Lauren and I were both nominated for the ice bucket challenge this past week, and decided that right after a run was the perfect time to do it! I'd been slightly perturbed by how many people simply donated to the ALS Association without doing some homework on it, first. Thus, my spiel:
It's always been a dream of mine to willingly stand still whilst being dumped with buckets of ice water - NOT! But anyway, thanks, Katie. I'm nominating Karen Jenkins, Titus Copper, and Katelyn Dawkins to join the fun. You're welcome. Please know that the ALS Association funds embryonic stem cell research and is therefore not an organization we as Christians should mindlessly support. You three are nominated to donate to a RESEARCHED organization for any cause for which you have a heart. Ice water and $10, or $100 and no ice water. Ready - go!
Hello, hello! Guess what? Beginning this coming Monday, I think I'll be back to a regular posting schedule -- gotta be excited about that. :p
But in the meantime, a friend told me about this video and - all comments about the actual song aside - it pretty much hit #1 on my youtube videos for the last...while. :) I LOVE getting to hear all the different languages! Which one is your favorite?
Yes, I know I missed Monday. Again. I am hoping to get a "proper" post up on Friday...but in the meantime, check out this awesome short on St. Patrick that one of my wee friends made for me!! It's too wonderful not to share, so without further ado, let me present:
"Patric: a short film by Roman"
Thank you, Roman - you're the best!!! :)
And to the rest of you - Happy Be-Lated St. Patrick's Day!
You don't have to have watched the wonderful new "Frozen" (although, seriously, if you haven't - do it) to appreciate the dazzling qualities of the soundtrack. This specific single has absolutely exploded in the musical world.
...And the not-so-musical-but-equally-adorable world.
Have you noticed that "Watch-It Wednesdays" are more frequently "Listen-To-This Wednesdays"? I considered re-titling them "Wordless Wednesdays," but then I'd feel compelled to not write anything and, well - we all know how much I like to talk, right?
This is an old song. An old song raw with a time-transcendent longing for heaven. An old song fresh with the realization of who we are before Christ. An old song marveling at the mystery of beauty around us, refusing to be enraptured even by the "good," in the precious hope of the perfect.
If you stand, stand on the promise. If you fall, fall on the grace. If you sing, sing for the Lord's joy. If you weep, weep with longing.
I just got back from a fabulous day of babysitting some super-fun kiddos! What do you do for eight hours with five children, 10 & under? Oh, "Nothing!"
...which, of course, translates to "Have a Ball!"
Happy Wednesday!
Let the games begin! Step one of Operation Cider has been accomplished: retrieving the apples. Our entire garage now smells like an apple pie, and it's the season of feasting on apple fritters by day and apple dumplings by night! I can hardly wait to rent the press and begin our good, old-fashioned, cider-pressing day! Complete with fellow apple-buying friends, contests to recognize the fastest pressing team, sticky hands, savory cider warming on the stove, and a bonfire - yes, it's a time to anticipate!!
Unquestionably, Family Camp is the best, most-looked-forward-to weekend of the year! Those of us happily possessing schedules which allow us to go up early enjoy 5 days ~ and still, the time shrinks each year.
Two weeks later, I have a slideshow, using some of everyone's pictures of camp. Ten minutes may seem like a long video, but considering that I started with 1,000 pictures, it's quite decent. ;)
I cannot wait until we all get to heaven, and can enjoy the fellowship like this for eternity! Have a blessed Wednesday!
Crossover artists in the sphere of violin music rarely impress me. Usually, they either play very well as modern music-makers, OR very well as classical players - rarely do they accomplish both. David Garrett, though, is one of the few. He compromises no quality in his playing ~ tone and amazing precision are evident in whatever he performs. Prepare to be delighted with his rendition of "Carmen" ~ I certainly am!
We all know that the best things in life can't be bought with money.
Yes, come along, nod your head - you know it's true.
...Unexpected smiles...
...Autumn colors...
...Late-night talks...
...Quiet moments when it's just you, God, and a star-filled sky...
...Sunshine...
...Every-day songs...
...Special memories...
...Rainy downpours perfect for twirling...
...and this song Daddy inadvertently discovered over Christmas break (to list a few). The more you listen to it, the more it grows on you. I will certainly be keeping Christmas year 'round with this song!
*sigh*
Isn't that beautiful? Like all truly good things, it cannot be bought for any price. (Seriously - but if you ever find I'm wrong, keep me posted!) So add it to your list of "un-purchase-able happiness", and have a lovely Wednesday!
I had just about decided not to post another "Watch-It Wednesday" until I had a good number of "normal" posts up, but then...this happened.
The Goofs
It was a lovely evening, Sunday night. Daddy had set up the tree a few days before, and it stood in the great room, bare, waiting to be dressed in the safely-stowed ornaments and lights by its side. Hot apple cider scented the house, Rescue's First Christmas (an all-time family favorite) set the mood, and the Littles were positively giggling (as we did when we were little) at the prospect of hanging the ornaments.
Daddy & I with our cider
Mama handed out each of our personal family ornaments - each child has a small red heart with his/her full name and birth date, written in mama's lovely hand, inscribed upon it. These are the first to go on the tree each year, but the rest quickly followed: sparkling glass balls, two thick, clumsy-looking iron nails (to remind us of the reason for Christ's birth), the cheap beaded star I got at an ornament exchange as a girl that made me think of Narnia, and many, many more.
Gracie, waiting to decorate
And then it happened. The Littles were rushing around, hanging up the stockings, and setting up the Nativity Scene. Maddy made a point (after a talk we had several days ago) to place the three wise men in a different part of the room (each day they will move a little closer to the scene, until they finally arrive on January 6). Someone acting as DJ had, upon the conclusion of our original CD, turned on Strait No Chaser's Christmas Album, and Ben and Josh were hanging our Great Room indoor lights (a tradition since we added on to the house 5 years ago), when "the song" hit. The song our family was in stitches over when we first discovered it years ago. The song that takes full credit for Daddy introducing me to Toto's "Africa". The song which gave us our only reason for purchasing this CD. And Josh stopped working. And Ben stopped working. And I had to grab our bleh-quality point-and-shoot camera to capture the moment before it slipped away.
hanging stockings
Because the wee camera is so "bleh", I had to redo the audio, but as you can tell, their timing was pretty impeccable...At least, I hope you can tell ~ I'll try to remember to grab the better-quality camera next time! :)
So that is why I had to post a "Watch-It Wednesday" today...You know what? Starting tomorrow, there are only twelve days 'til Christmas. Crazy, huh?
Hello, lovelies! Sorry for dropping off the face of the earth last week. Our internet dropped us like a bad habit, and we were in the dark ages for about three days.! Finally back and catching up on stuff... So here's a laugh for your Wednesday!
And so the chaos begins - I love Thanksgiving! Mama's currently making her second "last trip" to the grocery store (the second of many, if history truly repeats itself) and we're madly writing lists for what needs to be done between now and 2pm tomorrow afternoon: cleaning the house in anticipation for my cousin's arrival (so jazzed about that! Most of us haven't seen him for a few years!!), decorating with our small assortment of Thanksgiving smiles, baking gingerbread for the houses we decorate Thanksgiving morning, and I -- I get to make the pies.
We like our pies, here. It is a great tradition to make far more pie than we could ever possibly eat after a full Thanksgiving meal, thus leaving the left-overs for breakfast the next morning (or next several mornings, as the case may be). Nonetheless, despite the delightfulness of my delectable job, Thanksgiving week always dawns with its fair share of controversy in the dessert department: traditional pumpkin pie, or southern sweet potato?
My daddy loves his pumpkin pie - the flavor, the tradition, the unquestionable "right-ness" of having pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I mean, it's practically a rule, yes? As necessary to the Meal of Gratefulness as a turkey! Me? I can't handle pumpkin pie - never have been able to. Gracious, it's not the flavor! I love pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin lattes - but the thick-and-creamy texture of the pumpkin pie is too much of an overload for me, so I prefer the lighter (but similarly-flavored) sweet potato option.
Now, as I said, we like our pies - so we are fortunately saved from the awful fate of ending our discussion in fork-stabbing by the obvious solution of making both! However, inevitably, in the course of our traditional debate, the following song surfaces...for obvious reasons. {My mama was a Texan girl, and let me tell you - I like these good ol' country songs far more than the stuff being written today!).} Even the pumpkin-eaters can't help singing along!
Which do you prefer - pumpkin or sweet potato? Vote and let me know! Meanwhile, I'm off to make this year's six (6) pies of choice: sweet potato, pumpkin, pecan, peanut butter silk (a family tradition), apple, and sugar-free apple (for my grandma :). Happy Thanksgiving-Day preparations to you!
Imagine this: You are the greatest military commander of all time, you have an immensely good opinion of yourself, and you've just taken yet another city. What is the first thing you're going to do?
Listen to your advisers and study languages...at least well enough to know your own name! :p Wishing you a happy and humble Wednesday!
This isn't the post/video I was planning on posting today, but sometimes you are just so surrounded with a theme, that it's impossible to ignore, you know? Lately, the LORD has been teaching me so much, I feel like I don't have enough pens and paper to be writing it all down - and I'm filling out sheets and sheets!
Here are some beautifully encouraging lessons on God's love and grace; which, as He has bestowed them upon us, give us a whole new identity: that of a child of the King. First, you really should read Alistar Begg's devotional here. (And while you're there, sign up for the daily emails - they are such an encouragement to read each morning.) Are you, like Daniel, a "man greatly loved"?
And here's a song I've been listening to over and over again...it's become my theme song, this last week, echoing precisely my thoughts and prayers as, daily, I realize more and more just how badly I mess up:
Beautiful, isn't it? Our Father's love and grace - there is nothing as lovely and glorious. He is so sufficient for all we could ever need. Rest joyously in this, and have a wonderful Wednesday!
Hello wonderful people! Have you realized just how many "Watch-It Wednesday"s I have in a row here? Yeah, well, I have too...suffice to say, it's been a crazy summer. The fair, family vacation, Les Miserables in San Fransisco, Family Camp...the list goes on - busy, busy summer, these last two months have been. Finally, however, we are settling down to normal life again next week, and I can safely promise you that there will begin to be at least one post between each of the videos to break up the monotony on this blog. :)
In the meantime...here's a funny commercial that Daddy was quoting to us the other day... Enjoy!
Leiah showed me this song the other day...it reminds me of James 1, and seems to be a theme I've been surrounded with, lately. From the sermon I heard Sunday, in which the pastor encouraged us to always "meet frustration with expectation" (specifically, in "petty" frustrations), to the novel I'm reading which spent nearly an entire chapter on the subject, I feel like I'm being possibly prepped for a trial - whether it is of mountain or mole-hill size.
Even if I'm not, this song is a beautiful reminder to not view things through the worldly eyes of immediate circumstance. I hope it blesses you all!
