On Alert

 

Monday morning I dropped my boys off at the high school.

Two tall, blue-eyed treasures smiled as they shut the car door, and walked off to join the crowd.  Oh, Dear Lord, "the crowd" ...

... this pressurized peer group, swarming like bees outside the gym doors, waiting to engulf my young men.

I drove away and prayed.


"Dear God, give them sensitivity and courage to keep in step with You ...

Joy Dare 8.20.12

Giving thanks to God in community for His gifts ...



3 gifts in family
Aunts and cousins - treasured friendships
My mom who thinks of me often
my home filled with children who keep life VERY interesting:)



3 gifts ugly beautiful
the kitchen cabinets - tattered and worn from consistent, almost constant use
my grocery list scratched hastily in writing from three different "contributors"
sun shining through our front door - original 1979 stained glass

a gift in a ring
this story of redemption that still brings me peace

a gift in a curve
brightly colored, translucent goggles on giggling swimmers

a gift in a sphere
whoppers. tiny spheres of chocolaty, malty goodness:)

Body Parts

From the Archives: April 2004


It is Wednesday morning, and the breakfast dishes are clean and put away. Ardyn, the three-year-old, is busily gathering trash cans from all the rooms so it can be taken out. As her eight-year-old brother hauls out the "big trash", she dutifully puts new liners in each empty can and returns them to their rightful place. 

She even sings a little song as she goes:
"Brown one goes inda ... Bath room. Pink one goes inma ... Mom's room ..."

Hers in not a huge job, but it's really important to the other people involved. Her family depends on her. Sure someone else could do it instead, but we would all miss out on the apparent joy she finds in being a part of a whole.

As Landen comes inside from his trash run, he goes to sit at the table.  He has completed his household job, and now he cheerfully works on a responsibility he has to his church family. He copies a Scripture onto notebook paper, and adds "God loves you and so do I!". After drawing a picture, he addresses it to one of our church's home bound members.

His is not a huge job, but it's really important to the other people involved.  His church family depends on him. Sure someone else could do it instead, but we would all miss out on the apparent joy he finds in being a part of a whole.

"As it is, there are many parts, but one body." - 1 Corinthians 12:20

Joy Dare 8.13.12

Giving thanks to God in community for His gifts ...



3 gifts white
Casie's wedding dress
crisp new notebook paper with blue straight lines of promise
winter fresh gum in the dog days of summer

3 gifts eaten
watermelon
squash
pineapple chicken
 
a gift at 10am
creme brulee coffee and some emails

a gift at 1pm
read-alouds before nap time

a gift at 10pm
"White Collar"on Netflix with my main man

MEANINGful

Humility:

Recognizing and revealing the ugly truth,

receiving undeserved grace, and

resting in unimaginable love.

"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.  For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you." -Romans 12: 1-2

Joy Dare 6.24.12 (a full moon late)

Giving thanks to God in community for His gifts ...



3 gifts I became today in serving
a light-hearted launderer
a merry mopper
a happy helper

a gift bent
bedtime prayers
a gift beautiful
Ardyn's thick brown hair
a gift loved
my spiritually sensitive husband

3 gifts found in light
hairs to be plucked
counters to be wiped
unwanted sin protrusions and hardened filth in the corners of my heart

3 gifts that are difficult
teenagers who drive my cars
adolescent girls who push my buttons
toddlers who ignore my instructions


3 gifts found around a table
sisters crafting
silverware busily clanking happy plates
friends with tiles ready to spell a high-scoring word

a gift in water
rich sweet tea
a gift in words
a thank you note from the mailbox at the end of my drive
a gift in white
a month's supply of paper products in the kitchen and bathrooms

Comfort & Joy

It's like God found my list of "All things comfortable" and began checking items off -shortly after He blew them up.

Last week I directed caMP3, a worship arts afternoon program for kids which concluded with the presentation of a musical for the community Friday night. I approached the week prayerfully as I prepared for 60 K-6th graders and a [fabulous] staff of 25 talented folks, but soon realized my heart had farther to go to reach full surrender.

Background: last year was our first year for caMP3. Who knew if we could even pull it off? Responding full force toward my fear of the unknown, I spent 6 months planning and prepping - crossing hundreds of t's and dotting countless i's before camp ever began. After spending the caMP3 week with 30+ students last year, our small, but greatly talented and spirited staff remarked at how smoothly things had gone. Cue the gleam of pride.

Just What I Need

Last night I was in my bed waiting [im]patiently to drift off to sleep. Restlessness was to be expected on the night before caMP3. My stomach was uneasy, and my brain churned with random ideas, urgent reminders, and bad case scenarios. As I felt my spirit become restless, I realized I hadn't read my devotional for the day. (Sundays can be ironically frazzled and harried in comparison to other days.)

In the quiet darkness, I reached above my head to find my kindle and opened "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. Here is what was written for July 15.

Gone For a Dip

Tonight I experienced one of those Mom moments that for me are too few and far between.

I belly laughed with my daughters.

I'm a fun girl, but shamefully, my kids see the least amount of my happiness. I'm working on surrendering my agenda and preferences so that I can cheerfully invest in their lives ... not just manage them. But I have much to surrender, so it's a slow process.

Anyway, we were swimming this evening. Just the girls and me. In the rain. "Please go under! You don't have eye make-up on, so PLEASE go under!" They begged. I smiled at the beautiful, cheering crowd that surrounded me in the shallow end.

I buckled my knees and plunged beneath the surface. I bounced back to my feet to greet fresh air, rain drops, and applause. "Do it again!" They cheered.

"Wanna see my handstand?" I teased.

Blueberry Chutney Chicken

Wednesday was filled with family, fun & fireworks.

We also ate really well:)

 Fresh berries, baked sweet potatoes, steamed veggies and chicken.

I began making this dish when I subscribed to e-mealz...an online weekly menu complete with shopping lists. Very nice. This recipe: even nicer.


Blueberry Chutney Chicken

1-2 lb chicken breast

1 fresh lemon

1 t garlic salt

     2 T Olive oil

     1 c fresh blueberries

     1/3 c water

     1 T Dijon mustard

     1 T Jalapeño Pepper Jelly

Jasmine Rice
1-2 cans peas

Cut thawed chicken into strips. In a bowl, drizzle
oil, lemon juice and 1 t garlic salt over tenderloins.
Toss and coat well. Grill or broil 5-6 min on each
side. In saucepan on med-hi, place remaining
ingredients. Cook 8-10 minutes, whisking often, until
blueberries break up. Serve sauce over chicken.

Serve with Jasmine rice and sweet peas.
This is NOT a serving suggestion, you simply must.

Enjoy!