Change

I have always liked Tracy Chapman's work.  I recently ran onto a song by her that I didn't know and it has been speaking volumes to me.  Watch the video by clicking on the title of this post or read the lyrics here.  Good stuff.

Everyday Baking+Everyday Food = Everyday Fun

Well I know it has been forever since I have blogged but an email I got about a two year old post let me know that people are still reading.  This one's for you Sheraton.

If you haven't seen the PBS show called Everyday Food I encourage you to check it out.  John Baricelli (once a host on Everyday Food) now has a show called Everyday Baking.  It debuted in January, but I hadn't caught it until Saturday morning.  If you like cooking or baking, you should check out these two shows.  If you want to know when it is on, I encourage you to check out www.pbs.org.  PBS is notorious for changing the times that the shows are on from week to week.  You can sign up for an email reminder that reminds you when your favorite shows are going to be on.

For those of you who know me, you know that everyone in my family is an amazing cook and that I wish to be.  Everyday Food has been my inspiration for such things as making homemade pizza sauce when normally I would open a can.  These great chefs explain how to do things and offer great helpful hints on everything from picking out the best ingredients to how to utilize kitchen tools optimally.  

If you are looking to tap into your "inner chef" let the good folks at Everyday Food and Everyday Baking help you out!  

Mudpies

If you have read Herschel's most recent blog, then you might have noticed that he mentions my making of mudpies. I thought I might explain. One of my favorite quotes from CS Lewis is this:

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in the slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by an offer of a holiday at sea. We are far too easily pleased. "

I am a mudpie maker. I love the sea. I desire the sea. I have my ticket for the sea. But there is this deep dark side of me that loves to play in the mud way too much.

Perhaps Paul says it best:

Romans 7:14-25. New International Version:
We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

I am thankful that God is merciful. I praise God for His grace. It blows me away that He loves those who make mudpies - enough that His Son's blood can wash the mud off.
Lord help me to desire you more and sin less.

A Return To Blogging

Time. There is never enough time for the things we love. I love to write and I love to read things others write. The end of a school year this past spring took me away from blogging. It is a busy time and it was a busy summer and really now is not any less hectic. However, here it is - a return - a return to tell you about Derek Webb. Do you know him? If you don't, get ready. I loved this CD. And Derek Webb being Derek Webb is offering it as a free download. Go get it quickly. He has so much to say. Savor it. Study it. Look, listen and hear. You won't regret it. It's free. www.freederekwebb.com

A Dangerous Woman

Here's my book report for the 50 books in a year a thon.

Finished

• Suprise Me God by Terry Esau
• Sister Freaks by various authors

Both were excellent reads. I highly recommend them.

Currently Reading

• White Collar/Blue Collar God by Terry Esau
• Nice Girls Don't Change the World by Lynne Hybels

I am almost finished with WCBCG. It is a good read.

I have just started NGDCW. In the book she says "The opposite of being a nice girl is a good woman. And, not just a good women, but a downright dangerous woman. A woman who shows up with everything she is and joins the battle against whatever opposes the redeeming work of God in our lives and in our world." Oh to be that kind of woman.

SURPRISE

OK - I haven't been posting my Surprise Me God surprises here, so if you want to read them you have to follow the link on the right to Jon's Blog. But, I am going to post here a few of the things I think have been surprises that maybe aren't the normal things you think of as surprises from God. I however - I choose to believe that just as my earthly father sometimes gives me things I want and not always just provides that things I need, so does my Heavenly Father. It's kind of like when I take my nieces to Barnes and Noble and I want to buy them quality children's literature and they want "Walter the Farting Dog". Sometimes, you just have to buy "Walter the Farting Dog". Anyway, here it goes:

1.) I have a favorite billboard. (Doesn't everyone?) About a year ago, it was taken down. IT HAS BEEN PUT BACK UP!!!! I just saw it on Friday. I can't quote it exactly, but it says something like "Tall Outdoor Type Seeks Relationship". I know, I know - but it always makes me happy!
2.) I got two scrapbooking magazines in the mail today - not one - TWO!
3.) I got an extra half hour of free time at work today!

Now, I know these are ridiculous things, but in the light of some trying weeks, these have been bright spots. So work with me here.

Day One - Acts and Surprise Me God

Day One of Surprise Me God started 10 minutes into the dawn of a new day. I awoke sick. Quite sick. The stomache flu that had made it through the rest of my family over the weekend had decided to set up residence inside me. There wasn't an hour throughout the night and much of the morning where I wasn't sick. But, that happens. I don't necessarily count that the surprise, although it wasn't something I was anticipating. What was a surprise was how beautiful the sunrise was as I drove to work. I had to go into work to lay out things for a substitute. I was driving to school at 6:30 this morning. That's a good hour before I normally head out. God was having a good painting day. And after a night of flu - I needed to see something pretty. While I was in awe of the sunrise, God managed to steer 4 deer out of my path - thank you Jesus. And it is the end of day one - and though I am feeling pretty wrung out - I did just eat my first thing of substanance in over 24 hours. Life is good. Day One of Acts was a good study too. Jesus goes home - but with a promise that He will be back. Good news indeed.