Last weekend I had the opportunity to photograph a lovely couple. I brought my sweet hubby along as my assistant and second shooter. I also like to call him my beast of burden because photography equipment is heavy! We had a great time and really captured the joy and love between these two. The weather […]
A Productive Day
One thing I’ve learned about the internet is that it’s selective. Good bloggers are selective with what they share. They generally avoid sharing too many piles of dirty laundry. They might share the occasional “keepin’ it real – This is my morning face” kind of pictures but they know that too much of that will […]
Tonsil Boy
Over the past few months I’ve taken to calling my oldest son, “Tonsil Boy.” He has had Strep Throat 5 times in a row… I think it’s 5 anyway. A lot. I’ve lost count. No sooner would he finish a round of antibiotics before coming down with it again. Essentially someone in our house has […]
A little bit closer
I live in a neighborhood that would likely be passed over quickly by those who don’t know it. In fact, truth be told, there’s a chance they might even drive a little faster. I gotta keep it real, people. It’s no The Hamptons. No offense to any The Hamptons dwellers intended of course. I’m pretty […]
Credit Tips for Expatriates
You never expect that repatriating will be more difficult, financially, than expatriating! I’m no finance guru. And I’m not planning to blog about money or financial advice on a regular basis but I just wanted to share one important thing we’ve learned through the process of being expats and then repatriating and trying to reestablish […]
My day in Instagram moments… Instagraments
Fragments + Moments + Instagram = Instagraments. Not to be confused with Instagarments. I think Instagarments, close relatives to the paper napkin garments you are given at the Dr’s office, are what Adam and Eve whipped up for themselves after that those fateful bites. I decided to Instagram my day until my phone died. What follows […]
Because flowers are good for your health
Are there ever really enough flowers? No. Heaven will have never-ending flowers, I think, because flowers are good for you. It’s true. That is a lovely one, is it not? I feel healthier already. The happy tulips smile still, their cheerful petals like a frill, like a laugh, a twirling girl whose skirt spins ’round […]
Tax laughs…
I don’t know why I thought of this today. Maybe it’s because we went in to sign our tax forms today and the lady at the reception desk smiled at our brood and said, “It looks like you have a couple of deductions!” I just thought it sounded like a great congratulatory greeting card from […]
DIY Hideous to Happy: Pineapple Lamp
So I had seen this old brass pineapple lamp at my mom’s house and figured that it wasn’t super special to anyone a while ago. I had asked my Mom if I could have it a while back but never went over and got it. Flames shooting out the knob of a table lamp in […]
Another Shoe Giveaway! WINNER ANNOUNCED!
Congratulations Madeline B.! You are the winner of my super cute Reeboks! E-mail me and I’ll get your shoes on their way to you soon! Woohoo! ____ So there is one more pair of shoes from my Famous Footwear bonanza at Blissdom ’12 that won’t be spending time on my feet because they are just a […]
One Day DIY Dresser
I’ve been wanting… nay, needing more storage space for my kitchen. Our house is actually an upstairs/downstairs duplex with a shared front door and indoor stairs. So basically it’s a house with extra doors, if that makes any sense at all. This means that technically […]
The dresser and the thief
Today I bought an old ugly dresser with nice bones at the local thrift store. It was just your standard 1970’s wood dresser. I brought it home, sanded the living daylights out of it and painted it a vibrant teal. Yes. You heard me right. Teal. Pictures to come soon. But as I wait for […]
You like shoes, right? (WINNER ANNOUNCED!)
UPDATE: The winner of the super cute shoes is Meredith Montgomery! Congratulations Meredith! E-mail me with your information and I’ll get your pretty shoes in the mail ASAP! ______ This post will be about shoes. It will be about you (if you wear size 8 1/2) being able to win a pair of shoes that my […]
Spring and its flowers and trees of happiness
Spring has got to be my favorite season. I remember how my eyes would yearn for color by March back when we lived in Calgary. I think my eyes were seriously color deprived. Some days I just wanted to grab anything green or red or pink and try to absorb some of it into my […]
Handmade Camera Strap Cover Loveliness
So I have this friend who knows how to sew. She’s a very crafty one, this friend. And her daughter has inherited (and been taught!) this crafty gene. My sister got all the crafty genes in our family. I am artistic by way of photography but crafty is not a word I could use to […]
The people need clothes
They are literally threatening to go naked. Now granted, part of this is due to the fact that they have not been faithfully bringing their laundry down and running it through. But the large pile of clothes on my floor will attest to the fact that I’m not always the best at getting the laundry […]
Cluttered
Cluttered. desk, floor, brain jumbled fumbling numbly bumbling wondering and wishing and thinking maybe something needs to change. Here before me calendars, dead batteries words in jaunty child-penned form scattered like the laundry in a pile over there. nerves, thoughts, heart uncentered fuzzy hazy fog seeking saviors everywhere. I am a soul-reflecting thought collecting guilt […]
School Choice
My kids have been home educated pretty much their whole lives. Two of them did a brief stint in public school when I was down with a pretty brutal virus and its brutally brutal neurological after-effects. For the most part homeschooling has been something we have done not only out of personal conviction that it […]
Blissdom Beginnings…
First, I’m going to break one of the rules I remember from a particularly helpful workshop at Blissdom (taught by Tsh Oxenrider) by writing several multi-sentence paragraphs in a row, unbroken by any pictures (okay, maybe I’ll add some pictures in between paragraphs after all.) I reserve the right to break the rules! (I feel […]
Blissdom was so big…
I really want to post about Blissdom and I will. I really will. (promise!) I will post a ton of pictures and spill my everlovin’ guts about the whole experience. But it was so big. So very big. Nothing else seemed to exist for those days outside of the Opryland Hotel. But for some reason […]
Everything.
I love everything about this picture. It was my Mom’s SOMETHINGth birthday. (She doesn’t believe the number and neither do I so why mention it?) And we sort of surprised her by showing up at lunchtime and then staying all day and then making fajitas for dinner and then making a 4 layer vanilla cake […]
Catch my breath
Do you mind if I catch my breath and try just to quantify all that’s going on? ‘Cause I’m lost and found and this train is bound for a land beyond by and by. But I can’t tell where I am and I can’t say why I know I’m fine. I just know I am. […]
Hello Normal, you are looking strange…
Normal, you don’t look so well. You look scared and haggard. You seem like you’ve been through the ringer. Normal, are you sure you should be going at this pace? Shouldn’t you slow down? Maybe go to bed at a decent hour? Maybe you’ve had a few too many late nights. You’ve gotta take care […]
a fresh blog.
Just a peek…
I barely have enough brain cells to scrape together right now to create a post at all, let alone a coherent one. Soon I will be able to post a little bit more about my Blissdom experience. Basically, I was really, really busy and had a wonderful time, met some wonderful people (some that I […]
Hectic Life Means Dinner Suffers
Last night, I got home from Blissdom and was exhausted in every way. Top that off with the fact that I was sick. I think gastroenteritis is the culprit. Ugh. I did not want to cook and hubby had just done 5 days solo with our 4+1 kids and wasn’t up to cooking either. My […]
Blissdom in a nutshell… Um. I mean in a fortune cookie.
I have so much more to post about my first Blissdom but I’m going to just start with this. I got it in my fortune cookie about 5 minutes after getting home from my long day of travel from Nashville to the San Francisco Bay Area (because, really… who wants to cook when you get […]
Ponder this.
p.s. Just to annoy Dan, I made this a PNG file. Sweet nerdvenge.
The Mall
When we lived in Canada, we used to go to the mall just in order to get out of the house when it was too cold to go anywhere else. Since moving back home to California, we have only set foot in a mall about maybe 10 times (not including strip malls that include things […]
I dropped it.
My camera. You know, the irony is that I always tell the kids to be careful with “the baby” when I actually venture to let them take a picture. I want them to learn to use a camera and to play with light and try to shoot pictures from different angles. I want them to […]
Walking through God's open doors
This morning I read this post by Alece at Grit and Glory. Basically she argues against the common Christian sentiment, “If God wants us there, then everything will work out. The doors will keep opening for us, and everything will just come together.” I must say that I agree with her. Of course most people probably […]
A healthy fear of…
There are some things of which the world grants that you ought to have a healthy fear. People often say of their little ones, “He has a healthy fear of the water.” Water, it’s the first thing you are encouraged to fear as a child. Next thing you know, they are dressing you in clownish […]
Rain
sweet rain. how i love the sound of you playing on the window pane dancing on the rooftops and sliding down the drain running down the sidewalk childlike and free barefoot, naked, arms outstretched like an old oak tree You smell like air and dirt and oil and grease and burgers, shakes and fries all […]
Sweet Shot
I’m trying to be more bloggy lately and in attempt to do that, I’m joining in a few more link-ups than I have over the past year or so of bloggy ambivalence. So here it is, Sweet Shot Tuesday. Glad I popped over to Darcy’s again and found it was another linky day. Yes, I […]
Olliver's Travels
Before my husband left for his orientation in Phoenix with Food for the Hungry, we decided that we wanted a fun way for Daddy to share with the kids where in the world he was and what he did throughout his time. While his travels won’t necessarily be far and wide just yet, he will […]
Making the Best of the Distance (AKA Why I love Skype)
My hunkahunkaburninlove comes home from Staff Orientation in Arizona at Food for the Hungry tomorrow. Oh, I’m so happy. I’m so happy he’s coming home but I’m so so happy he loves his job. I’m so excited about this organization. I’m very thankful. But I’m still really happy he’s coming home tomorrow. It’s not quite the […]
Self-Challenges
I have mentioned it a few times but I probably need to mention it again because if I don’t mention it now then nothing happens and I go on with life as usual and that’s very sad. So I should mention it now. And I think I will. Yes, I am! Have I mentioned how […]
Of Owl Sandwiches and Kitties
The time has come, my little friends, to talk of nitty gritties: of wombats, bards and bicycles of owl sandwiches and kitties. by Me (just now) I wrote that just now. Just for you. Just for this blog. This is the kind of cutting edge news you are always looking for and coming to expect […]
Dress Up
Yesterday I had an impromptu, totally unplanned and completely spontaneous (gosh, I love being redundant. Redundancy is the best!) photo shoot with my nieces. The idea popped into my head when I went into my Mom’s house to chat with her. I saw my sister’s wedding dress lying out on a chair (major cleaning happening), […]
One Sentence Saturday, #3
The most beautiful gifts are the most difficult. Visit Robin @ Pensieve and join in.
Be Weak
Jesus loves me, this I know For the Bible tells me so Little ones to Him belong, They are weak but HE is strong WE are weak. We are cast down. We are burdened. We are mournful, weary, empty, shaking and crumpled at our savior’s feet. We cannot even lift our heads. What becomes of […]
Getting in the Picture
My “old” bloggy buddy from way back when, Darcy, reminded us that we moms need to get in the picture. As a photographer and as a self-critical woman, I am definitely one of those that does not like to get in the picture. I like my place behind the camera thankyouverymuch. I don’t seem to […]
For our friends today and for all who grieve as ones with hope…
It's my birthday…
Wow. What a marathon of a birthday. My 35th was a strange, sad, happy, crazy, blessed birthday. Started my birthday by finishing watching The Help with Shawn at around 12:30 a.m. Woke up at 5:00 to get ready to take the Mr. to the airport for his 10 days of orientation with Food for the […]
Joys and Sorrows
Joys and sorrows crows and sparrows droughts and downpours hearts and arrows Is life ever and forever all a mix of pain and pleasure Blood and water ice and fire grace and graveyards doom and shire hopes and fears crowns and crosses cribs and caskets gains and losses Will the always be a never this […]
And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5.2
Christ Entered In
Oh, there is a day, and it hurts like hell, when it seems like the sun has gone away, soul sorrow so deep that no mouth can tell, but Jesus has felt it on the world’s darkest day. Sleep will not come and tears will not end, the sorrow so great it’s just under your […]
Come untrue…
Sam’s question is the cry of our hearts today. But Sam lay back, and started with open mouth, and for a moment, between bewilderment and great joy, he could not answer. At last has gasped: ‘Gandalf! I thought you were dead! But then I thought I was dead myself. Is everything sad going to come untrue? What’s […]
Some of my favorite pictures from 2012
Because my blog is just coming back to life after being tended to on such an irregular basis for the past little while, I haven’t been posting very many pictures. Part of the reason is that outside of shooting weddings, I’ve actually not been taking quite the volume of “everyday” pictures that I have in […]
Word of the Year
Layla at The (beautiful) Lettered Cottage has asked us what our Word of the Year is. I have never really chosen a word of the year. I’m more a word of the day type of person. Life seems to be one day at a time for me in so many senses that my word of […]
My dream?
Okay, so one dream is already going to happen. I am going to Blissdom and I’m so excited. Yes, I’m excited because I get to, for the first time (ever? really? ever?) yes… ever, go away by myself and be part of something so awesome that I know some of my bloggy friends have so […]
Big stuff…
To say the last few years have been a whirlwind would be an understatement. We moved away from Canada where we had made our home for the previous seven years. We went into the felt uncertainty that sometimes seems to define what we call “walking by faith and not by sight.” As I type we […]
Can you believe?
Today I read Fahrenheit 451 for the first time ever? I can’t believe I graduated high school almost 17 years ago and I just now read this book? Pathetic. Oh my goodness. It couldn’t be a more timely read. Took me about 15 pages to get into it and to get passed, or rather accustomed to, the […]
Favorite book of the year…
Well, this is probably one of the more cruel jokes to play on someone, I think. Actually, when Heather posted in my comments that she wanted me to pick my favorite book of the year, I thought I knew which one it would be, but then all of the other books started crying out to […]
Books! Books! Books!
I’ve been reading a lot lately. After giving birth to 4 man-cubs I think my brain was temporarily out of the office. Unable to be reached. Out of pocket. Muy ocupado. Elsewhere. Oh, it’s so fun to come up with an endless string of words that convey the same meaning to the point of boring […]
much better
Oh, I feel like I can breathe again. My old site look was nothing short of hideous. Perhaps that is why I haven’t blogged in so long? I couldn’t bear to look at it. These pictures have nothing to do with anything that I’m writing about today but a blog post needs pictures. Blog posts […]
Thoughts on Christmas Sunday
I recently read this post by Ed Stetzer along with other articles on the same subject several weeks back. I must humbly say that I am both truly sad and disappointed about this 6%. Our lives are not our own, our time is not our own, our money is not our own, The Lord’s Day […]
I don't have a title.
I’m tired. Too tired to come up with a fetching title. Physically, emotionally, spiritually and in every other way. Tired. I’m tired of the daily grind, the trials and responsibilities of parenting, homeschooling, cooking, working, looking for work for my husband. Tired of moving and tired of thinking of moving. Tired of messes, stresses, laundry, […]
Hiraeth
They say home is where you hang your hat but an internal finger scratches my head at that. My hats have been hung and strewn all about, certainly enough places to raise a small doubt, as I uproot and then land and then once again roam I’ve yet to find one place that just shouts, […]
Took a Hike
It had been so long. I can hardly remember our last family hike, something which we used to do quite often, especially when we lived in Calgary. Here we seem to have become so busy with all of life that hiking has sadly managed to slip way down on the list of possible things to […]
Nieces
I, as you know, am a mom of four boys. Four boys who, tonight in particular, can sometimes drive me mad with their incessant boyish craziness. Love them and all but sometimes I seriously just feel a wee tad alone (no offense, Cupcake, but you don’t much count for making me feel a lot of […]
Kitty
This kitty has worked her way well into our hearts. It somehow helps that she is incredibly photogenic. And terribly sweet and affectionate and only minimally destructive of used furniture. Seriously. Best cat ever.
Birthday Boy
My baby is now six. Last night I was recalling with my sister how I felt the day that I gave birth to my fourth baby. My belly, mere moments after birth, for the first time in four deliveries, seemed to know just how to behave and went back to its prior size (not that […]
Bring on the Rain?
Someone this morning posited the question; “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain”. Anyone else think this applies to home educating? How? The rainbow… A sign of God’s promise not to destroy us all…. yes, I need that regularly. We are a testy bunch. The rain of trials and testing […]
Cool Hair, School Hair
I’m feeling Dr. Seussy today and have written a little poem in honor of those children who have lost their hair because of chemotherapy. Cool hair, school hair, crazy whacked out fool hair. Fun hair, bun hair, been out in the sun hair. Fuzzy hair, buzzy hair, I don’t even care hair. Curly hair, swirly […]
Praying to Facebook
Recently, in the heat of my 1st world miserable annoyance with FB as fellow human beings around the world go hungry and without the knowledge of a savior, I was pondering the role of FB in my life. I was pondering, “hmm… what did we do with all of our unexpressed thoughts before FB (and […]
Hello out there…
((echo echo echo)) I know. You all are not even there anymore. That’s okay. I still feel like blogging today even though I am the most irregular blogger ever. And I don’t mean I need some Metamucil. School has started with a bang. For the first time in our homeschool history the kids are taking […]
Grey
Sometimes the world seems ashen grey like a murky pool or dried up branch of melancholy hue, perhaps a blasé piece of dried up clay left out too long one Summer day. No smile soft or sanguine thought can grant retreat away from this achromatic concrete day. Sometimes the world seems black and white. This […]
Beautiful
God is teaching me so much about His grace and infinite mercy and kindness lately. Circumstances are not ideal and they rarely are for our own liking. As humans we always can think of something, diminutive or grandiose, worth tweaking that would presumably make circumstances just *that* much more pleasant for us, one way or […]
Father's Day
I know I’ve been AWOL forever and ever. Life has been very busy. I am not really up to blogging about it all yet but I needed to post my Father’s Day video that I shot with the iPad 2 that I actually, yes, WON thanks to ebookfling.com
Hello. I'm alive! (Barely)
Seriously, this move did. me. in. (Never-mind that it was one of the shortest distance moves I’ve ever made.) Not only was I emotionally toast (so much going into that, I can’t even touch on all of it), I was very nearly physically done in as well. I was sore and exhausted, having done not […]
Good Good Good Good Friday
Good good good good Friday. He bowed his head and cried as He was crucified that God would lift my head and raise me from the dead. Good good good good Friday. Good good good good Friday. He suffered on that cross. It looked like love had lost that I might see His face and […]
Birthday Art
My oldest child just turned 11 yesterday. It’s hard to believe I’m old enough to be the parent of a pre-teen. Really hard to believe. As in, I don’t think it’s possible. I’m still 23. He received art supplies, as per his request, for his birthday. Paints, brushes, etc. Today he whipped them all out […]
Living Water
Last night I was awakened at 3 a.m. by someone who didn’t feel well. Unfortunately for me that meant that I could not fall back asleep until about 6 a.m. because I was decorating our new place (that we move into in about 3-4 weeks) in my head and the decorator in my brain would […]
Colorful
The boys are involved in a local church’s AWANA scripture memory program which they all really love. Each week has some sort of theme. This past week was crazy hair night. While one of my kids was initially reticent about participating (well, actually more negative than mere reticence) I eventually convinced him to “let down […]
Just Some Spring
It’s been raining for weeks and weeks here. Reminds me of my one year of living in the Pacific Northwest (well, I suppose where I was it was considered Southwest because it was in Canada). The good thing about all the rain is knowing that it will make everything lush and verdant when the sun […]
Various and Sundry Thoughts
I love my kitty, Cupcake. She is sweet and precious and only sassy no more than twice a day. I love it that she starts out sleeping in her bed and then, after her morning ablutions, ends up sleeping on my legs and then once she knows I’m awake decides it’s time to come and curl up […]
5 Year Olds Rock
They are so darn quotable. These were all from about a 30 minute span. “Whoa! I just saw her hard palate. The kitty just yawned and I saw her hard palate!” ____ T shows him a picture that he drew on the Etch-a-Sketch and C says, “Wow, that’s really pixelated.” ____ Practicing reading in very […]
Everybody Wants to be a Cat
’cause cats are sorta always the defacto boss. Bruce meets Cupcake from Nancy Doud on Vimeo. music by Roy Hargrove
Just pictures
My kids are loving their art class this year. They have made some truly beautiful creations and they all want to do art again next year. Unfortunately I only got pictures of three of them with their latest creations. My favorite might just be that sinister psycho bunny head floating menacingly over the mysterious sailboat. […]
Introducing Cupcake
I haven’t mentioned it on here (though if you are a Facebook friend of mine you probably already know) but I have been pining for a kitty for quite a while now. My parent’s cat, Tigah, awoke my love for cats because he is just the sweetest kitty. Well, now I might say he’s the […]
A Dweam Wiffin A Dweam…
Oh my. I had a dream within a dream this morning. Dreamed an alien ship was landing in Mom and Dad’s front yard, I was only half awake but I had to get a picture. Couldn’t lift the camera all the way (too heavy) but it was always half-way in front of my eye the […]
Salvation…
Mercy supplied was justice applied to Jesus who died, when death He defied that grace might betide His sin-soiled Bride that she might abide, eschewing her pride, in the love He provides, that over all He’d preside In His Kingdom worldwide.
Paint colors
We should be moving in the next few months and will be able to choose a total color palette for the whole house. I’m excited as we’ve not really ever done this. We’ve done the room by room thing before and we’ve had a house repainted for sale. This is the color palette I’ve chosen […]
Gentle Shepherd
Gentle Shepherd, fierce protector bind my wounds, my soul inspector. Table turner, Humble servant break my heart, and crush the serpent. Sea Commander, water walker calm my spirit as I falter. Gracious Savior, sin’s contender grant my heart a calm surrender. King anointed, older brother let me never serve another. World creator, people buyer, wash […]
Word Clouds
Words are like clouds that float out of reach, hovering vapors, looking solid to touch, they come in as thoughts that drift into speech, like sprinkles or showers, too little or much. Some words like cirrus are high wisps of cloud if the pressure agrees and conditions are nice, but many will make their way […]
Little Bits of I-Love-You
Stuck-on sparkles, old elastic metal clips and see-through plastic, Bits of paper, string and glue, little flecks of I-love-you. A stick with arms, some legs, a head, some frizzled hair (just bits of thread) “It’s you!” a finger points in ballyhoo to little marks of I-love-you. Some hearts float ’round about the air A rainbow […]
Imago Dei Coram Deo
You fashioned us in Imago Dei, soft moons to the sun’s bright glorious ray. We see through a glass though dimly light, a pallid opaque between morning and night. We are but mirrors all broken and cracked, your light, we, in imperfect prisms refract. Coram Deo, we live under your gaze, though your face yet […]
My Old Friend
Today, my mom and my husband and I all worked to remove the enormous root of an old Oak Tree in which I spent much of my childhood. It died long ago due to a disease and had to be cut down. I still remember the sadness in my heart when my Mom called and […]
A Psalm of Life
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882) A PSALM OF LIFE WHAT THE HEART OF THE YOUNG MAN SAID TO THE PSALMIST Tell me not, in mournful numbers, Life is but an empty dream ! — For the soul is dead that slumbers, And things are not what they seem. Life is real ! Life is earnest! […]
Such fun…
Those of you who have been reading my blog since the beginning (which I realize is probably a very small number at this point because I’m not the most daily of bloggers) know that ever since she started her blog, (I think that’s the first time I linked her) I have adored Ree. I “knew” […]
Good times…
Ree's New Book
I got Ree’s new book, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, yesterday in the mail because I’d pre-ordered it on Amazon when she announced its release date. I started reading it about 3 minutes after answering the doorbell and finding it on my porch. I should finish reading it today. It’s quite a fun read (and […]
Gifts
It’s birthday weekend here. Friday was my second son’s birthday, today is mine. And a happy one it is. I got news via e-mail this morning, after a meeting last week with the owner, that I will be trained as and then move into being a wedding photographer with an amazing wedding photography team, A […]
The end of a Psalm
Isn’t it strange how sometimes all of the dangling strings of life make you feel tense and worried, like everything is tenuous and about to come unraveled and then other times, when nothing has really changed, you somehow just know that “all must be well” and a strange sense of calm is about you? And […]
Moving
We are watching a documentary called Throw Down Your Heart where Bela Fleck, world renown banjo player, goes to Africa to share music with people from the natal home of the banjo. In this scene Bela and his host sit on an open porch in Uganda and make a new song together after his host […]
A Day
This was a day. I realize how banal of a post title that is. But the day was not banal. Of course, it could have been far less banal, (I’m sorry, are you getting tired of the word banal? Banal banal banal banal banal) that is, it could have been even more eventful than it […]
Silly Boys
I have silly boys. They are funny and witty and artistic and creative and all the wonderful (and maddening) things that come along with that kind of personality. They surprise me with their creations. Sometimes I’m floored by the ingenuity. And then other times I just scratch my head and wonder. And then let out […]
New Look… and other items
I finally managed to update my WordPress version (through fear and trembling and an hour long live chat with my web-host support). I also decided to try out another look. I may go back or change things around yet again. I don’t have the color or font options I’d like for the sidebar but I’m […]
Life Together
There is a longing that runs terribly deep. Like a rivulet running down a mountain steep wants to reach the sea’s encompassing embrace so the transformed heart longs for human grace; Grace divinely given but humanly applied, His Kingdom come in coming alongside. Life together, communion’s design, a body united as grapes on the vine, […]
Christmas ‘n’ stuff
Life has such a way of sneaking up on you and getting busy doesn’t it? I for one like it. And then I experience the relief of getting back to routine. It’s all just a matter of riding the waves on the peaks and the troughs. This past year has been more of a ride […]
Another day in the city
After doing some school work this morning we went to San Francisco again, this time to go out to lunch with my parents and my man’s Dad. He couldn’t remember if he had actually ever been to San Francisco so for all intents and purposes it was his first time there. We didn’t gallivant too […]
Random unpublished post from two years ago…
I just found this old post in my unpublished folder of post-drafts. Funny how passionate I was about this. And how much I wanted to get across the whole listhp thing. Haha! The Fruit People Are Out to Get Us I just know it. The fruit people and Home Depot. They don’t like mothers. They […]
Christmas Bells
Had to share a video of the kids singing the other night.
How beautiful…
Everyone needs to see this. As English speaking Christians we have completely lost the wonder and amazement of being able to read God’s word in our own language. We have copies of it everywhere… Lord, that I might treasure your word as these people do. My husband and I wept as we watched this and […]
On True Spirituality
I just started reading True Spirituality by Francis Schaeffer last night. So far I really like it. I hit on a few paragraphs that I just have to share here. He quotes scripture using the King James version but I’m going to change it here to the ESV. Hope the purists don’t mind. “We do […]
A Labor of Love
Tonight during our advent reading we read about Mary. The reading pointed out that she was really the very first Christian. Kiss the Son She was the first one that believed, the first to call Him Savior, her savior Jesus, she received, was Emmanuel inside her. The Holy Spirit wrought in Mary salvation’s only hope […]
Much better…
No funny faces today. All serious and proper and dressed up like. And they sang well too. The lighting was going up and down so some of these are grainy and red eyed, I’m sad to say. And now for last night’s sunset as seen from my front yard. Love that tree lined hill. As […]
Who says?
Who says you can’t go ice skating in California when it’s inching up on 70° in the middle of December? The three older boys had a community choir performance at a local church today where they had an “ice rink” brought in from none other than Calgary, Alberta. One of the guys that ran the […]
School Hair
I actually wrote a poem all about hair this afternoon. It turned out so funny I decided I might just need to try to get it published as a book and use it as a fundraiser for children’s cancer research and I have a connection to the animation world who has connections to the publishing […]
Barren One, Rejoice!
You were cast off and deserted like a wife, in your spirit you were grieved for the innocence of youth you lost. Your spirit was ravaged and bereaved. You were afraid and shaken like a widow, confounded at your sure disgrace. But you shall not feel your loss forever, the memory of reproach shall be […]
Mini in the City
My new little point and shoot camera that I use when I don’t want to haul the beast around with me has a fun little feature. A miniature effect. It basically makes the focus area look something like Mr. Roger’s neighborhood. It’s quite addictive. I used it as much as I could the other day […]
Vertigo
Thankfully I’m not talking about myself. After having vertigo for four weeks straight last August I can say that I never want to experience it again. But I have always and still do love the Hitchcock movie, starring our favorite Jimmy Stewart, Vertigo. I’ve always wanted to go right down to the spot in the […]
A Day in San Francisco
I was thinking back today on how many times we just up and decided to go to the mountains near Banff for a day out. I’m so thankful that for the several years God has put us in such gorgeous places that beautiful day trips were totally within the realm of possibility. I sometimes miss […]
More Before and After
Before Christ: At the Tower of Babel people were working to make themselves great, to reach heaven on their own terms, to unite in an effort to glorify themselves. God, knowing the inclination of every heart toward evil, knew people would stop at nothing. He confused their language and dispersed them over the face of […]
Foreshadowed and Fulfilled
God has been so good in teaching me (and making me delight in His teaching) the beauty of the constancy of scripture. How everything in the old and New Testaments point to Christ. If one were to try to make an exhaustive list one would write several volumes of books I think (and I’m sure […]
That noise…
This poem should explain. I had to turn my light on at midnight and scratch it out on a piece of paper in case I should forget it by morning. Over My Head There’s a little town stirring up over my head as I lie awake listening at night on my bed. What ratty doings […]
The True Son
Jesus, the true Adam Jesus, the true Joshua Jesus, the true Moses Jesus, the true Israel Jesus, our Immanuel Israel once fled to Egypt’s gleams during famine in their own lands. God ordained it through Joseph’s dreams and Israel’s sons’ corrupted hands. Jesus was ushered to Egypt too. Corruption of Israel’s “sons,” it would seem, […]
Pumpkins and Chickens
Last week we did a pumpkin cooking day so we’d all have lots of pumpkin puree to do with whatever our hearts desire. I love the smell of pumpkins cooking. And I love how pretty they are after they are cooked. Oh and before I go any further, I have to introduce you to Mom’s […]
Dog Love
It is real, man. It’s a pretty special bond. And it goes both ways. What do you think he’s thinking about here? I can tell you. He wants a sandwich. Dream on Bruce. You wish.
The Conquering King
Oh Christian, take heart, no need for despair for hope is the thing that is filling the air! No fear for tomorrow or what is to come for Christ is the King and earth his Kingdom! At Christmas we hear the songs of the king the babe in the manger who changed everything. We hear […]
Repentance
How can I answer the Lord of Hosts? Behold, I am of lowly account. I can do nothing but cover my mouth. Before God to what do I amount? I’ve spoken once, which was one too much I will not attempt to answer the Lord. Should I proceed and answer twice, the aftermath I could […]
When God Answers
A whirlwind thundered and God spoke aloud demanding, “Who dares question God? You speak as if you know my ways, as if you hold my measuring rod! Tell, me if you understand it all! Where were you when I laid out the earth, when the sea was established in form? Where were you on the […]
Testing Testing 1-2-3
Recently I heard some arguments from Christians that God doesn’t test us. A look through scripture will clearly reveal the opposite though. God most definitely tests us. Clearly we don’t like the idea of tests. They make us squirm. They might make us feel sick. We are typically afraid of failure. As I thought about […]
My Redeemer
Who is righteous before our God? Who can contend with his might? One could give a thousand answers, but not a one would be right. Wise in heart and mighty in strength, He seals up the stars and rules the sun. In his anger the mountains he uproots, for who can ask, “God, what have […]
The King
Hallelujah! Salvation and glory belong to Him Each one of His judgments is true and just. For He has crushed underfoot the whoring one who corrupted the earth with her craven lust. For all of the righteous who e’er have been slain He’s avenged upon her that blemished His name. The blood of His prophets […]
Like Arrows — or One of the Spiritual Reasons We Homeschool
I’m going to start this by saying that there are several reasons we homeschool. This post is not meant to capture all of those reasons but merely a facet, or small portion, of just one of those many reasons. A lot of Christian people I know think that home education is somehow doing a disservice […]
I love this…
I don’t usually post videos from other people or sources but this is just too lovely and beautiful not to share. The story of Jonah from Corinth Baptist Church on Vimeo.
7 Years Ago
Goodness. 7 years ago I was incredibly uncomfortable at 37 weeks of pregnancy. I had been in pre-term prodromal labor for weeks on end. Night after night of hours and hours of regular contractions that would then finally stop after about 9 hours. Ugh. Miserable doesn’t even cover it. I had a doctor appointment about […]
Boys
I’m sitting here at the park watching my boys play. Jumping, leaping, climbing, and pretty much doing anything that they think worth the risk of failure and injury. Play is work for them. It is learning. They are playing at what is a good risk and what is a bad risk. I once had a […]
Thought
All things seem very large to us as children because we are so small. People seem big, cars seem big, buildings seem big… everything. Big, big, big. And as we grow those things seem to shrink somehow, sometimes to disappointing proportions because we are bigger, we’ve seen more, we know more. We’re not looking up […]
His Loud Song of Mercy
His Loud Song of Mercy by Nancy Doud We all were lost and turned away our lips were filled with lies Our hearts were turned towards other gods the light had gone out from our eyes. Though in our midst You ever stood we yet reviled your gracious law You, Oh God, are holy, just […]
Wow… Four?
My kids came up with this…
Blame them. So their demented mother helped them some. But really, the whole concept was theirs. I give you, the Adventures of Toilet Paper Man and Veggie Man in four action… err… conversation packed episodes!
Joyce
Dear Joyce Our dear sister Joyce, with you we rejoice For he’s taken you home and restored your praising voice. Jesus is yours and not a sigh nor a tear, though we know if you’d had your way, you’d have gone home last year! No more pain in your steps as your earthly life you […]
The Word
In the beginning was the Word, the Word by which the world was given birth, the only Word that holds all things together and brought salvation to the earth. This Word is with and is our God, that Word which is the light of all mankind. This Word which is a lamp unto our footsteps, […]
More movie fun
America's Eden
Long ago and far away were heavy hearts struck deep with hope, with longing stare unto the distant “over there,” with a sigh, a tear. It seemed like dreaming, to some a joke, this hope they held so tight Whispers of peace and land and liberty fell on every listening ear. Farther still in other […]
The Vine
I have learned a new song this past week and I am rather ODing on it at this point. I really like ODing on songs of praise to our God. I don’t think I can quite do it often enough. Something tells me I won’t get bored at all with all the constant praise going […]
Halloween in a NUTshell
Emphasis on NUT. Cause my kids are nuts. But their my nuts. And I love ’em. This is a soldier. Private Ryan? I don’t know really. Someone brave and rugged though. And looking shell-shocked. My Motley Crew This is what happened when I said, “Get in character!!” This is Igor. This is my little Rescue […]
So much goodness… (this is a long one!)
So long in fact that most of us, effectively trained by Facebook and Twitter to not be able to read anything longer than 420 characters, may not be able to read the whole thing. Ha! God has been teaching me so much about Himself. I love these spiritual growth spurts where everything for some reason […]
Discovery
An insanely fun website! We made our first animated movie using xtranormal.com. And you shall now be blessed with it. and our second movie…
Real Scenes
Real scene that my hubby happened upon at breakfast a few mornings ago. Honest. Real sweet dog that likes to eat rubber and foam balls. Real hunky husband studying at Starbucks. Real leaves in my backyard. Real goofy kid. Real sassy little niece. Real earthquake. Drill.
Not Forsaken
Common Grief by Edith Hays Mulligan (my Great Grandmother) We are all crushed in the winepress of a common grief, squeezed by death one way or another, yielding a drink sweet as wine or bitter as vinegar, a thank offering to God or a sour sponge to the parched lips of a crucified Christ. The […]
The Minor learns E Minor
This is what I got to watch tonight. Sweetness. My baby, who just turned five and talks with nostalgia about the things that happened back when he was four, is learning to play guitar. I love these people. (And all those not pictured also.)
Who is this God?
Why is beauty so beautiful? Because ugliness is vile. Would darkness seem dark unless you’d seen light for a while? How can you know that you’ve fallen down Unless there’s an “up” from that spot on the ground? For there to be healing something must break. “Empty” must be, if there is a “replete.” There […]
Teaching Science Unearths Spiritual Treasures
I just have to tell you how much I am enjoying teaching Anatomy & Physiology to my boys this year. And they are absolutely loving it. In fact, generally speaking, they are loving school a lot more over all. I think it might have something to do with my attitude change, which might be somewhat […]
Phew!
I’m tired! I have been busy as most of you are also. Just life is enough right? Life feels like it’s really ramped up though for some reason. Something about home schooling four boys… Lately, in all of the busyness though, I have really had to come to grips with something. Something I really hate […]
