RockTheDesert

Last Of Summer - Checking In

I've got exactly two weeks to complete my "Last of Summer" list. I'm happy to report that I've been making great progress on 2 of the items and have checked 1 of the 7 items off the list: 

"I'd like to finally pick out a new pair of glasses..." It was difficult and I lost the will to keep shopping more than once, but I ended up with a fantastic BOGO deal at Eyemasters. Alyssa talked me into buying one pair to wear when I want to look smart and one pair to wear when I want to look pretty. 

"Finish up the children's songs I'm writing for my sister's kindergarten class..." I'm making great progress on the songs! This past weekend I actually had a friend record 2 of the songs for us! I've got 2 more songs written and 2 more with just lyrics written. 

  "Read The Making Of A Chef and Day After Night..." I'm halfway thru Day After Night. Can't recommend it yet. But it's kept my attention so far. I went to the public library two weeks ago just to pick up a book for my son for his English class and came home with a stack of books to read. This stack did not include either of the above-mentioned books. But I did read the entire stack of books, including The Shadow of Your Smile (Higgins-Clark) [good read], The Aloha Quilt (Chiavirini) [liked it, didn't love it], The Apple Turnover Mystery (Fluke) [kinda boring & predictable], Hester (Reed) {fascinating "sequel" to The Scarlet Letter], and Low Country Summer (Frank) [disliked immensely]. Today I will return the library books and try to remember to check out The Making Of A Chef!

Sadly, my hair, makeup and overall fashion have made little to no progress except for 1 day last week when I led worship for the Women of Worth kick-off at Harvest. Alyssa stopped by and did a 13 minute hair/makeup job on me...it was great while it lasted! 

No progress on making a perfect pie crust - I did, however, make a fantastic, 2 layer strawberries & cream cake. Totally worth the outrageous amount of calories! Now that the weather is cooling down slightly, I'm gearing up to try another pie crust. 

Hiking - I hate to blame the weather for my lack of motivation, but it really has been unbearably hot. However, by or on September 21 I will make my first attempt up Piestewa Peak, hopefully with a friend, possibly under cover of nightfall.

No Zumba class yet - I've watched a few YouTube videos of Zumba classes - the students look like professional dancers and the teachers probably moonlight on MTV. This will be the ultimate "dying to self" experience I could imagine, sigh, :/

So, what's on your "end-of-summer-list" and are you making progress?

 

 

Desperation Matters

Yesterday was Sunday. @daninreallife was out of town, speaking at a men's retreat in Prescott. I was supposed to play keys in the worship band at Harvest. Then I halfway planned to have lunch with friends. Then I imagined we'd hang out with Joshua and Alyssa at some point. Then I'd make dinner for everyone after @daninreallife returned home. Well, as you can probably guess, things didn't turn out the way I planned (do they ever?)

Steven, my 16 yr old son, was involved in a serious car accident Saturday night on his way home from work. He walked away from it shaken up but without a scratch or bruise. Too many details to share here, but just believe me when I say I was equally shaken up when I drove up to the scene - pouring down rain, fierce wind, flashing lights, traffic backed way up, fire truck, ambulance, 4 highway patrol cars. One of the officers said Steven was lucky to be alive. The car was towed away to an impound yard 'til our insurance company can give it a once-over. I tried to empty it out a little bit while it was still on the side of the road before it was towed, but I could only grab a few things before it went away. Last night Steven realized he left a textbook in the car. That meant I'd have the not-so-great job of finding the impound yard and having to see the damaged car up close. My oldest son, Michael, drove me there. I took one look at the car and it nearly took my breath away - Steven isn't lucky to be alive - Steven is alive for no reason except for grace, God's life-giving grace!

As you can imagine, I didn't get much sleep on Saturday night. I slept fully clothed with all the lights in the house on. I spent every waking minute praying through the horror and praising God for His grace and goodness and kindness and mercy. By daybreak, I was completely spent, but also completely at peace. I found myself wanting and actually desperately needing to express my thankfulness to God in a tangible way. I decided to attend an evening church service at a church I don't normally attend. I couldn't wait to lift my hands and voice with complete abandon and joy and gratefulness and love and, well, I've gotta say the band delivered on some powerful praise and worship [... **Our God Is Greater (if you haven't heard this song, buy it now, put it on "repeat" and sing it at top volume until you are hoarse or until you really believe it and can't forget it), How Great Thou Art, I'll Stand...]. My heart was right and open and vulnerable and teachable and praising and giving and receiving. And the Holy Spirit, my Comforter and companion all night long, had softened my heart, convicted me, renewed my hope. He drew me in closely, intimately and I lifted up my humble offering of worship freely so that God would be glorified and magnified and exalted.

Hmmmm, isn't that the way it could always be? You know, if I lived my everyday life in the raw tension of desperation and expectation? Desperation matters. It really does. It sends me to my knees. It forces my eyes upward instead of inward. It keeps me broken, diffuses my haughtiness, reminds me to be kind and gentle. Desperation leads to utter dependence on God. It leads to a relationship worth living for. It leads to a relationship worth dying to self for.

Desperation matters to me. Does it matter to you?

**Our God Is Greater lyrics click HERE

My Tag-a-long Vacation

I've been on vacation this week - a "tag-a-long" vacation. You know, the kind where your friend emails you kind of last-minute and invites you to go (tag-a-long) with their family on vacation and you don't have any good reason to say "um, no, awkward, I just couldn't" and your husband says "go ahead" and your teenage son says "great idea" and your daughter says "have fun" and all of a sudden you're in the backseat of a van, heading west, wishing you had brought a harmonica to liven up the ride!

Seriously, my good friend Pam invited me to go to Big Bear Lake with her family for 5 days of rest and relaxation so I truly didn't hesitate for more than 10 seconds before I found myself getting really excited about the possibility of reading a few books all the way through with no interruptions and sleeping in and napping and boating and fishing and hiking and biking. Actually, Pam and I didn't do any biking. I believe we were napping. Or reading. Or reading 'til we fell into a deep and fabulous nap.

And as far as fishing goes, I never really used a fishing pole or touched a hook or worm (unless you count the split second of horror I had when the worm on Ryan's hook slimed my leg as he was getting ready to toss the line back in the water) but I did spend a few hours in the rented fishing boat observing the fish which were jumping in and out of the water but totally ignoring the big juicy worms on the end of Jeff & Ryan's hooks.

Boating is incredibly relaxing. Just being a passenger is fun and speeding back to the dock is great fun but sometimes it makes you yawn!

On our way out of town we headed to Forest Falls for a quick hike up to the highest waterfall in Southern California - Big Falls. All in all, I had a fantastic time of deep rest. Really. It was deep. And I didn't realize how much I needed it. It was truly divine and delicious and I'm grateful for the love and kindness of friends who allowed me to tag-a-long!

 

Last of Summer

I just finished reading "The Kitchen Sink" on Shauna Niequist's excellent blog.  She is one of my favorite authors (Cold Tangerines & **Bittersweet) and I always look forward to her blog posts showing up in my Google Reader. Shauna meanders through several topics (thus the title) before landing on this question: What’s on your “must-do-before-summer’s-over” list?

Honestly, I hadn't really thought much about this list - living in Phoenix, we just pray to stay hydrated and air-conditioned for another day during the long, nearly unbearable summer. However, I can appreciate the question and it really made me pause to think through things I'd like to accomplish over the next two months as summer slowly, but surely, starts to dissipate, leaving us with an incredible fall, winter and spring.

I came up with 7 items for my list. I'm sure there's many more, but I don't want to think that hard today.

1. I got my hair cut last week for the first time since December. Ashley (Mood Swings Salon) took the time to twist my hair into manageable curls before popping me under the hair dryer. I am beginning to understand why my grandma went to the beauty parlor every Friday to get her hair set for the week. That concept really needs to come back in to vogue. I am lame-o when it comes to dealing with hair and makeup. So, I really need to commit to taking the time to: a) look in the mirror daily; b) care about the reflection in the mirror; and c) do something about the reflection in the mirror. I'm talking about regular and competent use of hair products, face serums, tweezers, and lip gloss, along with dangly earrings du jour and possibly even lotion on my elbows, knees and feet. I know, I know, you probably won't recognize me.
2. I'd like to finally pick out a new pair of glasses, not because mine are 12 years old, so out of style that they're nearly back in style, and the lenses are so scratched that I have to peer out of the top or bottom 1/4 of the lenses in order to really see well. I want new glasses because these practical, functional, brown, every-day-all-season specs don't reflect my personality or passions in life. So, with the help of a committee, I have been trying on every pair of frames at 2 different Costco's and 1 Eyemasters, trying to find the perfect one. I think we're finally closing in on one.
3. I'd like to make a perfect pie crust. Perfectly flaky. Perfectly brown. Perfectly buttery and salty. Perfectly scrumptious. Perfectly able to support the chocolate cream filling, the banana cream filling, the fresh blueberry filling, the caramel apple filling, the pecan and even pumpkin filling. I made a crust just yesterday with an obscene amount of tiny cubes of frozen butter in it, the iciest ice water, flour, salt and sugar, rolled it out, baked it, pulled it out of the oven and was so disappointed that it tasted like an over-cooked flour tortilla. Do I really need to take a class to learn how to do this?
4. Hike up Piestewa Peak. I truly hate hiking. My legs are too short for the tall steps. I feel like I need a pair of ski poles to help me up. But I've heard there's an easy, gradual trail somewhere off the way back parking lot. So, I'm considering it. Could someone please tell me why they hike in the first place?
5. Go to a Zumba class. I am a klutz. I don't know the first thing about Latin dancing. I hate to sweat in a room full of non-sweat-ers who've been dancing with fluidity and ease since childhood. I will no doubt be stepping on toes, smacking people in the back with my uncoordinated elbows, and tripping over my own feet. I think I'll start with a Zumba video at home.
6. Finish up the children's songs I'm writing for my sister's kindergarten class. I've got two done, now working on counting to 30, the shapes, and the colors. Must buckle down and get them recorded before school starts. This actually should be #1 on my list.
7. Read The Making Of A Chef by Michael Ruhlman. Read Day After Night by Anita Diamant.

So, how about you, what’s on your “must-do-before-summer’s-over” list?

**P.S., I will be doing my first-ever giveaway next Wednesday (Aug 18) here on Rock The Desert. Theme is "Bittersweet." Will include a signed copy of "Bittersweet" and some bittersweet treats!

The Lodge Facelift

I am not an interior designer by any stretch of the imagination. My idea of decorating is to leave it to the professionals, i.e., my mom, my mother-in-law, my daughter, whoever stops by with a helpful suggestion. I know what I like and most importantly, what I don't like, and within reason, I'm relatively easy to please, especially if I'm not the one figuring it all out. Let me define easy to please: I like retro everything, meaning colors, style, everything. I love orange, amber, avocado green, aqua, brown, etc. I love anything that looks like it could have come straight out of the Brady Bunch house, Frank & Marie Barone's house (the parents on Everybody Loves Raymond) or the house you grew up in if you were born in 1965 like I was. With all this in mind, my creative and talented daughter decided to surprise us with a master bedroom "re-mix" while Dan and I were in Burundi last month. She conspired with her two California grandmas and came up with this beautiful design and implemented it at a feverish pace while we were gone!

The walls used to be 1970's brown paneling, and while I do love that 1970's look, paneling is the one thing I have to say "no way" to unless it's on a station wagon! The floor is still painted green with glue marks from previous hideous carpet, but you hardly notice it with the great oriental rug Alyssa had stored in her garage (gift from a friend who moved). They hung our wedding photos which have been languishing in the shameful stack of Un-hung Things for at least 5 years. They created the illusion of a headboard with the frame of a mirror that broke during our recent move (4 yrs ago). They got rid of the blanket hanging over the arcadia doors and the unsightly blind over the window. They shoved our old comforter into a new duvet and casually draped an orange throw on the bed. They disguised the giant, kelly green toolbox as a keyboard stand. They created a sitting area with a little white bench made by my dad and the orange armchair I bought for Michael's room originally. All I had to do when I got home was finish dealing with my keyboard mess (3 keyboards don't fit into most decorating schemes) and then relax in my comfy orange chair! Overall, they accomplished an amazing transformation in 3 days for under $150. Dan and I absolutely love it!

 

Kento

I'm not sure why, but we said "yes" to hosting a Japanese exchange student for 10 days. It turned out to be an incredible blessing for our family to get to know Kento! He spent every morning in ESL classes with 26 other Japanese students. Afternoons were filled with various activities in and around Phoenix. They had a tour of the MIM (Musical Instrument Museum), a very wet & wild time at Sunsplash, a fabulous, pizza-filled evening at Organ Stop Pizza, an overnight trip to the Grand Canyon, and tours of 2 local universities.

We took Kento rock-climbing at AZ On The Rocks, took him swimming, fed him til he couldn't eat another grain of rice, and generally incorporated him into all our family craziness. I found myself putting 23 years of practice being a mom into good use. Only this time around, all cylinders were firing and I was on-time or even early for drop-off and pick-up, I kept an updated schedule on the white board on the refrigerator, I cooked breakfast AND dinner daily, and most importantly, I enjoyed the experience immensely. When we dropped Kento off at 4:30am today for his departure back to Japan, I was overwhelmed with an intense desire to: a) visit Japan; b) adopt a 15 yr old; c) travel back in time and re-parent my kids with confidence and 23 yrs experience; d) go back to bed and rest my 45 yr old brain and body til a proper hour like 9am. Guess which one I immediately did?!?!?

45

45 is a new number for me to think about - I never thought much about 44, but 45 has great significance in that I'm now only 5 years from 50! At 45, I'm quite possibly halfway through living the one and only life I've been given, assuming I live to be 90! Over the last 5 years I've had lots of time to think and reflect and somewhat obsess over my mistakes of the past (no small feat) and I'm feeling more ready than ever to move forward, not looking back, pressing on faithfully, fearlessly, and with great joy! I can't really explain it, but it's like I've suddenly emerged from this deep, dark, long, cobwebby, tunnel, the kind bad dreams are made of. And the world around me is brimming with life and light and beauty and fun and yet-to-be-discovered creative expressions of music and art and culinary delights and, well, I could go on and on because it's like I've been set free. Literally. I can't put my finger on any one catalyst for this out-of-prison experience, but I do know that prayer, intense Bible reading, believing and acting on the Word, faithfully serving in spite of exhaustion, and times of incredible fellowship, unconditional love and worshipping with family and friends have all contributed to this overwhelming. I sense that I've been given a second chance to walk by the Spirit, walk in the light, walk by faith, walk in the truth, walk humbly, walk worthy of the calling of Christ, walk wisely, walk joyfully, walk in righteousness, simply walk with God. I find myself doing crazy things like baking pies and cookies, making breakfast for the fam, shopping with Alyssa, writing children's songs and stories, researching marathons, looking at bicycles longingly, reading recipes for Christmas cut-out cookies while listening to music on iTunes. 45 is feeling like the dawning of a strange, new, wonderful era. I'm ready. I'm walking, though not too fast because I think I can see 46 on the not-too-distant horizon and I want 45 to last as long as possible!

Psalm 145

Patrick Henry Hughes - a Video

I found this video on Michael Hyatt's blog (my fav) this morning. I'm not in the habit of weeping before breakfast, but this video really moved me to tears (in a good way). Have any of you seen this video before? Do you see God in this situation?

January - Tying Up Loose Ends

I suppose the loose ends in my life should have been tied up during the week between Christmas and New Year's. But they just weren't. So, in the interest of new beginnings, clean slates, resolutions, a new storyline, I'm spending the rest of January on little (and big) unfinished projects, re-organization, and personal vision-casting. That means February 1 will be my official "New Year's Day"!

I've got a couple of book reviews to finish and submit. I need to purchase a new (old) bookcase or get rid of a stack of books. I'll be scrubbing, scraping, sanding and painting our bedroom floor. I'll order HS graduation photos of Alyssa (2005) & Michael (2009). I'll order at least one wedding photo from Alyssa & Joshua's wedding (2006). The rest of the tasks are random, somewhat ridiculous and will hopefully free up tons of creative energy!

For me, tying up loose ends is kind of like finally cleaning out the refrigerator. You check the dates on the salad dressing bottles, open all the jars of pickles and relish and olives to make sure they're still edible. You toss out all the nearly empty, crusty-lidded sauces and condiments. You toss the wilted produce, wipe down the shelves, re-organize the jars, try to remember why you bought the gallon jar of pickled asparagus, and then finally...finally, you shut the door and say, "it is finished." And for just a moment, world peace seems possible, the broken tile on the countertop doesn't matter, and chocolate cake sounds like a great dinner plan!

 

The Great Wall

Isn't this the most amazing, beautiful wall you've ever seen? OK, so maybe it's a little busy. But it's got all my favorite colors in it, plus a few more that I know I could grow to love. I'm not sure if it's wallpaper or tile. I have a feeling it's tile. I've consulted with my Interior-Designer-in-training (Alyssa) and she has forbidden me from even considering doing an entire wall of this in my house. We are negotiating a possible backsplash in the kitchen instead. I'm not sure if that will have the same disarming and welcoming effect.

Maybe I'll just look for this pattern in a bedspread. Or a vest.

Taste of Orange

Orange is a great color. It reminds me of fall and that always means that summer is finally winding down and Phoenix is about to become the best place in the world for the next 6 months. My oldest son has adopted Orange as his favorite color. Actually, it's tied for first place with Coca-Cola Red. Surprisingly, the two colors complement each other and look great together in his bedroom.

Orange is such a happy color. It's bright. It's retro. It's the color of pumpkins and sunsets and tangerines falling off the tree. It's a juicy, earthy, delicious color, full of life and promise. Here's a taste of orange just to get your imagination going in the orange direction!

Beautiful fall leaves

Cool umbrella

This wallpaper is amazing!

Are you kidding me? Yes I would like to have one of these in my music room. Especially if I had a music room.

So retro, love the slipcovers to offset the orange accents.

Pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie, pumpkin cake, pumpkin muffins...

My very first car was a gift from my grandfather - an orange charger. It wasn't tricked out like this one, though. It barely made it to the used car lot where we promptly traded it in for a ... Dodge Duster ... white, with plastic-seat protector over tan vinyl seats.

Favorite grocery store - La Grande Orange

This Orange Amp is classic and vibey and unique and, well, if I played guitar, I'd want one!

There's something addictive about tangerines. You can't just stop at 1. In fact, it's even hard to stop at 10.

I love the orangey-vanilla taste of Orange Crush over tons of soft, finely crushed ice.

Gerbera daisies - amazing, bright, beautiful. Love them in huge bunches of vibrant colors.

An orange refrigerator would be pretty cool, although I do believe I might prefer aqua or avocado green. While I don't love this kitchen, I do love the checkered floor. Reminds me of the ice cream we used to eat at my grandma's house. Came in a rectangular 1/2 gallon box. Orange sherbet & vanilla ice cream in a checkerboard pattern.

We absolutely loved these frozen treats when we were kids. And, OK, I still love them and go out of my way to buy them in the summer. And the winter.

Are you with me? Do you want an orange mac as much as I do?

Last, but definitely not least, my favorite Le Crueset dutch oven. I can cook anything Julia (or Julie) cooked in this magical pan. At least I think I can. Well, at least I know for sure I can make great spaghetti sauce in this pan.

Time With The Boys

We ate lunch at Long Wongs today. Long Wongs is a Phoenix institution, known far and wide for their wings. We were lured in by the sign that advertised pizza for $5. As an after-thought we decided to try the infamous wings too. They were very good. Deep fried to crispy perfection then doused in an orangey-red, medium buffalo sauce. Nice and messy, served on cheap paper plates. We shared an order of French fries too (token vegetable). Best quote of the day came from my 44yr old boy (@daninreallife) while devouring his pile of wings, "you know they're messy when you have to wipe your face with a French fry." He's right, you know. You wouldn't want waste all that good sauce on a napkin when you could just pop that sauce-flavored fry in your mouth.

We sat at a large, round "wood" table in the middle of the tiny dining room and watched two different NFL games on beat-up big screen TVs. We cheered when Denver won and didn't care so much when Dallas won.

Long Wongs is a fascinating place. Wild decor in the parking lot. Interesting customers. The walls were loaded with retro/hippy kitschy collectibles. I could have taken photos of many fascinating items but chose to focus my attention on this clock. Don't you just love it?

www. Simplify. Decrease. Restore.

You know, some days my house seems way too small. Although we only have need of warm outerwear for about two weeks per year, we have a coat closet filled with coats that we've accumulated for 23 years along with blankets and extra sweatshirts. Hard to even look at this photo when it's 110 degrees outside. And then there's the stuff. Stuff threatens to spill out of every cupboard and closet. Paperwork for 4 busy adult lives seems to multiple overnight in random piles strewn on every cleared off surface. Backpacks, sports duffels, tote bags, all just about ready to put away (except for that one last rogue item) lurk in corners, behind doors, in the trunk of the car. It's like my entire life is precariously perched in the middle of "nearly organized, peaceful, uncluttered" and "tornado-just-hit-someone-call-for-help." While I fret about finding balance and "a place for everything and everything in its place," what I know I don't need to do is build bigger closets, cupboards and storage sheds (i.e., Luke 12:16-21). Continually seeking God's kingdom needs to be my everyday focus. Seeking His righteousness needs to rule over my thoughts and worries. And the stuff. The things that moths and rust will destroy. The stuff, if it takes my focus off of God and robs me of joy, well, it just has to go.

word: Simplify.

way: I must decrease so that Jesus can increase.

wisdom: "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit." (Psalm 51:12)

I Live To...

Pastor Randy sent out the weekly FNC newsletter today - I read it and had to share part of it here. I plan to spend the rest of today praying through the question at the end of the letter: what's your life purpose statement? "I Live To..." Seriously, how would I end that sentence? How would YOU end that sentence? Think about it. Pray about it. Write it down. Tell someone. Then live it.

August 13, 2009 I can't quit thinking about Anna's statement. Anna, one of the e3 ministry partner's area coordinators for Rwanda, came to America for her first visit this past January. Six months later as I am listening to her share with a mixed group of Americans and Africans about her impressions from her time in the United States her words catch me off guard. She mentions the road system, the big beautiful homes, the shopping malls and some other things like that, but then she mentions food. "In the United States," she said, "every gathering is centered around eating. There's food everywhere. At every meeting there is a buffet table covered with food. In Africa, we eat to live. In America it seems that they live to eat." Seriously, do we live to eat? Is that what our lives are about? Isn't there something more important to us than the next hamburger, t-bone steak or Starbucks latte? Live to eat? I don't want that phrase to be my purpose statement. There are other phrases that I would prefer to be used to describe my life. "Live to serve." "Live to love." "Live to worship." "Live to please God." What your life purpose statement? I would love to read it. (Email it to me.)  What do you think most people in America would say is their purpose? Do you think more people today are more concerned with feeding their bellies or feeding their souls? Do they hunger more for food or God? This Sunday @ 10:30am, we will continue the teaching series, "HUNGRY?", by evaluating the hunger pangs of our souls and then learning how to satisfy those longings. Come hungry this Sunday!   Randy Shoulders Fellowship North Church

Balancing Act

I used to believe that life was all about this elaborate balancing act between family, work, playtime, church, extended family, friends and hobbies. Finding balance seemed impossible to me because I've always tended to be a "yes" sort of person but I'm not a calendar person. I've always relied on my great memory. But then I hit my 40's. Now I'm learning how to use a calendar. I used to buy calendars just for the cool pictures. The little squares stayed mostly blank. Thankfully, I now have my iPhone calendar and I set alarms and reminders as much as I possibly can. Very helpful.

Lately, thanks to some incredible teaching by Bob Sojgren, I've come to realize that for me, it's not about balance, it's about harmony. This realization has taken an incredible burden of guilt off my back. As an "artist," I've always struggled with balance. I can get caught up in a song/project (or two or eleven) for hours, leaving dishes in the sink, unfolded laundry on my bed, and kids waiting at the curb at school.

The concept of harmony really strikes a chord (yes, ok, I know) deep within me. For some people, life is a perfect balance of melody and harmony. Imagine a piano or harpsichord playing a deceptively simple Bach invention. Clean. Manageable. Easy on the ears. Not many surprises. Definitely some beautiful harmonies going on. And counter melodies. A satisfying experience leaving you sure that all is right in the world.

For others, life is more of a constant give and take between harmony, melody and dissonance. That's more of how I'd describe my life. Imagine a full symphony orchestra, brimming with instruments, percussion, even a gong. Beautiful. Complex. Unpredictable. Sweet then angry then trembling then mournful then rising in intensity to glorious resolution. Think Shostakovich. There are definitely some incredible moments of harmony then, not surprisingly, some intense dissonance, then more harmony, then just some melody, then maybe some more harmony and an occasional gong just to shake things up. More of a resplendent feast feeding the depths of my soul.

I love having Bach days once in a while. And believe me, they are more like once in a blue moon. But the rest of my days are really more in line with Shostakovich. And so my family and I dance a dance that is unique for us and these crazy times we live in. When the kids were younger, we instituted Family Fun Night. It was rare but memorable. Board games, popcorn made on the stove, soda, movies, special meal. Now that Alyssa is married and the boys are 15 & 19, we try really hard to spend time together over meals. I keep listening to what my sons are saying with their actions. I stock up on favorite foods for lunches. I send text messages often. I'm constantly trying to figure out how to be a part of their increasingly independent worlds. We all go to church together every Sunday. I "allow" my sons to be on the worship tech team (they are the tech team). We take them to Africa with us on short-term missions with e3. We are all about ministry. It's the fabric of our lives. It's what we've been called and gifted to do. We also love just hanging out together. I'm the practical parent who drives the kids to Walmart in the middle of the night for school supplies or socks or a certain type of shampoo. Dan is the fun parent. He spends a lot of time just hanging out with Mike & Steve. They watch movies, go paintballing, shooting, camping, dirt-biking, hiking. We know without a doubt that Team Berryman is worth fighting for so we go to sometimes extraordinary lengths to preserve and nurture our relationships with God and each other!!

This post is part of the Family Fun Time Giveaway sponsored by High Calling Blogs. There's a random drawing sometime this week and Team Berryman could possibly win a free family weekend at the beautiful Laity Lodge family camp in Texas.

A Bit of Authenticity

Having a fun time with my favorite hairdresser, Sharon! Seems like just yesterday I was having highlights, lowlights, and a haircut. But in reality, it was October! Sharon's up for the challenge...I'm feeling more and more blonde every minute I spend under her talented hands!

What I Really Meant To Say

Cyndi Thomson sang a song a few years back called "What I Really Meant To Say." Loved that song. A great, country-flavored love song that spoke of relationship & regret. Alyssa and I used to watch CMT together and we both got hooked on their music videos. I also must admit that I got hooked on country music for the first time. I guess today's country music is more a country/pop hybrid, but you've gotta love that money-making formula!

When I was in Rwanda two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to speak to a group called Joined Hands. When my host, Manasseh Wandera, picked me up at the airport on Sunday, he informed me that I'd be speaking that night instead of Tuesday night -great, there went my prep time! I quickly prayed for inspiration and was immediately rewarded with "What I Really Meant To Say" as my overall theme. I was initially scheduled to speak to just the wives in the group. Due to some scheduling and technical difficulties, I ended up speaking to the husbands as well!

I basically shared my testimony. My main point was - I don't want to live a life of regret - I don't want to get to the end of my life and look back and say "what I really meant to say" or "what I really meant to do" or "where I really meant to go". I talked about being a promise keeper not just a promise maker. I talked about how our time on this earth is more about becoming holy than happy. I talked about the blessing of being raised in a Christian family with grandparents and parents who lived authentic Christian lives and who prayed constantly. I rambled on a bit I suppose. But at the end of it, I found myself so grateful for the life I've been given to live. Life isn't easy sometimes. I've made millions of mistakes. I do have regrets, but I'm learning to let them go and continue moving forward, to live live forgiven, to walk humbly yet boldly in God's grace.

Check out this music video, just for fun.

Choose Day - Live Better

Say "choose day" 5 times fast...sounds like Tuesday, doesn't it??? I've decided I need a weekly, well really daily, but let's go with weekly, reminder to choose to not only live well, but to continually live better.

I came to this conclusion while recently reading Self Magazine. I've never in my life read or even was the slightest bit intrigued by this magazine. Seemed like it might be too, ummm, let's go with narcissistic. However, I recently thumbed through the magazine in a dentist's (actually an endodontist) waiting room while Dan was having an emergency root canal. Nice way to spend $1200 in one hour, don't you think? While I don't necessarily endorse the magazine, I was intrigued by this "get-healthier-and-happier" Challenge they threw down to Jenna Fischer (The Office). She was given 8 challenges to accomplish in 10 days. Her conclusion at the end of 2 weeks:

"I came away from my SELF live-better challenges with a great overall lesson: one thing at a time"

I found myself very inspired to follow up on this whole self-challenge concept. I'm going to start working through my own list of challenges, in hopes that I will live better. Jenna went with 8...I'm going with 6. It's not that I'm unambitious, but I will be out of town for 11 days and just wanted to get started before I leave! To make it even simpler to get started, I'm picking 4 from Jenna's list and 2 of my own. Keep in mind that this is not a to-do list. It's more of a "to-live-better" list.

1. Get 8 hrs sleep. In my opinion, sleep is overrated. I really love staying up late and getting things done. But I need to find balance in this area. So I'm going to try it.
2. For one day (thank you), don't iPhone. Uh, yeah, ok.
3. Curl up with a book and relax. I love to read. This should be the easiest one, but I have a feeling it's the one I'll procrastinate on the most.
4. Dress in a fresh way for work. I've got to get this one under control. Been wearing jeans a lot on Sundays. Starting to feel a little uninspired and sloppy. I know I can do better.
5. Write a hand-written thank you note and send it. It's not that I don't want to...
6. Mail something. A letter. A card. A package. Anything. Just find the address. Find the stamps. GO to the post office. This one might cause physical pain. 

If you were to choose to live better, what would be on your list? Want to join me in this challenge?

Sleepless Nights

I have not been sleeping well lately. Not sure why. I'm dead tired by 11:30pm yet I either toss and turn for hours or sleep so lightly that I miss out on REM time. It's like my mind refuses to settle down into sleepy-time mode. I've got lists and lyrics and recipes and names and faces and places and letters and numbers on a fast scroll and swirl behind my eyelids.

Any drug-free suggestions for getting to sleep sooner ?

Breathe

Christmas is over. We did it. The frenzied pace of shopping, parties and presents is tapering down to a more manageable level. It's time to exhale 2008 and inhale 2009. Time to breathe.

Sure, it's time for re-thinking, renewing, re-focusing our life goals, starting new endeavors, phasing out old habits, and re-envisioning what could be. But as we bridge the gap between Christmas and New Year's, let's not forget to breathe deeply from the bottom of our feet to the top of our head. And not just physical air, but spiritual air as well. Let's breathe in new mercies, grace, forgiveness, joy, wonder, strength, purpose, discipline, integrity, candor, generosity, prayerfulness, kindness, self-control, godliness, justice, compassion, creativity, beauty. Let's breathe out the same. Really. Let's exhale these qualities. Exhale them in the way we walk and talk and relate and create and live and, well, breathe...

Happy New Year. 2009. It's here. Waiting for us to breathe our very lives into it.

Scion xB - is it purple or brown?

 So, what do you think of the newest addition to our family? Is it brown or purple? Does it need a name?

Today we spent the good part of our day browsing the inventory at Camelback Toyota. Lots of awesome deals. We had decided to be practical and purchase a Toyota Corolla because of the amount of driving we tend to do. Looking for a more economical ride. However, when we mentioned that we wanted a 5-speed, they led us straight to this funky "not an SUV/not a wagon" hot rod. We were able to trade in both of our aging sedans and walk away with no car payment for this little beauty. We are now one of those people you wonder about who would even think of purchasing a toaster oven on wheels. Let alone a purple/brown toaster oven on wheels. Must be entering our mid-life crisis (crises?). Which means we'll live to be at least 86. 

20 Questions With Photo Answers

I found the following "meme" on a blog called La Petite Belle - it's a featured Typepad blog. The rules are simple: answer each of the 20 questions - plug your answers into Google Image Search - then upload the photos to blog in place of written answers...the photos themselves are the answers!

1. Your Age On Your Next Birthday

2. A Place You'd Like To Travel

3. Your Favorite Place

4. Your Favorite Object

5. Your Favorite Food

6. Your Favorite Animal

7. Your Favorite Color

8. The Town Where You Were Born

9. The Town Where You Live

10. Name Of A Past Pet

11. Name Of A Past Love

12. Best Friend's Name

13. Your Screen Name

14. Your First Name

15. Your Middle Name

16. Your Last Name

17. Bad Habit You Have

18. Your First Job

19. Name Of Grandmother/s

20. College Grad/Major

WFMW - Tote Bag's Surprise Solution

This post is part of Works For Me Wednesday at Shannon's Rocks In My Dryer blog. Check out Shannon's WFMW post called "Paint Jars."

I've got this totally cool straw tote bag that was given to me as a gift from a good friend. Not to drop names or anything, but it's from Brighton. It's my only bag from Brighton. My others are from Target, Walmart, Ross, etc. I'm not a purse-shopper. In fact, I hate purses because not one of them meets my needs perfectly. This straw tote bag is big & roomy, leopard-print-lined, and has sturdy leather handles.

The problem with the bag is that everything gets lost in it. Everything. My keys. My wallet. My pens. My spare change. My lipstick. Everything. Well, one day, I was super-busy at work, gathering things to take downstairs, talking on my phone, drinking a big cup of cold water, making copies, you know, all the essential multi-tasks. My hands were full, my arms were full, my cup of water was now almost empty and clenched in my teeth. I somehow slurped down the water then I tossed the cup in my straw tote bag which was hanging on my arm. I headed down the stairs, down the hall and started searching for my keys to the auditorium. Found 'em. Opened the door. Tossed my keys back in my purse. I was totally surprised when I heard the keys hit the bottom of the empty cup. I stopped dead in my tracks. The solution to my messy, unmanageable purse might have just occurred accidentally...I put my stuff down on a table. Unloaded my purse. Started dropping all sorts of treasures from the bottom of my purse into the 16 oz red plastic cup. From that point on, searching for things in my purse was a pleasure, not a pain. I carried that purse and that cup for at least 2 years. Every so often the cup would crack or split open and I'd replace it with another one. This worked for me and if I were to carry this purse again, first thing I'd do is stick a red cup in it!

WCW - Where Would You Live?

It's Watercooler Wednesday - join me and many others around the watercooler at Randy Elrod's Ethos blog. Randy's post today is about Walking. Check it out!!

Yesterday afternoon the temperature hit 102 in Phoenix. Every year when the thermometer rises to uncomfortably hot levels, I desperately want to move out of AZ. After being in Santa Barbara, CA over the weekend (friend's wedding), I'm ready to move there. Right along the coast. I'm even willing to live in an RV if I have to. In fact, I'd live just about anywhere along the coast of California. The ocean has an undeniable call and I'm ready to answer it.

Another favorite spot is Franklin, TN. I'd live relatively close to downtown and soak up the small-town, Americana, vibey way of life. Each time we've visited Tennessee, we've fallen in love with its breathtaking beauty. All those trees. All those leaves. WOW!

Of course, there's always New York City if I want to be in complete denial about the icy, impossibly cold winters. And the potential muggings. The arts and culture has got to outweigh the snow, freezing conditions, and safety issues.

In all actuality, I'm most likely to end up in a ruggedly beautiful spot in East Africa.

How about you - if you could live anywhere - let's limit it to the US - where would you live?

The Swing Of Things

My friend and fellow blogger, Dan Perkins, wrote this great article called The Swing of Things. I encourage all to read and digest this article. The following is an excerpt. Click HERE to read the rest of the article.

I've spent a good part of my morning and afternoon with my jet-lagged butt parked on the couch catching up on reading blogs about our time in Europe and our friends who traveled with Compassion International over to Uganda. Both groups, the Uganda team and Tom, Mario and I, arrived back in the US yesterday. The votes are in and consensus is we have way too much in light of real need and poverty seen in much of the world. Ironically, the spiritual and social uniquenesses of the two regions we visited are vastly contrasted but our reports created the same sense of embarrassment or humility when imagined in the abundance and comfort of our homeland. Don't get me wrong... I'm grateful, as is everyone I read this morning about their return home, to have a life in this great country. What I am saying is we are having a difficult time digesting what we experienced and returning to a life "that is" differently than a life "that was."  In other words, going about business as usual without compromising our experience's desire to change us will not be easy. But then again, it just might be too easy.   

And then I saw the flames...

Yesterday was...eventful...Dan picked up Michael at school. Then they went and bought football supplies for Steven's new team. Then they stopped at the Salvation Army to drop off a donation. And that's when the chaos began. Dan's truck started literally wigging out - it wouldn't start, it wouldn't go into gear, there was this loud clicking noise like a time bomb about to explode, there was a burning sulphur smell intermittently wafting up from under the hood. It was crazy. I called AAA then went to rescue Michael. Dan waited for 1-1/2 hours for the tow truck. In the meantime, the truck kept clicking away, then the windows started going up and down on their own, the radio turned on and off, I'm telling you, it was like the stupid thing was demon-possessed! Then it all stopped. The battery finally went dead. In the meantime, I went to pick up Steven at school. Then I went home and started making dinner. I knew Dan would be calling me for a ride home from the Ford dealer, so I quickly began boiling a huge pot of water for pasta. Made a great sauce from fresh basil, fabulous sausage from Trader Joe's, and marinara sauce from TJ's. All this took about 15 minutes. Then I decided to throw a loaf of crusty Italian bread in the oven. I reached across the stove, past the pot of boiling water and the pan of simmering sauce, and turned the oven on to 400 degrees. I felt what I thought was steam escaping from the boiling pot of water burning my side so I jumped back a little from the stove. OW - that was hot! And then I saw the flames...they were on the side of my shirt, quickly burning up my shirt. I actually had on a spandex/polyester black tank top with a rayon, Christmassy red blouse on top and the red blouse was rapidly being consumed by flames and I was still wearing it! I started panicking and somehow got the blouse off and into the sink where I doused it with water. Meanwhile, my phone was ringing incessantly - it was Dan needing a ride home. I turned off the oven. Turned off the stove. Put on a shirt that wasn't burned, and went to pick up Dan.

See the tiny little hole in my favorite black tank? This shirt protected my side from the flames!

All last night I kept thinking about those flames - they could have easily reached my hair and the whole kitchen could have gone right up in flames so quickly - I am really grateful that God protected me and my family and our home.

Engage

Our Worship Team's mission statement is: Engage. That's it. Engage. This one little word is rich with meaning and just begs to have an on-going dialogue about all that it implies.

When I was trying to define Engage using my own words, I took several rabbit trails. First I landed on engage, as in engaged to be married. That led to thoughts of my daughter getting married.

I posted this article at the newly re-designed, interactive, informative Fellowship North website. Click here for the rest of the article...

Popcorn

I love really good popcorn. I have a cool popcorn popper for the stove - it has a hand-crank on the side for stirring all the kernels and oil together. It makes fantastic popcorn.


My favorite Kettle Corn is sold at Phoenix Christian High School football games. It's perfectly glazed and salted and always extremely fresh. I think it's a mom & pop shop called Happy Jacks. Couldn't find a website for them. I'm content waiting for next football season. The anticipation probably makes it taste better than it really is.

When I feel like blowing $8 on a bag of popcorn (rarely), I head over to AJ's and pick up a bag of Gary Poppins. They have a combination bag that contains the cheesiest popcorn - ever, the yummiest caramel corn - ever, and kettle corn to balance it out.


Today, Alyssa and I popped in to Poppa Maize which is a 1 yr old popcorn store right next door to Chino Bandido's at 19th Ave/Greenway. They have samples of all their flavors and I couldn't resist purchasing German Chocolate Cake, White Cheddar, Candy Caramel Corn along with a few others that I sent home with Alyssa.

The Picture Says It All

Michael was the cow at Chick-fil-a last night. He loves being the cow. He gets to hug the kids and when they ask him to dance he does the chicken dance. He usually makes a couple of appearances during the family night time. His last appearance includes wearing a nightshirt and nightcap which means he's going to bed right after he says hi to the kids. You can see the nightcap is still perched on his head.

Broken Bones

Yesterday was a busy day - Sundays usually are...I was at rehearsal for Carnegie Hall from 2-5pm. Dan was busy playing football with Michael, Steven, and a whole group of parents and students at CCL. I got home from rehearsal and was just getting ready to join the boys at CCL for The Stand (student-led church service) when Dan came in the side door, announcing that Steven broke his arm. Now, knowing Dan as well as I do, I was 100% certain that he was just joking. For one thing, Steven already broke his arm once this year - in April (I think). He was playing basketball and tripped over a kid and fell dead weight on his left arm, breaking the radius. 6 weeks later, the cast was off and he was as good as new. For another thing, we just changed health insurance companies. Our new monthly insurance payment is 50% less than our old payment...we barely sent in the 1st payment on Nov. 1 and received our insurance cards this week. And one last thing, they were playing touch football, not tackle. How could he possibly be hurt????? 

The following pictures were taken with my camera phone - they are pretty poor quality...I thought I had my camera with me in my purse, but Alyssa borrowed it at church this morning and forgot to give it back.

Well, Dan was not exaggerating or joking. He started digging frantically through the mail pile, searching for the brand new insurance cards. I grabbed my purse and phone and headed to the car. We went to Scottsdale Osborn Hospital. It was a great experience. Steven was registered, triaged and in a room within 15 minutes. He had an IV, ice pack, pillows, and a staff of nurses attending to him less than 2 minutes after settling into the bed. His favorite part of the entire experience, other than the TV mounted on a telescoping arm, was when they cut his clothes off of him. They gave him a little bit of morphine, took numerous x-rays, and monitored his vital signs until the orthopedic surgeon (they actually had an orthopedic guy on call in trauma) finished surgery and came to check on Steven. The x-rays showed that he needed to "reduce" the fracture - this means they manipulated the bones into better alignment then put a humongous temporary cast on his arm to keep it all in place 'til his follow-up visit next week. I have a feeling this procedure was pretty painful - they gave Steven an amnesia drug so he would feel & remember absolutely nothing about it. The surgeon was amazing. He's a fracture specialist, trained at Yale and abroad, numerous awards, and very professional, personable bedside manner. The attending ER physician was also fantastic as was nurse Sarah. Greatly exceeded my ER expectations.

Steven's friend Matt came with his dad to visit. He brought Steven a cool glow stick which Steven kept in the pocket of his hospital gown. His chest glowed bright red and green for 3 hours. Steven sent out a little text message to everyone on his contact list and received about 12 text messages back within about 3 minutes. Lydon and his dad came to visit today. They brought Starburst and funny stories.

One last thing, while playing football, Steven decided that his shoes were entirely in the way of his success as a football player, so he took off his shoes and played barefoot. I tried (unsuccessfully) to capture the filthy, dirt-encrusted toes with my pitiful camera phone, but this is as good as it gets. I actually gave him a mini-spa pedicure today, complete with Mary Kay products and a little pink nail brush. Don't let him tell you otherwise - he LOVED it!

Another Addiction

Sudoku rocks. It is challenging and relaxing and fun and you only compete against yourself. You can play it in the middle of the night when you can't sleep or the middle of the day when you need a break. Dan says I'm addicted. I say I can stop any time I want to. I also say Dan is addicted to creating piles of stuff all over the desk.

Cold Tangerines

I just finished reading an amazing book by Shauna Niequist called "Cold Tangerines". It is a collection of essays that is real and raw and all about everyday life. I bought my copy at Barnes and Noble. You can also find it at Shauna's website www.shaunaniequist.com.

Rose

We finally have a rose in our garden. In the late spring, we planted about 12 rose bushes. 9 survived the scorching summer. 7 actually have greenish-brown leaves on them. 1 has a timid-looking rose blooming on it. I think that's another rose about to bloom right next to this one - do you see the green bulb?

Fire

I found this picture at msnbc.com. These firefighters are working very close to where I grew up in California.

My brother-in-law is a fire chief in that same town. This has been a pretty rough week for him and all the crews he's been directing. So much chaos, frustration, waiting, helplessness, horror, pain, and tragedy. And now that their area is calming down, there is so much clean-up and restoration that needs to take place.

Sure, the people who've lost homes probably have fire insurance. But fire insurance doesn't cover memories and irreplaceable photographs and baby blankets and grade school art projects. OK, so they're just "things." But even so, each item points to experiences, places, friends and family. Yes, just having each other is absolutely fantastic. But living in a rented place while your home is rebuilt can be mighty stressful. Sorting through the rubble can be overwhelming. Starting over with borrowed and donated items from strangers wanting to help has got to be exhausting.

I hope and pray that people will be able to see God in this tragedy. That He would reveal Himself to them. That this would be an event that draws people closer to Him rather than further away from Him. I also am praying that the churches in the area and even from around the country would respond with compassion and acts of service far beyond what anyone could ever hope for or imagine. That God would lavishly pour out his grace and mercy and love upon people through His people. That the Church would respond quickly, generously, and willingly. 

Caught on Camera

Well, Sharon would be appalled. I've got three bags hanging from my shoulders. A true triple play. And Sharon's right - - it's not a very attractive look. Rather cumbersome. And bulky. And awkward. Makes me trudge along instead of briskly walk. BUT, hey, my hair looks pretty good (thanks to Sharon) and two of the bags slighty camouflage my hips. Unfortunately, "the rules" clearly state "...you are never allowed to carry more than one bag unless one of them is CLEARLY an attache'." So, I admit it. I'm busted. And while I'm admitting it, I might as well come clean and tell you that I carried this combination of bags 3 days in a row this week. I think I need to see a chiropractor now. Oh, and don't tell Sharon about this. And if you happen to EVER see Alyssa try this kind of juggling act, IMMEDIATELY report her to Sharon!

The Other Fam

We used to be called "The Fam." Dan and I were both first-born children. We got married first. Had kids first. Dan's brother, David gave us that nickname because, first of all, he's a nickname kind of guy (his nickname is Uncle Buck) and secondly, because it was such a foreign concept for a 14-yr old punk kid to have a brother with a wife and a baby. He had to have a way to express his admiration/disdain/dismay/approval of this whole marriage and family thing. And lastly, he saw the classic movie "What About Bob" and instantly picked up on the phrase.

Fast forward 16 yrs. Yeah. I said 16 years. When David Met Ruthie. They fell in love. Got married in a beautiful outdoor ceremony in Mexico.

Then the countdown began. Fast forward 3 more years to April 2007. A new legacy began...David & Ruthie welcomed baby Josiah David into their family. Thanks to technology, I had a picture of Josiah text messaged to me within hours. He was so tiny...around 6 lbs.

Check out these newest pics we received about a week ago. Looks like he's full of personality and fun!

And now, by the power vested in me as an in-law, I pronounce you, David, Ruthie and Josiah, to be..."The Fam."

Shoe Shopping

 

I took my 13 yr old son shoe shopping today. We went to Sports Authority. 1000's of pairs of shoes were stacked ceiling-high. It was an overwhelming sight. Nike. Asic. NB. Adidas. Walking. Cross trainers. Basketball. Running. Tennis. Golf. Hiking. Cleats. Whyyyyyyyyyy meeeeeeeeeeee??????

Now, when I go shopping for shoes for myself, I go to my favorite shoe store, head straight to the clearance rack, pick out the 3 pairs in my size, slip each one on for the 30 second comfort test, then I purchase the one that is the least ugly. OK, so I know that I have a terrible shoe wardrobe. I admit it. It's pathetic. Again, this is an area of my life that needs assistance, so fortunately my mom and sisters come to the rescue a few times a year with at least a couple of cute pairs of shoes.

Today's experience with Steven was the perfect example of why I don't shop. For anything. Least of all for shoes and clothes. It's so frustrating. The walls start closing in on me. I desperately want to lay down on the floor and cry 'til my mom takes me home in shame. Oh, yeah. I'm the mom. SO, I sit patiently on the cold metal bench watching Steven peruse the selection of shoes. And of course, the $149 shoes are the coolest ones - these are the ones that have technology built into the shoe designed to interface with your ipod nano. Unbelievable. These shoes transmit info like calories burned, distance walked, etc. It's like an electronic pedometer. And if your pace is slowing down lower than your goal, you can hit OK and a Power Boost, High Energy song will come blasting at you through your nano, motivating and inspiring you to pick up the pace and finish strong!

We did not purchase the $149 shoes. Steven knew not to even ask. After trying on what seemed like endless pairs of shoes, Steven decided that all the new shoes looked too, well, NEW. When you're going into 8th grade, the last thing you want to do is call attention to yourself with bright, shiny, perfectly brand new shoes. Shoes need to have a casual amount of wear and tear at all times. We almost left the store several times. OK, I almost left the store several times. Steven was a ruthless shopper. A real professional. The Nike swoosh was too red. Girlie almost. The clear, blue plastic heels - too preschool. The gray - not gray enough - too silvery. Black and gold? No. Gold and white? No. Orange shock absorbers in the heel? No. Lime green? Heck no.

We settled on the gray Nikes. With the red swoosh.

   

Another Family Pic

My favorite color is orange. I used to think my favorite color was hot pink. Then I thought it was blue. Then purple. Even turquoise is still in the running somedays. But overall, most of all, orange is it. It's such a bright, happy color. My first car was an orange Dodge Charger (think Dukes of Hazard). I think I had an orange corduroy bedspread when I was in Jr Hi (matched my Shaun Cassidy posters on the wall). My mom sent me this family picture today. Notice the carefully coordinated outfits...long pink chiffon gowns, pleated organdy dress, pink dress shirt on my dad with burgundy tie...then there's my favorite dress of all. My orange dress. My grandma made it for me. I especially loved the long, green bow at my waist. I vaguely remember my mom wanting us to all have matching outfits on for our family portrait. But I really was determined to wear my favorite dress. And in the end, it turned out OK because I match the lovely family crest hanging above the fireplace.

Awesome Hair Day

I just had to post this picture. When we were in CA recently, our last night there we had a cookout at San Onofre beach. My sister-in-law, Lori, and her husband and kids meet at this beach every Friday night with some friends from their church. The kids all run around and play in the sand and surf. Some people go surfing. They all bring firewood and fire pits and lots of food to grill. Dan was the cameraman for this picture of his sister, Lori and his brother, David. As he was framing the picture, he noticed Lori's friend, Ross, in the middle of the picture and realized that with a quick adjustment, he could give Ross and really great 'do. When I saw the picture on the camera I just about died laughing.

Summer Camp

I've just returned from Summer Camp. Not as an attendee. Not as a counselor. I was the Chef (that's what the kids called me). Dan was one of the counselors. We stayed at a home owned by a friend of FNC. Now, this home was not your ordinary 3 bedroom 2 bath with a great room. This was a lodge / cabin / ranch / cabin. We drove up a gravel driveway  past beautiful green pastures enclosed by white rail fences. There was a wind mill spinning busily away in the breeze, reminding us of the impending rain storm. We went inside the house and started exploring. I entered through the downstairs (ground level) entrance. It was sort of like a huge finished basement with a kitchenette, tons of carpeted floor space and a huge bathroom with a shower with 3 shower heads in it. Interesting. Up the stairs to a hallway with a laundry room. Then left into the massive, commercial-sized kitchen. My home away from home for 3 glorious days. No internet. No cell phone zone. Only 8 gas burners, a truckload of uncooked food waiting to be baked, boiled and fried, and 25 hungry campers. Did I really volunteer for this?

Dan and I shared the master bedroom. It was huge and had an antique oak bed that was at least 4 ft off the ground. Our room was icy cold at night. That was a total luxury. We actually needed all the covers!

 

The girls all slept downstairs on the floor. We also had our worship services downstairs. Upstairs there were 4 bedrooms and a bathroom. That was Randy's sacred domain. Billy (the other male counselor) snuck upstairs on Friday nite to sleep because the bunkhouse was too hot and stuffy and humid.

The boys all stayed in the bunkhouse which was built above the garage. They had their own bathroom. Dan snapped a picture of their bathroom on Saturday morning. He started out from the main house (air conditioned, cool, comfortable) and headed over to the bunkhouse (30 sec. walk). He entered and a blast of humid air enveloped him. He got the picture, but it was so humid that the camera lens got completely fogged up. I think you can make out the pile of wet swimsuits on the floor next to the toilet.

Here is a view from the front porch. It was really a beautiful place to be for 3 days. It rained every afternoon just for a few minutes. The kids played outside literally for hours. Tug of War. Capture the Flag and Slip & Slide on Bubbles. They also played indoors for hours. Leg Wrestling. Chubby Bunny (marshmallows were involved), and Charades. Lots of card games like Peasant Revolt and Kill Your Neighbor. They all worked up an enormous appetite. Today I cooked 4 lbs of bacon, 2 dozen eggs, 48 biscuits and it all disappeared in about 5 minutes.

 

They all learned a lot about worship and about faith and about putting on the full armor of God. All in all it was a wonderful experience.

It Will Grow Back...

Michael just returned from Champ Camp tonight...minus his hair. I guess the Seniors on the team get to shave the heads of all the lower classmen on the team at camp. Mike looks pretty good with short hair. It will certainly be a lot cooler with less hair on his head. And it will grow back fast. It always does. Michael said that camp was fun but really difficult at times. They hiked up and down a whole mountain today. They had to build their own tents from tarps and ropes. The had no running water. I'm thinking his toothbrush was never unpacked.

And just as a bonus, here's a picture of my three favorite men...can you pick out the one who needs a haircut? Can you find the one who has a Russian barber who went crazy with the clippers one day last week? Click on the pictures for a clearer, bigger picture!!

 

A prequel family photo...

This photo was taken after a family funeral. I have no idea what year that could have been. My hair is short and non-blonde. I also have contact lenses. I don't remember the last time I wore contact lenses. I remember meeting Sharon in early 2002. And she began transitioning my hair to blonde shortly after we met.

All that to say, aren't we young and beautiful? Dan still has that red plaid shirt and the same sunglasses and the same strap to hang them around his neck.

If anyone has a great family photo they'd like to post on this blog, please email it to me with details you'd like to see on the post! Serious and not-so-serious submissions will be accepted!

Rain

My iTunes Rain Playlist:

1. Bring The Rain - MercyMe
2. Praise You In This Storm - Casting Crowns
3. Stand In The Rain - Superchick
4. Raging Sea - Michael W. Smith
5. Deliver Me - David Crowder
6. In Christ Alone - Keith & Kristen Getty
7. It Is Well - Mark Roach
8. Rains Pour Down - Something Like Silas
9. Healing Rain - Michael W. Smith
10. Let It Rain - Michael W. Smith
11. Rain Down - Delirious
12. Come Thou Fount - David Crowder

Worship this weekend will be focused on the concept of rain in our lives. Personal storms, crises of faith, troubled times, trials, etc. We will show a Rob Bell video (Nooma) called Rain. We will share testimonies and poems and scripture. We will worship and we will lament and we will pray. And the rain may subside for some and may be just beginning for others. But we will recognize that God is sovereign. And He's there in the storms with us. And when the rains fall and our world is shaken up beyond recognition, He is still there. Still strong. Still loving. Still holy. Still longing for us to cry out to Him. And when we surrender and ride out the storm with Him, He will open the floodgates of heaven and pour out his mercy and kindness and grace and peace upon us. And though the storm rages around us, we will be delivered and when we are able to worship Him in spite of the storm, we will experience God unlike we ever have before. Freedom. Trust. New eyes. A different kind of faith. Shift from belief to believing.

Countdown to the family photo...2007

Next Thursday we will be in Newport Beach, CA...not for the usual reasons - there will be no surfing, sunning, volleyball, bbq's - - no, we will be having our collective picture taken. Judy and her clan, including all 4 children, their spouses & 11 grandchildren will be present for the big event. There will be a hired photographer, dress code, and a mandatory family counseling session on Friday.

If I made a list of the things that DON'T make me happy, #1 would have to be having my picture taken. I have struggled with this for 42 years. Smiling. Pretending to be happy. Having to look or be a certain way. Keeping your eyes open, mouth closed, hair in place, looking in the right direction at the right time. It's not that I don't love pictures. I really enjoy the end result, especially if I'm not in the picture. I love having memories captured on film. It's not even that I have control issues and want to be the one taking the picture. That's not it at all. I take the worst pictures ever. There's just something about the whole process that makes my skin crawl. But I will be a team player. I will enjoy hanging out with the family and enjoy being at the beach and maybe my smile will be real just this once...maybe.

Things That Make Me Happy

I thought that I could cheer myself up by making this list. The end result is worth the effort!!

1. My husband, Daniel. He makes me laugh every day. He sings silly songs to me. He likes to drive me crazy and I guess I must be happy when I'm crazy.
2. My kids. They are so fun to hang out with. They love my spaghetti and baked ziti and steak sandwiches. They still say funny things.
3. My Dymo label maker. I remember my dad had one on his workbench that he used for labeling electrical supplies, lunchboxes, etc. It is a truly magical device with letters, a lever to squeeze, and lovely tape with words and letters embossed on it which you can use in many creative ways.
4. Road cases. I'm talking about the kind that are custom made of wood and metal, painted black with industrial size casters, filled with event supplies such as sound equipment, lights, cables, screens, pipe and drape, etc. All the stuff that becomes a magnificent backdrop for an event.
5. Text messages. So simple and concise. Easier and faster than a phone call. My kids think I'm cool because I text them and they text me and we all keep track of each other this way.
6. Blogging. What a great form of self-expression. It's sort of like show and tell every single day. Which is sometimes not that great because, well, my life is pretty boring sometimes, but it forces me to think creatively.
7. When the desert sky turns turquoise blue. That would be just after sunset and just before sunrise. When the desert sky turns midnight blue. That would be at just about midnight. The stars are ultra white and prevalent. The midnight blue sky - - well, it just makes me supremely happy and content.
8. The sound of the ocean. The smell of the ocean. The sand. The waves. Even the seaweed. I'm closest to God when it is dark outside and all I can hear is the sound of the waves breaking and crashing against the shore. It's the best.
9. The Urban Tribe. They rock.
10. Seeking God.
11. Talking to my parents and sisters on the phone. It is so satisifying and comforting to have a family that is close and there for you.
12. Anything from the '70's. Especially things that are harvest gold, orange, and avocado.
13. Our built-in wall clock in the dining room. It's still ticking away after 51 years. Unbelievable.
14. Technology that works for me instead of against me.
15. Church planting in Rwanda. Amazingly gratifying, satisfying, challenging, what else can I say?
16. Writing music. On paper or on the computer, it is a task that I love.
17. Worshipping God.
18. Hanging out with Alyssa & Joshua. They are really fun and a pleasure to spend time with.
19. Pedicures.
20. Fruit that reminds me of California. Oranges. Avocados. Plums. Peaches. Persimmons. Lemons. Grapefruits. Watermelon. Mango. Pineapple.

I actually didn't realize the list would be this long...and it could go on for a while. So, goodnight for now. Although one other thing that makes me happy is staying up late then sleeping in, tomorrow I've got to be up early.

Classic photos

This is my "Caravan" uniform - our church (Nazarene) had a kids' program on Wednesday nights and we earned badges and rewards and feathers(?) as part of the reward system for memorizing scripture, bringing friends, etc.

I'm probably in 7th grade in this picture. My friends and I are probably getting ready to march in the Escondido Christmas parade. My mom scanned this pic in - it used to be a slide (remember those?). That's why the G (for Grant Middle School) is backwards.

Silver trees were all the rage in the '60's. Ours had beautiful shiny blue ornaments all over it. After Christmas, the whole thing went back in a box and we couldn't wait to see it again the next Christmas! I'm pretty young here - maybe 4?

Disneyland, Main Street, June 1986

Have I changed at all?

Breakfast of Champions

For those of you who think I exaggerate when I tell stories of Dan's meal-making escapades - well, today, I present to you..."breakfast, for his sons, by Dan Berryman."

I'm not sure how many donuts Michael managed to scarf down. Or how many Cokes he washed them down with. I think Steven had at least 2 bowls of cereal and at least 1 coke. Not sure if he had any donuts.

At least they're all happy - right???

Friday

We picked Ashley up from the hospital. She has been at Mayo for 10 days for some testing. Nothing was conclusive. She has a new anti-seizure drug to try. She is staying with us until July 4. Then she'll head back to Orange County. We brought Ashley home where she proceeded to take a shower and wash her hair. Sounds easy, right? Well, they glued the electrodes to her head with this impossible to remove glue. She washed her hair repeatedly and added tons of conditioner. The end result was a giant rat's nest on top of her head. The problem is that all the ends of her hair are stuck in the middle of the glob of hair and glue. She couldn't comb it out. I couldn't comb it out. So I stuck a baseball cap on her head and we headed out to dinner.

We met Joshua and Alyssa at Joshua's new favorite restaurant. OK. This is not a joke. There is a restaurant in Phoenix at 19th Avenue & Greenway. It's called "Chino Bandido Takee Outee. This place has REALLY good food. It's a mixture of Chinese and Mexican. We didn't know how to order. But that was no problem because they have a pre-ordering tasting counter. We sampled the Jade Red Chicken (my favorite), the Emerald Chicken (Dan's favorite), the Jerk Fried Rice, the black beans (fantastic), and the pork carnitas. Everything was really fresh and flavorful. Each entree was a little bit spicy - a really good spicy. Even Ashley, one of the pickiest eaters EVER, loved the food. Instead of a fortune cookie for dessert, they gave us fresh, homemade, fantastic snickerdoodles.

We headed to A & J's house to try to work on combing out the rat's nest again. This time we added a large amount of Goo Gone to Ashley's hair to try to dissolve the glue. It did nothing. We stuck the baseball cap back on her head and took her home. Today we are seriously considering taking her to Sharon's studio for a haircut. This means her hair will be SHORT on top. I'm not sure what else we can try.

Purse Issues

I'll admit it - I have purse issues. My current purse looks, sounds, and feels like a diaper bag. Could be because it's 100% vinyl. I got it at Target - I needed a tote bag for towels and flipflops last week when we went floating down the river. So I found this bag and lo and behold it was on sale - 1/2 off in fact. And it had a bonus larger tote bag that came with it. So I bought it. And loaded it up with what I consider the essentials from my other purse - phone, keys, wallet, etc. And then I added the towels and the flipflops. It was pretty full. Then we floated. And the bag alternated between sitting on top of the ice chest and floating in the river. It pretty much filled up with water, soaking the towels and the other contents, including my phone. Oh, but I thought ahead and put my phone in a plastic bag for protection from the elements. Um, yeah. The bag leaked. My phone worked just long enough for me to write down all my contacts then it died. When we got home, I never took the time to transfer all my things back to my real purse. So, for exactly 1 week, I've been carrying the "diaper bag." And of course, I've still got the big plastic bag in there, full of all my valuables.

I really just despise purses. I've tried every kind. Clutches, shoulder bags, hand bags, little backpacks, string wallets, straw tote bags -- really, everything. They all have let me down. There's just not the right features in any one bag. Which is why for a while a few years back I was carrying two purses - one on each shoulder or one in my hand and one on my shoulder. That worked pretty well, until my good friend Sharon had a purse intervention. She stated firmly, but lovingly, that under no circumstances should I ever leave the house with 2 purses unless 1 of them was CLEARLY an attache case. I got the message.

So now, I buy a purse based on price and convenience (if it's located near the checkstand, sort of near all the flashlights, nail clippers, beef jerky then it's a strong consideration). Or, I rely on various totes and messenger bags that I get as gifts at conferences. I don't mind advertising for Saddleback or WorshipTogether as long as my bag is functioning well. Of course, when I visit my sisters, they quietly whisper among themselves then manage to somehow whisk me away to TJ Maxx or Ross and insist on buying me a purse -- they are all talented at spying the perfect bag. I saw a great purse today at the shop (Pacific Eyes & Tees) where I was buying Steven some shirts - he mumbled something about me walking down the street with the purse and those in the know who are cool enough to own the purse would see me with the purse and would never carry that purse again - evidently I have the power to single-handedly change the course of purse fashion. I'm OK with that. But I didn't buy the bag.

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