I can't believe this recipe!!!

Searching Tasteofhome.com (which is a fabulous resource of recipes!), I found a peanut butter cookie that I was sure was a mistake. However, I needed a peanut butter cookie, so I gave it a try. It has NO FLOUR! How weird is that?! But they were very tasty. Click here to give it a try.

Introducing....

www.disciplingnewconverts.org

Bookmark the above URL if you love good material! This is an unashamed plug for my husband's work. He has begun the website to provide discipleship material to be copied and distributed freely. All the articles were personally developed by him to be used in his new converts' classes over the years. As someone who watches these lessons being developed, I think they're fabulous. Nathan spends many, many hours a week after work developing what he thinks is worthy of his 'precious Christian babies.' He is currently beginning a 4 month hiatus to introduce his class to Gothard and the Institute of Basic Life Principles. During this time, he'll be working on new material for upcoming lessons. Feel free to contact him with comments and suggestions for new material. As a side note, if you enjoyed studying under any of the Browns in the past, you'll find these articles a pleasure to review.

Dawson & Decor

My younger brother, Ethan, and wife Jerri, stopped by to show off their new baby, Dawson and to rid me of my last few baby items (don't worry, we're officially done). Anyways, here is a picture of my newest cutie-pie nephew and his lovely mother...


I also created a mantel display for the upcoming season. In the frugality of this time-period, may I say I spent $2 on shells from Dollar Tree, $3 on the two prints from the local thrift store (changed the frame on the larger), paid $3 for the empty wreath at Michaels, and shopped the house for the candlestick and vintage milk bottle and sand. The fishnet I splurged, paying $10 at Michael's (which could have been half that if I'd remembered my coupon- urgh!). So a total of less than $20 to make me smile the whole season through. Here you go...

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream (the operative word here being perchance)

At 2:30 a.m. this morning, my alarm went off. I take Kathryn to the potty (her body doesn't wake her up, so I do). At 3:00 a.m., I woke up because Alex was sitting on my head.

In college, I never pulled an all-nighter. I had no desire to torture my body in such an insane way. I love my sleep. In the last 5 years, I have had very few uninterrupted nights. All you mommies out there: remember the overactive bladder? The pelvic pain? The kicks that began at 4:30? Then you graduate to sitz baths and nighttime feedings and unexplained crying marathons. Otherwise known as the haze. With one child you seem to finally achieve nighttime sleeping health. Enter child #2. If one cries, the other wakes up. That includes all thunderstorms, strange noises, unexpected poo diapers (or wet diapers or disintegrating diapers). Then it's potty training, bad dreams, allergy coughing fits, and the hamster rattling too loudly on his wheel (Nathan put him in the bath between the kids rooms~ go figure ;o)

So I'm going to bed. I think I'd like just a few hours of intense silence and friendly dark and good dreams. And NO head-sitting!

Quote from Holly Elliff (transcript of Revive Our Hearts, April 15th):
(I really relate to the cute munchkin, flying monkey part ;o)

"Do you remember the moment in the Wizard of Oz when Dorothy peeked through the door of her transported farmhouse? Do you remember that moment? Where it was black and white and all of a sudden Dorothy kind of opened the door and it was suddenly beautiful and in color. Do you remember that in the movie?

She was in a place she had never been before. Some of us when we entered motherhood, suddenly we’re in a place we had never been before. I was one of those women. Let me tell you some parallels I see between my life as a mom and the Wizard of Oz.

First of all, most of what Dorothy encountered was unknown. She didn’t know it was coming. She was constantly surrounded by either really cute munchkins or really nasty flying monkeys. Nothing around her was what she expected. Her journey got more and more surprising the longer she went. Her task was something she could not do alone.

Her companions sometimes appeared—now let me just tell you that this is not male bashing because my husband added this line. Her companions sometimes appeared to be brainless, heartless, or courageously challenged. There is an enemy who tries to keep her from accomplishing her task, and there are moments when going back to Kansas sounded really good. But when she needs it, someone wiser than she is always shows up."

End of quote. I would add that I go from feeling like a pretty pink fairy that can do amazing things to being an evil wicked witch that would fall completely apart if someone spills ANOTHER glass of water! Life is funny!

Backlog of Pictures, Part III (and the week of agh!)



This is how our week began. Alex decided to answer the call of the sirens and stick two of his fingers into the sucking-in-part of a moving treadmill. Tie me to the mast, tie me to the mast, folks!!!! Ah, well. No broken bones, just missing a good chunk of flesh of two fingers, one of which he wraps around his thumb for sucking. Hence the huge bandage which makes it appear that the injury is life-threatening. And which also lasted 30 minutes? after we got home from the clinic before it got yanked off.

Then I, mommy, me came down with a stomach virus midweek. OK, there just isn't a pretty way of describing dry heaves and lots of lysol-use, so moving right along. There is something criminal about mothers being able to get sick. Along with the (temporary) extra set of arms I believe mothers should grow when their milk comes in, should come an impervious immune system and extra doses of toddler-proof energy.

Then Kathryn begins coughing for 1 hour, then 2 hours in the middle of the night. Alex is at this point running a fever and beginning diarrhea. Pediatrician says she is having pollen allergies and he's headed downhill with the virus I had, goody, goody! But fingers are not infected. That's good, that's good.

Now, all good stories and weeks must have an icing to the cake, right? Oh, yes. Enter Martha Stewart and Good Things from Tag Sales and Flea Markets. That's right. My reading material has gone downhill, I know.

It wasn't particularly interesting, so I stuck it back in the drop box at our tiny hometown library. I receive a CALL, you know, THE CALL, from the head librarian~ the one that says the book is damaged, pages are missing, you have to pay, etc. I explained (confused) that my children had not had access to the book. Oh, they knew that. I, mommy, me! had cut (with scissors) 16 pages out of this fascinating book. Here enter deep sighs, rolled eyes, drooping shoulders~ whatever~ it's my word against theirs, right? Better is a good name than great riches, and so on. So I go to Amazon and order a new one, expedite ship it, only to find out it's only available in softcover and I, mommy, me! had defaced a hardcover. I'm supposed to talk to the chief interrogator on Monday. I, being gracious as always (OK, so inwardly I'm gnashing my teeth), ask if they really believe I would STEAL 16 pages out of their book, and then LIE about my grand theft. They do. Alrighty then. I've been accused of worse, I suppose. There was the time I was accused of shoplifting a garden hose.

Catharsis done. By the way, I didn't do it.

Backlog of Pictures, Part II

Alrighty then, moving right along to more recent events. My mom came to visit! Oh, this was fun! She came and in true Nana-ness, made cookies, in MY house. OK, these were peanut butter cookies extraordinaire!!! The kids were thrilled she was here.





And since we were sick over Kathryn's fourth birthday and our 8th anniversary, there aren't any pictures from that :(

But then we've got Easter! Kathryn was thrilled with her chocolate bunny and the whole egg-dipping process. I made her dress, which she actually liked~ amazing! (she's a bit contrary ~like me, I'm afraid ~ and tends to dislike what I make a big deal over) We had a wonderful!!! service at church celebrating the best time of the year and the most important event in history- the resurrection of Jesus Christ!




Alex was more interested in showing the neighbor dogs his eggs. For those of you who know my dog-fear-thingie, I just want to say "Why me?" in a high-pitched voice (as in, why do I ALWAYS have fierce-looking dogs next door who bark at me every time I go outside- sigh...)

Back-log of Pictures (be warned!)

The kids and I went to Cincinnati a few weeks back to do a little relaxing. Unfortunately, Nathan didn't get the time off, so I bravely took off on my own. OK, so I'm insane. But it was a nice change of pace (after and before the 10 hours on the road each way with two aliens in carseats!)
Alex napping on his Aunt "Sessy" Chelsea, who attends GBS


Took the kids to a neat place called the Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum. OK, RANDOM FACT ABOUT ME~ I love old cemeteries. Not the little flat markers in the ground that just have DOB and DOD, but the REAL cemeteries, alive with obelisks, real epitaphs, beautiful plants... I share my love of browsing through them with my mother-in-law. Actually, the woods behind our house supposedly contain a Civil-War era slave cemetery, which I have yet to explore- added to goals for 2009.



Here's Kathryn on a neat bridge at the arboretum.


Playing games with an attentive Gramme.


Alex taking over the girls' dorm ;)



I've been accused of having an heroine (as opposed to heroin) complex. You know, Mother Theresa, Joan of Arc, save the world one pitiful person at a time, strong-willed, control freak... the connotations are both positive and negative. So I took a picture of this statue so Nathan will know what I want when I move on to glory. Seems fitting somehow :o) :o) :o) Heehee... If you don't understand this, don't worry- it's my strange sense of humor...

Books are like people:
fascinating, inspiring, thought-provoking,
some laugh,
some meditate,
others ache with old age, but still have wisdom;
some are disease-ridden,
some deceitful;
but others are a delight to behold,
and many travel to foreign lands;
some cry, some teach, others are lots of fun.
they are excellent companions,
and all have individuality-
Books are friends.
What person has too many friends?

Chip Ingram speaking on Adversity, 4/2/09

And I quote, "I am absolutely convinced that everything that will be necessary for me to go through this in a way that honors God and gives me what I need is 100% available to me at this moment. That’s my eager focus and expectation. My hope is not based on temporal circumstances changing. My hope is based on a hope that cannot change. And my hope and certainty is that a sovereign, good God, using the prayers of people and the power of His Spirit will give me all that I need so that in the window of time when I’m at the spiritual free-throw line and the entire stadium of eternity is filled, I will have sufficient courage to do exactly what You want me to do."

Perspective is EVERYTHING. How thoroughly such a belief is entrenched in our minds and hearts will make THE DIFFERENCE in whether or not our response to adversity is God-glorifying. Man, I LOVE this quote!

Kathryn's 4!

To my sweet, crazy, imaginative little gal who alternately likes to play Sleeping Beauty and Lucy Pevinsey~ Happy Birthday! We plan to celebrate this Saturday; pics will be posted this w/e. In the meantime, here are a few shots from the last few years...

No Comments, Just Chuckles

I saw a man wearing this shirt today at Wal-Mart, and considering my CHM heritage, it amused me greatly. I think I'll wear one to church camp this year ;o)

The Changing of the Seasons, Pie-Style

We've begun a tradition at our house called the changing of the seasons. Next Friday, I'll prepare a Winter/Spring celebration with foods and decor traditionally associated with both. I love variety, and have marked for years the changing in my mind. Something about moving on, putting the past behind, preparing for the beauty of something new...

In commemoration of this special event at our house, I'm posting two of my most-beloved pie recipes. I must say the Apple Pie is one that has been tweaked and combined and altered to fit our tastes and its crust is Taste of Home's traditional crust recipe. The Strawberry Pie is from a July/August '03 issue of Quick Cooking and I will be posting it later in the week.

*One sentimental note about the following recipe: If you make it to heaven before I do, tell Greg Makcen that yes, his pie is coming. It's the last thing I promised him before he passed away. Friends "awaiting" always make heaven sweeter.

Charity's Apple Pie

Crust:
2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
2/3 c. Crisco
8-10 Tbsp. ice water

(I place my flour/salt mixture in the bowl and put it along with my pastry cutter in the freezer to chill it before making this. I store my Crisco in the frig, so that's happily cold, too). In a large bowl, cut the shortening into the flour mixture until crumbly. Gradually add water, mixing with a fork until a ball forms. Halve mixture, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for 30 minutes. Roll out each ball on a lightly floured surface to form two pie crusts. Run a spatula underneath to release any sticking, and fold in half and then again. Center in pie pan and unfold. Add filling. Dot with butter. Place other pie crust on top and seal edges. Brush top with 1 egg yolk mixed with 1 Tbsp. water. Place on baking sheet to prevent spills.

Filling:
5-6 large Red Delicious Apples
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Peel, slice and core apples. Toss with lemon juice. Combine other ingredients and then add to the apples. Toss gently. Cover with wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. (This is called macerating- allow excess juices to settle). Place apples into crust with a slotted spoon. Some people like super-runny, messy, sweet pies. You can skip the macerating if you do.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, turn down to 350 and continue cooking for 45 minutes or until crust is golden and filling is bubbly!

In Memory of the Brent Bigger Family

I would like to post a song in light of the terrible heartache carried by the Brent Bigger family and friends. I picked up this CD and was planning to mail it to Brent this week, as it seemed created specifically to comfort the brokenhearted. Unfortunately I learned of his passing around the same time. (There is a video with the music, but I find it especially powerful without the visual distraction) May God continue to hold their families close. In Brokenness You Shine
* I can't get the link to work. Please go to youtube.com and search the title. I DID get it posted to Facebook successfully.

Our Love Story...

Knowingly blending Facebook and Blogger is probably a blogging no-no, but here goes. Mary Ellen tagged me on Facebook to find out more about my married life.

"I was tagged and thought this one was fun - it's about you and your spouse, not just you. Come on, play along - inquiring minds want to know! ;-) DON'T FORGET TO TAG ME SO I CAN READ YOURS IF YOU DO IT!!

♥ What are your middle names?
Mine is Yvonne, his is SOMETHING starting with E. My mom named me "Love Archer~ think Cupid" and I was born one week after Valentine's (I think this was coincidental). I don't have permission to share his, but it's a family name.

♥ How long have you been together?
We started dating when in Summer of 1996, when I was 15 and he was 21. And you are hereby all sworn to secrecy not to ever tell my daughter that ;o) We dated for two years, then we broke up for over a year, and then we got back together again. We married in the spring of 2001. Coming up on 8 years!

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating?
I met him at the Pell City Youth Camp in 1993, where he was my "counselor." I had a big crush on him that lasted exactly two weeks after I got home. My parents had been students of his parents at Hobe Sound. My dad flunked his dad's Greek class. So they knew my family better than I realized.

♥ Who asked who out?
Because I was so young, his mom actually called my parents to see if we could begin talking on the phone. Then he called my dad, then me. That was after the background check which revealed that none of my relatives were Nazi war-criminals and that I had never smoked pot.

♥ How old are each of you?
I'm almost 28. He's 34.

♥ Whose siblings do/did you see the most?
In the dating days, he saw mine. Mostly because I was too young to drive ;o) He sat around and told us dramatic ghost stories. I would leave the room every time it got good, because it freaked me out to see my crush contort his face and scream like a wildcat when the "blood came out from under the closet door." I was sooo gullible back then. You should have seen me the time we were walking on one of those country roads and crossed a little old bridge. He leaned over the rail and softly said, "This reminds me of one of my previous girlfriends..." and then lunged at me. I about wet myself.
Now, we're pretty isolated where we live. We see his brother and family a couple times a year, and mine about the same.


♥ Do you have any children together?
Kathryn (age almost 4) and Alex (18 mos)

♥ What about pets?
Vida (the male cat with the female name that Kathryn named before you could see that he was male that we bought to kill the voles that were eating the roots of our shrubs, causing them to fall over- how's that for a run-on?)
& Squeak V~ our hamster

♥ Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple?
I'd have to say physical difficulty and church problems top the list. Especially if they're combined~ agh!

♥ Did you go to the same school?
We both attended HSBC for one year, just not at the same time.

♥ Are you from the same home town?
Nope. I'm from the sticks of NE Alabama, and he grew up in S. Florida.

♥ Who is the smartest?
I'm not sure. I'd say that we are "intellectually compatible."

♥ Who is the most sensitive?
Probably me. OK, definitely me. I actually have "Feelers"~ they are fuzzy fragile little extensions of myself that stick out around me in several directions. Occasionally, I'll say, "Oh, Nathan~ you just yanked a feeler out!" Humor helps a marriage.

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple?
Did you know that at Logan's from 4-6 on weekdays, you can get two entrees for 12 bucks? Sometimes, we go to Mexican instead, where I impress the world with my Spanish while Nathan stares blank stares at the waiters (just kidding~ he understands more than he realizes, I think)

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple?
Dare I say it? Las Vegas! Yep, his company sent him there a few years ago for a computer conference. Try wearing a tag under YOUR neck for a week that says "WONDERWARE" Oh, the humiliation... WHO in their right mind would name a software company THAT? Did I mention the porn conference going on the same hotel. Vegas is a flashy, worldly, sinful place full of impressive hotels. Blech! We both got so sick of it that we rented a car one night and drove across the desert to the Grand Canyon to watch the sunset. The desert night sky is unbelievable.

♥ Who has the worst temper?
Me, of course. He's a slow one.

♥ Who does the cooking?
Me, and I love it (most of the time)

♥ Who is more social?
I'm definitely the less shy, but he is a fabulous public speaker. And we BOTH love having people over for food and games.

♥ Who is the neat-freak?
I thought I was neat until I married him. He's amazing.

♥ Who is the more stubborn?
Heehee... can you guess?

♥ Who hogs the bed?
Kathryn. Nathan and I have a DMZ between us that only gets violated for hugs and when Kathryn squishes me into it. (She's very, very quiet, so I never hear her get in).

♥ Who wakes up earlier?
Me, when I'm on schedule. I like to be up by 5:30, him by 6:00. But we both like to sleep in on the w/e.

♥ Where was your first date?
A Ryan's steakhouse.

♥ Who has the bigger family?
Mine. I'm one of 5.

♥ Do you get flowers often?
When I ask for them.

♥ How do you spend the holidays?
Mostly with his folks.

♥ Who is more jealous?
I don't think either of us is really a jealous type. Hey, don't you even THINK about looking at my man ;o)

♥ How long did it take to get serious?
After the break-up, we knew we'd only get back together if we were to be married. I'd call that pretty serious.

♥ Who eats more?
Pleading the 5th

♥ Who does/did the laundry?
Me, unless I ask for help.

♥ Who’s better with the computer?
Definitely, indubitably him. He loves to program, and I'm still scared of Excel.

♥ Who drives when you are together?
He does mostly, but he doesn't mind a female chauffeur either.

Waiting for Spring

OK, I'm officially antsy, blue, ready for spring. I'm sick of dead grass, bare trees, bored kids. This week I saw a forsythia bush, some daffodils and a redbud tree all tentatively in bloom. So!!!! It's coming!!!! I came home and literally took a peek at my daffodil bulbs to make sure evil voles hadn't chewed them to bits. Thankfully, under their blanket of mulch, I found some green shoots headed for the light.

I feel like my brain's turned to winter mush, with no blog-worthy thoughts sprouting at all. So I'll just give you all a general idea of what's been happening here...

1. Kathryn has finally broken through her psych-block with doing 'No. 2' on the potty! Woohoo! Success~ finally. Let's see. She's only 3 years 10 months old~ agh... I must admit to underhanded devious techniques. Thank you to my dear sister-in-law Marianne for giving me the perfect peer pressure. "Kathryn, your cousin Daniel, you know the little baby one, the one that's a whole YEAR younger than YOU, is going poo on the potty~ like no big deal. He's really proud of being such a big boy." I'm sure (nope, I'm 100% positive!) that's not the best method, but I tried all the others and they failed, so there! She also has proclaimed her need to find a godly man to marry, so all you mommies out there~ please do a good job :o) In quiet moments, she asks me to play Mario on Nintendo 64 so she can sit in my lap and hug me as I fall over cliff after cliff (Hate that ice world!). The dramatic shrieking we do together is soooo bonding ;o)

2. Nathan got his annual review today at the office. He says he thinks maybe glimmers of his greatness are being seen ;o) (I put that in there for Tara and Julia and a few others, you know who you are).

3. Alex is hurtling himself down the stairs. Bummer. I didn't teach him in hopes of only worrying about one floor. Nope~ he's off and running. Tomorrow is his 18 mos. appt. That means shots. He continues to be a happy chappy, although he has officially begun full-blown obedience training/testing. If any of you get a phone call from a person breathing hard and drooling into the phone, don't worry- it's just him with his favorite off-limits item.

4. More later this week on Valentine's. T-T-F-N. If you know what that means, you've been reading too much Pooh and Tigger with your kids, like me...

Introducing...

...someone I don't know ;o) However, I found this person's blog some time ago, and find myself going back and back for more. Her decor is such an inspiration to me, not to mention the lovely music playing in the background. Maybe some of you will enjoy her, too... http://warmpiehappyhome.blogspot.com

25 Things....

I've been tagged a few times, so here's 25 things ~ randomish about me...

1. I grew up as one of five kids.
2. My parents are both dark-haired, dark-eyed. Go figure. 3 of us kids are blond.
3. I've had a crush on Nathan since I was 12.
4. When I was a kid, I was scared of bathtub drains (some kid in FL told me he flushed an alligator egg, and I thought its offspring might pop through the hole)
5. My mother has 37 first cousins, my grandmother had 57, I have only 10. We must be dwindling.
6. I love apple and peanut butter sandwiches.
7. I also love buttercream frosting on saltines.
8. I taught myself to read at 3 while listening to a Richard Scarry children's dictionary tape set; I don't remember not being able to read.
9. Because I could read, I was required to go to 1st grade reading in kindergarten, 2nd grade reading in 1st grade. When we moved, I had to repeat 5th grade reading because the new school wouldn't allow me to do that anymore.
10. I am terrified of snakes.
11. I spent most of my summer days as a kid with purple fingers, from shelling purple hull peas.
12. My favorite childhood books were Little House on the Prairie.
13. I remember my first exposure to foreign language: some Asians at Rock City on the swinging bridge; I was captivated!
14. I have a B.A. in Spanish with a minor in linguistics.
15. Our wedding date was the same as my grandparents, Joyce and Ponder Frederick.
16. My mom's dad died the week of my wedding.
17. Nathan and I are on our fifth golden Syrian hamster, Squeak V.
18. Living with Nathan IS like living with a great Bible commentary set, and a lot more exciting ;o)
19. Kathryn is as strong-willed as I am, which I hear is pretty scary ;o)
20. I love all crooners from the 40's.
21. I love to bake all kinds of goodies; just made some homemade Almond Joy bars this week.
22. If I were rich, I would always have fresh flowers in my house.
23. When I die, I want to be buried (just checking if you're still here ;o)
24. (running out of thoughts....) My normal wake-up time is 5:30 a.m. ugh....
25. Nathan is the only man I ever kissed.

What's wrong with this picture?

Remember those puzzles we stared at as kids? The ones where you compared two pictures to find all the incongruities between them? Even when they weren't easy to spot, you could just FEEL something wasn't quite right.

I had that feeling all day today. I watched all the inauguration festivities online with Kathryn. I saw Aretha Franklin belt away in her big bow hat, Bush blinking back what looked like tears as he entered his plane, Rick Warren pray in the name of Jesus, President Obama and First Lady Michelle waving cheerily at the thousands upon thousands of people. So I thought I'd share some thoughts with whomever reads my ramblings...

1. I really want to like this guy. I mean, it's such a pain disliking someone so affable with such a classy, elegant wife at his side. He has great oratory and a nice smile. And a horrid voting record and self-proclaimed ideals that devalue others. So as nice as he looks, actions speak louder than words. I think those of us who embrace Christian values may have a real legal fight on our hands.

2. So I turned to Christian radio instead of secular media for a more 'biblical' view of the events. What do I hear over and over? How we are to pray for those in authority regardless of how we feel about their policies (I agree, of course!) and how this is such a momentous occasion for African-American citizens, specifically Christians. This is another place where I get the feeling that the cat's tail is off to the wrong side or the tree is missing a branch. If I was a black Bible-believing Christian, I would be very bothered right now. As exciting as it may be to have a fellow African-American in office, it is more disturbing that the evangelical black church is obviously not basing its societal views on the Word of God. I say this because so many of them voted for a man who stands opposed to Christian values. Any child of God should first be loyal to the Word, not to his cultural group or even his family.

3. Have I come to any conclusions after my ramblings? Obama's election is obviously historic. I will respect him as President for he occupies a position that is to be respected. I believe God has raised him up for this time in our history. (To clarify, He has allowed both good and evil men to come to power throughout history. Some to expedite His judgment to bring those He loves to repentance and some to continue leading a godly people in a godly direction) Back to Mr. President. I will pray for him faithfully. That being said, I think today has re-emphasized some of the concerns I have for the African-American side of the Body. If we as a Body don't respect the Word of the Head, Jesus Christ, how can we ever be effective to minister to a lost world? And if we are to judge (discern true and false) fellow Christians by their fruits, there may be some rotten fruit on the vine...

Goodbye, Mr. Bush

The morning after President Bush was elected, I walked into class at the university. The professor was morose, proclaiming that this morning she had "awoken to a Republican nightmare." Much has happened since that day. I think 9/11 qualifies as nightmare-status. There have been tough things to face. Time will tell. It will vindicate correct decisions, and expose unwise moves. I must say I'm sorrowful to see this last day waning. Not just because we're saying goodbye to a man of integrity, but also because the godly values he has promoted are being threatened by a storm greater than we've ever seen.

Shall we pray?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This old picture of Kathryn is a great visual aid to describe how I feel about right now. I just think a picture of her with hair askew and eyes wide is more attractive than myself in the same pose (maybe I'll try it sometime and see what you think).

I must join my friend Mary Ellen in saying our New Year has so far been full of puke and general yuckiness. Nathan and I contracted an oh-so-evil stomach virus last weekend. Sunday night found us lying upon our bed, alternately begging God for mercy and moaning in pain. We also learned a crucial truth to be filed away for future reference as parents: after each parent visits the bathroom for nastiness "of both kinds" 15-20 times, there is no energy left to care for children. There wasn't exactly a queue of people lined up to volunteer for obvious reasons. Thus we learned truth number two: the only angels available and willing to visit your bedside and spirit your children away in the middle of the night WILL be the cleanest people you know. You WILL lay upon your bed wishing you knew exactly where your baby's clean socks are and that you had done supper dishes BEFORE retiring. You will picture them stumbling over toys, blocks, etc. as they scrounge up diapers and changes of clothing. Ahh~ the humiliation. Maybe I'll stop taking such advantage of Sunday being such a 'day of rest'~ my rest seems to mean the house's complete destruction.

That is the nicest, cleanest way of describing the horrors that befell our master suite. Let's not mention that I've now replaced the a/c vent next to the toilet and dumped baking soda down the ductwork (how did THAT happen? Note: if I don't know, it wasn't me ~ hee,hee!) I've also chloroxed everything that wasn't lysoled, and plan to scrub the vinyl with an (old) toothbrush. Laundry has been shouted and removed of stains and odors and I now think we're almost ready for a new year...

Oh, well, so much for my plans to come back from my hiatus with a perky, happy, happy, joy, joy blog for you dear readers. Drink lots of fluids and type away, fellow bloggers.

FYI

I am taking a holiday leave of absence from writing blogs... I need a little break from well, everything, at the moment. In the words of Bilbo, I feel a bit like "butter that's been scraped over too much bread." I plan to return in January, full of new ideas and lovely pics from the holidays. Blessings on each of you, my dear readers and lurkers, over this sacred season!

A fun little list I found on Kim N.'s blog...

1. The last concert I attended was by the Glenn Miller orchestra in Tuscaloosa~ I love big band!
2. What I look forward to most on Thanksgiving: help with the children (isn’t that ghastly!), lots of my favorite meat~ turkey, and time with family.
3. My Christmas shopping is almost completed~ yes, you may hate me!
4. Thoughts of "sleep" fill my head.
5. I wish I could wear things in the same size on top and bottom, and beautiful richly dark colors without turning into the Ghost of Christmas Past.
6. Bagpipes are the worst musical invention of man~ so shrill and squeaky, not to mention they have to be played by men with hairy legs in short skirts~ yuck!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to calling it a day, tomorrow my plans include finishing laundry, collecting leaves, maybe I’ll make an apple pie, and Sunday, I want to get all of us to church without vomit in the car or massive doses of Dimetapp!

Things You Should Be Able To Do In the Dark

Step around all toys left out (in their most recent arrangement) to lay down a sleeping child
Kiss your husband on the lips on the first try
Pass through entire house with arms partially outstretched to avoid all furniture
Pick a butter-bean (that's a lima bean to all you up north) by feel alone
Find a flashlight with a fresh battery on a stormy night
Drink a strong, hot coffee early without splashing
Use all chemical products with eyes tightly closed to avoid suffering the box’s warning of permanent blindness
Change a diaper
Be able to listen so intensely that even while asleep you are processing all the things that go bump in the night
Play hide and seek behind a tree
Become entranced by a star
Find a match to light the candle to kiss your husband by~ you missed the first time ;o)

Here's some much overdue pics of my little ones on Halloween. We've not been feeling well, so it's taken me a while to get these up... sorry.

Options

When Kathryn got up yesterday morning, she was, as is usual, "Hung-uh-ry." So I ticked off some choices on my fingers: biscuits, waffles, muffins... I trailed off on the fourth finger and said, "Well, what do you want?" She looked at me so seriously, and said, "Wellllll, what's on the other fingers?" ;o)

p.s. If you like dressing up your computer desktop like I do, check out the uplifting and gorgeous (and free!) desktop wallpapers on www.reviveourhearts.com I'm using a beautiful fall one with a Tozer quote~ makes me smile!

Election Day is Coming... and I haven't had my say!!!!

If I don't blog a little bit about the upcoming election, I think I would burst a vein somewhere! I'd like to mention a few of my aggravations with the 2008 elections for your consideration.

1. "The Race Card" ~ oooh, sounds ominous, doesn't it? OK, at this point, I would like to claim I am half-African American, Chinese, or pretty much anything instead of what I am ~ a female Caucasian. Being a "Cauc" means my opinion on racial issues is invalidated prior to being stated, and I must dig myself out by my fingernails to be heard. Ugh! As a recovering racist (see my previous and extensive posts on racism in the South posted on Jan. 19, 20, and 22 of this year), I do have a few thoughts. I live in a heavily African-American populated area. I shop with blacks, do business with blacks, and am friends with blacks. I hear and overhear a lot. Things like "I don't perceive any evil in the man (Obama); I think we should just get him in there and see what he can do." Followed by "Amen, amen!" from the partner in conversation. What is this? A religious rally? And reading an article in the left-leaning Parenting magazine available at all (and I do mean ALL) pediatric offices, the editor (a black female) says that to see "someone who looks like me" in this position is so exciting. All right, folks, step right up. All geriatrics with white hair should be voting for McCain. Poufy hair? Cute business dresses? White females? Palin is your woman. Whatever! Since when do we vote for someone just because they share something so superficial with us. Blech! I understand the desire to feel a connection with a candidate. Special-needs moms feel understood by Palin. Vets feel understood by McCain. Blacks feel understood by Obama. These differences in most cases do represent subcultures of the American people. Once again, the Presidency is bigger than feeling 'represented!' Enough said, I'm afraid.

2. McCain's age ~ The man is 72. OK. I assume that the issue is raised and re-raised for two reasons: life expectancy (can he live out the term?) and relevance (does he have his finger on the pulse of modern-day America?) Life expectancy. Oh, yes. Let's talk life expectancy. Anybody noticed the Founding Fathers' ages when they were leading our country. For example, John Adams was 62 when elected in 1797. I had a hard time finding exact numbers on life expectancy back then, but from what I read, he should have been long dead and buried. Relevance. I think we've seen a lot of elder-bashing in this election process. As long as the general health is good and the mind is sound, I don't care how old any candidate is! And I definitely don't think the wisdom of years and years of public service should be denigrated.

3. The Palin Phenomen ~ amazing, huh? Everyone out there hated McCain to have to be the one we Republicans voted before. But that was b.P. Before Palin. Now EVERYONE loves the ticket. Woohoo! We're all drooling and falling over ourselves to support him (but mostly her~ let's be honest). McCain isn't stupid. He needed to pull that conservative right vote to have a chance at this election. Does anyone remember that he's still one of the most non-conservative Republicans out there? Remember, people~ candidates pull the whole moderate rabbit out of the hat for the election, but the true colors will show soon. President Obama will be a liberal liberal liberal and President McCain will be a liberal liberal conservative. I know more than a few who are hoping the McCain will kick the bucket early on, so the darling Palin Presidency can begin before 2012.

Goodness! I know this isn't a great look at the election, obviously. I am a SAHM to two little ones. But I do have a few brain cells left. I won't be voting FOR either candidate. I will be voting AGAINST Obama. Unfortunately, you know what that means. Ugh. Maybe 2012 will be more promising.

Palin, Pet Peeves, and Miscellany

Things have been hopping around here~ blogging has been temporarily put to one side while we try to keep our heads above water. Anyhoo, I thought I'd update everyone on this exciting life of ours ;o)

Number #1: So many of you are yelling and hollering about seeing Palin, but I guarantee you none has been so close as I. See pics below. Actually, this is my dear friend Paula, who pulled off an amazing look-alike for a recent fall event. How does she do it?! This was clip-on earrings, reading glasses from Wal-Mart, and a hair piece (for the bangs and poofiness) scalped from one of her daughter's old dolls. She is definitely my creative hero!



Number #2: Fall has arrived. I love the glorious cool wetness of it all. We're having drizzly days, accented with the smells of cinnamon and pumpkin (from the Bath and Body Works soap I picked up last week). Hey, at least you know we wash our hands ;o) So, as the holidays approach, so do my annual pet peeve~ inflatable yard decorations. They're lovely at night. Let's see, the black cat holding a pumpkin, a lovely little ghostie, and soon, turkeys and then Santa Clauses and even a nativity scene or two. Does anyone realize that they're most often viewed in the daytime? When they're allowed to deflate into little heaps of colorful plastic all over the yard?!?! Nothing like a few piles of trashy-looking holiday decor for the neighbors to ooh and aah over. No offense to you inflatable-lovers out there. We still love you. Love covers a multitude of sins :o)


Number #3: Goodbye Mr. Chips! We've been searching for a new home for our little mini-dachshund, Chips. Between Alex eating the dog food, and Chips eating any poo diaper he may find (that only happened ONCE, I can assure you!!!), and just the general care of an indoor dog, he's a little much at the moment. I couldn't bear to drop him off at the pound, knowing how anxious he gets at the vet. Whoever adopted him would get an extremely upset and un-potty-trained puppy. So I've been looking high and low for someone to appreciate how much he loves raw broccoli, likes to sneak under bedcovers and kill spiders. Any takers? He's such a sweetie!


Number #4: We're still recovering. I'm doing much, much, much better. All the iron I'm taking is wreaking havoc on my poor tummy, but that's to be expected. Unfortunately, Nathan's broken toe wasn't healing (the bones had a gap/tissue/? between them and couldn't heal correctly). So they kind of rebroke it, wiggled it around and reset it. So, he started over. But, now he should be fine.

Number #5: The real reason I haven't been blogging is I've been sewing costumes for the fall festival. Kathryn has been begging to be Little Red Riding Hood for months. And Alex ~ well, it has been decided that he will be a monkey. I labored over the hood (pics coming soon), gave it to Kathryn, who promptly declared, "I don't want to be Little Red Riding Hood; I want to be a skinny cow!" In my infinite maternal wisdom, I said, "OK, you can just give this to your friend, Brenna, at church." So. She's Little Red Riding Hood and quite happy about it. For now.

Our Nephew, Stephen Nathaniel Brown, has arrived!!!

See pics of the handsome little guy and updates here. Congrats to Phil and Marianne!!!

More Yummies... That No One Got to Eat :o(
This weekend was something else! I was assigned to make sweet goodies for an Alabama football night at friends. We were playing Georgia, which was to make for an exciting evening. So check out what I made. Obviously, I'm in a celebratory mood now that fall's officially upon us. With a great sigh of satisfaction (and a very, very messy kitchen) I had everything ready to go. Nathan and Kathryn were racing in and through the kitchen and bedrooms in a crazy game of chase. Nathan skidded around the kitchen corner and as the X-ray tech said, "snapped the bone in his toe like a toothpick." So, of course he's lying in the floor, trying to keep Kathryn from jumping on him, while he's gasping for help. Alex chose that chaotic moment to get a boo-boo, hence the shrieking from the kitchen. And let's see... oh yes. A cauterization from a minor office procedure on myself chose to give way at that moment, and I began losing much, much, much blood. So!!! Nathan was in ER Room #10 and I was in room #20 at the same time. He did drive to the hospital with his broken toe. We made quite the pair. Unfortunately, I lost an inordinate amount of blood, and had to be admitted for stabilization. Two IV lines, oxygen, and some suturing later, I spent the night in the Women and Children's Center. They pumped in the fluids to get my blood pressure up, thereby diluting what little blood is left in my body. Ah! Oh, yes. Every four hours, they came to draw more blood (can't you just get it off the floor? my word!) only to tell me that I had even less than before~ so curious! Wonder why?! Thank God, we're both home now. He can't walk, and I'm anemically weak. Dear friends have taken the children for the night, cleaned the mess off the carpets, and even cleaned up my kitchen. Oh, yes. The game. I know you're wondering. We kicked their little booties all around the field. How do I know? There was a TV above my ER bed. Count it all joy...

A Yummy Success!

I tried out a new recipe last night on our church family. Several have asked for the recipe, so here it is.

For those of you who requested my specific substitutions/variations:
1. instead of butter-flavored shortening ~ equal amount of softened Blue Bonnet margarine
2. instead of all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt ~ equal amount of self-rising flour
3. instead of spices, I used pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon to taste
4. in the frosting, I used margarine instead of butter
5. oh, yes... I also halved the recipe
Note: It says 11 dozen! The halved recipe made about 3 1/2 dozen. I guess mine were a bit larger than theirs ;o)

Go for it, gals. These were delicious and so very fall-ish!!!

Jesus in the Nitty-Gritty

Yep, I'm still alive and kicking~ myself, that is, for allowing a three-year-old to "help" me paint. More about that later. I've been thinking a good bit lately about this wonderful calling MOTHERHOOD and its companion ORDINARY, EVERYDAY LIFE. My mom told me once that surrendering to do the great things for God is easier than submitting to do the ordinary and common for him. That has really stuck with me. Oh, at a tender age (thank God), I hit the altar every missions service pledging my life to be a willing Joan of Arc or Mother Teresa. No one asked me to surrender to the daily sacrifices that a mother makes.

Recently in Sunday School, the teacher read aloud the account of Stephen. You know, that amazing first martyr of the Church. Go back and read it again. I did, and then once more. Can it be that Stephen was the appointed head distributor of the local food pantry? That when the apostles needed solid laypeople to do the mundane, thereby freeing them up to study the Word and pray, Stephen was at the top of the list? What qualifications were to be filled by the seven people chosen to deal with "serving the table?" "Brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task" (Acts 6:3). I did a little research in the many commentaries of Nathan ;o) (what a blessing to have a man who values filling our home with good books for Bible study). These men obviously were dealing with more than just, "one biscuit or two?" This was a sensitive issue, involving the unity of the Baby Church. Obviously, Stephen did more than this, as he performed signs and wonders, and eventually brought down the wrath of his soon-to-be murderers through his astounding teaching. Don't you think the church should have sent this powerhouse out to start new churches? I mean, why wasn't he a pastor, for Pete's sake? But nope, it seems he was 'just' a layperson.

I found my personal study very challenging. I think it safe to say that all laypeople (of which I am one) need to be striving to meet Stephen's qualifications: holding a good reputation, full of / directed by the Holy Spirit, and full of wisdom/seeing life from God's perspective (as the song says, "let me live in Your Word, 'til Your Word is living in me).

So, this week I found myself asking as I headed to the dreaded dentist appointment where I knew some nasty pain was awaiting my arrival, and as I introduced myself (YET AGAIN) to the nursing home residents we visit, and as I waited a very long time for a non-appearing paint technician at Wal-Mart, and as a I gazed upon the yellow showing through the "guaranteed one-coat coverage" paint I paid a pretty penny for, and as I continued the never-ending kitchen cleaning....

WHERE IS MY WALK WITH JESUS IN THE NITTY-GRITTY LAY LIFE I LIVE? Are my reactions to frustration directed by the Spirit? Is His wisdom flowing out of me toward my children, in my decisions? Am I careful to glorify Him at home, at Wal-Mart, at the DENTIST when they are re-doing the Novacaine injection- youch! Am I like Stephen? Like Jesus? Would I qualify for distributor of the food pantry? Would I accept such a position with a thankful heart and a gracious attitude? To be honest with you, dear reader, I found myself lacking in this examination, and I intend, by His grace, to live more carefully.

"Towels and dishes and sandals, all the ordinary sordid things of our lives, reveal more quickly than anything what we are made of. It takes God Almighty Incarnate in us to do the meanest duty as it ought to be done." ~Oswald Sanders

A Few More Things I Just HAVE to Share...


~Alex turned one on July 26th. We waited until we got up to Nathan's parents to have a little party. Mom and Dad Brown were there, along with my mom and Chelsea, and Philip and Marianne and kids. Marianne outdid herself once again, producing a lovely and delicious! cake for the occasion. Because we often call Alex our "chunky monkey" he got a bananas cake with monkey cupcakes. Here's a pic! If you are like me and just LOVE those monkeys, you can find the recipe here.


~I also found a jewel!, a treasure!, a mind-saving device! for this trip that I'd like to pass along to other moms and dads. I picked up this from our local Christian bookstore for about $10. 6 hours! of playing time. Did I mention 6 hours?! It goes through the entire Bible. Zephaniah and Haggai included. It goes through the Roman Road in Romans, and Steve Green does the voice of Jesus. Other well-known Christian voices (Joni Tada, etc) do other characters. The music isn't annoying. It's tastefully done, not a rock concert, and not a Gregorian chant. For those of my readers who like CCM, it's not boring. And for those who like a more traditional approach, I don't think it's offensive. (Of course, this is my personal opinion and does not reflect the opinion of anyone else who shares my last name~ Nathan hasn't heard it and so has nothing to say ;o) And the SCRIPTURE! Dramatized, yes, but it stays very close to the text. I was amazed! I didn't know how much Kathryn had picked up until we were wandering through the thrift store the other day and she was saying (in a loud voice ;o) "Is there ANYTHING too hard for the Lord?!" over and over. Maybe someone needed to hear that...

Catching Up On Laundry & Blogs

I have found an unexpected side-effect to taking a blog hiatus. When my fingers head for the keyboard, I have so many different thoughts running around in my head that I don't know where to start. As such, this will be a bit random.

~Chelsea is doing great. She has successfully begun her "flight from the nest" and her college career. I'm very proud of how well she is transitioning. While I was up there, I spent a lot of time with her, repainting her dorm room, sewing new curtains to match her bedding, talking, eating too much fast food, working out schedules, finances, job hunting, etc. Marianne & Philip, as well as Mom and Dad Brown, were extremely helpful in keeping the children during all the craziness. Thank you so much for your thoughtful and patient help!!!! I learned a lot about driving around Cincinnati. I think I got lost about once a day. I know for a fact that I ran through 2 or 3 traffic lights by accident, turned up 3 different one-way streets the wrong way, and got lost in the 'hood' at night. I swallowed what little pride I have left, and even got a police escort (no lights and siren, thankfully) back to campus just in time for Chelsea to meet her curfew. Would someone PLEASE get me a GPS for Christmas? So now I'm home, and glad to be here, except for one thing...Agh! The laundry!!!

~I'm ticked off that I am met by Ellen DeGeneres' and her 'bride's smiling faces at every newsstand. Do we HAVE to celebrate their 'wedding?' Yuck!! Nathan's mother likes to quote this little poem by Alexander Pope:
"Vice is a monster of so frightful mien, As to be hated needs but to be seen;
Yet seen too oft, familiar with her face, We first endure, then pity, then
embrace"

Spot on, Mr. Pope!

~Two funny things I saw while out and about: 1. "Used Cows for Sale" on a sign in Kentucky. Any idea what THAT means? ;o) 2. "30% less calories" on a Trident package. On the back, it noted that the caloric content of one piece of gum had been reduced from 5 calories to 3 1/2. Whatever! Are we THAT dumb? Honestly!

~Vida, the male cat with the female name, is finally earning its keep. He killed a huge! rat in the backyard this weekend and seemed very pleased with himself. Take a look!

Back-To-School Pause in BlogWorld

This Friday, I'm heading off with my chilluns and my mom to take my little sister to God's Bible School and College. I'm busy doing all the pre-trip stuff. So! I'm officially calling a timeout to my blogging 'obligations.' At the end of the month, I'll update everyone on Alex's 1st birthday party, etc. Yep, my little man's officially a 1 year old and the proud owner of seven little pearly whites. Those of you who remember being away from home for the first time, say a little prayer for my home-loving sister. This is a big deal, and hopefully will be a huge positive thing in her life.

Praising My Man

As referred to in the last post, this is my personal 'praise your man' week. Most of you know Nathan~ I have been privileged to be married to him for the past 7 years. I'd like to share a few things about him that make him my wonderful man:

~ His goal is my happiness (let's start off with my selfish side ;o). If I ask him if he's happy, he most often responds with, "Are you? If you are, then I am, too."

~ He took the early years of his adult life to study Carnegie, and people, in general. On top of his uncanny ability to psychoanalyze people, he is a brilliant conversationalist and deep thinker.

~ He is thoughtful. When he comes to bed late, he tiptoes around the room with a flashlight so he won't wake me up.

~ He is clean and orderly. Thank God from Whom all blessings flow! Cleaning up after Nathan is practically unheard of, and I'm never embarrassed to be seen with him in public.

~ He says I'm beautiful. What woman doesn't like to hear that?! And he's a 'hot hunk' (as Kathryn has been taught to say ;o), so we make quite the pair...

~ He loves our children, and sees his life goal as training/teaching them to be a part of God's kingdom.

~ He's affectionate and kind to our dog. (Don't laugh: men who kick the dog, or otherwise take out their frustration on weaker creatures scare me)

~ He's like his father. (Here's a little embedded tribute to Dad Brown: thanks so much for teaching your sons to be such great men, and I'm truly blessed to be married to a man who's often considered to be like you)

~ He is a valuable employee at his company, provides a beautiful and comfortable home for us.

~ His provision allows me to be home with the children. This is such a blessing! He could be sending me out anyways, to pull in the extra dough for an 'enhanced' lifestyle. Instead, he fully supports my role at home.

~Last, and most important, he is godly. He bows his knee to the word of God on all of life, and truly treasures his study in it. He is sensitive to God's voice, and I have full confidence in his spiritual leadership.

Some of you have posted/have said you will post a tribute to your man. Check out Messner's blog below for a sweet tribute from Lisa...

Calling All Wives!

I'm giving you heads-up regarding my posts next week. I've been reading a new-to-me book that all wives should have in their library. If you don't have the $ to own it right now, run, don't walk to your nearest library and ask for an interlibrary loan if they don't have it on hand. Much of it I've heard before in some form or another, but I'm only through four chapters and I'm so challenged to be a better wife and mom.

So!!! I'm challenging you as well. You've seen how denigrated men are in our society. I'd like to proclaim a "Praise Your Man in Public" week, and challenge each of you to post a little (or large) post on your blog next week telling us all how privileged you are to be Mr. X's wife. I've seen more than my share of women's groups fall into 'bash your man' groups. And 'if you think that's bad, listen to what MINE did' groups. Ugh! Let's be godly ladies, gals, and raise our man up in the process!

Surprised By A Smile

How shall I say this without murmuring? (See Holly Walker's blog below ;o) Let's say my life right now is a bit on the downside. Nathan's been sick, our best friends are on the world's longest vacation, and it's Alabama-summer hot. You know it, you southerners. The pulsing sound of cicadas in the trees that mimic the heatwaves floating across the road. I broke a sweat carrying trash down to the bin this morning. I'm longing for the cool breezes of fall.

So! I thought maybe some of you are in the doldrums just now, and I thought I throw some happy thoughts your way. What makes you smile? You know, those idiosyncracies (we all have them?). Those fun little things that bring a little cheer to your heart on the rough days. I had a group of happy moments hit me the other night. I was on the way home from a child's birthday party, where I got to hang out with good Christian friends (number #1), when suddenly I passed a parade of antique cars on the interstate (number #2), when I found a Christmas in July special on the radio and heard Nat King Cole and Karen Carpenter belting out holiday tunes (number #3). I turned the a/c up high until I shivered, and my child sat happily looking at books in the backseat (number #4). Who cares that you now all know my dream car is something along this line? Anyone got $50,000 to donate to your favorite 'charity'? (I know, that's the oldest line going). Who cares that you now all know that I'd listen to a crooner any day, any time over any other genre of music? Who cares that you now know how really strange and retro I am? Find some fun things that make you smile today! For starters, may I suggest this delicious homemade dressing to drizzle over some ice-cold lettuce wedges? It doesn't hurt that the title is the name to an oldies song ;o)

***p.s. I would also like to introduce the latest project of the Browns to my readers: http://pensamientosexegeticos.blogspot.com This blog is/will be a compilation of my brother-in-law, Philip Brown's articles, some previously printed in the Revivalist, and some of my father-in-law, Allan Brown's written sermons. All of these will be translated into Spanish by yours truly. We hope this will be a blessing to Hispanic pastors & students in the future. Feel free to check it out and recommend it to any Spanish people you may know...

/>
Self-Centered: It's Just What We Are

Kathryn and I had a teachable moment today. Upon leaving ALDI Supermarket, we saw a woman rummaging through her purse, presumably for the quarter to release a shopping cart (hereafter referred to as a 'buggy') from the rack-thingie. Kathryn had just rescued our quarter, which she deemed a 'miracle!' By this, I'm assuming she did not see me put it in. Anyhoo, there's this poor woman who has succumbed to the 'carry-no-cash' mentality that I also suffer from on most occasions. After all, I only bought hamburger buns, because I only had 95 cents on me in the first place. Pity welled up, and I instructed Kathryn to give the lady our quarter for her buggy.

We got all strapped in the car, and I launched off on this teachable moment. You know how it goes... The Bible tells us that if we have the means to do good to someone who needs it, we should... and this poor lady needed a quarter, and we had one, etc. etc. Quietness ensues. I imagine deep truths of compassion and generosity sinking into the fertile heart of my child. Then a little voice pipes up from the back seat, "Mommy? I need a quarter, too." Ah, well...

And Now For My 100th Post!

This post is a rather random collections of my recent thoughts/doings...

* Number 1: Guess what arrived in my mail yesterday? Here's a hint: black with eight legs and a red hourglass on its middle. Yep. A black widow spider. Thankfully, I saw it crawl toward the corner of our mailbox. Using spider-killer spray made specifically for those of us who like to keep our distance, I annihilated the evil creature. It gave me two thoughts: one, thankfulness for the protection from who-knows-what that our Father continually provides, and two, a desire to blog on our family's history of spiders. We'll get to that later...

*Number 2: Mom and Dad Brown, Phil, Marianne and their boys were here for several days recently. I didn't get my camera out once. So shoot me. I'm awful about that. I really wish I had, but we're going up there in 5 weeks or so; I plan to correct this oversight. We had such a wonderful time with them. Lots of food, fun and great fellowship. I wish you all had the opportunity to sit in on a Brown family discussion of the Word. Wow! What a privilege to be a part of such a knowledgeable and wise family. I think they should do a radio call-in show on Bible questions. I will care for the children and provide mail-order snacks to the 5th caller ;o) We also were able to go the Pell City Camp for a few days. What can I say? I love that place!

*Number 3: Mom fixed my pitiful begonias. She gave them dirt. Yep, they were looking quite sad. She noticed my potting soil was a little low and filled the container back up. Up they popped, happy as can be. And now they're thriving. OK, here comes the cheesy application. I was thinking about how sometimes in our spiritual walk, God gives us a little "dirt"~ some grimy trials, filthy tribulations to help us thrive. It takes more than sunshine and a gentle shower to grow things. It gave me a new perspective on being thankful for all things.

*Kathryn told me today that she's for sale for 'twenty bucks and a half.' After today, what can I say? Any takers? ;o)

Have a wonderful Sabbath!