Red

Today's image is "something red".  Since we started our day off baking, I decided to photograph our red cookie cutters.  Miss K asked why anyone would use the large stocking cutter.  I answered that cookies that size neatly decorated would make a nice gift.  Maybe she should take orders. 

My Favorite Christmas Movie



Curling up with a cup of hot cocoa and my knitting to watch this classic Christmas movie is something that I look forward to doing every year.  I love Irving Berlin's arrangements and have since even before watching this movie for the first time nearly 10 years ago.  My high school choir director introduced me to Berlin.  (I got to see my director this weekend at home.  Just the back of his head as he was stepping down the curb at McDonald's, but I interrupted a conversation with my husband to point him out.) 


The voices of Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney can melt hearts and Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen are great too.  Often I catch myself singing "Sisters" or "Count Your Blessings" throughout the year.  "Snow" is fun and I like the harmonies.  "White Christmas" is the perfect ending to the movie. 

The dance numbers are fun to watch.  If Judy's (Vera-Ellen) waist got any smaller she'd simply disappear.  One of the funniest scenes is watching Bob and Phil don the sisters' costumes and perform in the club.  Is it just me or should Danny Kaye win an award for his funny faces? 

 

 

The storyline is heartwarming and has purpose.  Can I live and work with the Wallace and Davis team or be another Haynes sister please?  Can Hollywood produce some more holiday movies with this feel please?  Can we have relationships like these characters?  What great times.  Perhaps I should holiday in Vermont.  Maybe the General has room for me at his inn.  I don't even think I'd mind the lady at the front desk steaming open my mail.  :)

 

 



My View Today

The Storehouse

As I mentioned yesterday, I am attempting to blog everyday this month and I am using a Photo-a-Day I found on Pinterest.  (Click here. for list.)  Today's inspiration was to take a photo of "your view today".  Two of my kids competed in a Teen Bible Quiz in my hometown.  My view today ended up being the church where the competition was held.  I remember this church being built, but I'd never been inside.  Great atmosphere for kids! 

I'm looking forward to being here with you everyday this month. 

November

Cutie P making carpet angels

Main Squeeze M running away before I could snap his picture.  :)

Here it is the last day of the month and I let it slip by without a single word on my blog.  Shame on me!  We finished the play.  I will have to post pictures another day.  We had B's brothers in town for a week.  I got to meet my youngest nephew for the first time.  I have a great video of Uncle B giving him a horsey ride.  The kids wrapped up their homeschool Christmas Recital this week, so we have a break from group for a couple of months.  Today we are headed out to my hometown for a couple of days.  My goal for the month of December is to get back on the wagon and blog daily.  I found something on Pinterest that has photo ideas for inspiration.  I am looking forward to this project.  Will you join me? 

Sneak Peek

The kids have their first dress rehearsal for Cinderella this week.  I've been busy sewing and altering costumes, buying makeup, cussing, laughing and going crazy.  Here are some pictures of a couple of their outfits.  Each of them have 4.  This is just a peak into the play and their other costumes.  Hopefully I'll get more photos to post later. 

Miss K gets to play a Rich Boy (pictured), servant, rabbit & horse

Mr. C plays Coachman, Hairy the Horticulturist (costume pictured), villager and priest



Mr. H is not IN the play, but is helping build sets.
In this picture he is enjoying cocoa through a fun straw while
we play a new game before bedtime.



 

I decided to play with Pinterest again.  This was my day yesterday.  I've been trying to get a sinus/respitory thingy too.  See the tea and honey? 

Tweaking brownie recipe and painting salt dough ornaments

Today I'm trying to figure out how to patch a sweater dress that my daughter pulled a thread on at church today.  It's unravelled terribly smack dab in the center of the dress.  Pinterest to the rescue?  Unless one of YOU wants to send me tips here! 

More Than a Minute to Win It

Every year our church holds a Missions Convention.  The above is the promotional copy for this year's convention.  I write this moments after stepping through my front door. 

During the convention, we welcome an AG (Assemblies of God) missionary to speak to us of how God is moving and working through them.  This morning we heard from a gentleman whose family will be traveling to Spain in January to reach Muslims.  One of his speaking points this morning is that the Muslims communities have strong relationships.  They most often do not move far from where they were born and that when they do, they hunger to have the sense of relationship that they experienced before their move (in the case of moving to a non-Islamic community). 

At one point, after a shared meal (delicious paella, gazpacho, salad, etc) the floor was opened for a question and answer segment.  I don't often think of questions (that is until after the opportunity is passed, instead trying to soak up everything else), but I do have thoughts and sometimes I wish I could stop the whole proceeding to talk about the topic more on a personal level.  I can learn some from the speech, but would learn more I think from a real discussion.  Anyway...the question that grabbed me today was this, "What can we do as Christians to begin to talk with and convert Muslims?"  The answer was relationship.  A sea of blank faces as if the question was not answered.  A red herring thrown into the room. 

Our family has been sharing the thought that we were still in Belize this time last year and all of the things that we missed being gone.  The cooler weather.  The homeschool play.  Apple picking.  We sometimes feel it's been "forever" since we were in Belize--the longing to be there again.  Another feeling that it was only yesterday.  The longings that we have are to feel the relationships.  (Ask yourself when the last time was that you lingered over a meal just to talk and spend time with one another.)

Pastor mentioned today that he'd taken a course this summer centered on Islam.  He was able to speak with an imam who grew up in a Baptist church, but converted to Islam because of the hypocrisy and lack of relationship.  Whoa!  Wake up call! 

Back to the question about what Christians can do to convert Muslims...we Americans want the Drive-Thru solution.  We want the magic pill.  We don't want to take time.  We SAY we want relationship, but what do we do that shows that fruit?  Do we make ourselves available?  Do we start conversations with people who look different than us?  Do we do anything that doesn't involve the Henry Ford assembly line of having a rigid set of actions to put together something that "works"?  Do we pray about how God wants us to approach others? 

Our missionary this morning pointed out that we as individuals need to begin with our own relationship with Christ.  It is that we, as Christians, have a relationship with Christ and not a regimented set of things to do daily to make us good, that set us apart from Muslims.  (Not the only thing, I know.)  It is that which we have that others do not, and if we, as humans notice what is different then His Light will be seen through us and it will not be anything we DO, but what we HAVE that will be seen.  But it takes time.  It takes time with others.  It takes relationship.  It takes more than a minute to win...them. 

Ground Chuck

(Skipping over apologies for not writing...)

We started our third week of school today.  Only 34 more weeks to go, but who is counting?  Below are our first day of school photos.  The idea to write their grade in sidewalk chalk and have them lay next to it came from Pinterest.  Note to self:  Sun is great for color, but not for the best smile.  Too much squinting.  That will be our fun story to tell about these pictures years from now. 

We've had our first field trip.  We visited T.C. Steele Historic Site in Brown County.  It was the perfect day for an outing.  The weather was gorgeous.  Fluffy clouds, temperatures in the 70's by the afternoon.  T. C. Steele was an impressionist painter, which I love.  What struck me was his portraits.  Maybe it was the difference between the portraits and the landscapes.  Click here to learn more about his life and work.  Interesting fellow.  I wanted to spend the entire day in his library though.  Impressive collection and I love old books.

Yesterday was our first homeschool group day.  The boys had fun playing with a trebuchet during their Contenders class.  They discovered that pumpkins were too large to hurl through the air, but that cabbages worked better.  Oh, the things that creative teachers come up with! Miss K earned a solo in her Choir class and will be performing it during our Christmas recital.  She's nervous but proud of herself too--as she should be. 

I led the first drama coordinator meeting yesterday as well.  It went well and I felt prepared, but it took much work to get to that point.  I am blessed to have a good team to work with. 

We've been busy with C's Scouting activities the last few weeks.  He's had back to back campouts and advancements.  Yay!  He's also becoming involved with Venture Crew, which is a lot of fun and a new group of kids to interact with.  Our entire family joined in for a night of Venture fun during a cookout this weekend.  We played volleyball, cornhole, fed apples to the horses, played team games, etc.  Worn out!

Because we didn't feel enough was going on, we decided to clean out the attic and have a garage sale.  I only realized last night (where has my mind gone?) that we planned it for the same time as C's Venture fundraiser in Tipton County and K's AHG fundraiser in Hamilton County. 

H has his first electric bass lesson today.  He is reserved, but I think that he is excited and a little nervous at the same time.  B and I hope to hear something other than the bass line of Smoke on the Water.  We are a little tired of that one. 

B is continually on again/off again with work travel plans, but we are looking forward to new avenues coming soon.  More of our own work and less in the direction of contracting. 

I am also starting to move in the direction of my heart with my ministry at church as we've had a new single mom join our church family.  I am praying for real ways that I can help her and spend time with her.  Single moms need so much.  I spent the weekend baking 200 cookies for a program at church and have been rehearsing for our upcoming Missions Musical on the 30th.  I too have a solo!  Fun!

I wish I were feeling a bit more creative with my writing this morning, but I feel tapped.  Actually like Ground Chuck.  (see photo below courtesy of H)

Labeling is fun when H helps.