Saturday, April 23, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
Good and Friday
I had a meeting at my house yesterday.
It's always nice to get things all cleaned up.
Set the chairs up.
Get the dishes out.
Set the table all pretty.
Not that I don't set a pretty table every day.
But, well, you know I don't.
The table runner was made by one of the ladies in the group.
My mom bought it for me when we had an auction of goodies brought by the group members.
The center is woven with strips of fabric.
I liked trying different lighting with my camera.
The photos above were taken in the evening with just the overhead light.
The one below was with morning sunlight from the window.
The plant is one of my favorites, the Martha Washington geranium.
We always had them at the Hoosier Horse Fair to decorate some of the stall areas.
The M & Ms in the background are also among my favorites.
I found this idea for cute Easter "carrot" snacks over at a little of this, a little of that and thought they would be fun for the grandkids and their cousins. Shhhh... don't tell them!
Speaking of Easter treats and trappings, I read a great article over at (in)courage written by Sandy Coughlin, called "Easter is About Blessing, Not Impressing." Such a good reminder about being authentic in our relationships. To live our lives, beautiful and imperfect, by choosing to bless rather than impress. I hope you will take the time to read it.
Speaking of Easter treats and trappings, I read a great article over at (in)courage written by Sandy Coughlin, called "Easter is About Blessing, Not Impressing." Such a good reminder about being authentic in our relationships. To live our lives, beautiful and imperfect, by choosing to bless rather than impress. I hope you will take the time to read it.
I was blessed to have a double dose of Pastor Jimmy yesterday, as he gave the devotion at our meeting in the afternoon, and led the Maundy Thursday service at church last evening. As we remember Jesus' words calling us to serve others, one of the things he shared in the evening service was the way Mother Teresa would tick off each of the fingers in her hand one at a time and quote Christ in Matthew 25---“You. Did. This. To. Me.”
On that dark evening, after sharing a meal with his closest followers, Jesus knelt down and washed the feet of each disciple.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. John 13:12-15
Our service allowed the opportunity for hand washing in remembrance of Jesus' example. We had our hands washed by another, and then washed the hands of the person behind us.
Pastor Jimmy allowed us to think about serving and being served, and pointed out that being served is sometimes uncomfortable for us, as it was for Simon Peter on that long ago Thursday. What do you think? Does being served ever make you uncomfortable? What about serving "the least of these"?
Finally, on this Good Friday, I want to share with you a post by Ann Voskamp. In her beautiful words, she tells the story of this day from the heart of a mother. The mother of our Saviour. Words written while feeling the anguish and grasping the pain and the beauty yet to come:
Finally, on this Good Friday, I want to share with you a post by Ann Voskamp. In her beautiful words, she tells the story of this day from the heart of a mother. The mother of our Saviour. Words written while feeling the anguish and grasping the pain and the beauty yet to come:
"I will see Your face in the poor and the oppressed and the forsaken. And the moon will shine round and the threads of my moments will shine with Your glory." ~Ann Voskamp
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Wednesday Hodgepodge - Easter Events
Another Wednesday Hodgepodge, hosted by Joyce at From This Side of the Pond. Click on over and join the fun!
1. What are your plans for Easter Day/weekend?
After church, we will go out for brunch with my parents, my brothers and their wives, and three of our five children. Our oldest son, David, and his wife, Shylah, moved to North Carolina in June, and won't be able to join us. We are looking forward to their visit on Memorial Day weekend. Can't wait! Our second son, Andrew, his wife Darci, and their children, will be spending the weekend with Darci's family. After brunch, instead of hunting for eggs, we will most likely be hunting for a spot on the couch for our traditional Easter every Sunday siesta.
And just for fun, a few vintage Easter photos.
1989, hunting for eggs at Nana and Boomie's. It looks like Andrew is already sampling his goodies. Or is he just being uncooperative for the camera?
1990
1991
1995, the Easter of two broken arms (although David's cast is hidden behind Adam).
2. Besides Jesus, what one person from The Bible would you most like to meet and why?
So many interesting possibilities, but I would choose to meet Noah. He makes several appearances around our house in my small collection of arks. This ark is the newest in my collection, given to me by our children a couple years ago for Christmas.
I would like to meet Noah because he's a family man, an animal lover, and a man of great faith. He was strong and obedient, not concerned about what others thought, but trusting God in all things.
"By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land. He was warned about something he couldn't see, and acted on what he was told. The result? His family was saved. His act of faith drew a sharp line between the evil of the unbelieving world and the rightness of the believing world. As a result, Noah became intimate with God."
Hebrews 11:7 (The Message)
3. What is one modern day convenience you didn't have as a child that was easy to live without?
This question was tricky for me. It was easy to live without things that didn't exist! We didn't even know we were doing without. I did think of today's convenience of music in the palm of your hand. When I was a kid, we had groovy record players, and even groovier cassette players. They came with a little microphone that we used to record ourselves singing/talking/doing all sorts of things and then played it back. Today, you can walk around with music in your ears playing from a credit card sized thingy that fits in your pocket. And seriously, who really needs 10,000 (or some such number) songs in your pocket?
4. Are you more right brained or left brained? If you don't know what that means there is an interesting little quiz here.
I would definitely say I am more right brained. First of all, I'm left handed. And second of all, I want nothing to do with anything related to numbers. Someone attempting to explain anything mathematical to me ends up sounding like Charlie Brown's teacher. Does anyone remember that? Also, I'm creative, possibly even a bit artistic. However, when I took the little quiz, I came out almost evenly matched between right and left brained. Interesting.
5. What is something you intended to do today but didn't? Why?
I intended to go to the grocery to pick up a few things. I try to avoid that task until absolutely necessary. Just not my favorite.
6. Cadbury Creme Eggs or Reeses peanut butter?
I like them both, but I would definitely take Cadbury Creme Eggs. Everyone else in the family would choose Reeses. Soo... when the Easter Bunny brings Cadbury Eggs, guess who gets to eat them? That bunny's a smart one, for sure. :)
7. Who was your favorite cartoon character when you were a child?
I would say my favorite was Lucy of Peanuts fame. Lucy van Pelt, actually. Did you know her last name? I loved the Peanuts characters for all their different personalities. I also liked to try to draw them myself. I liked Lucy because she was also the older sister, and she thought she was pretty good at almost everything. I wasn't nearly as bossy as she was though. But I guess we should ask my brothers about that.
The NFL team schedules came out today. If they can stop their fussing, and actually have a season, I hope to see my favorite team
play a home game,
hopefully in the rematch of the 2010 Super Bowl, when they played the blue team,
and hopefully, with the same results!
WHO DAT!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Book Club Monday
Another Book club Monday, and today's book was The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, by Alan Bradley. The main character, Flavia de Luce is an eleven year old girl, described as "an aspiring chemist with a passion for poison." From her home in the English countryside around 1950, she studies chemistry and the classics in her personal laboratory in order to solve a murder that has occurred on the property. She uncovers clues and encounters danger as she conducts her investigation aboard her trusty bicycle, Gladys.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is the first novel written by Mr. Bradley, but Flavia has continued to appear solving subsequent mysteries in four more novels. Flavia even has her own website with lots more information about the girl scientist sleuth at flaviadeluce.com.
The ladies found young Flavia quite remarkable, possible even unbelievable for a girl her age. We all enjoyed the book, and found it to be an intriguing page turner. Several of the scenes were quite realistic, and created both anxiety and anticipation as we worried about what was to happen next. The book was humorous and sad, poignant and exciting, and we all enjoyed reading it. We felt like it was a different kind of book from those we usually select, but agreed that being in a book club offers us the opportunity to read books we might not otherwise choose. I can see the possibly of meeting Flavia again sometime by reading another book in the series.
As we gathered for lunch and discussion today, the ladies were anxious to discuss last night's airing of 60 Minutes. Featured on the show, was a piece about Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea and Stones Into Schools.
60 Minutes suggests that many of the stories in Mr. Mortenson's books are fabrications, and that some of the funds raised by his Central Asia Institute are not actually being used for the building of schools in the remote areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Our book club had the opportunity to hear Greg Mortenson speak last fall at a church in Indianapolis. We found his presentation to be both inspirational and compassionate, and our group's reaction to this recent report was that of disappointment. We understand that we should not believe everything we hear on television, but as one of the ladies said after watching the piece, "he looked guilty." You can watch the video here, and decide for yourself. It is disappointing to think that the good he has done could be erased by poor decisions and mismanagement of funds. I also find it sad to think that this news may damage the attempts of others working in the area of education for women in this region, and in other impoverished areas of our world.
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie is the first novel written by Mr. Bradley, but Flavia has continued to appear solving subsequent mysteries in four more novels. Flavia even has her own website with lots more information about the girl scientist sleuth at flaviadeluce.com.
The ladies found young Flavia quite remarkable, possible even unbelievable for a girl her age. We all enjoyed the book, and found it to be an intriguing page turner. Several of the scenes were quite realistic, and created both anxiety and anticipation as we worried about what was to happen next. The book was humorous and sad, poignant and exciting, and we all enjoyed reading it. We felt like it was a different kind of book from those we usually select, but agreed that being in a book club offers us the opportunity to read books we might not otherwise choose. I can see the possibly of meeting Flavia again sometime by reading another book in the series.
As we gathered for lunch and discussion today, the ladies were anxious to discuss last night's airing of 60 Minutes. Featured on the show, was a piece about Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea and Stones Into Schools.
60 Minutes suggests that many of the stories in Mr. Mortenson's books are fabrications, and that some of the funds raised by his Central Asia Institute are not actually being used for the building of schools in the remote areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Our book club had the opportunity to hear Greg Mortenson speak last fall at a church in Indianapolis. We found his presentation to be both inspirational and compassionate, and our group's reaction to this recent report was that of disappointment. We understand that we should not believe everything we hear on television, but as one of the ladies said after watching the piece, "he looked guilty." You can watch the video here, and decide for yourself. It is disappointing to think that the good he has done could be erased by poor decisions and mismanagement of funds. I also find it sad to think that this news may damage the attempts of others working in the area of education for women in this region, and in other impoverished areas of our world.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Mission Possible
Our church held a mission work day on Saturday, and I was responsible for directing an activity for the children. I planned to make a simple craft with the kids and deliver them to a local nursing home. So... on Friday afternoon, I enlisted grandson Matthew's help to test out the project.
Here are the supplies we used.
The chick went together quickly. He glued on the eyes and beak, and we taped the feathers to the back of the cup.
For the bunny, he glued the pink centers to the white ears.
I cut whiskers out of white card stock. Gluing the whiskers, then the pink pom nose, was the trickiest part. I told him to count to ten while he held the nose. Not to be confused with holding his nose.
We taped the ears on, and added some Easter grass to finish the project.
On Saturday, we gathered at church for a breakfast to kickoff the work day. Some teams went out into the community, and others worked on projects at the church. We had a great team of three for our project. We worked assembly line style by doing all the eyes first, then the noses, and last the ears and feathers.
Adding grass to the cups was the fun (and messy!) part.
We finished over 50 cups!
It takes teamwork to wrangle the grass into the cups.
Then it was time to add some candy. E handles the peppermints.
Gabby adds some chocolate eggs,
and helps little brother J put some eggs in the cups too.
We were joined at the nursing home by a couple more little ones to help distribute the baskets. After sharing the Easter treats and some sweet smiles with the residents, we headed back to the church for a delicious lunch with the other teams. It was a successful day of serving and sharing in our community.
Here are the supplies we used.
The chick went together quickly. He glued on the eyes and beak, and we taped the feathers to the back of the cup.
For the bunny, he glued the pink centers to the white ears.
I cut whiskers out of white card stock. Gluing the whiskers, then the pink pom nose, was the trickiest part. I told him to count to ten while he held the nose. Not to be confused with holding his nose.
We taped the ears on, and added some Easter grass to finish the project.
On Saturday, we gathered at church for a breakfast to kickoff the work day. Some teams went out into the community, and others worked on projects at the church. We had a great team of three for our project. We worked assembly line style by doing all the eyes first, then the noses, and last the ears and feathers.
Adding grass to the cups was the fun (and messy!) part.
We finished over 50 cups!
It takes teamwork to wrangle the grass into the cups.
Then it was time to add some candy. E handles the peppermints.
Gabby adds some chocolate eggs,
and helps little brother J put some eggs in the cups too.
We were joined at the nursing home by a couple more little ones to help distribute the baskets. After sharing the Easter treats and some sweet smiles with the residents, we headed back to the church for a delicious lunch with the other teams. It was a successful day of serving and sharing in our community.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Five Question Friday
Today, I'm joining in on Five Question Friday over at My Little Life. Click on over and say "hello."
1. What is your favorite sign of spring?
My favorite sign of spring is the blooming of the dogwood trees. I have always loved the legend of the dogwood, and it became even more special to me while I was a student at Hanover College. I can't imagine a more beautiful college campus, and the trees in the spring, especially the dogwoods, make it truly breathtaking.
This is a terrible picture, but for my 18th birthday, I got to have a party at my house. With boys and girls! I'm sure we were groovin' to some Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, and Chicago, on my record player. You young ones can google it. The fun part was that I shared my birthday with two of the guys in my class. In the picture, Paul, Tim, and I are blowing out the candles on the huge ice cream sundae my mom made us. Yes, Tim's head is cut off, and I look like I'm blowing my teeth out, but you get the idea. The bittersweet part of this photo is that Paul was killed in a snowmobile accident while we were in college. I still think of him on my birthday.
This question is like asking me which of my children is my favorite. I love them all! And the love just multiplies. I have recently mentioned Sticky Toffee Pudding from our Grand Cayman vacation, so I'll highlight another favorite today. Contained in the above pictured birthday sundae, is one of my favorites, Peppermint Ice Cream Dessert. Back in the day when my mom was preparing this, there was an ice cream parlor with a treat they called the "Zoo Sundae." It was served in a huge bowl with a great big spoon, and was meant to be shared with a crowd. Her own rendition of the sundae was made with this basic recipe, still a favorite today:
Peppermint Ice Cream Dessert
1 1/2 c. vanilla wafer crumbs
2/3 c. butter or margarine
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 eggs, separated
2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 gallon peppermint ice cream, softened
Put crumbs in 9 x 13 pan. Melt butter and chocolate. Beat egg yolks and add powdered sugar, chocolate mixture, and vanilla. Beat egg whites and blend into mixture with pecans. Pour over crumbs. Spoon in ice cream. Cover and freeze.
When my mom made it in the big bowl, she would just sort of layer ice cream, crumbs, and chocolate randomly to fill the container. It was delicious.
Not. A. Morning. Person. Don't set an alarm much any more, but I was always a snooze hitter.
Annndddd... that's it for 5QF. Have a great Friday, and a wonderful weekend!
1. What is your favorite sign of spring?
My favorite sign of spring is the blooming of the dogwood trees. I have always loved the legend of the dogwood, and it became even more special to me while I was a student at Hanover College. I can't imagine a more beautiful college campus, and the trees in the spring, especially the dogwoods, make it truly breathtaking.
2. What was your best birthday ever?
Well, first of all, ever is a long time, and I've had a lot of birthdays. :) I found a couple pictures of my 18th birthday, and it was one of the best for a couple of reasons. From the time I was little, my Uncle Bill gave me Cracker Jack for my birthday. One box for every year. (Does anyone remember the Cracker Jack commercial? "Candy coated popcorn, peanuts, and a prize. That's what you get with Cracker Jack!") Here I am holding a great big jar with 18 boxes of Cracker Jack inside. Tied to the jar is a hand made birthday card, another trademark of my Uncle Bill. I miss him, and his cards.
This is a terrible picture, but for my 18th birthday, I got to have a party at my house. With boys and girls! I'm sure we were groovin' to some Fleetwood Mac, the Eagles, and Chicago, on my record player. You young ones can google it. The fun part was that I shared my birthday with two of the guys in my class. In the picture, Paul, Tim, and I are blowing out the candles on the huge ice cream sundae my mom made us. Yes, Tim's head is cut off, and I look like I'm blowing my teeth out, but you get the idea. The bittersweet part of this photo is that Paul was killed in a snowmobile accident while we were in college. I still think of him on my birthday.
3. What is your favorite dessert?
This question is like asking me which of my children is my favorite. I love them all! And the love just multiplies. I have recently mentioned Sticky Toffee Pudding from our Grand Cayman vacation, so I'll highlight another favorite today. Contained in the above pictured birthday sundae, is one of my favorites, Peppermint Ice Cream Dessert. Back in the day when my mom was preparing this, there was an ice cream parlor with a treat they called the "Zoo Sundae." It was served in a huge bowl with a great big spoon, and was meant to be shared with a crowd. Her own rendition of the sundae was made with this basic recipe, still a favorite today:
Peppermint Ice Cream Dessert
1 1/2 c. vanilla wafer crumbs
2/3 c. butter or margarine
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
2 eggs, separated
2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1/2 gallon peppermint ice cream, softened
Put crumbs in 9 x 13 pan. Melt butter and chocolate. Beat egg yolks and add powdered sugar, chocolate mixture, and vanilla. Beat egg whites and blend into mixture with pecans. Pour over crumbs. Spoon in ice cream. Cover and freeze.
When my mom made it in the big bowl, she would just sort of layer ice cream, crumbs, and chocolate randomly to fill the container. It was delicious.
4. What is the best excuse you've ever used to get out of a ticket?
I just use a lot of "yes, sir, no sir, I'm sorry, sir, I'll never do it again, sir, I know the speed limit, sir," and so forth. So much so, that an officer once told me I could stop calling him sir, and his name was Roger. Then he gave me a warning and sent me on my way.
Going back to question #2, there was the time I asked the officer, "aren't you my little brother's friend, Pete?" He said he was, told me to slow down, handed my my license back and said, "by the way, Happy Birthday." Yes it was.
5. Do you wake up before your alarm, with your alarm, or after hitting snooze several times?
Not. A. Morning. Person. Don't set an alarm much any more, but I was always a snooze hitter.
Annndddd... that's it for 5QF. Have a great Friday, and a wonderful weekend!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Good Ol' Pee Wee
Pee Wee had an appointment with the vet today, so I was up early to feed him and get him ready to go. He still has quite a bit of winter coat, so I did a quick curry and got enough horsehair to make 2 pillows and a throw rug. Just kidding, but let's say I was covered in hair!
I wrapped his legs and got him trailered for the long ride north to Janssen Vet Clinic. Pee Wee lived there a long, long time ago, with Dr. Janssen and his family. Pee Wee has lived with us for 15 years now.
We love him.
This doctor's buggy sits in front of Janssen Veterinary Clinic, and it is used for the logo of the practice.
First on the agenda for Pee Wee, was having his teeth floated. In case you're not sure what that means, the veterinarian files off the sharp points which develop on the teeth to create a smooth surface necessary for the horse to properly and efficiently chew his food. Here, Dr. Scott is showing his expert veterinary technologist, daughter Jennifer, what needs to be done. Today, she is both the tech and the client!
Pee Wee gets a little sedation, then allows Dr. Scott to use the power float to work on his teeth.
Don't worry, it doesn't hurt him, since a horse's nerves end near the gumline. So while he may be a bit uncomfortable (think visiting your dentist), he doesn't feel pain during the procedure. It's actually a good thing he can't load me up and take me to the dentist! (Not my favorite place.)
After the teeth floating, they flushed out his nasal passage to clear his tear ducts.
Next, it was time for the tube deworming.
Pee Wee didn't mind this at all. He got some vaccinations, and a cleaning of his private parts (I didn't think he would want me to take pictures of that!), and he was good to go.
At age 29, Pee Wee is considered "geriatric" in the horse world. Now, when humans in the horse show world reach a certain age, we call them "select." Sounds so much better than "geriatric." So from now on, we'll just say Pee Wee is "select." And he'll always be a star.
After his appointment, I decided to go all redneck and drive my rig to the big craft store in the fancy strip mall. Yes I did. And then, even worse, I drove it right into a regular neighborhood where my friend lives to pay a little visit. Good thing they have a cul-de-sac so I could turn around. I try to avoid backing my trailer if possible.
Margaret posed with her class mascot, Sparkle, while Nathan gave Pee Wee a little pat. Of course, when Pee Wee stuck his head out to say hello, Nathan had a brief fit of hysterics, and we decided to continue their introduction on another day. I'll have to explain to Nathan that Pee Wee is pretty much the best horse in the world.
We had a nice little visit, and Margaret opened her Resurrection Eggs, which tell the story of Easter.
Her mommy read the story for the symbol found inside each egg.
When they came to the last egg, it was empty, just like the tomb on Easter morning.
Hallelujah! He is risen indeed!
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