A Pilgrim's Project

bread.

2012-01-04T05:31:00.000-08:00

...in the wilderness,
...when confronted with temptation,
...face to face with an adversary,

Jesus answered.

"It is written: 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

image courtesy of ba1969

So, when we're in a wilderness,
confronted with temptation, or
face to face with an adversary...

Our answer should be the same.

Christmas Lights

2011-12-23T20:44:00.000-08:00

Enjoying some Christmas-y peace and quiet tonight :)

Thankfulness at your fingertips

2011-11-22T14:58:00.000-08:00

THIS APP IS PERFECT!! I'm so happy for it... though I'm happier for the reminder to be ever thankful. You know, that thing Ann is always saying and sometimes it goes in one ear and out the other... Please don't stop saying it, Ann. Oh, how we need every single reminder!

In the past, I always journaled my thanks. But, at some point I reverted to only blogging them... it was convenient. I got used to it, and I liked to put my pictures there with the words and writing and seeing... I felt MORE thankful. But an unforeseen problem arose... I took 6 months off blogging (while on furlough) and you know what happened?! Apparently, I took a vacation from being thankful. It's that easy. The traveling, the changes, the no blogging, and I stopped. I stopped sharing what I was thankful for. Eventually, I stopped remembering what I was thankful for. Unconscious of the gravity of the problem, but there I was.

6 months later. SIX WHOLE MONTHS! I can safely say that I can SEE the result of not consciously continuing in gratitude! UGH. Stress levels are higher, peace is less prevalent and yeah. So, I've known it for a little while now (He whispers, doesn't He?). And finally, I'm doing something about it. This Thanksgiving week, we're inaugurating a family gratitude journal... but I can't wait to continue it throughout the year, for as many years as I have children, and beyond. That way, blog or no blog, we will continue to grapple with gratitude in big things and small. I'm looking forward to trying out the app too! I hope it will work on an ipod touch?! I think it's another GREAT way to keep the need to be thankful ever before us!

Thanks Ann! :)

writing thanks.

2011-11-21T19:11:00.000-08:00

946. I am thankful for our house in Tarapoto (and the faith of a child).
947. sisters & brothers.
948. mom.
949. bed.
950. I am thankful for homeschooling... so that I can be with my fabulous kids every. single. day!

We haven't found a house in the jungle yet (some prospects though!)...
we're living in a small apartment in the city still.

951. We're so thankful for this little spot! SO tiny, but so full of... us! :)

I can't believe I'm this close to having counted 1000 gifts! Yay!

Listening...

2011-11-20T17:46:00.001-08:00

I'm listening to this right now...

Relevant Conference Key Note Speakers

Are you a missionary, lady?

2011-11-11T20:31:00.000-08:00

If you are a missionary, lady, have I got news for you! Another very nice missionary lady is having a giveaway just for us other missionary ladies on her blog! I hardly dare tell you for fear of a stampede, that she's going to send one of us a holiday care package with Thanksgiving AND Christmas goodies in it!! Sound too good to be true? Check out Mrs. John in Ghana's most amazing fun idea!

PS. No, you are not seeing double, I've posted this twice in hopes that more of my ladies will hear about it to increase the chances that one of us might win it!! ;) Well... nothing could be more fun than if one of my buddies won, right?! ...I have very generous friends ;) heheh.

almost there...

2011-05-31T21:58:00.000-07:00

On the eve of the final day of traveling, I find myself sitting in an adorably rustic cabin, thumbing through magazines, reading about the effect of nature's (God's) beauty on a person's psyche, and reflecting on our family's two-month roadtrip. Now, we didn't originally set out with a list of cool places to see, or can't be missed vacation destinations. We didn't even know exactly where we'd be when (thank goodness for forgiving friends!). While the idea of packing 7 people into a 7 person vehicle, attempting to pack all the obvious or superfluous necessities into the insufficient cracks, and packing our schedule with innumerable church and personal visits within a two month time frame doesn't sound overly exciting at first, it honestly has been a time of intense blessing!

With a borrowed car, we set out at the beginning of April to circle the western half of the United States. Our 14 yo compact mobile home of sorts broke down only once. With a triple A rescue, we counted our blessings as the entire operation was practically seamless and took only 2 hours, including tow truck, a small town mechanic who knew his stuff and a friendly receptionist aka: tender of the vending machines. While measured against breaking down in the middle of no where in Peru, it was a breeze, even if a little bit boring in comparison!

However, the highlight of the last two months was definitely the people. “Make new friends but keep the old...” will suffice to summarize all in just a few words. We enjoyed immensely the getting to know many more interesting people while spending serious time reconnecting with dearly missed friends from years past... our time spent with people was too rich to begin to describe adequately. Thank you all for your gracious receptions, sweet friendships and warm hospitality.

We did squish in a fast track trip to see the Grand Canyon, friends treated us to an Alamo tour and several museums along the way. Other one of a kind experiences include: Mt. Rushmore fogged over, getting to work on a farm for a day, swimming in pools and getting to crash at all kinds of neat houses. To top it all off, we're now at a cabin in the woods, just us, playing in the dirt, roasting marshmallows, reading, relaxing... ahhh, yes, it's been delightful. Even if a picture perfect, adventure full roadtrip wasn't our goal from the outset, we managed to have a fun packed two months regardless, with several all too needed breaks at just the right times. God is so good to us... so, SO good.

Thank you for continuing to pray for us personally, and for the work in Peru (Tarapoto church, River ministry, Bible Institute). Please feel free to keep in touch, or contact us out of the blue at any time. We'll be returning to Peru in early September. Oh, and in case you missed it, there is a digital version of our prayer card on our blog if you find yourself in need of a visual reminder on your bulletin board or refrigerator. :)

Please be sure to subscribe to our monthly updates via the blog @ http://thetuttletribe.blogspot.com

Micah and Amy Tuttle family

Contact Information:

E-mail: thetuttletribe@gmail.com (write us for our US phone numbers)

Website: http://thetuttletribe.blogspot.com

Updates: http://thetuttletribe.blogspot.com (subscribe by e-mail)

Support info: http://thetuttletribe.blogspot.com/p/support-us.html

On prayer.

2011-05-18T21:56:00.000-07:00

Prayer is the ascent of the intellect to God. If you long for prayer, renounce all to gain all. Pray first for the purification of the passions; second, for deliverance from ignorance and forgetfulness; and third, for deliverance from all temptation, trial, and dereliction.

~ St. Evagrios the Solitary

HT: the Circe Institute

image credit: blue sky, by FerrF

USA... week four (grandma's)

2011-05-17T12:07:00.000-07:00

If you were one of the 207 inhabitants of Taunton, Minnesota last month, you may have been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of every member of the Tuttle tribe raking leaves and picking up twigs, at not one but two houses in town (there aren't many houses)! Or, you may have caught us watching Little House on the Prairie (with subtitles on), eating pork and Belgian potatoes (w/ spinach) & the most amazingly delicious chicken noodle soup. We even got to eat Grandma's apple pie! Not only that, but we were delighted to hear stories from Belgium during the time of the Nazis, then how Grandpa Albert and Grandma Rachel immigrated to the United States after the war and how they started a farm. But most exciting of all, while we were there Micah got a call to help out on a real farm. ...to be continued next time. ;)

USA... week four (cousins)

2011-05-15T12:41:00.000-07:00

Way back 13+ years ago, all considered, we were pretty early starting our family and so naturally, our pioneer children have had no first cousins until about a year and a half ago. So for many years in the pre-Christian-Nate-Logan era, the only cousins our kids had were actually their dad's cousins who live in the midwest. I have no idea what the official relation is... second cousins? Regardless, it obviously doesn't really matter, because they love hanging out, especially as they're getting older! What a blast we had in South Dakota, playing in forts, shooting air soft guns, playing dress up, romping all around, hunting snakes... yep, even flag-shooting!

Clearly, cousins, buddies, or comrades-in-arms, whatever you wanna call them, are really fun to be with!

Not to mention Uncles and Aunts who seem more like friends as well... ;)

USA... week four (memorable disappointments)

2011-05-07T15:45:00.000-07:00

South Dakota in the summer is so much fun; with so much to see and so much to do. Historically, Micah's parents would travel during summers to visit his grandparents and extended family in Minnesota. Micah fondly remembers visiting many famous landmarks during these trips, and has wanted our kids to have a similar experience... so every time we drive from Oregon to Iowa, we usually travel the same route.

As is the custom, we usually drive through Yellowstone National Park through Wyoming and South Dakota stopping to see Devil's Tower, Mount Rushmore, the Badlands National Park and Wall Drug. This time however we were too early for Yellowstone, too rushed for Devil's Tower and Mount Rushmore was completely obscured by fog. It rained through the Badlands and it's probable that no one would have noticed if we'd skipped Wall Drug altogether. It's a good thing it wasn't the first time we'd visited these places! Perhaps all the minor difficulties will be glossed over in kids' childhood memories (as I'm sure is the case for Micah's as well ;).

We laughed outright at the whitewashed Mount Rushmore, still saw a ton of animals up close in the Badlands (which really helped the kids in the Junior Ranger program), and experienced a general sense of enjoyment besides!

USA... week three (roadtrip)

2011-04-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

On the road...

My parents were so gracious to lend us their minivan for this extensive trip! We have been seriously blessed! By the time we're done, we'll have traveled from OR up through WA, over to SD and MN and over and down to IA. Then down through MO and OK to TX before we head back up through the Grand Canyon to OR! Hah!

We fit perfectly, seven seats, seven passengers. It was somewhat tricky packing for a two month roadtrip for seven people, and have it all fit comfortably in! But we did it! And I brought school stuff! And we still have leg room!! ;) Woohoo! I'll have to post some packing/traveling tips later, heheh. ;)

USA... week three

2011-04-21T06:04:00.000-07:00

Oh. Seeing dear friends is one of the most treasured parts of being back in the States. After years away, being with people we love is... well, it's the BEST! In early April, we got to spend almost a week with our long time friends in Spokane! They were SO gracious to let us invade their home, displacing their kids to give us a bed, then more kids sprawled literally everywhere... it was beautiful how they shared their life with us!!

We even got sick together! What are friends for after all? :) I cannot even say how valuable this time was. Thank you Schneiders!

Obviously, these pictures aren't even slightly indicative of the majority of our time there... but how could I possibly capture such a thing as being with such beloved friends in pictures. It was too momentous for pictures! :) (Of course I did try, but there were too many to collage). As you can see, we also got to tour Moody Bible Institute's Flight School. Very cool.

USA... week two

2011-04-20T21:22:00.000-07:00

We thoroughly enjoyed Sonrise's Church retreat our second week in the States. We met so many wonderfully friendly people! We experienced the amazing beauty of the Pacific Northwest, pine trees, mountain views, lakes... and snow in April?! The kids couldn't get out of the car fast enough to touch it!! It was really cold, but SO much fun!

USA... week one

2011-04-19T21:12:00.000-07:00

The week we arrived back to the US (back in March), we were super blessed to be able to spend a week with both of our families at the beach:
... a wonderful house, Oregon weather, an extremely comfortable bed, amazingly abundant food, Aunts and Uncles, hot tub, tide pools, reading next to the fire, movies in the home theater, Grandmas and Grandpas, pool tournaments, turkey dinner, bike rides, hermit crabs, fun times... it was absolutely splendid. Obviously, I left a lot of the picture taking to the Grandmas... I need to get copies!

found.

2011-03-16T19:05:00.000-07:00

CAN you believe it?!

Of course you can. So can I.

Early tomorrow morning, we will go and pick up our passports. The lady at the embassy called us this afternoon and she had them in her hand. Hah! woohoo! The fact that we are picking up our passports on the very day we travel is not at all lost on me.

God just wants us to know; to trust Him.

Good, GOOD God that He is.

Do you know that I think He had all this fun with our passports simply so that He could hear me give Him glory?! He loves that I think. Will you join me in praising our GOOD God?!

We ought never ever doubt that God knows what He´s doing... we just wait. and marvel. Because we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. I believe it. It´s so very, very true.

Thank you God.

I do love you.

lost.

2011-03-16T08:43:00.000-07:00

our passports were lost in Peruvian customs...
can you believe it?!

read more here:

http://thetuttletribe.blogspot.com/2011/03/lost-passports.html

waves

2011-03-12T07:31:00.000-08:00

We live on a relatively small planet. While Japan is experiencing serious devastation, we've seen video and pictures, but felt only the slight repercussions on this side of the globe. The amazing thing though is, we felt it.

photo by Harriv

Earlier yesterday here in Trujillo (, court was adjourned, classes were canceled, and there was a mild general panic because the fear that waves could be a meter high. Which is interesting because earlier this year, when the 8.8 earthquake hit in Chile with whom we share a border, Peru barely felt the effects then. Thankfully, with only 20-40 higher than usual waves it wasn't much different this time.

View Trujillo in a larger map

Please pray for the people who are suffering greatly in Japan from the earthquake, tsunami and the aftermath. We never know when we'll be called to suffer, and I'm sure we would wish people to be praying for us.

Good friends of ours are missionaries in Japan, they wrote:

"As many of you have already heard, there was an earthquake of 8.4 magnitude off the eastern coast of Japan this after noon at 2:45 and we are watching this on TV as helicopters are sending back live footage. Even as I write this (5:20pm), very large tidal waves are flooding towns and cities along the eastern coast including Sendai city. There is power outage in at least 3 prefectures and even in parts of Tokyo.
My heart goes out to souls that are lost and I am crying out to the Lord that people in danger, in fear, and even in their last moments would remember their maker and obtain mercy. We saw the wave coming in and people driving away from it or abandoning them and running for higher ground. The Prime Minister has declared it a state of emergency and everyone is being ordered away from the coast and rivers.
Please pray with me and particularly for our brothers and sisters who have lost their homes, churches, and even loved ones."

Let's pray.

See CRASH TOHOKU QUAKE RELIEF if you're led to send financial relief.

passports would be nice

2011-03-03T08:03:00.000-08:00

Will you pray with us?!

When we were in Lima earlier this week, we ran into a couple unforeseen problems with our travel documents. While these problems should be rather easily resolved, they may not necessarily be quickly resolved. Of course, the Lord can make it happen! We are asking that He would speed things along and that there would be no loss or expensive change of flights.

gifting joy.

2011-02-17T12:50:00.000-08:00

There I had stood on the tail end of an amazing crazy last couple of months, moving, traveling, saying goodbye, on the brink of furlough, attempting to educate five rambunctious wonders in the midst, half buried by correspondence, etc, etc. Trying to do SO much… to BE so much. Life was so full that much of the joy had been washed clean out of it all.

: :

God knows everything. He sees everything.
He even knows what's going to happen now, before it happens. Nothing is out of his control.

Everything belongs to Him. His is the glory, the honor, all wisdom and power. I am his. But He does not force me to enjoy Him.

I can't give Him anything that doesn't already belong to Him... except for just one thing. I can offer Him this moment full of joy in simple gratitude. I can choose joy and offer it to Him. It's a gift you see, because I could choose otherwise. I could choose to sulk, or to be lazy, or rebellious.

But my gift is joy. Sometimes a painful sacrifice. always a sacrifice.

He uses common, difficult or just plain ugly things and turns them into glory. And I can do it too, when I give thanks for everything, the common, the difficult, even the ugly, it gives Him glory... the Owner of it all.

I can choose joy. I can choose to be thankful for what God gives... I can choose to see His beauty...

I choose to see Him.

: :

I'm reading Ann's book and following along with Dayspring's book club this month...

Wanna know more? Click the button below...

or join here.

I am myself again.

2011-02-12T18:58:00.000-08:00

funny how one can let themselves go sometimes; not on purpose, surely. but somehow it happened without being able to pinpoint when it started, and for a good little stretch, with no time to be me, let alone breathe. life had become survival.

over the last few days however, due entirely to much prayer and grace granted, I've gotten back to feeling quite myself again. finally.

taking joy.

with plenty of time to breathe.

...and smell the mangoes.

I've become entirely infatuated with mangoes lately; not just the taste and smell, which are delightful, but their color. I cannot. stop. taking. photos.

a long awaited update...

2011-02-11T22:54:00.000-08:00

I've posted an update and it's only a click away :)

it's just here.

8 years old.

2011-02-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

how is it possible?

PS. still no internet... but I'm definitely NOT complaining :)

flawed.

2011-01-24T16:28:00.000-08:00

There is nothing like doing hard things to bring out the way things really are, or shall I say, who we really are. We may look fine, we may even feel fine. Not until we are put under pressure, stretched and genuinely put to the test, not until then, can we know for sure exactly what stuff we're made of.

This last month* was one of strenuous testing.

And in case it comes as a surprise to anyone... I am inescapably [undeniably, inherently] flawed.
I've become accutely aware of this once again in these last days.

Yep. This girl's got flaws.

When everything's gotten completely out of hand, when not. one. thing. goes according to plan, I sometimes forget Who is even yet in control.

For a moment, I begin to think that I cannot do this. I cannot live this hard life. I begin to believe that things are wrecked, that I, in fact, am wrecked. I'm impatient, sometimes even mean to my kids. In an instant it seems I've completely forgotten words I'm supposed to have stored up for times such as these. Instead of calmly trusting, I forget my composure, I've lost it, it must be packed away somewhere... maybe in one of the boxes?

In fact, in no time at all, I start to believe that it's probably going to be like this forever... hard, crazy impossible hard. Suddenly, I can't see and I can't breathe and I'm drowning and why is this happening?

Where did God go? Um. Well, He's still right where He's always been. I, in my frantic state, overcome by the wildness of the waves and scared spitless by the suddenly consuming spectacle, closed my eyes even if only for an instant and I lost sight of the One who walks even on the rough seas. I began to sink. I got so carried away, I didn't even hear Him, “It is I; do not be afraid.”

I'd like to say that it was momentary... well, let's just say after a few painful days, I have finally come to my senses.

It was a really hard month.

The good news? Well, it doesn't get easier. It just keeps being hard. But, when our eyes are fixed (and only He can fix them), looking to Jesus... we see Him the founder and perfecter of our faith.

We see Him.

Oh, may we never look away. But, when we do mess up, let us remember: His grace is great. And things could always be worse... :) that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. Oh yes, and...

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”

May He receive ALL praise, glory and honor in that day for every. single. step.
in the sanctification process of this seriously flawed soul. :)

*December, 2010 – December brought with it all the normal holiday busyness, in addition to a regional convention of river churches, and the packing of our entire household for storage, and tying up loose ends at church as we'll be away for a good number of months (here in Trujillo and Lord willing in the US), and in the midst of all the rest, entertaining visitors from the coast for a week, as well as arrive in Trujillo for classes by the end of the first week in January. After some car trouble, which did necessitate spending the night at a hotel practically in the middle of no where, and another breakdown a few miles down the road, we did eventually arrive in Trujillo safe and sound. ;)

new.

2011-01-01T21:25:00.000-08:00

It's January 1 today, the first day of 2011.
The very first day in a brand new year.
Today, we begin again.

It's a clean crisp sheet with smooth edges, with no wrinkles or smudges.
Still fresh. Still new.
I like the thought of that, don't you?

: :

I started a new chapter of my life today. The very first page. I unstuck the seal, unwrapped the mylar, and pulled out a brand spanking new journal. It's green and it makes my heart leap a little and I'm feeling just a little bit giddy about it. The cover's still stiff, the binding's still tight and the pages are all blank.

: :

There is great encouragement in starting new. We know we'll make mistakes. We know that we'll have to erase and scratch that out and say sorry and start all over...

Isn't it so nice to know that we can start all over? Oh the deliciousness of an unopened book, an empty page, a fresh start, a brand new year. To steal a quote from a friend...

"Marilla, isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?"

LM Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

Yes, Anne, it is very nice indeed.

: :

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:12-14

image courtesy of michaelaw

happy 2011!

2010-12-31T23:00:00.000-08:00

3 kinds of men.

2010-12-30T15:58:00.000-08:00

... and all types of fun.

o pumpkin pie, how lovely are your spices

2010-12-29T20:19:00.000-08:00

PS. Happy Birthday brother... :)

adventure.

2010-12-28T20:27:00.000-08:00

SO much fun.

2010-12-27T20:23:00.000-08:00

woohoo! tarzan and jane!

a bunch of really cool mks :)

silent night.

2010-12-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

Merry Christ-with-us Day!

2010-12-25T07:00:00.000-08:00

waiting.

2010-12-24T19:33:00.000-08:00

convention, baptism and boxes...

2010-12-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

We've posted recently on our ministry blog about:

...the bi-annual convention.

...eight recently baptized new believers.

...a special thank you.

...our plans for the next few months.

Click HERE to read more :)

look who's new...

2010-12-22T18:41:00.000-08:00

Christ (mas) is coming!

2010-12-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

"She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron...*"

Doesn't this beginning sound a lot like Christmas?
the child. Immanuel. God.with.us. the promised One.

But wait, sometimes do we get so caught up with the Christ child this time of year that we forget that His life here was just a fraction part? In this same chapter, we see Him, the Unborn, the awaited One. Oh, but, there's so much more!

Fast forward five verses and the Babe has become the salvation, the power and the kingdom of God* - come; the risen Christ. But between those three sentences fits a 33 year parenthesis, a significant parenthesis, the one we think about at Christmas. A baby. A boy. A man, who loved*, was troubled*, who wept* and prayed*.

A man who raised the dead.

He was flesh and blood just like us. But He was no ordinary man.
God with us. The Immortal took on flesh so that He could die and save us from our sins.

He keeps on raising the dead.

And this parenthesis is everything after all because He is the door on which all history pivots. But too, it was only a beginning, because it was just the first helping and there's still more to come.
So much more to come.

"Thus says the Lord of hosts; behold I will save my people... and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God in faithfulness and righteousness... For there shall be a sowing of peace... Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the Lord."

Zechariah 8:7, 8, 12, 22

And in that day, maybe we'll taste a little bit of perpetual Christmas?

"...seasons of joy and gladness and cheerful feasts*." :)

Let us celebrate Christmas. We celebrate Christ. We celebrate Christ coming again.

Lord,
Immortal God, Who took on flesh.
You blow us away with
The wonder that is Your eternal plan.
Sometimes we don't see what You're doing,
We question your working,
We don't understand.
We cry desperate
And You are moved because
We are loved by You.
We want to believe,
We want to see the glory of You.
We were dead in our sins,
But You've raised us
And given us life,
Help us to walk in it.

*Rev.12:5, *Rev.12:10, *John 11:5, 11:33, 11:35, 11:41, *Zech.8:19

*image courtesy of marzok

refreshed

2010-12-20T06:55:00.000-08:00

good friends.
words grace-coated.
a tidy pile of boxes.
progress long sought for.
a girl who loves giving.
family gatherings.
new life.
one family still glistening the first Sunday after baptism.
survival of a long solo weekend (almost over).
a long sleep.
grey ambiance dripping.
a rain washing.
an uplook perspective.
time for quiet.
peaceful morning.
music announcing His coming
words reminding He's coming again.

remembering... Immanuel

2010-12-19T22:00:00.000-08:00

image courtesy of wga.hu

A world alight
a Babe was born
a life was lived
a body given.
Without a fight
His blood poured
true love spilled
His heart was riven.
With power n might
veil was torn
all men would
to God be driven.
In plainest sight, He
appeared once more
Lord of Lords
the King has risen!
The whole world waits
He comes again
to take 'is bride
an' ever after begin.

snapshot summary: week 50

2010-12-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

[Will fill in text later tonight...? ]

things.

2010-12-16T20:33:00.000-08:00

Well, here I am a week later, STILL surrounded by stuff, with a few boxes packed, a most astonishingly disorganized house, a bulging box of giveaway goodies to make more than one person's Christmas, and a whole lot more still to do...

Micah's off at the bi-yearly regional convention of river churches over a long weekend (why do they plan this every year so close to Christmas? I know why, but still. For us gringos, who live life so complicated sometimes, it sure is a killer on the schedule and the holiday spirit to have a trip planned so close to Christmas... of course the willingness to be generous with our TIME is another post altogether ;). Meanwhile, I'm still here wandering around my house mostly with a blank look on my face, staring at the stuff that somehow must make its way into boxes in an orderly fashion, while trying to make up for days of missed school, answering the door or the phone every couple of times an hour, going back to looking for something, forgetting what it was I was looking for, wandering back into the other room trying to remember, just when someone calls from yet another room to have their bottom wiped. Having been completely distracted, I see the piles of things and start looking again for something... anything I can possibly give away so I don't have to pack it... but mostly I just keep wandering around.

This is me. and I'm overwhelmed. :)

My mind keeps flickering between this nagging sense of wanting to rid myself of stuff, and the realization that we don't actually have that much stuff we can get rid of... with a family of seven (homeschooling at that), I've come to the painful realization, that there are a lot of things that are just plain necessary. Thankfully though, there are boxes of Bibles to sell, Emmaus courses to hand out, medicines to use or giveaway, most or all of which Micah took with him to the convention... I'm praying that he comes back empty handed!

The state of my mind may very well be even more disorderly than my house is. So much to write down. So much to do. So much to think. Of course, it's times like these, when my brain is about to spill over that I ought to have so much to blog about BUT I can't seem to find a single eloquent word in which to say it all with.

However, in the quiet moments before sleep sweeps all my troubles away 'til morning, my heart searching about *things* has led me to some some REALLY excellent passages and resources regarding a healthy perspective on possessions. I'll list a few questions I've been asking myself here and leave you to do some of your own heart searching on the subject.

Are my things keeping me from loving/serving Christ more fully?

am I bound to my things by debt?
am I ready to go/do/give what He asks or does a love of things (comfort and ease) keep me?
which would be more sad, to lose my things or to lose Christ?

Are my things keeping me from loving/serving others more fully?

am I really willing to share?
do I really love others as much as myself when it comes to acquiring things?

hmmmm. the answers to those questions might hurt a little if we're honest...

Helpful Resources:

the Bible
"Indeed, I count everyTHING loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ..."
{and}
"If I give away ALL that I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,
but have not love, I gain nothing."

The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing {2nd chapter in The Pursuit of God, AW Tozer}

The Treasure Principle: Unlocking the Secret of Joyful Giving, Randy Alcorn

The Discipline of Possessions {chapter 11 in Discipline: The Glad Surrender, Elisabeth Elliot}

christmas warmth.

2010-12-15T05:16:00.000-08:00

Feeling that warm fuzzy feeling...

in more ways than one.

Reading 'round the Christmas tree at 95* degrees warm with fuzzy heads cuddling close...

enjoying fan blowing FULL blast straight in my face.

blurry.

2010-12-14T19:15:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow still looks a little blurry from here,
but I rest knowing there is One knows my future by heart.

got a brumous shot? share it.
don't know what brumous is? it's okay, neither did I :)

1000 gifts.

2010-12-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

thankful today for Ann.

buy her book tomorrow?

remembering... light

2010-12-12T05:55:00.000-08:00

"The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know him.
He came to his own, and His own people did not receive Him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God..."

snapshot summary #49

2010-12-11T13:42:00.000-08:00

Weekly Wrap-up
{A Snapshot Summary}

Sunday - 12.5.10

Martine invited us over on Sunday to her personal paradise because friends of hers wanted to do an outdoor fish bake. It was delicious. The fish were wrapped in the leaves, the plantain and chicken were grilled apart. Bria thrilled us all by specializing in eating the fish eyeballs... Like father, like daughter. :S We sat at tables outside under the ample patio supplied with a continual fresh breeze. Thank you Martine!

Monday - 12.6.10

On date night this week we headed to one of the nicer restaurants in town, where we were delighted to find it decorated in very good taste. A beautiful Christmas tree, swags of fake pine with lights over the arched doorways, and a bouquet of red ________ flowers on each table. It was such a lovely atmosphere... We were the first ones there (7:30 is early for dinner here) so we had our pick of the tables, but ended up sitting outside where there were no decorations... it was MUCH cooler :) ...and we could still see the lights from out there.

Tuesday - 12.7.10

Little Miss was taking care of her babies. She made sure they each had a blankie, like hers when she put them down for a nap. Then she saw what a nice time of it they were having with their blankies and all, so she went and got her own and decided to join them...

Wednesday - 12.8.10

Remembering His coming...

Thursday - 12.9.10

Paneton and chocolate for dinner! yay! while watching the first installment of the Nativity Story.Micah said I look 'real good' in this picture; I'm thinking I look seriously sweaty... ;)

Friday - 12.10.10

The kids woke to find the "basket of delights" under the Christmas tree... a collection of Christmas books, which is one of our kids' favorite traditions of this time of year, a delight for the oldest to the youngest!

To play weekly show and tell along with me, find out more HERE.

{this moment}... family

2010-12-10T19:58:00.000-08:00

simple pleasures.

2010-12-09T20:19:00.000-08:00

One of our favorite things about this time of year...

...even if it is 90 degrees outside. ;)

stuff.

2010-12-08T19:24:00.000-08:00

As Christmas approaches and I'm packing up our things and wishing they were less, trying to make the piles ever smaller, hoping to give much away, I am desperately aware that it is possible and even pleasant to live on almost nothing... Certainly many people around here do. Certainly Mary and Joseph did. I mean what if Mary had decided she just could NOT go to Bethlehem without the impending baby's entire layette, the bassinet, and what about the logistics of washing those cloth diapers away from home... and all those other, you know, those MUST haves?!

I wish we could just live with a set of dishes each one, a couple changes of clothes (if only they didn't wear out so soon), the minimum of paper & writing utensils and lots and lots of books. I think we could.

At this time of year when we celebrate the day God gave up everything and came down to us, why, oh why do we celebrate by accumulating more stuff?! I keep almost wishing that we didn't have any new presents to open (even though we are oh so thankful that people love us and want to show it!). And boy are the kids glad for presents... ;)

Every time I change houses I am struck by the things we have and simply do not use enough to justify keeping them, but keep them we do. It happens EVERY time. I have this silly knack of saving things up for some special day... hiding them away so that we can enjoy something special whenever that day comes. Now, this has proved useful on SO many occasions, and my family has thanked me for it, so that I'm not condemning myself too much, but whenever we move, I realize... hmmm... I should have used that sooner... or, wow, I forgot I had that... and we have a way of celebrating the last 3 weeks just to use up some of those hidden treasures! :)

You know, super valuable things like Campbell's vegetable beef soup, imported Italian and Blue Cheese salad dressings, dijon mustard and mushroom gravy or ranch dressing mixes... oh, and chocolate chips and m&m's in the freezer... some of these things are brought lovingly down in suitcases and others are rare gems we happen upon in our little grocery store. But even these things we know quite well how to live without... we mainly do live without them (especially since they sit hidden away for so long! heheh)! All said, our loved ones stateside do a pretty good job of supplying us with goodies all year long through their visits or by mail.

So, what makes us hold on to things? What really is so valuable that we cannot live without? Some things we treasure for some reason only known to ourselves... must we really have so many things?

I've come to realize that stuff can be a serious encumbrance.
I'm going to confess more about that in the days to come... so stay tuned,
(or not. maybe you like your stuff and would rather not listen to my stricken conscience on the matter... heheh.)

I've got to clear off my desk tonight... it's so cluttered with paper junk and to-do's that I can hardly maneuver enough to type comfortably... ;) uh, yes. stuff. it really can be troublesome!

image courtesy of clix

Talking about the Practice of Christmas...

big.

2010-12-08T06:44:00.000-08:00

"As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven
and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
When all the people of Israel saw...
they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord saying, 'For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.'"

2 Chronicles 7:1-3

Fire came down from heaven.

Fire. came. down. from. heaven.

Fire consumed the burnt offerings and sacrifices - some 22,000 oxen and 122,000 sheep.
So many that they filled the court. (v.7)

Um. Yeah. BIG fire came down from heaven.

"...and the glory of the Lord filled the temple."

Big God. Big glory.

And the people?

down.
face down to the ground.
on. the. pavement.
worshiping.
thanking Him that He is a good God,
with love that endures FOREVER.

And me?

...thanking God He is good (we would be utterly lost if He were not).
...and that He loves (the fire would otherwise terrify us)
...worshiping Him bent, face down on the ground (the view is best from here).

Because when faced with the fullness of His glory...
We won't be able to do anything else.

God of the Consuming fire,
We offer ourselves.
We pile it all there.
Everything we have.
Everything I am.
Come down.
Consume me.
I want to see Your glory.
Even if we have to look from the pavement.
We look for the day when Your glory will fill our senses,
Overwhelm us with Yourself.

posted yesterday at 66books

image courtesy of valkarie

twinkling lights.

2010-12-06T20:04:00.000-08:00

thankful for...

926. specks of white strung semi-haphazardly, spiraling round fake prickly sticks in the corner of a dark room, all of which make for a surprisingly cheerful effect.

927. the imprint of the aforestated happy effect even after one has unplugged the lights.

I'm nearing one thousand... join me?

remembering...what we have heard from the beginning

2010-12-05T20:04:00.000-08:00

And this is love,
that we walk according to his commandments;
this is the commandment,
just as you have heard from the beginning,
so that you should walk in it.
2 John 6

snapshot summary #48ish

2010-12-04T19:54:00.000-08:00

Weekly Wrap-up
{A Snapshot Summary}

Sunday - 11.28.10
Took Micah's parents to Chasuta... got to experience a 'river trip' in miniature. We got mosquito bitten nevertheless, on a grand scale. :)
Monday - 11.29.10
14 years! Celebrated a VERY Happy Anniversary! Yay! for Puerto Palmeras!
Tuesday - 11.30.10
When they came to pick us up, the kids got to swim in the VERY nice pool! Cool!
Wednesday - 12.01.10
Time is winding down... we went to San Roque de Cumbaza, it was pleasantly cool there. :)
Thursday - 12.02.10
The very last day together we visited Lamas in the morning, saw the castle, and stopped in at these native's house. Oma even shot the blow gun and hit the basket! ;) But, saying goodbye is never fun. We are SO very very glad they came! :)
Friday - 12.03.10
We put off decorating the tree this year so that we'd have something lighten our spirits after Oma and Papa left... It was nice, but we miss them still...

To play weekly show and tell along with me, find out more HERE.

speaking of two languages.

2010-12-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

of men and angels...
nope.

two-tongued...
no, that'd be hypocritical.

bilingualism.
yes.

I'm sharing some educational strategies here.
I found an excellent blog on the subject tonight here.

Y eso es todo.
And that is all.

The end.

photo courtesy of bjearwicke

Advent.

2010-12-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

Since two beloved family members left today, we are thankful for a quick shift of focus that will definitely help keep our spirits up... in this time of spirit's waiting...

remembering the first Glorious coming...
looking forward to the second.

Some years back, we decided it was oh so important to shift our focus away from ourselves and things to a most Desirable Subject this time of year. We have now celebrated the season of Advent for several years running now, each in a in a unique new way. The days leading up to Christmas, remembering His coming. Remembering Him.

One of those years ago, I compiled and formulated our one-of-a-kind Jesse Tree... that was fun even if it was kind of haphazardly put together :) Another year, we used Ann's e-book devotional which was previously called, The Glorious Coming. I loved it, but my kids were a little too young to absorb it all. Last year, we worked through Advent Foretold. It was nice, I liked the plan of it and the kids liked the coloring sheets :)

This year though, we're revisiting Ann's devotional now called, A Jesus Advent Celebration (get it free by subscribing to her blog).

This year we're adding to that a new and fun visual to help us remember...

{Someone gifted us this Playmobil Nativity Set! I've wanted a toyish nativity for a LONG time. I think it is a most lovely idea since we have littlish clumsy fingers who want to handle and explore, and well, we've already glued Joseph's head back on twice and the shepherd's staff is broken off at the waist, the sheep remembers the day his ear was whole, and well, our little ceramic nativity has definitely seen better days. I had my eye on the Little People set, but it's SO expensive and you actually need several sets to complete the nativity and I just couldn't ask anyone to splurge for those when my littlest is already three... so when I saw the playmobil set, I knew it was JUST right.}

We read Luke 2:1-5 aloud last night, so that Mary and Joseph could start their journey from Nazareth across the table covered with sandy colored fabric on their way to Bethlehem. Everyday we'll watch them get closer and wonder at Jesus tiny and wrapped up tight, ready to be revealed on Christmas Day. We'll listen and savor Ann's words and wait and wonder at what this Greatest of all Gifts means for us...

We'll think about His Glorious coming...
and wait for His coming again.

perfect.

2010-11-30T14:43:00.001-08:00

In celebration of the first fourteen years of forever love, Micah whisked me away to a fancy tourist resort near our house in Tarapoto. Every detail was exactly right, it was absolutely glorious.
Marriage is very much worth the investment...

thankful today for:

as close to perfect as can be.
parents-in-love graciously entertain kids for the day and overnight.
perfect temperature.
sipping from an ice cold coconut.
exploring new territory.
tastes of heaven.
light sprinkling.
perfectly prepared food.
flashes of black and yellow overhead.
quiet.
cobbled paths.
heavily laden fruit trees.
learning to ride a bicycle. again.
rowing a boat to monkey island... hoping they don't jump on.
baby monkey clinging.
riding fast downhill.
not falling off.
cooling in the pool.
semi-private quarters.
wall of screened windows (lets in air, keeps bugs out)
patio table looking into green.
a fan.
giving up on pool after cue ball sunk into the far left pocket 3 too many times...
resorting to the real pool because the water's warm at night.
pool lights.
virgen colada sipped poolside.
moon tans.
palm tree silhouettes.
no mosquitoes.
time to relax and reconnect.
a very late delicious dinner.
happy sleep.

30 days of thankful.

loved.

2010-11-29T05:35:00.000-08:00

Fourteen years ago today...

thankful today for
a hard-working, God-fearing man,
waking up to love,
a romantic getaway planned at a beautiful resort.

30 days of thankful.

my favorite love posts:
everyday crucified kind of love.
the wooing of an unbeliever.
love is unquenchable.

...too busy celebrating to say much more :)

my thankful list... #891-893... getting close to 1000!

remembering... not even one

2010-11-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

No one is righteous, no, not one;
no one understands;
no one seeks God.
All have turned aside;
together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not. even. one.

But now...

the righteousness of God has been manifested
apart from the law...
the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe.
Romans 3:10,11, 21

Oh hippity hip hip hooray!
This is such very very VERY good news!

image courtesy of artfinan

a really hot day in the jungle.

2010-11-26T20:14:00.000-08:00

So, what does one do on a really hot day in the jungle?

Drink coconut. of course.

Just chop off the top of that puppy with a machete and guzzle 'er down!

Next, because warm coconut milk just doesn't quite cut it, jump in the irrigation canal.

And then when you're completely wet, wrap your wet shirt around your head and flex your muscles.

Um... if you're a boy, that is. ;)

Us girls, we just have to watch and weep and whine about how unfair it is to be a girl.
and take pictures of course.

Thanksgiving.

2010-11-25T20:00:00.000-08:00

Today is a day when the world can hardly get away from a little reflection. It's hard to avoid, you see, as the heart of the matter is stuck right there in the middle of the name of the holiday we're celebrating today.

Thanksgiving = Giving thanks.

Which of course begs the question: To whom do we give thanks? and for what do we give it?

We give thanks to God, the giver of all good things.
We give thanks in prosperity.
We give thanks even in the midst of adversity.
We give thanks for abundance.
We give thanks even in spite of scarcity.
We thank Him because we have breath.
We thank Him because despite circumstances, we are blessed.

How can we avoid it? You know people who don't want to acknowledge a power besides themselves will try... what will they come up with next? Of course, Christ must be removed from Christmas... and soon they'll surely want to take the thanks out of Thanksgiving Day... or, well, no... that would leave us with 'Giving Day'. Which of course in this day and age, may not be so warmly welcomed either. I'm not sure which would be looked upon as worse, a day dedicated to gratitude or perhaps worse yet, a day for generosity...

hmmm. such an indulgent self-absorbed people we have become...

simply thankful today for...
food.
family.
friends.
a house.

30 days of thankful.

Joining today Emily here...

cool kids.

2010-11-24T11:36:00.000-08:00

So, have I mentioned that my kids have a blog?

Cull posted the first installment of a series of posts talking about the river trip from his point of view.

Head on over there...

{ http://tuttlekids.com/blog }

Thankful today for...

kids who keep growing,
taller.
more godly.
smarter.
more handsome.
kinder.
and who are really very interesting people.

I've got such cool kids...
and I am so very, very proud of them. :)

30 days of thankful.

that voice.

2010-11-23T05:10:00.001-08:00

this voice is the one I'm listening for...

the one that speaks to fish, and to widows and their young men. the voice that commends great faith and great messengers. the one that says, 'your sins are forgiven. go in peace.'

the voice that spoke to the fish who then vomited Jonah onto dry land.
the God who says, 'do not weep' and 'young man, I say to you, arise.'

a voice brimming with authority... a voice spilling over with tender compassion.

that voice.

"But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him,
for they know his voice."
John 10:2-4

I'm listening and waiting for the voice of my Beloved Shepherd.

He who says, she who has been forgiven much, loves much... and that's oh so true.

O Lord, it's so loud, there's so much noise.
So many voices vying for my attention.
Sometimes they drown out the quiet,
'your sins are forgiven, go in peace'.
But I'm sticking right behind You...
Help me to fine tune my hearing to
Your beautiful, winsome calling,
Your irrefutable commanding,
Your tenderest whispering,
Your voice saying my name.
Oh sweet Jesus, I long for the day,
when I'll sit at Your feet
and listen to Your voice. all. day. long.
Thank You for speaking to me today through Your Word.

{this is posted today at 66books}

so many gifts.

2010-11-22T21:00:00.000-08:00

thankful today for many random gifts...

counting and learning colors w/ pipe cleaners and beads,
a grandma who plays sand castles,
a promising lead on a live turkey for thanksgiving,
other yummy dinner planning,
grandparents who delight in date nights,
a patient man who calms my quaking heart.

30 days of thankful.

remembering... now

2010-11-21T19:00:00.000-08:00

"Working together with Him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says,

'In a favorable time I listened to you,
and in a day of salvation I have helped you.'

Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation."

2 Corinthians 6:1-3

thankful today for...

sun shining through clouds
and grace
and a day of salvation

30 days of thankful.

snapshot summary #46

2010-11-20T16:50:00.001-08:00

whoops. it's saturday! I'll have to post my snapshot summary... tommorrow? :)

I'm putting up the linky now though...

GRANDparents.

2010-11-19T15:47:00.000-08:00

thankful today for...

150 pounds of loot.
Christmas presents already.
generous givers of gifts.

freezing cold waterfall.
exhilarating jumps.
grandparents to chat with.
who wash dishes,
and tell stories,
and encourage...

30 days of thankful.

new.

2010-11-18T22:00:00.000-08:00

...it's fun to experience things as if for the first time again.

thankful today for the first times...

warm paneton with butter
public transportation in Lima, Peru
using soles to buy things
an airport all in Spanish
the Andes from an airplane
green spaghetti lunch
a midday siesta in the heat of day
a jungle rain accompanied by thunder and lightning
then running around in it
being swooped by bats

sleeping to the mix of crickets/cicadas/roosters...

30 days of thankful.

together.

2010-11-17T23:59:00.000-08:00

Jim and Diane, my parents-in-love arrived late tonight...

thankful today for

no airline glitches
safe travels
bags intact
a taxi driver
missionary housing
warm greetings
yummy treats
~~late night~~ early morning chat

:)

30 days of thankful.

silly survey...

2010-11-16T14:00:00.000-08:00

Got this from Jeanne, who got it from Pip, who got it from... ?

1. Sweet or Savoury? Savoury.
2. Dresses or Jeans? Skirts, yes?
3. House or Apartment? Both, actually. :)
4. Shop Online or Offline? Books & Electronics - online. Everything else - off.
5. DVDs or Downloads? with a SLOOOOWWWW internet connection... definitely DVDs.
6. Cocktails or Juice? really cold ICE water?
7. Chocolate or Strawberry? Vanilla. I'm troublesome like that.
8. Laptop or PC? I'm SUCH a laptop girl... I like a good change of scenery ;)
9. Magazines or Newspapers? Magazines. Simple Living. Better Homes & Gardens. Family Fun.
10. Facebook or Twitter? would prefer neither. but have both. FB is the lesser of two evils.
11. CDs or MP3s? MP3s... CDs? seriously? that's SO old fashioned! ;)
12. Kids or Pets? Um. well. my kids occasionally do act like animals...
13. Macaron or Cupcakes? if you're talking carrot cake cupcake with cream cheese frosting...
14. Walk or Run? depends on who I'm with.
15. Breakfast in Bed or Breakfast Out? pass. I don't do breakfast.
16. Market or Supermarket? both. market on saturdays for everything grown. supermarket on mondays for everything packaged.
17. Sourdough or Grainy? oh I DO love sourdough. I need help in this area.
18. Heels or Flats? flip flops... currently at 7 pair.
19. Late nights or Not? Yes, but working on this:
"Early to bed, early to rise, makes a (wo)man healthy, wealthy and wise."
20. Coffee or Tea? Coffee when I'm tired, tea when I'm awake enough to taste what I'm drinking. whatever it is; ALWAYS sweet. :)

Thankful today for...
extra sleep.
lawn mowers.
a loaner bed.
medicine.
used books.
flight to Lima tomorrow to pick up wearied and bewildered travelers.

30 days of thankful.

safe.

2010-11-15T20:02:00.000-08:00

Thankful for everyone home safe.
Thankful for answered prayers. (boats!)

:)

836. a good washing.
837. catch up rest.
838. good food.
839. good company.
840. talk over table.

841. warm chewy brownies under
842. melty ice cream.

843. date night.
844. cozy conversation.
845. a bed with no vacancy.
846. Mya's dreams come true: a daddy to wake up to.

ah... a most delicious day.

30 days of thankful.

ps. boys are both sick, but after medicine, a comfortable bed and rest... they should be able to pull through. :) very high fever and some coughing. please pray for them. and for the rest of us to stay well.

remembering... to eat

2010-11-14T04:51:00.000-08:00

But he answered,
"It is written, "'Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Matthew 4:4

Thankful today for Bread.

and for bread.

30 days of thankful.

*photo courtesy of my friend Jeanne

snapshot summary #45

2010-11-13T12:28:00.000-08:00

Weekly Wrap-up
{A Snapshot Summary}

Monday - 11.8.10

[4:58 am]

[5:13 am]

Gone.
[5:17 am]

Tuesday - 11.9.10

[Micah and boys gone = simple yummy meals.]

Wednesday - 11.10.10

[this young one almost never stops to rest... she is a busy smart girl :)]

Thursday - 11.11.10

["Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit." Jn.15:2]

Friday - 11.12.10

[see those scissors and scraps fly! I took this shot Saturday (today) but she's been at it all week... the only time she sits still when she's not sleeping ;) those small motor skills are obviously undergoing some serious development spurts ;)]

Saturday - 11.13.10


time for some creativity fun!! uh. no... I did NOT in fact poke Mya in the eyes... :S it just looks like it. and yes, I think we have some up and comings in the art arena!

To play weekly show and tell along with me, find out more HERE.

thankful today for:
phones in the villages
news that the boys are being taken care of
friends that come to visit

30 days of thankful.

{this moment} ... fearless

2010-11-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

thankful for brave boys at home...
and those in training to be valiant men away...

jumping off high places
tramping through wilderness
traversing jungle rivers
eating the unasked & unknown
braving rustic accommodations

thankful to be here, trying to be brave
and looking forward to welcoming them back...
:)

dangerous.

2010-11-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

Over the last couple weeks, as darkness threatens,
I’ve allowed some shifty shadows to creep in between my Shepherd and me.

Nothing of much substance, but enough to sense the coolness.
During the day, the rush and tumult keeps a body warm and I forget. Then night falls and I remember.

I close my eyes and feel His prodding and am almost moved to tears, but I flinch, blink hard and tremulously turn a cold shoulder and my thoughts to sleep. What’s happening? Why do I sit outside the encircling warmth of Fire? What am I afraid of?

Fire may keep us warm, but it is still dangerous.

“To you, O Lord, I call.
For fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness,
and flame has burned all the trees of the field.
Even the beasts of the field pant for you
because the water brooks are dried up,
and fire has devoured the pastures of the wilderness.”*

As living water, bread to the weary traveler, God’s Word is worth more than the most valuable treasure a billion times over… “It is also sharper than any two-edged sword piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”*

God’s Word may be life-saving, but surgery can be painful.

O Lord,
The distance shouts and I can’t ignore it,
The coolness chills... I’m drawn by Your warmth.
May I never, ever again shrink from Your hand.
Naked and exposed, I offer You my trembling heart.
Burn out the rot, and make me brave to stand victorious in Christ,
That I might do what is right in Your eyes Oh Lord, turning not to the right or the left*.

amy in peru

*Joel 1:19-20; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Kings 22:2

thankful today for the word that is very near. in mouth and heart.
thankful for the promise of life.
30 days of thankful.

Linking up with emily at Imperfect Prose on Thursdays.

[a repost from this week at 66books]

Photo Credit: Blackened by the Sun by Steve Crane

of boots and a boat

2010-11-10T18:51:00.000-08:00

Micah called, and I listened anxiously, waiting because there was an annoying pause in the line. I didn't want my words to steamroll his, and sound rude, but I had to know. I blurted it right out; the thing I wanted to know most... did God prove Himself faithful by providing a boat? or did He show up in some other way? and yes, by golly, yes He did. Micah said He did. I knew He would. You see I prayed for a boat. I knew He'd already provided them with boots. I was THANKFUL for the boots. I prayed knowing that they had boots and that they could walk. But I asked Him for a boat. and my God said YES! God provided a boat for the first two segments of the boys' trip... But that's not all, He gave them rain AND a boat! Rain to raise the river, AND a boat to ride the risen river IN.

praises...

I can't help smiling, because God Himself is ever so good to us,

we will always be able to see His fingerprints if we're looking in the right spot,

He often shows up best in the details.

He is so good.

thankful today for boots and a boat.

30 days of thankful.

breathing...

2010-11-09T08:40:00.000-08:00

No wonder I've been having trouble breathing lately...

My husband's gone this week. Micah (who occasionally substitutes as my other lung), along with my boys Javen and Cullen, Alec a high school graduate from Canada, and three special Peruvian young men, Ever, Edinson and Paul... are off on the river again this week. They'll bring music and the Word to the villages where God is working, encouraging people to draw near to the Living God while He may be found... They're heading for one of the furthest villages (Sta. Rocio) and may have to walk a good deal because the river is low and they may not find a boat to take them... Pray for them?

thankful for faithful young men with adventurous spirits
God's protective guiding hand
tents
mosquito repellant
gracious brothers and sisters who will receive them

a boat? (please, Lord, provide...)
30 days of thankful.

Do you have someone who reminds you to breathe? If you would like to share them with us, or if you have another gift you want to celebrate on this Tuesday, I invite you to link up. If you have questions, check out the information Tuesdays Unwrapped page.

blind thanks.

2010-11-08T21:08:00.000-08:00

it's hard to be thankful when faced with a great seemingly insurmountable mountain...

when the shadows loom overhead and the way seems anything but clear.

image courtesy of aldin

it's then I have to close my eyes to hear the whisper...

"The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid...

One thing have I asked of the Lord, that I will seek after:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;

he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock."

If nothing else, I will have Him.

And He will care for me.

Knowing there is much to be thankful for even if I can't see it from where I'm standing...

thankful today for simplicity.

frozen yogurt popsicles.

little sculpted legs.

tuna fish sandwiches.

hours playing outside.

winnie-the-pooh's happy hums.

the voice of an old friend.

time to soak in God's word.

30 days of thankful.

805 - 812 of 1000+ gifts

remembering... the invisible.

2010-11-07T05:13:00.000-08:00

"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities - all things were created through Him and for Him."
Colossians 1:15-16

*image courtesy of clix

snapshot summary... & a breath.

2010-11-06T20:31:00.000-07:00

Every day this week I received upwards of 20,000 gifts.

That's more than 140,000 gifts this week alone.

I do not. deserve. even. one.

Still, each and every minute, a new breath...

a new day. a new life. another chance.

This is the air I breathe.

"...this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:21-23

* * * * *

So, one day, imagine you find a nest of 6 baby rats in your yard. What on earth are you to do with the things? They're too cute and helpless to kill, and yet, you don't really want your entire yard crawling with the things until they reach adolescence so that you can dispose of them with a clean conscience...

The kids decided they needed to take care of them. 5 days later...

They had all breathed their last. Hard lesson learned.

This is my snapshot summary for this week:

Every day looked pretty much the same...

Monday. Rats.

Tuesday. Rats.

Wednesday. Rats.

Thursday. Rats.

Friday. Rats.

Saturday. No more rats.

Thankful that the hands that hold the whole world are capable.

Thankful today for breath.

30 days of thankful.

pink.

2010-11-05T19:25:00.000-07:00

a pretty pink sunset...

pink leotards.
a clipping clamp lamp.
hair thingies galore.
all manner of do-dads.
kissable cheeks.
and puckered up lips.

pink pedicured toe nails,
a beaded stretch necklace,
prickly hair brushes
and rubber flip-flops.
Checked gingham dresses
and a fingernail brush.

(all pink... because it's very much a girl's color around here)

...thankful today for pink and the sweet small girls who warm us with their enchantment with it.

30 days of thankful.

music.

2010-11-04T21:04:00.000-07:00

image courtesy of jcroatto

does your heart long to dance?

thoughts brought to life,
words set to time
made to move,
made to feel
music pulls strings
makes praise rush real.

A soul's delight,
a perfect elixir, beauty
and truth set right
so the memory of it
lingers after the quiet.

give praise to our God...
give voice to the song...
give rise to the heart that's just waiting to dance.

the music... do you hear it?

music made by not-so-little boys,
for my favorite artists that sing the Word,
for loud happy songs sung at full heart volume,
for hymns in Spanish sung in the car,
for good ol' folksong fun songs,
and for bedtime music that calms fears and tears,
thankful today for music.

30 days of thankful.

friends.

2010-11-03T21:36:00.000-07:00

I have good friends.

I'm so glad.

For starters, my husband is the best friend a girl could have. Oh, how I've learned from him... and am still learning to love.

I've had treasured friends that the Lord put in my life for a certain time, and there are friends who I've had since the beginning of time... or so it would seem.

I have friends near and far. Some friends, I've not met yet in person, but who share the same heart. Then there are the once every four year or so friends, who upon reunion, are the same safe sanctuary as always.

and ever present, the One Friend, the Greatest Friend there ever was...

thankful today for friends...

the One who calls me friend.
my husband.
my mom.
my kids.
my dearest deb.
my sisters-in-love.
my brother.
my brothers-and-sisters-in-Christ all over the world.
and all the friends I have yet to know and love!

...and the list continues.

30 days of thankful.

rain.

2010-11-02T15:05:00.000-07:00

If I've said it once, I'll say it a million times...

thankful for every drop of wet gladness.

"The LORD will open to you his good treasury, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season and to bless all the work of your hands."
Deuteronomy 28:12

"Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad;you restored your inheritance as it languished..."
Psalm 68:9

"Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth."
Hosea 6:3

"He it is who makes the clouds rise at the end of the earth,who makes lightnings for the rain and brings forth the wind from his storehouses."
Psalm 135:7

"Shower, O heavens, from above,and let the clouds rain down righteousness; let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout;
...I the LORD have created it."
Isaiah 45:8

Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness."
Acts 14:17

"he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields..."
Job 5:10

"...so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust."
Matthew 5:45

"Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you."
Hosea 10:12

"May my teaching drop as the rain,
my speech distill as the dew,
like gentle rain upon the tender grass,
and like showers upon the herb."
Deuteronomy 32:2

ah... the rain. can one not love rain?

768. coolness that rain's bringing.
769. green that's busy drinking.
770. running in the dripping.
771. puddles made for splashing.
772. rain that makes my heart sing!

30 days of thankful...

30 days of thankful.

2010-11-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

November is thankful month here in our house.

The last several years I've made a tree with leaves to remind us to say thank you, but this year's different as we'll be having a guest and doing river trips (next week), having more guests (the following 3 weeks after that), then doing another river trip (2 weeks later) and then moving (the next week)... so understandably, I will not be doing much extra-curricular around here. :)

So, what could be better than redoubling my efforts as we concentrate on giving thanks for the blessings in the midst of all of that?!

I'm thinking an extreme case of thankfulness blogging will hit the spot, perfectly.

For starters then,

always thankful for a day dedicated to stopping and give thanks...

and for an opportunity to share thanks...

and for the thankful verse in my memorization project:

"We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ when we pray for you..."

and for the lady who has been instrumental in turning the hearts of many heavenward in gratitude...

as usual, linking with Ann to perpetuate thanks...

remembering... I am clay

2010-10-31T21:09:00.000-07:00

image courtesy of clix

"For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,"
has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God
in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay,
to show that the surpassing power belongs to God
and NOT to us."
2 Corinthians 4:7

amen.

snapshot summary #43

2010-10-30T10:32:00.000-07:00

Weekly Wrap-up
{A Snapshot Summary}

A Double Whammy! 2 weeks worth, 10.18.10 - 10.30.10!

Sunday - 10.17.10

[Sunday morning with the guys... included here are Edinson, Paul, Isidro and Eber who are part of the young men's discipleship group Micah is working with...]

Monday - 10.18.10

[We decided to celebrate Family Day this week extra specially because the next day was my birthday, so we took a trip to Moyobamba (2 hours east) for the morning/afternoon. We went to the Orchid garden, at my request, because my gift from the kids would be orchids... they just didn't know it yet! ;) The plan was to end up at the hot water springs there, but we ran out of time. So, we scoped it out for when my parents-in-love come this next month! We made it home with time to spare for our date night and enjoyed a wonderful birthday eve! :)]

Tuesday - 10.19.10

[The best birthday present I received this year was waking up to rain and then going out for a jog in it! Tied for first place were all the hand-made, heart-felt gifts my daughter gave me. See here for more. :)]

Wednesday - 10.20.10

[The festivities continued into the next day, as the package from my mom arrived... receiving something from her, somehow just made everything seem that much brighter!]

Thursday - 10.21.10

[Today, we celebrated with our friends, their son Leon's 6th birthday... he's exactly one week older than Josiah. It is so neat to have friends!]

Friday - 10.22.10

[I spent a good amount of time here, as usual. :)This week I was working on a series of posts about teaching reading, on our homeschool blog here. As well as getting Micah's posts ready, andworking on correspondence and homeschool planning... this coming term is going to be crazy!]

Saturday - 10.23.10

[We received this beautiful invitation in the mail this week, and sadly we cannot go to our very good friends' wedding... which will take place tomorrow. We very much had hoped to make the trip, but as we have a LOT coming up in the next month, including a move (we have to turn our house back over to the owners by the end of December), we decided we just couldn't go... so very sad... :(]

Sunday - 10.24.10 [no picture]

Monday - 10.25.10

[the littles worked on peeling the peanuts Micah brought back with him from his last river trip]

Tuesday - 10.26.10

[Oh my. Can you imagine if everything in your house was live?! As in, if you touched the walls, the door, the car, the floor without shoes... you get shocked!! ...with 220 volts?! Oh my. Something happened, we're not sure what, but suddenly after a rain, we couldn't do anything without getting shocked! Micah being an electrician worked hard to disconnect everything and by trial and error tried to figure it out, but alas, it was mind boggling! We called the electricians and they pulled some trick and finally we could rest easy... of course since they did that, the lightswitch in the bathroom will give you a nice hard hit all the way up to your shoulder, before the screw is covered by duct tape... speaking from experience... ]

Wednesday - 10.27.10

[it was unbearably hot this day... you might be able to tell from the expression on my face. I was absolutely miserable with a migraine, I'd been having hot flashes and felt quite nauseous. The electricity had been shut off, so the fans weren't working, the only solution - the pool. But the water wasn't even cool... I told Micah, I thought that the water would probably start boiling as soon as I put my legs in I was so hot. I made it through though. I posted this picture in order to point out that, not every day is lovely around here...though we do try to make the most of even the worst days :) ]

Thursday - 10.28.10

[Josiah's birthday! Micah took the morning off to take us to the creek. It is an absolute treasure to have a place like this nearby. On weekdays, we pretty much always have the place to ourselves and we had a GREAT time! We came home and I made pizza (Siah's request) and a cake, and then we watched Bolt (that's a really nice movie...). We topped the whole day off with grilled cheese sandwiches with Campbell's vegetable beef soup (a family favorite - brought down in a suitcase and saved for this very day) and cake and presents! It was a lovely, lovely day.]

Friday - 10.29.10

[We've had a sand castle marathon going this week, the kids have spent many of their free moments creating all kinds of models of spectacular architecture!]

To play weekly show and tell along with me, find out more HERE.

{this moment} ... hilarity

2010-10-29T21:38:00.000-07:00

I seriously haven't laughed this hard in many a year...

On my birthday the ladies from church came over to wish me well, they sang songs to me, tried to embarrass me, and we played games. Micah played Adam, blindfolded searching for Eve (me). I had a water bottle with a few marbles in it to shake every time he called out, "Eve, where are you?" It was the FUNNIEST thing ever and my face hurt severely afterwards from all the intense laughter. The ladies LOVED it.

2010-10-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today my small fry turns another year bigger. I look at his small legs and little body and see past them to his big heart and wonder how it fits in such a small place.

This boy's tenderness sometimes get exposed when someone else scrapes a knee. He's a breath of fresh air when he comes and says because he's been thinking, "Mommy, I love you." He speaks what's true and he's been that way since the day he was born, and everyone who knows him knows I speak true too.

Today he's six, and I'm praying the Lord keeps him always tender and fresh and true.

His words on the tip of my tongue...

2010-10-27T16:18:00.000-07:00

image courtesy of marcos_bh

I've never really been able to memorize Scripture word for word very well. 'Able', being a relative term, meaning, rarely willing to make the effort. :) I know how life changing it is. After all, I've seen what a little living water will do to a life. My husband has memorized books of the Bible, including James, Ephesians, a good portion of Romans, other key chapters and a whole lot of individual verses. I can attest to its power... second hand.

It changed him. It's why we're here.
Like fire shut up in his bones, he wearied of holding it back.
And he could not.
God is SO powerful, even His smallest word will alter a life.

On the other hand, I have always opted for a different method. An easier method? I'm not right or best or anything of the sort, just me. Undoubtedly, his way is best. I just hadn't brought myself to change... yet. So, what I've always done is, I choose a book (how do you choose only one? there is SO much in every book, it's really quite difficult to narrow it down). I want to know all of it at once, but somehow I always manage to choose only one. And I sit and I read it. I read it, and read it, and read it again. Sometimes, I read fast, others slow. I read three words, or I read more. Sometimes I can't get past ten words and I put my head down and just let them sink down deep. Sometimes, I stop because somehow it hurts and I wince, and ask the Spirit to do it, because I can't.

It's the stream wherein life is.
I want to soak in it. memorization by marination. :)
After awhile, I just know what it says. I know what it means.
I absorb it's color and it becomes part of me.
I'm memorizing His heart.

The problem is, when I'm with a friend and something comes up, as it inevitably does, I need the Word, the fitting word, right then and there. I've experienced this time and again and can attest to the vivacity of His Word, it IS living and active, as His heart pops into my head out of nowhere, and I try to express it and I stumble, because the exact words aren't there, just the understanding, and oh... how do I say it like He does? I fumble open the Book and I read it, and sometimes my fingers tremble, and sometimes though I have the Word, it's in the wrong language, and I stutter, looking for just the right words, translating... and it's awkward.

It's then that the exact words are so very important.
When eyes fixed on mine, are waiting for the right word. His Words.
When telepathy fails and the ideas won't transfer...
I need the Word.
His words.

In the past, whenever I've tried to memorize word for word, too many times I got hung up on the 'for', 'from', 'to', and for goodness sakes, 'which' one is it?! etc. I trip. I struggle. and I forget the meaning of what I'm memorizing. I can't stand that. So, I stopped and now wasted years later, I know much of the meaning, but I have so little to stand on when someone else needs it. Why didn't I try just a little bit harder?

So, of course the really only logical thing is to begin. While I refuse to stop marinating, because when I have it in my heart, I'll be marinating on the inside too, see? I want to give the immeasurable gift of having the Word always on the tip of my tongue. My husband's example over years of discipline, Ann's posts, and especially John Piper's life and his talk (which is in Ann's post here) have recently reawakened the desire to again to hide His very words in my heart (WITH the references to take it over the top in practicality. :)

I've chosen my book, the one I've been marinating in regularly over the last several years, hoping that makes it easier to memorize. I printed it out. I used this tool that Ann recommended here. I've got the first verses...

What do you think? Will you join me?

To read more about the discipline of memorization click here

truth.

2010-10-26T20:03:00.001-07:00

truth is God's signature.

[read more here.]

remembering... fullness.

2010-10-24T05:43:00.000-07:00

For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,

and you have been filled in him who is the head of all rule and authority.

Colossians 2:9-10

snapshot summary #42?

2010-10-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

Well, I've lost track of what week I'm on here...

I haven't had time to post my summary I will come back and edit this post, but I'm putting up the McLinky. JUST in case you want to link up, though I think Phyllis and I are the only ones in on this together. ;) Thanks Phyllis. You are so nice to me.

To play weekly show and tell along with me, find out more HERE.

amazing cute.

2010-10-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

I might be slightly biased but, I'm pretty sure they're the cutest bunch of kids I've ever seen... ;)

hungry.

2010-10-21T20:02:00.000-07:00

"I have compassion on the crowd... if I send them away hungry to their homes, they will faint on the way. And some of them have come from far away."
Mark 8:2-3

...if you pour yourself out for the hungry
and satisfy the desire of the afflicted,
then shall your light rise in the darkness
and your gloom be as the noonday.
And the Lord will guide you continually
and satisfy your desire in scorched places
and make your bones strong;
and you shall be like a watered garden,
like a spring of water,
whose waters do not fail.
Isaiah 58:10-11

wandering...

2010-10-20T18:37:00.000-07:00

"...he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd."

Mark 6:34

{for more Word-filled Wednesday posts click here.}

happy.

2010-10-19T16:20:00.000-07:00

Look what I got when I woke up this morning...

In this artwork in particular we come to find out that Bria is still holding out for another girl in the family so that girls and boys can be 'tied'. She wanted me to observe that she'd drawn three boys and three girls in addition to Micah and I (we currently boast a 4:3 ratio). She also was quick to point out that there are TONS of presents (this was in response to a conversation we had a day or two ago about how as you grow older you often get less presents. this was very sad news for her :) There's also a butterfly, dragonfly, bee and fly as interestingly prominent features (she knows I do love nature study ;). But you'll also notice the central figure is that of myself, with a carefully crafted pink crown!

Here's the happy artist...

beautiful gifts.

2010-10-18T13:39:00.000-07:00

there are those who claim to delight in the beauty in art. but sometimes that in which they delight is only the illusion of beauty. the induced spiritual state experienced by those who take hallucinogens (very common here in a part of the jungle VERY near to us), and the resulting art that boasts of the things perceived when under the influence of said delusion effecting drink, isn't appreciation of real beauty, but the illusion of it. the resulting art does have merit, in that the artists have used their God-given talent, and in producing amazing art unknowingly proclaim the Origin of creativity.

there is one who would try to win our attention with illusions of beauty. he's a master of illusion. he'll stop at nothing to sway our affections from the oh so Beautiful One.

we must be wary. we have to keep our eyes open. we mustn't be deceived. we must keep true Beauty as the standard ever before us. if we're looking, how can we miss Him? His beauty is everywhere...

somehow, sadly, I think we'll still manage it occasionally.

...but let's stop and look often. look for Beauty and recognize Him for who He truly is.

He didn't have to make a world so beautiful.

The thankful list continues...

757. green.

758. white.

759. yellow.

760. red.

761. pink.

762. blue.

763. orange.

764. purple.

PRAISING Him today for His beauty...

what an absolutely delightful way to live.

remembering... who touched me.

2010-10-17T06:33:00.000-07:00

"If I touch even his garments, I will be made well."

And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, "Who touched my garments?"

"Who touched me?"

But the woman, knowing what had happened in her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth.

"Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease."

image courtesy of GoFish

snapshot summary #41

2010-10-16T18:50:00.000-07:00

Weekly Wrap-up
{A Snapshot Summary}

Monday - 10.11.10

[family day... I made our favorite special lunch: pot roast with vegetables... never mind that it was amazingly tough meat :) ]

Tuesday - 10.12.10

[When he heard that someone would be going out to kill lunch, after some time, Micah finally convinced one of them to lend him a gun (he had to agree to pay for the bullet). No one there thought that it was possible for the gringo to kill anything! Well. Little did they know who they were dealing with ;) the MIGHTY hunter.]

Wednesday - 10.13.10

[These people are some of the believers in the village, gathered in the church leader's house. They all were quite enthralled watching Micah set up his tent inside the house. This is a seriously momentous occasion as they'd probably never seen a tent before.]

Thursday - 10.14.10

[Between two of the villages, is this hot spring waterfall. Micah usually takes advantage of stopping off here to take a mid-week shower. :) On the way there, they saw a huge river dolphin right next to their boat, had been hearing stories in every village of anaconda sightings in the area, so were feeling ever so slightly unsettled and jumpy...]

Friday - 10.15.10

[On a 45 minute jaunt through the jungle between villages the guys were enduring some serious humidity.In a nearby village Micah prayed for a lady who only 6 months ago had been shot by a trip wired shotgun on this same trail (they use this kind of trap to bring in game for food)... needless to say Micah didn't wander off for any potty breaks.]

Saturday - 10.16.10

[We welcomed our hero home this afternoon... and everyone's dying to hear all about his adventures!]

To play weekly show and tell along with me, find out more HERE.

bibliophile

2010-10-15T23:28:00.000-07:00

Not only have I been reading a lot of books lately. I've been doing a lot of thinking about reading over the last weeks... mainly in the realm of teaching how to read. So far, I have 16 pages of articulated thoughts. Weird. Who'd a thought I'd up and write about that? Sometimes I do surprise myself. :) All this because my youngest boy has recently taken up reading. I am so delighted. There's only one illiterate member of the family left. That's a pretty good ratio. :)

Speaking of reading, in the fall for all you who are stateside, when the weather turns cool, it is always a good time to pick up a pile of good books. It never really seems to get anywhere near cool here, but nevertheless, I have been busy consuming my fair share of the written word.

Some of the books I've devoured in the last two weeks are:
Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity
The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King
The Young Peacemaker
Snow Treasure
Little Lord Fauntleroy
(Not necessarily all high priority reads, but I've got to stay up on what my kids are reading!)

Some books I'm still chewing my way through:
Gospel of Mark
Charlotte Mason's Home Education Series, Volume One.
A Mother's Heart
Good and Angry
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain
Shakespeare's Julius Caesar
Guia Facil para Padres Cobardes que Quieren Hablar Honestamente de Sexo con sus Hijos - (HAH! How's that for longest title EVER?! and if you can actually read it... double HAH!)

And this post would be REALLY long if I were to post a list of all the books waiting to be served...
fodder for another post.

Some other interesting book posts I've picked through lately:
At Jodi's Curious Acorn, both here and here.
At Jeanne's Peaceful Day, here.
About boys and literature, here, an especially interesting article, here and a book publisher's response here.
Using the library in homeschooling, here.

halfway there

2010-10-14T14:56:00.000-07:00

Thursday is halfway.

He's been 2 days gone, with 2 days to go.

Everything is alright without him. but just alright. not quite the same.

Perhaps because one half of me is here... he's gone with the other half.

...

I think I would hesitate to actually say that when he's here, there's never a dull moment...

for fear of exaggerating...

but it's certainly almost true.

:)

{wondering where he's gone? read here.}

top image courtesy of clix