"The Twelve Joys of Christmas"

Blues Alley in Georgetown--Hearing the Ahmad Jamal Trio

Nora's Coconut Macaroons

The Stocking Stuffers

Seeing my sister every day for just about 2 weeks

Admin. Team Christmas Party

From Left: Mary, Katie, Rachel, me, Christy, Elise

The fresh farm eggs that Nora brought with her on the plane!

Family Game Night: Nora and I got the giggles and lost it...

Fresh Lemon and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta sent from my friend Brittany!

Traditional Christmas Eve Picture

Wet faces from a walk in the rain Amazing coffee that Travis and Nora ordered from their honeymoon location in Hawaii

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Prepare Him Room

Christmastime is a time of 'preparing room'. Shopping, cookie-baking, special parties, holiday decorating, wrapping, thinking about years of Christmas memories, traveling to visit with family and friends...these are all ways we open up space in our budgets, our stomachs, our schedules, and our hearts. Some of us do it a bit earlier than most (I think Nora finished her Christmas shopping in October), and others wait until the last few days of holiday frenzy (the boys went out yesterday, lists in hand!) But whether you are a super-efficient Christmas expert, or a spontaneous last-minute spaz, it doesn't really matter. The holiday spirit comes upon you whether you are ready or not. I finally joined the bandwagon two days ago when I finished my school finals.

Our family has our own traditional sense of preparing room, too. We like to prepare room for Bing Crosby's rendition of "Chesnuts Roasting..." in our c.d. player; we make time to watch "White Christmas"; we enjoy special Dutch treats like streup waffle cookies and spiced, sugared pecans; and best of all, we listen to my Mom reading "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" out loud while we all laugh until our sides hurt. This year has also been unique--in a literal sense, I 'prepared room' for Nora and Travis, who have come home from Arizona for 10 days to spend their 1st Christmas as a married couple with us. As I emptied shelves in my closet, cleaned, and switched over to the single bed in Brett's room, I smiled at the thought of how 'preparing room' at Christmas often takes joyful sacrifice as well. But this one is definitely worth it---it is SO good to have the family all together again!

Yet, how easy it is to forget to prepare room for the one person that really matters: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When Joseph and Mary knocked on the door of the Inn, there was 'no room' and so the door was shut. Will I open the door of my heart yet, so that He may enter? Have I taken the time to consider why we sing "Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room"? Christmas can so quickly become focused on the presents, the food, the expectations, the wants, the needs, the costs, the worries...but Jesus has only asked for one thing. He has asked us to prepare room for Him in our hearts, so that He may enter it and give us LIFE.

In John 20: 19-26, Jesus says "Peace be with you!" three times. This is in response to the disciples locking up their doors because they were afraid of the Jews in the days following His death on the Cross. I love the fact that locked doors--whether physical or spiritual--does not stop the Prince of Peace from bringing good gifts to us. And the gifts He offers to us are priceless, of eternal value, and more satisfying than any 'thing' inside a wrapped box. Even when we doubt, like Thomas (vs. 25), Jesus declares peace to us and asks us to "stop doubting and believe." And then there is such a wonderful promise that He offers: "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed".

Oftentimes, we do not know how He wants to meet us, or what we are preparing Him room to do in us, but we may rest assured that there is the blessing of PEACE as we make room for Him in every aspect of our life.

God Incarnate

Immanuel, meaning "God with us" (Matthew 1:23)

Normal nazarene (Isaiah 53:2)

Christ, the Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25)

Anointed by the Spirit (Matthew 3:17)

Road of the redeemer to the Cross (Gal 3:13)

Night: born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:8)

and would die in Jerusalem (Luke 23:44)

Appeared and will appear again (Titus 2:13)

Treasured by Mary in her heart (Luke 2:19)

Eternal God (1 John 1)

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him IMMANUEL--which means, "God with us"...

"He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him"...

"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the CONSOLATION of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ"...

"At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased"...

"Christ REDEEMED US from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us...He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit"...

"And there were shepherds living out in the field nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at NIGHT"...

"It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed HIS LAST"...

"While we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good"...

"When they [the angels] had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary TREASURED up all these things and pondered them in her heart"...

"That which was FROM THE BEGINNING, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

'I write this to make your joy complete' as you celebrate the Christmas season this year!

A Cam Jansen Thanksgiving

No, Cam is not a relative of mine. Cam Jansen is an amazing sleuth who has a photographic memory. When I was little, I read her books and wanted to be like her. She would look at a scene, close her eyes, go click with her memory, and save the photograph in her head. Then, she would be able to solve all these really cool mysteries, like the one of the "Missing Cookie" or of the "UFO".

The reason for a Cam Jansen Thanksgiving? Peter and I were taking pictures with my Dad's digital camera and there was a "sim" card error which resulted in losing all of the 50+ Thanksgiving shots I had taken throughout the day. To say the least, I was pretty upset. But, as we know, pictures are only pictures, and sometimes it's best to "remember" a special day in our head rather than on special paper. So, I decided to make a click like Cam into my own memory. Ok, so maybe a bit cheesy, but hey! Sometimes you do what you have to do.

I will remember my 21st birthday as not only being on the national day of giving thanks, but also because I got to share it with two other incredible women whose birthdays were also that week. As we each got to open a gift from my Grandma at the same time, it struck me that the three of us all have 2 things in common.

First, we share a passion for writing and books. My great-Aunt Maggie has been writing for years and is an aspiring author who has taught me much about what good writing really looks like. Louise Stark is a lady who has spent the holidays with my Mom's side of the family for over 15 years. She was my uncle's childhood librarian who passed on a love for reading to him. It was neat to think that whether words are merely on sheets of paper, or bound together and placed on shelves, we all have been affected by them in our 21 years, seventy-something years, or even 80+ years.

Secondly, we are all beneficiaries of my Grandma's generosity and thoughtful gift-giving. My great-Aunt Maggie loves leather jackets, so she received a brand new one that she will enjoy when she rides on the back of her son's motorcycle. Mrs. Stark, who is elderly and often in much pain, received a cozy, fleece wrap that will keep her warm and comfortable at her assisted living home. And I received a check from my Grandma that went towards getting my hair cut and highlighted. But the best part was not opening my gift; when these two women opened their gifts and my Grandma's smile revealed her delight in being the giver of these gifts, I quickly realized it was time to click something into my memory. The ooohhhs and ahhhs of Mrs. Stark, and the powerful silent smile of my Aunt Maggie, revealed to me that God has given my Grandma a gift of extending His love to others. Through her generosity, God's generosity is displayed; through her thoughtfulness, God's specific care for each individual can be considered. I thought to myself, How can I learn from my Grandma's example and be more like her in this new year of my life?

Thus, I decided that though I won't have 50 pictures of Thanksgiving day or even a few of my 21st birthday, this 1 mental picture is worth more than all of them. Even technological errors are sometimes a blessing in disguise, so if your camera or phone or computer or blackberry or iPod happens to break in the next few weeks, take a second to realize that there may be a really cool thing to learn in the midst of the inconvenience.

21

21 years ago on this day, the Lord brought me into the world at 5:43am. Somehow it doesn't surprise me that I woke up this morning around 6. *Sigh*. I am still an early bird after all these years. Speaking of birds, Happy Thanksgiving! As thousands of turkeys will grace the center of tables today across the country, I am so thankful to God for all of His bounty. Glory be to Him, not only for food and clothing and a roof over my head, but for forgiveness of sins, daily grace, and His perfect, sovereign providence over my life. This past year, He has been good. He has also been good for the last 21 years. Surely, just as the Apostle Paul asked of the Corinthians, what do I have that I did not receive? The simple answer is nothing. The Gospel, which has transformed my life forever at the moment Jesus reached out to save me, is the only thing I can and should boast of. And what a privilege to say that for 21 years, mercy has chased me, guarded me, provided for me, and sanctified me. In my desire to grasp these amazing truths, I chose to personalize the following psalm in my journal this morning. I pray that it encourages your heart as well!

Psalm 65 (modified):

'I am filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple...
You care for me and water me;
The streams of God are filled with water to provide me with grain,
for that is how you prepare me.
You drench my furrows (faith deepened)
and level my ridges; (pride weakened)
You soften me with showers (surrender needed)
and bless my crops. (generosity undeserved)
YOU CROWN THE YEAR WITH YOUR BOUNTY,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of My desert overflow (your water into my dry heart)
My hills are clothed with gladness (your joy over difficult trials)
My meadows are covered with flocks

(The comforting flock of your people)
and My valleys are mantled with grain

(your all-satisfying love for my emptiness).'

Shifting Shadows

As i reflect on the last two weekends, it amazes me how sharp the contrast of feelings is between them.

the first i shared with my family in pure joy: my sister Nora came into town for four days of laughter, shopping, memories, cooking, running, family time, fellowship, and rest. it was a time of reflection on God's grace in the last year as she has made new roots in Arizona. Her visit was a precious gift of God to me, because it reminded me of how faithful God is to work in our lives no matter how unfaithful or sinful we are. as we recounted grace, we encountered new grace. i cannot wait for her and Travis to come over Christmas break for 10 days!

the second i shared with the Smith family in sorrow and mourning: their little boy Chase went home to be with the Lord on Monday afternoon around 4 o'clock, and yesterday my family and i supported Jon and Jenni at his memorial service with our tears, prayers, worship to God, love and hugs. never in my life have i witnessed such a glorious display of faith and trust in God our Savior. Jon and Jenni Smith have become some of my greatest spiritual heroes. and perhaps Chase was not given the gift of living even one full day here on earth, but his death has given many the priceless gift of cherishing the hope of heaven for multiple days. (go to http://the-smith-family.blogspot.com/ for their blog)

Praise God, for His steadfast character endures forever!

James 1: 17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Whether our days are marked by changing joys or sorrows, let us draw near to the One who never has changed, is not changing, and never will change.

'Oh the Weather Outside is Fallish'

Trials and Temptations

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, once said to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:

"Consider it PURE JOY, my brothers, whenever you face trials of MANY KINDS, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must FINISH ITS WORK so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must BELIEVE and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind... Blessed is the man who perseveres UNDER TRIAL, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown
of life that God has promised to those who LOVE HIM."
~James 1:2-6, 12~

This wooden panel is of a house I saw in downtown Leesburg, VA last year. I like it because the wood is natural, rough, and raw. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of how God uses trials in our lives to 'sand us down' and smooth out our internal flaws and sharp edges. The past few months have been characterized by trials for many in my life and in the world. Yet, God is working skillfully as the craftman of the heart. And it is so cool to see what He is doing in His workshop.

My brother Peter's BMW was wrecked at Sugarloaf Mountain at the end of this summer. A true saint in our church--Kathy Bowers--went home to be with the Lord after battling cancer for a number of years. My Mom's back had a relapse two weeks ago because of the fickle weather and changing season. I dealt with a bad sinus infection for 2 weeks that laid me up for a while at the beginning of September. My sister Nora and brother-in-law Travis, who live in a ranch house owned by the Shanks, now have it up for sale and are praying for a new place to live. My younger brother's friend--Chris Maresco--badly broke his femur in a soccer game, had to have surgery, and spent close to a week in the hospital. Last weekend, a young guy named Ian Murphy from the Lord of Life Sovereign Grace church in Indiana, PA was in a horrible car accident that has left him in a coma; He miraculously opened his eyes the other day, despite severe skull injuries, a broken vertebrae, and fractured bones. Today, he is to undergo surgery for his knee and vertebral column.

Meanwhile, a dear little girl named Alivia Haughery continues to fight for life as she battles leukemia and her parents, James and Emily, work on a bone marrow fundraiser. Our dear friends, the Smiths, have approached the final month before their son Chase is born, who has a disease that will most likely cause him to die shortly after birth. In the world-- Amish children, shot and murdered. More American soldiers, killed in Iraq.

And little things count as trials, too: my friend's ankle that hurts, my left eye that keeps twitching, my Dad's nice bike that got stolen in August, my sister's physical adjustment to the Arizona climate, my battle over the same sins that I have been fighting for months...

Truly, trials of MANY KINDS. Isn't it amazing that our Sovereign God is aware of each one, cares intimately for every individual it affects, and wisely acts out His will in love?? This new fall season, perseverance has become impressed upon me in a unique way. Allowing God to finish His work within us is never a comfortable, relaxing thing; yet, as He sands me down more into the image of Christ, He promises the Crown of Life for those who stand the test! What hope the Gospel, the good news of the Cross, provides for us as believers!

But trials are REAL: they can be so bittersweet. Treading through them is tiring. They have a sneaky way of making me fear all sorts of things. My mind runs wild. My heart grows weary. My soul can even begin to despair, complain, and lose sight of the trustworthy Shepherd. Quite simply, they humble me, making me bow down low before an almighty Father and Lord in acknowledgment of my own frailty and lack of understanding. Yet, as I fight for joy, I pray that out of His abundant grace, He will equip me (and you!) to know that HIS grace is sufficient for me. For His power is made PERFECT in my weakness.

In the meantime, please continue to specifically pray for Ian Murphy, the Smith family, and the Haughery family!

Real Life Sci-Fi

Last Thursday and Friday was quite an adventure. Being the poor college student that I am, I decided to participate in a NIH research schizophrenia study last Thursday and Friday. These people pretty much pay you a lot of money to be their guinea pigs. Don't worry, though--I was in the "healthy control group". Interviews, MRI's, neurological physical exam, cognitive analysis exercises, and an MEG didn't seem too bad for $360 over 2 morning/early afternoon sessions. And I had already prepared myself to stubbornly push through the blood draw that would take place early Thursday morning. You see, I absolutely hate needles and the sight of blood. Still worse is the fact that I have low-blood pressure, so I get really sick and light-headed every time I get shots. Well, I wasn't exactly prepared for the moment when the nurse walked in with NINE vials. I cleared my throat and asked her, "Excuse me, but are you going to be filling ALL of those?" "Sure, honey" she replied, "but it won't take too long...just sit back and relax". Relax? Yea, right. Sweat beads had already formed on my brow and I began muttering prayers under my breath. Then, they started asking me "the questions" to distract me. When I was 5, it was the ABC's. Now, it was about college.

I laid back, looked away, and hoped for the best. A second later, I felt the cold, wet touch of an anti-bacterial cloth in the inside corner of my arm and then, the prick of the needle. 2 minutes later, I had broken out in a cold sweat, was completely losing consciousness, and begging like a baby for them to finish. My stomach felt ill, I couldn't think, and the rush of blood from my head was simply awful. Stupid genetic study. 5 minutes later, they were forcing orange juice into me and trying to get my pulse up, which had dropped to below 90. (I'm not a medical person, but apparently 120-130 is normal.)

By the end of the day, I was exhausted. My left eye was twitching from concentrating so hard on all these cognitive computer tests I had to perform. I came home and told my Mom that "there is no place like home". Seriously! In fact, I ended up feeling somewhat like an idiot because the last thing I did on Day 1 was a math test, and I was brain fried at that point. I admit it--I couldn't answer this really simple question. Let me know if you can:

If a factory can produce 8 automobiles in 6 hours, how many automobiles can be manufactured in 30 minutes?

The next day, I also did a MEG test, which is short for a "magnetoencephalography". They hooked all these electrods on my head and face and basically stuck me underneath a life-size hair processer for an hour. The picture above should hopefully give you an idea of how ridiculous one can feel when you actually become the science project. Pretty incredible tools, though.

Well, I guess that's what you get when you sign up for a research study. At least the $360 will come in handy!

Sick

i caught a whopper of a sinus cold on saturday. everything is fuzzy, and my head feels like it weighs 25 pounds. please pray that i would feel better.

Funny First Day of School

Yesterday was exciting. And sometimes the best part about crazy days are that they usually happen when you least expect them to. If you'll take a moment to read this, I would love to tell you my story.
Yesterday was my first day as a Junior in college at the University of Maryland--Shady Grove Campus. Time to celebrate with a big mug of my favorite espresso Starbucks coffee, I thought. After a wonderful time with the Lord, I proceeded to do e-mail, make my lunch, and pack up my handy-dandy white North Face backpack, which I just so happen to love. By the time I was ready to leave, I was running a few minutes late. "Hmm..." I thought..."I think I'll go the back way." As I was driving, I began to feel extremely faint, because my coffee intake had been more than my body was used to. At the stoplight, I even had to put my head on the steering wheel b/c everything started to go fuzzy. (Oh Lord, help me! But I recovered).

Now, to continue the story...The back way to campus turned out to be the long way, but it was worth it because I saw this very humorous sight. This random guy, who was probably 6' 5" and weighed close to 300 lbs, was stomping along the side of the road. He had this huge white-blonde beard and long, straight blonde hair. (I named him Gandolas--a cross between Gandolf and Legolas--from Lord of the Rings). I laughed out loud at him. Good thing my windows were rolled up.
So, 3 minutes late to my first class, even though I power-walked from my car all the way upstairs and into a seat. Not good when you are trying to make a respectable impression on your teacher and classmates. But it turned out to not be so bad, cause 3 more people strolled in after me a few minutes later. "Haha---you were later than I was" (to be read in a sing-songy, taunting voice).

Then, I had my first break. Due to the amount of coffee I had drunk, I needed to use the restroom. Now, if you get to this part of the story and think it's gross that I am going into bathroom-humour, please excuse me. Our family is pretty open about this kind of stuff. I walked in, and was the only one in the bathroom. When the time came for me to flush the toilet, I slowly watched in horror as the water began to rise, but not go down. Then, it overflowed. I hadn't noticed that whoever used the toilet before me had clogged it up and not flushed it. Bad stall selection, for sure. Good thing nobody else was in there, right? I had to then go to the front desk and subtly tell them that "umm, just thought I'd let you know...there is a toilet overflowing in the bathroom." How embarressing.

Next came my second class, which lasted 3 hours right smack in the middle of lunch-time. They didn't give us time to eat anything, so I got starved, got hypoglycemic and then shaky and irritable. By the time I got to my car, I was scarfing down my chicken, salad, and fruit at a very fast rate, and I think people walking by thought I was a poor, starving child in a '91 Volvo station-wagon who hadn't eaten a normal meal in 3 days.

And last but not least, the end of the day brought an errand to Nordstrom Rack on Shady Grove road. After returning a pair of flip-flops, I went to my car to leave. While calling a friend about a particular matter, I put my key into the ignition. As I attempted to turn over the engine, it choked and would not start. Second time, same thing. "Are you kidding me?" I thought. My friend kindly started praying. At the end of the prayer, I looked down and promptly burst out laughing. The car wasn't in park. I had my foot on the break, and the gear was in D for drive. I simply had done the second and third step before the first step. I'm such an idiot.

On days like these, all I can do is laugh and thank God for the wonderful opportunities He gives me to bless His name and trust in Him with all my heart. Regardless of what happened, how can I complain? I had my awesome, white North Face backpack on my shoulders, a delicious green apple like all my other "First-Day-of School" snacks, a cool new waterbottle, and a wonderful friend of 8 years named Elise Mays, with whom I have taken classes since 7th grade and is also doing the COMM major with me. Yep. It was a great day.

Worthy 06 Youth Retreat

The Scapegoats...



Christy, our Mother Hen, was probably off working somewhere...


6 Admin girls.
5 saved.
4 Admin boys.
3 floors to patrol at midnight.
3 healed, permanently and temporarily.
2 souls that passed each other in the night--Kathy Bowers and Sarah Faith Brewer
1 who is Worthy.

Bored, Nothing to Do

Well, not really...just for a few minutes on the way to Bethany Beach while Brett and I were in the backseat fighting for leg-room. The title of this post is actually from a book that my brother used to read when he was little. It was all about two boys who got so bored, they decided to make an airplane from all the things in their mom's house and their dad's garage. And by the time they had finished the airplane, the house and yard looked like a tornedo has blown through the land in an afternoon. So, Brett and I couldn't really do anything that dramatic. We were kind of stuck in the car. But we had a camera. And scary things happen when you have a camera. It's fun to be silly. We did our version of Zoolander's "Blue-Ice", Austin Powers, Fishy Faces, Wassup, and my personal favorite, Booger Picking. Thank goodness there's no rules about acting mature when you are 20...uhh...

The Law vs. Grace

Galations 5:1, 4-6 says: "It is FOR freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery...You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by FAITH we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

The past couple of months, God has revealed me in greater depths the meaning of true grace. Legalism is enslaving; grace is freeing. Legalism is rooted in performance; grace is rooted in justification. Legalism has no hope in it, because you will fail; grace has every hope in it, because Christ did not fail on the Cross. Allowing the Gospel to inform my thoughts, words, and actions hasn't been easy every day. But knowing that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" ( GAL 3:13) has filled me with faith in my sanctification, because I know that it is only through HIS spirit that I will receive the righteousness 'for which I hope'. And what are we called to do? We are called to have a heart of faith in God, which expresses itself through love. But then I got stuck on the word "love": how do I obey God according to His word, and allow something as simple as "love" to be the basis of my obedience to Him? God has shown me that it means loving HIM, being satisfied in Him, applying of all the "Love is..." from 1 Cor 13...and being SO motivated by His worthiness that we begin to think of holiness as happiness. We have heard a sweeter song at Calvary. Therefore, we love Christ SO much, that we will forsake every fleshly desire and indulgence in order that we might be "for the praise of His glory." Isn't it incredible that no matter how many times we sin, God's grace and forgiveness stands firm?! We ARE free. We ARE loved. We WILL change.

The Simple Things of Summer

Day Trip to NYC with my Caregroup--July 8

Java Junction for iced-tea after the market with my Mom...
This little girl was at the market today...so precious...
The market has so much--corn, apples, peppers, wild honey, blackberries, tomatoes, apricots, peaches, plums..it is right in Old Town G'burg on Thursdays from 2 to 5pm
Lauren and I posing at Ikea...
Yes, only one hydrangea has bloomed, but i am proud of it!
The wild blackberries that I picked on my walk the other day

During the last few weeks, I have begun to see the benefits of simple summer days. Our family decided not to go on vacation this year for a variety of reasons, and I have been pleasantly surprised to find that there are so many great things you can do when the calender is not filled up (surprise, surprise!) Long times of reading my Bible, studying spanish, seeing movies like Superman and Lady in the Water late at night, reading Counte of Monte Cristo at the pool, organizing my room, and going to the weekly local market on Thursdays with my Mom have proved to be so relaxing. And then there have been other things: going to Ikea to help Lauren Minard, one of my closest friends, pick out house and wedding decorations, enjoying my one lonely pink hydrangea that my bush produced, (my Dad pruned it last winter and he wasn't supposed to!), getting iced tea at this cute little cafe called Java Junction in Old Towne Gaithersburg, (this was today's activity), making ginger granola, cooking for family dinner (the other night was Greek style pork gyros on toasted pita bread with cumin-lime yogurt sauce, arugala, and red onion), doing Pilates and Sports Conditioning classes at Fitness First, picking wild blackberries on early-morning walks in my neighborhood, and hanging out with my family and friends.

We have also been eating dinner out on our deck a lot as of late, and then we sit and talk for a while, which is usually pretty entertaining =) The other night my brother Peter was re-filling his water glass and had quite the little surprise: he took a huge gulp, and then started loudly choking and gagging because it was actually carbonated seltzer water with lemon, and he thought it was regular filter water! He then proceeded to blame it on me because I had made dinner that night...and following the usual ranting that the boys give me whenever I make something unusual (I have been known to come up with my own recipes), he went straight to "the chocolate chips". "Chocolate chips" is a term Peter and Brett use whenever they tease me about some weird dish that I make--they say, "What, are there chocolate chips in the salad tonight, Em?" I won't defend myself...but just to get the record straight, Brett was responsible for the seltzer water that night.
The second funny family time was a few nights ago when we were attempting to have family prayer. To make a long story short, we pretty much all took turns falling asleep when it wasn't our turn to pray, and only got through about a quarter of our prayer list...but hey, it was the spiritual bonding time that mattered, right? =)

Cheese, anyone?

Did you know that Holland is the largest exporter of cheese in the world? In 1991 alone, the Dutch produced over 600 million kilos of cheese, which was sold to various Western European countries, as well as the U.S. and Japan. Kind of crazy, huh? But what amazes me the most is the selection--Gouda and Edam are two of Holland's specialties, and then there's Leyden (a dry, nutty cheese with cumin seeds in it that our family grew up eating), Leerdammer, Smoked Gouda, Friesian, and Kernhem to name a few. When I went online, one store had 700 cheeses to pick from...wow.
I would have to say, cheese is not just a delicacy to me; it's a staple of life. Cheddar, sharp or mild, pepper jack, monterray jack, brie, parrano, feta, ricotta, swiss, blue, boursin, gorgonzola, parmesan, Chevre, Gruyere, Camembert...the list goes on and on.
Yep. The variety is pretty much amazing.

I Scream for Ice-Cream

Vanilla Ice-cream with chunks of Reese's peanut butter cups and dark chocolate

(Clockwise from top)
Pink Grapefruit sorbet, low-fat Peach frozen yogurt, and Coconut yogurt custard

My handy-dandy Cuisinart base!

Ever since I read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" when I was 15, I have always wanted to make homemade ice-cream. For the last 5 years, I have been putting it off simply because I thought it would be really expensive to buy an ice-cream maker. Well, thanks to my sister's example, I decided to go onto Craig's List (craigslist.com) last week to hunt for one. Result: a Cuisinart professional maker for $12 from a guy who lives in Fairfax, VA but works in Gaithersburg. He dropped it off at our house late last week, and ever since then, I have been busy in the kitchen. My first results have been pretty good--most of the recipes include less than 4 ingredients, in 30 minutes it is ready, and the only thing you really have to think about is putting the ice-cream bowl in the freezer the night before to make sure it is completely frozen. Of course the Vanilla one with the heavy whipping cream and whole milk turned out the smoothest, richest, and generally the best =) All this to say, if you are ever out running errands and need a little ice-cream to cool down on a hot summer day, please feel free to stop by! Happy Fourth of July everyone!

God Moves

As one of the songs we sang in church yesterday that reflects on God's sovereignty, I was personally blessed by one thought: God is smiling from above even when His providences seem to frown. Every providence, every detail, every event in my life is controlled by my loving Creator. Trials, difficulties, and 'the season of waiting' as a single are all hard at times, but I can trust that God never has a "slip-up"--what He withholds is for my good, and what He gives is to bless me. It is always His loving will at work for His glory and my good. As one of the dads said in Mexico when we got hit by the Roto virus, " This situation first passed through the heavens before it came down to us". This is so comforting to recall to mind. As a single, I can be encouraged that no matter what happens, it always is subjected to God's wise plan before He allows it to come to me. He will only give good gifts to His children. All my 'days of waiting' are perfectly planned out by a heavenly Father who knows all the details--the perfect time, the perfect person, the perfect story.

"God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm
Deep in His dark and hidden mine
With never failing skill
He fashions all His bright designs
And works His sovereign will

So God we trust in You
Oh God we trust in You

Oh fearful saints new courage take
The clouds which you now dread
Are big with mercy and will break
In blessings on your head
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense
But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face

So God we trust in You
Oh God we trust in You
When tears are great
And comforts few
We hope in mercies ever new
We trust in You

God’s purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain
God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain

So God we trust in You
Oh God we trust in You"

Summer Reading

Every summer brings much excitement to me by way of book lists. I love to pick up a good story on a rainy day, by the pool, or at the beach, and enjoy the simplicity of literature over the TV. July is almost here, and I am just now on #2 and #3; nevertheless, the list can continue into the fall, so I'll probably end up taking my time and not doing my typical "5 books in a week at the beach" speed-reading. What's on your list?! Here's mine:

1. Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (I just finished it--this has become one of my favorites!)
2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (a third of the way through...)
3. The Power of the Cross of Christ by Charles Spurgeon (on Chapter 4 in my quiet-times)
4. My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok--author of The Chosen; a national bestseller about a young Jewish boy who is an aspiring artist growing up in post-WWII Brooklyn, NY.
5. Knowledge of the Holy by AW Tozer
6. Spiritual Depression-Its Causes and Cure by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
7. A Call to Spiritual Reformation-Priorities from Paul and His Prayers by D.A. Carson
8. Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis--a re-read...it's incredible, really.
9. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini--a New York Times bestseller about two young boys who are friends in Afghanistan...
10. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende--set in the 1850's, a story of an Chilean orphan who encounters the allure of the California gold rush as a young woman.
11. Hiroshima by John Hersey--a short set of stories from the Japanese people compiled by Hersey in an attempt to recount the memories of the August 6, 1945 bombing.
12. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller-a fictional story relating to the emerging new church of our day...

And last, but certainly not least (now don't laugh):

13. How to Be A Domestic Goddess-Baking and the Art of Comfort Food by Nigella Lawson. (This will be an interactive form of reading because I am going to use it to cook with on my designated Thursday night!)

Still More Pictures!