Wordless: Back at the butterfly house

This fella rode around in her hand for over an hour.

Check his eyes. (I guess they're eyes, anyway?)

The guy on the pink flower is gorgeous. Double-click to see better.

So you think you're having a bad day?

 

Imagine how a Gaines, New York family felt when they learned that a truck hauling sewage crashed through their garage and wound up in their living room. Fortunately the residents weren't injured, and they were also fortunate that the sewage didn't spill out of the truck.


But still.

THAT's a bad day.

See here if you'd like to "read all about it".

From my email today.... in quotes

After losing his parents, this 3 year old orangutan was so depressed he wouldn't eat and didn't respond to any medical treatments. The veterinarians thought he would surely die from sadness.

The zoo keepers found an old sick dog on the grounds in the park at the zoo where the orangutan lived and took the dog to the animal treatment center. The dog arrived at the same time the orangutan was there being treated.

The 2 lost souls met and have been inseparable ever since.

The orangutan found a new reason to live and each always tries his best to be a good companion to his new found friend.

They are together 24 hours a day in all their activities.

They live in Northern California where swimming is their favorite past time, although Roscoe (the orangutan) is a little afraid of the water and needs his friend's help to swim.

They have found more than a friendly shoulder to lean on.  

Long Live Friendship!!!!!! 

I don't know......some say life is too short, others say it is too long, but I know that nothing that we do makes sense if we don't touch the hearts of others.......while it lasts!  May you always have love to share, health to spare, and friends who care.

 

 

Black Bean Salsa

A wonderful salsa for chips or topping for enchiladas, burritos, etc. Or, if you're me, just eat it - I'm happy with a bowl of this and a spoon.

Ingredients:
Black beans, canned or cooked, 15 oz, drained & rinsed
Cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp
Cilantro, fresh, 1/3 C, chopped
Corn, canned or frozen, 1 1/2 C
Cumin seed, ground, 1/2 tsp (or a little more if you're feeling frisky)
Green pepper, 1, chopped
Jalapeno pepper, 1-2, diced
Lime juice. 1/2 C
Olive oil, 1/2 C
Red bell pepper, 1, chopped
Red onion, 1/2 C, chopped
Salt, to taste

Mix all ingredients together. Allow to sit in frig a few hours before serving. 

Heading in the right direction. Slowly. But heading there!

 

It's no surprise to folks who know me when I acknowledge that I'm overweight and out of shape. And I typically choose the wrong approach to these unpleasant truths. 

When clothes grow too tight, I get the next larger size... and make sure the waistband is elastic and the tops are baggy. (After all, it's "smart" to leave myself "room to grow", right?) Wrong. The smarter thing to do is to change the way I eat.

When I notice that I get short of breath with certain activities, I decide to be "kind" to my body and avoid things that are taxing. The smarter thing to do, of course, is to increase my activity so that I can better handle activity.

You may not believe it now - I know I didn't - but the time may well come when you say, "I wish I'd have taken better care of myself". And when that thought occurs to you, it's too late to go back.

 But it's not too late to go forward. And fortunately for me, a Facebook friend of mine shared something that has been working for her. And now it's working for me, too.

It's not a miracle. No "fat-burning pills. My progress has been slow. But it's been progress. I've been changing the way I eat, fixing healthier foods, and gradually becoming more active. I've found a website that offers a wide range of information: about common health conditions (some of which I'm familiar with personally), healthy eating, exercises for people with pain or mobility issues (as well as exercises for people who are "fitter" than I ever hope to be), recipes, videos, and more. There are "communities" for people with a wide range of interests or with a variety of health conditions. These communities provide both a support and healthy competition. There are easy-to-use "trackers" for participants to keep track of what they eat, and at the end of the day, the website will analyze what you've eaten to help you gauge whether your caloric and nutritional intakes are in a healthy range. There are also "trackers" for cardio and strength exercises. 

And it's completely free.

If you'd like to check it out, go to this website. And if you decide to join up, tell 'em I sent you and look me up under my SparkPeople user name, ncsue0514. I hope to see you there!

The right path to follow is often the hardest.

I've known some people who believe that once a commitment is made to love Jesus, they will live a prosperous and blessed life free of the difficulties that plague others. They forget what Jesus said in Matthew 7: For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. 

Proof of the challenging nature of the sort of life we're called to lead is found in this quote found in St. Francis de Sales' spiritual classic, Introduction to the Devout Life - 

I am of St. Gregory’s opinion that when you are justly accused of some fault you have committed you must genuinely humble yourself and confess that you deserve the charge brought against you. If the accusation is false, excuse yourself and meekly deny your guilt, for you owe respect to the truth and to the edification of your neighbor. If they continue to accuse you after you have made your true and legitimate explanation, don’t be disturbed and don’t try to make them accept your explanation. When you have discharged your duty to the truth, you must also do the same to humility. In this way you offend against neither the care you must have for your own good name nor the concern you must have for peace, meekness of heart and humility.

It is difficult to acknowledge when we have made a mistake. It is far more difficult to allow others to think badly of us when we've been in the right. But if I look at it honestly, the source of all this difficulty is a need to be recognized, respected, and even admired at all costs. In other words, that pervasive and troublesome defect of pride.

Doesn't she realize this is IMPOSSIBLE?????

Sunset over the park

As we sat in the ballpark last night watching a rather disappointing game (for our team, anyway), I was fascinated to watch the leading edge of the most distant reaches of Irene started through Durham. This made for some interesting cloud-watching.

Here we had some rain overnight and it's intermittently breezy. They're calling for some more of the same in our area, but portions of the coast are getting battered. By this evening, the storm is supposed to be heading northward, and she should be steadily losing strength.

English is a strange language.

Let's face it-English is a crazy language. There is no egg in eggplant nor ham in hamburger; neither apple nor pine in pineapple. English muffins weren't invented in England or French fries in France. Sweetmeats are candies while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.

We take English for granted. But if we explore its paradoxes, we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square and a guinea pig is neither from Guinea nor is it a pig. And why is it that writers write but fingers don't fing, grocers don't groce and hammers don't ham?

If the plural of tooth is teeth, why isn't the plural of booth beeth? One goose, 2 geese. So one moose, 2 meese? One index, 2 indices?

Doesn't it seem crazy that you can make amends but not one amend, that you comb through annals of history but not a single annal? If you have a bunch of odds and ends and get rid of all but one of them, what do you call it?

If teachers taught, why didn't preachers praught? If vegetarians eat vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat? If you wrote a letter, perhaps you bote your tongue?

Sometimes I think all the English speakers should be committed to an asylum for the verbally insane. In what language do people recite at a play and play at a recital? Ship by truck and send cargo by ship? Have noses that run and feet that smell? Park on driveways and drive on parkways?

How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposite, while quite a few and quite a lot are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the other day.

Have you noticed that we talk about certain things only when they are absent? Have you ever seen a horseful carriage or a strapful gown? Met a sung hero or experienced requited love? Have you ever run into someone who was combobulated, gruntled, ruly or piccable? And where are all those people who ARE spring chickens or who would ACTUALLY hurt a fly?

You have to marvel at the unique lunacy of a language in which your house can burn up as it burns down, in which you fill in a form by filling it out and in which an alarm clock goes off by going on.

English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of the human race (which of course, isn't a race at all). That is why, when the stars are out, they are visible, but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it, but when I wind up this essay, I end it.

- Author unknown

 

A potpourri of oddities...

...found in a series of strange-but-apparently-true news stories:

• Beer thief arrested after being caught on video losing his saggy pants
• Arizona man arrested for stuffing snakes in his pants
• Tennessee intruders caught sleeping in caskets
• Man gets drunk, falls asleep on top of a train, and wakes up to find himself on an unplanned 45-mile train ride

 As my husband says... What's more fun than folks?

Wordless Wednesday... late this time!

A friend and I went back to Beaufort NC for an overnight stay this week. (Have I ever mentioned that I'm grateful to live close enough to the beach to visit on the spur of the moment? Because I truly AM!) While there, I managed to catch a few shots of pelicans. Some of these are rather small on the computer screen, but if you click them, you'll get a larger image:

In for a landing

And takeoff

Here's something neat: notice the boat in the back?

I caught him pulling in a fish as the pelican continued on his way!

Do you like photo challenges? There are a bunch of them listed among the list of hops & memes I've got on this page. To make it easier to find, here's a listing of photo challenges I've found; if you're interested, it should help you find them more quickly on the list:


Week-Long / Month-Long Hops - Exploring with the Camera,Scripture & a Snapshot,Show and Tell Challenge

Sunday - Scavenger Hunt Sunday,Scenic Sunday,Shadow Shot Sunday, Straight Out Of the Camera Sunday (SOCC Sunday), Sundays in my City, Sweet Little Photo Swap,Today's Flowers

Monday - Good to Wow (SOCC), Macro Monday, Mellow Yellow Monday, Monday Rewind, Photo Challenge, Quotography Top 3, Soli Deo Gloria


Tuesday - 52 Weeks of Happiness, Barn Charm, Perceptive Perspective, Pic-Story, Shutter Love , Tuesdays, Sweet Shot Tuesdays, Tuesday Garden Party


Wednesday - Black and White Wednesday, Edit Me, Outdoor Wednesday, Today is Rednesday, Wordless, Not So Wordless, or Wonderful Wednesday, Wordless Wednesday 

Thursday - Before and After, Cottage Flora Thursdays, Shoot Me, Texture Thursday, You Capture

Friday- Embrace the Camera,  Flashback Friday, Foto Friday, Friday Photo Fun, Friday Photo Flashback, Give Me Your Best Shot, iPhone Friday, LEM Photo Challenge, Macro Friday, Photo Story Friday, Show Me Your Town, Skywatch Friday

Saturday - Blogging from Bolivia, Flowers on Saturday, L.E.N.S. Photo Challenge, Pink Saturday
Straight Out Of the Camera Saturday

Let me know of any I may be missing.

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Please don't forget to check the post just beneath this one for "I'm THANKFUL ON THURSDAY!" The linky will be open until Wednesday evening, August 31, 2011. Come share your gratitude weekly!

I'm THANKFUL ON THURSDAY!

Cream of potato soup

 OOPS! I couldn't figure out why this didn't post yesterday until I looked after I got home... somehow I'd saved it as a draft rather than publishing. Sorry 'bout that!

Way back when dinosaurs roamed the earth and I was in seventh grade, my home ec teacher - Mrs. Rothermil - had us make this cream of potato soup. I must have enjoyed it, because I've saved it all these years. 

Cream of Potato Soup

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Butter, 2 Tbsp

Celery, 1/2 stalk chopped - don't discard the leaves! Chop them as well!

All purpose flour, 2 Tbsp

Milk, 2 C

Onion, 1 tsp chopped

Potato, 2 C, diced, raw

Salt, 1/2 tsp

Water, 1 C

Directions:

Cook potatoes, salt, celery, & onion in water until tender. To make the white sauce, melt butter in saucepan. Remove from stove & add flour & salt; blend thoroughly. Add milk slowly. Return to stove & cook over low heat, stirring constantly, using wooden spoon, until sauce thickens. Add potatoes to white sauce when they're tender. Serve hot.

Serves 6

Thank you, Mrs. Rothermil!

How very nice!

I just received a completely unexpected email from someone I've never met or... I'm sorry to say, heard of before. Her name is Deirdra Eden Coppell, and she is an author and illustrator. She emailed to tell me she was giving this blog an Inspiring Blog Award. Isn't that nice? Here it is!

Hereafter it will be proudly displayed on my sidebar. And if you want to check out Deirdra's site - which is quite lovely - follow this link.

Thank you, Deirdra!

Say WHAT???!!!!!

Charges of judicial misconduct have been dropped against a Pennsylvania District Court judge - one Isaac Stoltzfus by name. Here's the story:

Once upon a time, Judge Stoltzfus - who has served as a judge for 20 years - was attending a continuing education conference in Harrisburg, PA. He was picking up acorns as two women were passing by. He reached into his bag and gave each of the women two acorns, then said, "They make a nice afternoon snack, try them. I'll be here tomorrow, let me know what you think"

The women later opened the acorns which, as it turned out, the judge had previously hollowed out and stuffed with condoms.

Yes, you read that correctly.

According to this article, "During a deposition, Stoltzfus said he had collected, hollowed out and placed unwrapped condoms inside "thousands" of acorns. He said he used the acorns in his court to raise the awareness of the effectiveness of condom use against unplanned pregnancy and disease. He said he did not hand out the acorns in court, according to the court ruling".

In its decision, the court said, in part, "We consider — for we cannot ignore — the fact that condoms are regularly given out to children by our government. We recognize that not everyone agrees this practice is beneficial, or necessary, or appropriate; but it is a fact. We find that the Board has not established by clear and convincing evidence that (Stoltzfus') conduct was so extreme as to bring the judicial office itself into disrepute."

Nonetheless, the justices acknowledge that they are unable to figure out the motive lying behind Stoltfus'... er... hobby.

Me, too.

Take time to ponder

In our own time, we are absorbed with so many activities and commitments, concerns and problems. Often, we tend to fill up all the spaces of the day, without having a moment to stop and reflect and to nourish our spiritual life -- our contact with God. Mary teaches us how necessary it is to find in our days -- with all its activities -- moments to recollect ourselves in silence and to ponder all that the Lord wants to teach us, how he is present and acts in the world and in our life: to be able to stop for a moment and meditate.

- Pope Benedict XVI

By the way... a weekly hop worth visiting is Hear It On Sunday, Use It On Monday"

There ought to be a law.

Or so says 61-year-old Roy Lester, who was fired from his lifeguard job - one he'd held for 40 years - because he refused to wear a Speedo swim suit to take the required swim test. Mr. Lester wanted to take the test in biking shorts, which doesn't seem unreasonable to me. His employers disagreed, and he was fired as a result.

Mr. Lester has been quoted as saying, "I wore a Speedo when I was in my 20s. But come on. There should be a law prohibiting anyone over the age of 50 from wearing a Speedo." He believes the Long Beach, NY's Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is using the Speedo excuse to eliminate older workers.

In some cases, maybe he's right.

What devotion is... and is not.

St. Francis de Sales wrote a spiritual classic called An Introduction to the Devout Life. He addressed it to "Philothea", a term which means "lover of God". In this passage, he spoke of devotion: a bit about what it is, and isn't:

You wish to live a life of devotion, dearest Philothea, because you are a Christian and know that it is a virtue most pleasing to God's Majesty. Since little faults committed in the beginning of a project grow infinitely greater in its course and finally are almost irreparable, above all else you must know what the virtue of devotion is. There is only one true devotion but there are many that are false and empty. If you are unable to recognize what is true, you can easily be deceived and led astray by following one that is offensive and superstitious. 

In his pictures Arelius painted all faces after the manner and appearance of the women he loved, and so too everyone paints devotion according to his own passions and fancies. A man given to fasting thinks himself very devout if he fasts, although his heart may be filled with hatred. Much concerned with sobriety, he doesn't dare to wet his tongue with wine or even water but won't hesitate to drink deep of his neighbor's blood by detraction and calumny. Another man thinks himself devout because he daily recites a vast number of prayers, but after saying them he utters the most disagreeable, arrogant, and harmful words at home and among his neighbors. Another gladly takes a coin out of his purse and gives it to the poor, but he cannot extract kindness from his heart and forgive his enemies. Another forgives his enemies but never pays his creditors unless compelled to do so by force of law. 

All these men are usually considered to be devout, but they are by no means such.Saul's servants  searched for David in his house but Michol had put a statue on his bed, covered with David's clothes, and thus led them to think that it was David himself lying there sick and sleeping. In the same manner, many persons clothe themselves with certain outward actions connected with holy devotion and the world believes that they are truly devout and spiritual whereas they are in fact nothing but copies and phantoms of devotion.

Some of our time would be well spent considering these wise words and noting ways in which we may fall short of living lives of devotion to God.

HURRY! THIS IS IMPORTANT!

I just heard about this, and today is the last day for you to do something that will benefit others without costing yourself anything but a few minutes of your time. Design Gives Back is going to donate $1 for every comment left on her blog. She's donating it to Friends of Kids with Cancer for a miracle makeover. Click Design Gives Back to get started, and check this video to see what the program is about.

Thank you!

Comments Sent to The Forest Service

These are actual comments left in 1997 on Forest Service registration sheets and comment cards by backpackers completing wilderness camping trips..... 

• "A small deer came into my camp and stole my bag of pickles. Is there a way I can get reimbursed? Please call."
• "Escalators would help on steep uphill sections."
• "Instead of a permit system or regulations, the Forest Service needs to reduce worldwide population growth to limit the number of visitors to wilderness."
• "Too many rocks in the mountains."
• "Trails need to be wider so people can walk while holding hands."
• "Ban walking sticks in wilderness. Hikers that use walking sticks are more likely to chase animals."
• "Found a smoldering cigarette left by a horse."
• "Too many bugs and leeches and spiders and spider webs. Please spray the wilderness to rid the area of these pests."
• "Trails need to be reconstructed. Please avoid building trails that go uphill."
• "Please pave the trails so they can be plowed of snow in the winter."
• "Chairlifts need to be in some places so that we can get to wonderful views without having to hike to them."
• "The coyotes made too much noise last night and kept me awake. Please terminate these annoying animals."
• "Reflectors need to be placed on trees every 50 feet so people can hike at night with flashlights."
• "Need more signs to keep the area pristine."
• "The places where trails do not exist are not well marked."
• "Too many trees. Couldn't see the scenery."
• "A McDonald's would be nice at the trailhead."

I'm THANKFUL ON THURSDAY!

Not long ago,we replaced the old... VERY old... windows in our home. The ones we had were very difficult to open. I'd have to thump all around the window frame before they'd even budge. Only a few would open the whole way. The latches were broken off on several. They were a horror to try to clean.

In June, we got all new ones and this morning, the weather was pleasant enough to enjoy some fresh air. So I went around the house and opened them. With no struggle whatsoever. They glide effortlessly UP and DOWN! And Lordy, am I ever thankful to feel the breeze and hear the birds without a struggle!

I'm posting this linky just a bit early to give you time to think it over and share... what's on YOUR gratitude list today?

Wordless Wednesday

I enjoy baseball so much that I even enjoy watching the players stretch to warm up.
Here, for example:

Stop by SOCC Sunday and SOCC Saturday to see other straight-out-of-the-camera shots or to share yours! And look under my header for a link to a page that lists more than 300 photo challenges, blog hops, & memees!

A story of courage

You probably remember the 2009 news headline telling of a woman who was badly mauled by a friend's chimpanzee. She lost her vision, eyelids, nose, lips, and hands as a result.

Although Charla Nash's story is one of horror, it is also one of hope. Nash, 55, underwent a series of surgical procedures to help repair the damage that was done in this devastating attack. A 20-hour surgery in which she became  one of a few people to undergo a face transplant was just one of those.

I can envision being angry after undergoing all of this. I can imagine being depressed. I can imagine questioning God. I can imagine feeling despair. Instead, read this letter to the hospital staffs that had taken care of her:

Since February 16, 2009, I have been blessed to be in the care of many incredible doctors, nurses, and caregivers. These professionals first saved my life, then healed my wounds and strengthened me to face an uncertain future. They helped me adapt to a near impossible situation where I was unable to see, smell, and move with confidence without the use of hands. Finally, I was given the chance to restore most of what I lost by coming to Brigham and Women's Hospital. Here I received a new face and two hands that will allow me to be independent once again and able to be part of society. Losing the new hands is just a bump in the road of my recovery. I believe that one day I'll have two hands to help me live as a blind person with confidence.

I thank everyone who has helped me for these last two and a half years.

The first responders who arrived at the scene of the attack in Stamford were the first to see how injured I was, and the first to help me stay alive. Dr. Kevin Miller and his staff at Stamford Hospital performed life-saving surgery that first night. All the members of the medical team performed brilliantly. I was able to personally thank many members of that team, but I wish to once again express my gratitude.

I was moved to the Cleveland Clinic a few days after surgery. In Cleveland, Dr. Daniel Alam and a team of surgeons, nurses, and medical aides cared for me. During the 16 months I was in Cleveland, I was brought back to life. These wonderful people treated my injuries and helped me with my daily needs. I want to thank the Cleveland Clinic again for everything they did for me.

My journey to recovery continued at Brigham and Women's Hospital. I arrived in June, 2010. Here the medical team, led by Dr. Bohdan Pomahac, prepared me for a face transplant and a double hand transplant. My surgery was successfully completed a few months ago. Unfortunately, the hands did not thrive and had to be removed because of complications developing from my having pneumonia. I thank this wonderful staff for their efforts and I am grateful for all the care I have received here.

These transplants could not have been possible without the generosity of a family unknown to me. They gave me a face and hands. I will now be able to do things I once took for granted. I will be able to smell. I will be able to eat normally. I will no longer be disfigured. I will have lips and will speak clearly once again. I will be able to kiss and hug loved ones. I am tremendously grateful to the donor and her family.

May God richly bless Charla Nash for her courage, and may each of us learn something about our many reasons to be thankful for the things we take for granted each day.

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See this link for additional information.

Come down immediately!

Have you read the story of Zacchaeus in Luke 19 recently? As I did so recently, I was struck by a sense of urgency and intensity in this story:

¹ Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ² A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³ He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.  ⁵ When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶ So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

 ⁷ All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

 ⁸ But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

 ⁹ Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

There were no half-measures found in Jesus or Zacchaeus in this passage. Zacchaeus went to great lengths to see Jesus, and went in haste. Jesus' response was similar: "Come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." Zacchaeus responded with extravagance, giving up half of everything he owned to serve the poor and promising to use what was left to more-than-restore anything he'd received through deceit. Jesus in turn immediately extended a promise of salvation.

The only half measures here were from the watching crowd, who "muttered". They didn't even voice their grumbling aloud.

Where do we see ourselves in this story? Do we earnestly seek him? Or is our response to Jesus weak and half-hearted?

Apple-Cinnamon Fruit Slaw

Doesn't this sound great?

3 C shredded cabbage
1 C chopped apples
1 C seedless red grapes, halved
1/3 C vanilla yoghurt
2 tsp milk
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Mix yoghurt, milk, and cinnamon in a small mixing bowl to make the dressing.

In a large mixing bowl, combine cabbage, apple, & grapes.

Pour dressing over all, toss lightly to coat, cover, & chill for 2-6 hours.

If desired, sprinkle with sunflower seeds just before serving.

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PS - I found a new recipe swap - Recipe Sharing Monday to let you know about. But don't forget that there are many others! Check the link under my header to head to a page listing more than 300 hops, memes, and photo challenges. An almost endless variety! And check out Tasty Tuesdays too!

Helping strangers: is it a myth?

H/T to National Catholic Register for sharing this story!

I bet THIS doesn't happen every day!

A California man was captured trying to break IN to California State Prison in Sacramento. He was apprehended trying to scale the 7' high fence. Although law enforcement officers initially suspected he might be trying to smuggle in contraband, none has been discovered thus far, and so the man's motive is unclear.

Apparently the man wasn't arrested specifically for his attempted prison break-in, but rather for a parole violation. He'd been paroled in 2009 after serving time for armed robbery.

Check this link if you want to read all about it...

Hungry?

So if you're crazy busy, you can download the recipe through this link, but if you have the time, watch this 12-minute YouTube video. In addition to the recipe, you'll find some smart and healthy tips for shopping and cooking!

I'm THANKFUL ON THURSDAY!

I'm not sure who Patrick Henry Reardon is, but he sums it up for me in the following quote:

Suppose for a moment that God began taking from us the many things for which we have failed to give thanks. Which of our limbs and faculties would be left? Would I still have my hands and my mind? And what about loved ones? If God were to take from me all those persons and things for which I have not given thanks, what would be left of me?

Today I'm especially thankful that we finally had some rain to soak the dry soil and perk up gardens and grass! I'm not much of a gardener; our yard is mostly in shade, and when we do attempt to grow something like tomatoes, the deer quickly finish them off. But I so enjoy seeing the beauty others create with the tools God (and Burpee!) have given then, and I do so enjoy the flavor of fresh tomatoes! So this rain has given me lots of reasons to be thankful.

What about you? What are YOU thankful for today?

Walking with Jesus

I'm fairly sure that everyone reading this has heard of Jesus and (briefly) Peter walking on water. A fierce storm came up while Jesus was on land praying and the disciples were being tossed about in a boat. Jesus walked out on the water and the disciples were even more afraid as they thought he was a ghost.

We talked about this story in our women's group at church last week. We compared the versions in Matthew and Mark, which vary a bit. For one thing, Mark's version doesn't mention Peter. For another, in Mark 6:48, we read that Jesus "was about to pass them by".

What a curious thing for him to do! The disciples are at risk of capsizing and he goes out toward them, but then he is going to "pass them by". Why would he do such a thing?

Could it be that Jesus is always with us ready to help, but is waiting for us to ask (as they did in Mark)? Could it be that he seems to be absent because we don't seek him? 

If you've never read Corrie ten Boom's book "The Hiding Place" about her experiences during the Nazi occupation of Holland, I highly recommend it. She was a woman who demonstrated great faith at a time when doubts had every reason to overwhelm her. One of the things Corrie said that has always stuck with me is this quote:

Many years ago I heard of an old Dutchman and his young son. They had to walk home at night across the polders, the dried sea bottom where the water had been pumped out and held back by dikes. The little boy was afraid, for he knew there were still deep pockets of water and many patches of quicksand on the polders. All they had to give them light on the walk was a small kerosene lantern. ‘Please, father,’ the boy begged, ‘don’t make me walk out there. It is so dark, and the lamp only gives enough light for one step at a time.’

The father took his son’s hand in his own. ‘That’s right, but one step at a time is all the light we need. And if we walk in the light we have, we have enough light for the next step. However, if we stand still, waiting for enough light to see the entire way home, then even the light we have will burn out, and we will be left in the dark.’ And so they made their way home safely, one step at a time, walking in the light. Every obstacle, every frustration, can become an opportunity if we trust God and walk in the light we have. –

– Corrie ten Boom.

A cooling & nutritious summer salad

Ingredients
Beans, black, , 1 can, drained
Yellow Sweet Corn, 1 can, drained
Red Ripe Tomatoes, 1 medium, chopped fine
Onions, raw, 1/2 cup, chopped fine
Avocados, 1, cubed
Lime Juice, 4 Tbsp (adjust to your taste)
Olive Oil, 1 1tsp (optional)
Cilantro, raw, 4 Tbsp, chopped fine


Mix ingredients together & chill for 2 hours, then adjust with lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.

This is really good, and less than 200 calories per serving1

For a list of TONS of great recipe swaps, photo challenges, hops, and memes, look for the link on the left, just under my header.

Kids' little instructions on life

Never trust a dog to watch your food.

Patrick, age 10

When your dad is mad and asks you, "Do I look stupid?", don't answer him.

Heather, 16

Never tell your mom her diet's not working.

Michael, 14

Don't pull dad's finger when he tells you to.

Emily, 10

When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair.

Taylia,11

Never allow your three-year old brother in the same room as your school assignment.

Traci, 14

Don't sneeze in front of your mom when you're eating crackers.

Mitchell,12

Puppies still have bad breath even after eating a tic tac.

Andrew, 9

Never hold a dust buster and a cat at the same time.

Kyoyo, 9

You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.

Armir, 9

Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.

Kellie, 11

If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse.

Naomi, 15

Felt markers are not good to use as lipstick.

Lauren, 9

Don't pick on your sister when she's holding a baseball bat.

Joel, 10

Never try to baptize a cat.

Eileen, 8

Never smart off to a teacher whose eyes and ears are twitching.

Andrew, Age 9

Wear a hat when feeding seagulls.

Rocky, age 9

Sleep in your clothes so you'll be dressed in the morning.

Stephanie, age 8

Don't flush the john when your dad's in the shower.

Lamar, age 10

Never ask for anything that costs more than $5 when your parents are doing taxes.

Carrol, age 9

Never bug a pregnant mom.

Nicholas, age 11

Don't ever be too full for dessert.

Kelly, age 10

When you get a bad grade in school, show it to your mom when she's on the phone.

Alyesha, age 13

Never spit when on a roller coaster.

Scott, age 11

Never do pranks at a police station.

Sam, age 10

Beware of cafeteria food when it looks like it's moving.

Rob, age 10

Never tell your little brother that you're not going to do what your mom told you to do.

Hank, age 12

Remember you're never too old to hold your father's hand.

Molly, age 11

Listen to your brain. It has lots of information.

Chelsey, age 7

Stay away from prunes.

Randy, age 9

Never dare your little brother to paint the family car.

Phillip, age 13

Forget the cake, go for the icing.

Cynthia, age 8

Remember the two places you are always welcome - church and Grandma's house.

Joanne, age 11

When you want something expensive, ask your grandparents.

Matthew, age 12

 

Motion on Monday... again.

But this week it's a bit different than last week's "edition" (even though both weeks' posts occurred at the ball park). Between innings and after the game Saturday night, a Russian bar trio performed. I wasn't sure what that was when I first heard the expression. Basically, it involves an extremely athletic woman standing up on a somewhat-flexible bar while the two men standing at either end of the bar hurl her up in the air. She then comes down and lands on the bar.

I have trouble walking and chewing gum at the same time, so I was truly impressed. It was a true challenge trying to capture the motion with my camera because, as you'll see, she went REALLY high:

Ain't that somethin'?

Wow.
I mean, WOW.

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Do you like photo challenges? Check these out!

• Sundays In My City
• SOOC Sunday
• Scenic Sunday
• Pic Story
• Sweet Shot Tuesday
• Wordless Wednesday
• WW
• Foto Friday
• Friday Foto Fun
• SOOC Saturday
• Skywatch Friday
• Photostory Friday
• 52 Weeks of Happiness
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