no boarding students registered for next year. We are still in discussion with the school administration about what that may mean for the boarding program as well as for us personally. I have complete peace about it either way and know that God brought us here and that He will use us in the lives of ECA students, boarding or not. More on that later...

5. Rachel is reading like crazy. She always has her nose in a book. She has read most all of the American Girls books and is working through the Magic Treehouse series and Paddington Bear.

6. Mathis is never bored. He is always busy. Just a minute ago I heard the water in the bathroom running and went to see what he was doing. He had a plastic grocery bag and was filling it with water so he could "paint,"on the front porch where he had drawn with sidewalk chalk.

7. He also rarely walks anywhere. Why walk, when you can jump, trot, skip, or run?

8. Rachel has made her own peanut butter and jelly sandwich the last 3 days. Today she made hers and Mathis's. I am very excited about what this could mean for me. :)

9. One thing I love about Spain is that there are playgrounds everywhere. In our tiny little town, there are at least 4 within walking distance of our house.

10. We planted seeds for tomatoes, green peppers and yellow squash. We had intended to plant them in our back yard, but because we are going to be gone this summer and because we may or may not live in this house next year (depending on what happens with our job) we decided to just do container gardening. They are really thriving so far. I'll try to post pictures soon.

11. I love encyclopedias. While homeschooling Rachel this year, anytime we had a question about something we head to the encyclopedias. Of course, we could use the internet, but there's something about pictures and printed paper bound in a book. We've learned all kinds of things. I want her to love learning and I want her to know how to find information. Encyclopedias may not be around much longer, but I, for one, love them.

12. Sometimes I can't believe I'm the mother of a 5 and 3 year old. It doesn't seem possible. And yet, I am so happy to be out of the baby/toddler years, past the crawling phase, past the sleepless phase, past the "having to do everything for them," phase, although really, I do still have to do a lot for Mathis, but I can see the light at the end of this tunnel. Hopefully by the end of summer he will be potty trained.

13. Speaking of potty training. Before we left Chattanooga, I bought some Elmo underwear for him, not sure what would be available here when that day came. Now that he's starting to show interest, I pulled them out but he wasn't as excited about them as I had hoped - I think because we don't have Sesame Street here and he isn't that into Elmo anymore. David took him shopping the other day and he found some with monster trucks on them, which Mathis was excited about. But I'm on the lookout for some "motivational underwear." Would you please let me know if you stumble upon any size 2T/3T Curious George or Bob the Builder? :)

3 years old

2009-04-28T11:54:00.006-04:00

Friday was Mathis's 3rd birthday and we celebrated pretty simply, but with lots of love. During his afternoon nap, we blew up balloons and decorated his special "birthday boy chair," and set out all the presents so that when he awoke, we would have an instant party.

Rachel bought him a plastic bowling set from the local dollar store.

And since he has recently been confiscating my kitchen utensils at bathtime, I decided to buy him some of his own for bath toys.

A truck puzzle from Uncle Herb and Aunt Maddie.

A travel case full of new matchbox cars. (These were actually left by the Jacksons, a dear ECA family who left us boxes of stuff when they moved back to the U.S.) Mathis didn't care. He LOVES them.

And a really big dump truck from Grandma and Grandpa.

Several days before his birthday I asked if he would prefer chocolate cake or cherry pie. He said cherry pie. Of course, his daddy was very pleased. :) A special thanks to Nana and Papa for bringing the pie filling recently! I made the bottom crust, filled it, and David cut out a monkey to put on the top. It kind of looked like a bear, but Mathis knew the heart behind it and believed it was, in fact, a monkey.

Then for dinner, we grilled steaks, had twice baked potatoes, broccoli and carrots - our standard birthday meal around here.

Blowing out three candles.

Happy Birthday, Beautiful Boy! We love you.

Mathisms

2009-04-21T17:13:00.009-04:00

In honor of Mathis's 3rd birthday this week, here are a few funny things he has said lately.

The other day, I held up two shirts for him to choose from. He pointed at the white one with a green argyle pattern across the front and with big eyes said, "That one! It has kites on it."

He loves his stuffed monkey. He actually loves all things monkey - books, slippers, stuffed animals...and I don't use the word "love," lightly. I really think he is in love with his monkey. Monkey comes everywhere with us and Mathis carries him around ALL Day Long. He also does this nose-nuzzle thing with his monkey. He does it every time he sees Monkey.

He loves stuffed animals. Rachel wasn't that into them, but Mathis loves them. He calls them his babies.

We all refer to him as Bop Bop. Everyone in the dorm and at school also call him Bop Bop. He refers to himself as Bop Bop.

Every morning he wakes up and the first words out of his mouth are, "Can I have brettis (breakfast)?"

He is talking in complete sentences.

One morning while Nana and Papa were here, Rachel had woken up before him and was already eating her brettis. Mathis woke up, came in the living room, ran up to Rachel and said, "I love you, Rachel!" and gave her a big hug.

He says "nack" for snack, and likes to wear his "pack pack," (backpack). I'm "moh-mee," and Daddy is his favorite person in the entire world.

His favorite song is Joy to the World.

He reminds me of the little boy in the Family Circus comics, which show the little boy on his path - stepping all along the way, jumping, walking funny, touching anything and everything on the way. He is so funny.

Words from the wise

2009-04-21T17:01:00.002-04:00

For years, our house was the central location for the youth group. After one of their functions, I found cheese crackers crushed into the carpet. With disgust I told Frank, "Those kids don't care anything about our house. They take us for granted." I continued my rampage as I cleaned up. After a while, Frank looked at me and said, "Barbara, if you complain about the cost of ministry, God will remove the privilege of ministry." That one simple statement changed my attitude toward the opportunities God brings to serve Him. Almost every day now, I see the fruit of that ministry. Those "careless kids" have grown up to be elders, teachers, mothers, businessmen, missionaries and preachers.

Barbara Barker, Faith Pointes, p. 133

Wordless Wednesday

2009-04-15T02:59:00.002-04:00

Good times...hard goodbyes

2009-04-13T12:09:00.006-04:00

Goodbyes are always hard, but especially after what has been a great or special time. I remember when I was in 5th grade, my brother joined the military and left home. I cried for days. Then anytime he would come home on leave, I would cry when he would leave. I also remember crying at the end of mission trips, summer camp, and crying through one of my best friend's weddings, not sad for her - just emotional that in a sense we were saying goodbye to the life we had both known as single friends. When we left for Spain, I wrote a post reflecting on the beauty of goodbyes and that there is blessing in the sadness because it shows the vulnerability that comes with love. David's parents left early this morning after a wonderful visit (See some pics of our travels here). As we stayed up talking last night, I started feeling sad that it was coming to an end. I decided I would rather get up super-early and see them off this morning in hopes that I would be too sleepy and it would be too quick for me to feel sad. So I did just that. And it was quick and painless. Sort of. I crawled back in the bed and my mind flashed back to saying goodbye to all of our family at the airport last August, and the time we took my mom to the airport here after her visit. Then I was sad all over again. And I've been sad all day. It's always so hard. Yet always so beautiful.

"But it is so happy to love," said the Shepherd quietly. "It is happy to love even if you are not loved in return. There is pain too, certainly, but Love does not think that very significant."

- Hinds Feet on High Places

Papa reading Mathis his favorite airplane book.

Nana reading to Princess Rachel.

The Rain in Spain...

2009-04-10T08:52:00.002-04:00

What else is there to do on a rainy national holiday but stay at home and play in the rain?! :)

This is Mathis playing with buckets, cups and rain.

Painting the windows with mud.

And Rachel painting her face with mud.

Home is where...?

2009-04-09T08:57:00.005-04:00

Home is... where your stuff is. Home is... where your memories are. Home is... where you find rest. Home is...where you understand the culture. In some ways I still feel homeless. It's been over a year since we sold our tiny little wonderful house in Chattanooga and began transitioning. For a while, we stayed in someone else's house, but with our stuff. Now we live in someone else's house with someone else's stuff. I was telling my mother-in-law the other day how some days I just miss all my "stuff," that's packed away in storage. I miss my dishes and my furniture and the kids' treasures and special books and toys that we couldn't bear to get rid of but didn't have room to bring with us. I miss my books. I miss having a home to make my own. But as time goes by, I am feeling more like this is "home," too. After our quick trip to Portugal (pics coming soon), it was wonderful to be back in this home, where at least some of our stuff is, where my kitchen is, where our life is.

Another missionary mom wrote this post on her blog and it says so well what I feel.

This is yet another unique tension that we just get used to as missionary moms. As mothers, I think all of us to some degree have the desire to set up a stable and permanent home. As missionaries, we understand that with the joys of the job comes the challenges of travel, extended absences from one home or another, and often times little guarantee that things will stay as they are for more than a year or two (changing needs of the ministry, visa troubles, family needs…..).

So, like we often talk about our children being “third culture kids” who don’t exactly identify with the culture of their parents or with the culture that they are raised in, I am feeling somewhat like a “third culture mom” as I try to figure out what the word home means in my life on this earth. We know of course that our true home is in heaven with God, and that perspective is more clear to me as a result of this lifestyle. There is nothing like feeling “homeless” at times to cause us to focus on eternity in our true home with God. “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” 2 Corinthians 5:1 (ESV)

Also, as I have processed this a bit, one verse that stands out in my mind with regards to being at home in this life is Psalm 84:3

“Even the sparrow finds a home,
and the swallow a nest for herself,
where she may lay her young,
at your altars, O LORD of hosts,
my King and my God.”

I love this verse because it makes me remember how I can make a home anywhere in the world as long as I am in the presence of God. It also reassures me as a mom that no matter where God sends us, there will be a true home not only for me, but for children and for my husband as well, and that building a home has much more to do with building our spiritual home at the altar of God than it does with building a physical home in a house or apartment.

Rachelism

2009-03-25T12:09:00.002-04:00

Today while coming home from school, I was walking and Rachel was riding her bike. She started into a busy road and I screamed for her to stop.

Me (after screaming for her to stop), "Honey, I care so much about you. I really don't want you to be splattered on the road."

Rachel: Well, at least I would get to go to heaven and see June Baby and Mr. Mike.

Me: And Jesus.

Rachel: Yeah. I think the hardest part for me would be saying good bye to Pink Ellie and Grandma.

Me: What about mommy?!

Rachel: Well, I guess you, too.

Excerpt from Faith Pointes

2009-03-24T08:24:00.004-04:00

More words from the wise Barbara Barker...

Real life and real fruifulness only come after death, the death of ourselves. Unfortunately, the dying process required for Christlikeness is not a one time occurrence. Romans 12:1 tells us to present ourselves as a "living sacrifice." It has been said that the problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps crawling off the altar. Dying to self must be a continual proess done every day, moment by moment.

She shares part of a talk she gave to a group of ministers' wives years ago.

I have friends who are wives of military men. Those men can be gone for months at a time serving our country. Their wives understand that they and their husbands are called to a higher purpose. Life isn't about making sure they are cozy, comfortable, and happy. Their personal sacrifice is necessary so the rest of the people in our country can live safely and securely. Just like those wives, our husbands are called to battle, a spiritual battle. We must not view ministry as what we do only when it's convenient and fun. Ministry has its price. A huge sacrifice for us is time with our husbands. I had to train my children that they might not get to see their daddy as much as some other children do. But they should be very grateful because he has been given a high calling from God.

Perspective and Thankfulness

2009-03-18T08:29:00.005-04:00

Saturday morning our computer died. David ended up spending all day on it, taking it apart and researching the problem, only to find out that we think the motherboard is dead. Long story short, it can be fixed but because we are here and Hp is there, it will be the end of June before we have it back. Thankfully, we do still have David's minimalist laptop so we still have internet and email, but we have lost our address book and don't have access to most of our most-loved programs. Anyway. I was feeling kind of grumbly about it until two days ago when I got a scam email from a friend of ours whose email account had been hacked into and were having all kinds of problems as a result. Perspective. My dead computer is so minor compared to the hassle of re-establishing your identity.

I also have a friend whose mother just died and another friend whose mother was just diagnosed with breast cancer. Here I am, annoyed that I don't have my computer and my poor friends are suffering grief for their moms. Which is more important - relationships or things? Of course relationships. Perspective.

I just read a chapter by Barbara Barker on thankfulness, where she contrasts the grumblings of the Israelites in the wilderness with the sincere complaints of Habbakuk and the difference in how the two approached God. The Israelites whined and complained, then whined and complained some more. Habbakuk on the other hand, voiced his complaint, then waited patiently and watched to see what the Lord was going to do.

I have so much to be thankful for, even if I lost everything.

Made. My. Day. Y'all!

2009-03-18T04:49:00.001-04:00

Thanks, Bethany, for this. Go Mocs!! Woo Hoo!

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

30% off Old Navy/Gap

2009-03-12T06:58:00.004-04:00

Just wanted to pass on this amazing deal. Old Navy/Gap is having a four day sale with 30% off your entire order. I just placed an order and saved 30%. Enter this code L6LP2RKMV9L3 in the promotion code box online. It's only good today through Sunday (3/15)

I am Second

2009-03-09T09:57:00.002-04:00

I stumbled on this today. Awesome! (Jason Castro was my all-time favorite on American Idol last season. I was so sad that he didn't win.)

http://www.iamsecond.com/#/seconds/Jason_Castro/

Take some time and watch the others on the site www.iamsecond.com

Mini vacation

2009-03-02T09:49:00.003-05:00

We just returned from a quick little mini-vacation. See our Spain blog to see pictures and read about it.

Two Passions

2009-02-23T08:59:00.009-05:00

Two things have been stirring in my heart these days.

1) This book was put in my hands several months ago and it has been sitting on my shelf, waiting its turn to be read. Finally, a week ago I picked it up and after the first chapter, I thought to myself, "Wow. This is really going to be something." Just a few days later, I finished it and felt like I would never be the same. Truly life changing. Wess Stafford is the founder of Compassion, Int'l, the child sponsorship agency. Not only do I have a new understanding of the value of children in God's sight, I have a new perspective on the life of a third-culture kid (TCK), as Dr. Stafford was the son of missionaries in the Ivory Coast. He attended a very abusive boarding school and through his wisdom and experience living in the third world has a passion for children and giving help and hope to the poor. If you have children or work with children or live overseas or just plain want to read an amazing inspiring biography, you must read this book. All proceeds go to Compassion, Int'l.

God is giving me an understanding and desire to work with these little ones, especially those who are poor. I can't really describe the stirrings in my heart except to say that I know God is changing me in a way I NEVER expected.

2) I have been a fan of Louie Giglio and the Passion movement for a lot of years. His heart for bringing the Gospel to the university generation around the world are contagious. I love his DVDs (Indescribable, How Great is Our God, etc.,) and have been following him via blog and podcast for a long time. His organization, http://www.268generation.com/ founded a movement called One Million Can. Passion has a conference every year and in 2007, they challenged these university students to donate $500,000 towards 8 specific projects around the world, ranging from clean water in African villages to Bible translation to medical surgeries for children who were too poor to afford it. Their goal was $500k and they were overwhelmed to raise $1 million that first year. Now they are working on their second million and are halfway there (Read about it here). Of course, you don't have to be a student to donate. CLICK HERE to see the site and read about the projects and please consider a donation. There is so much need around the world. Here is an opportunity for you to do something about it. And please spread the word.

Hands on science

2009-02-16T15:30:00.002-05:00

Last week, David brought home some books from the library about the skeletal system and about bones to look at with Rachel and do "science." He bought some chicken wings and together they dissected them to learn about joints, muscle, skin, ligaments/tendons, bone marrow and cartilage. She loved it.

Not much

2009-02-10T11:25:00.004-05:00

I haven't blogged lately because, well, I haven't thought of much that has been blog-worthy. Life for me is pretty routine these days, although, I did start working in the school office two days a week, just answering phones and doing some light typing, which I am really enjoying. The weather has been cold and rainy and they say it's the rainiest winter Spain has seen in several years. So we stay in a lot. Today was nice so the kids played outside for several hours, which was really nice. David and I are still talking/discussing our options for the future and find that the only thing we can agree on is that we need to pray and wait some more.

I have been consistently "homeschooling," Rachel since January and am finding that I really enjoy it. I still can't say I can see doing this for all of her schooling years, but this year it has been good for us. We spend about 1 - 2 hours each morning working through several workbooks, ranging from penmanship to math to all-inclusive JumpStart, which she loves. We read tons of books and biographies, using a world map and timeline as we are able, and also do Bible/Devotion each day, which Mathis joins us for and that has been fun. Thanks to some friends at HPC who sent the leaders guide and activity book with us, we also do Pioneer Clubs once a week, if I can manage to get it organized and ready. It's nowhere near the scale that it would be in an actual Pioneer Club classroom, but we make do with what we've got. As far as what to do with Rachel next year - that, too, is still up for debate. We are leaning towards putting her in 1st grade at ECA, if that all works out and if we can work it into our budget (that wasn't in our support budget), but we'll see.

Spiritually, I'm learning still to "be still and keep quiet." I re-read "Stepping Heavenward," by E. Prentiss (1800s) again and always find myself encouraged by Katy's struggle to do what she knows is right, but her temper and selfishness is constantly warring against her. Now I'm re-reading "Faith Pointes" by Barbara Barker (pastor's wife at Briarwood Pres in Birmingham) and have found it so incredibly applicable that I haven't made it past chapter 2 because I need to sit and dwell on it and pray on it some more. It is a must read, especially if you're in full time ministry.

I'm so thankful for all of you who read this, because even though I'm so far away, it helps so much to stay connected and know that someone cares.

Blessings to you all.

Rachelism

2009-01-27T04:21:00.004-05:00

Yesterday I read to Rachel a story about Florence Nightengale. This morning I asked her what she would like to learn about today in homeschool.

Me: Rachel, what would you like to learn about today?

Rachel: Parts of the Body.

Me: Ok. Why do you want to learn about that?

Rachel: Because I was thinking that I could work at a hospital when I grow up.

Me: Oh, like Florence Nightengale?

Rachel: Yeah. And I was thinking that I might like to work in a hospital in Africa.

Me: Africa? Really?

Rachel: Yeah, because remember how you said they didn't have clean water in Africa? I was thinking that I could go and bring them some clean water because they don't have any clean water.

Me: Well, sweetie. You just keep talking to God about that and we'll see how he directs you.

Bop and his backpack

2009-01-26T17:29:00.003-05:00

Bop and his backpack, originally uploaded by David and Keri.

Historical Moment

2009-01-26T17:29:00.001-05:00

Historical Moment, originally uploaded by David and Keri.

Monkey goes EVERYWHERE Bop Bop goes

2009-01-26T17:28:00.005-05:00

Monkey goes EVERYWHERE Bop Bop goes, originally uploaded by David and Keri.

Look at the tiny oak tree growing from the acorn!

2009-01-26T17:28:00.003-05:00

Look at the tiny oak tree growing from the acorn!, originally uploaded by David and Keri.

2 years, 9 months; 5 years, 1 month

2009-01-26T17:28:00.001-05:00

2 years, 9 months; 5 years, 1 month, originally uploaded by David and Keri.

Ready for snow

2009-01-26T17:27:00.001-05:00

Ready for snow, originally uploaded by David and Keri.

A Torrent

2009-01-23T06:43:00.002-05:00

Sometimes I feel torn between writing on here how I'm really doing and what I'm really feeling because sometimes it is not pretty. Sometimes it is raw and messy and imperfect because I am imperfect, a sinner in need of the Gospel every day. I fear that by writing when times are hard that I will be seen as a complainer and I really don't want to be seen as a complainer or a whiner. And yet - I know that I am not alone in my struggles in this life and I really hope that by sharing my heart, you will also be encouraged in your struggles to know that you are not alone either.

The last couple of weeks haven't been easy. I don't suppose that anyone of you ever truly has it "easy," but I'm feeling discouraged. I'm discouraged and disheartened over a situation here that was heartbreaking and hurtful to someone I care deeply about. Yet, I have hope that the Lord is working and will redeem it gloriously. But it has affected me nonetheless. I'm also discouraged because of criticism and probing into the care we're doing our very best to give these teenagers in our home. It's hard not to take it personally when I'm trying so hard and doing what I thought was a good job - criticism is never easy to take. Throw in some general hardships and frustrations that come with living in another culture and it makes for some messiness.

Today I was reading some of Amy Carmichael's writings (she was a missionary to India and inspiration to Elisabeth Elliot), and she had this to say.

Psalm 73:26: But God.

These words have been like strong hands lifting up, bearing up, countless thousands of souls. "My flesh and my heart faileth; but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Many who will read this note are well and strong and joyful in their work, thank God for that. Sooner or later, however, to most who follow the Crucified, there comes a time when flesh and heart fail, and if it were not for that "But God," we should go under.

That failing of flesh and heart belongs to the time when "there be many that say, Who will show us any good?" (Ps 4,6) Feelings and fears can be like a torrent of rough water and we see no way to cross it. "But God" makes all the difference then, "for Thou, Lord, hast never failed them that seek Thee." (Ps 9,10)

Indeed, my flesh and heart faileth today...But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.

2009-01-20T17:08:00.003-05:00

We were so thankful we did get to watch the inaugural events televised live this evening.

2009-01-12T07:00:00.004-05:00

Last night, we watched the Indescribable DVD with the boys. I 've seen it a couple of times before, and every time I watch it I am reminded of how small I am and how amazing God is and it is always timely. This past week I have caught myelf (silently) grumbling and complaining about everything that wasn't going MY way. I find myself irritated and annoyed and when it comes down to it, it's because everyone else around me doesn't realize that the world is supposed to revolve around ME and my comfort. I grumble because I have to do things I don't want to do. Pride, selfishness, self-centeredness, idolatry - call it what you will. I battle against it because I know it hurts God and hurts everyone around me. And yet, when I am reminded of how unfathomably enormous the universe is and how infinitesimal our tiny little planet Earth is and how proportionately tiny we are, it forces me to realize how HUGE God is and I am astounded at the thought of the Creator God who holds the universe in his hand (Isaiah 40) came to this tiny little planet as a tiny little human to make atonement for MY sin. It really is indescribable.

Rachelism

2009-01-09T02:53:00.003-05:00

While looking outside at the snow for a minute, Rachel said "Don't you just love looking at God's beautiful creations..."

Snow in Spain - Jan 9

2009-01-09T02:52:00.001-05:00

Snow in Spain - Jan 9, originally uploaded by David and Keri.

This is what we woke up to this morning. YAY!!!

Books

2009-01-07T05:43:00.007-05:00

Ok, so now that it's winter and post-Christmas and I finished my previous reading project, I'm eager to curl up with a hot drink and read for days. What good books have you read lately - fiction or non-fiction or what are some of your favorites? Any recommendations?

Bible in 90 Days

2009-01-05T11:28:00.004-05:00

Well, I did it in 120 days (more or less). I started Aug 24 and finished Dec 28. The entire Bible. What a way to get the big picture of God's redemption story. I highly recommend it. CLICK HERE for a reading plan.