{A Week of Gratefulness}

"Pumpkin spice cake,
pumpkin rolls,
cranberry sauce,
apple pie,
set the tables,
print off Bible verses.." said the list hanging on the refrigerator. {Thankful.for.lists.} As the days before Thanksgiving passed quickly by, the more things on the list got crossed off. Excitement and pre-thanksgiving jitters filled the house. Each day we tackled a new project. I watched Diana standing over the hot stove stirring her bright red cranberry sauce. Her hair was tied up and loose strands curled around her sweaty forehead. {thankful.for.my.sister.} I can remember many years ago when Diana and I used to sit at the counter and help mom prep for Thanksgiving. We were so little back then; we didn't know the tricks of the kitchen as we do today. ;) 
Wednesday came; the busiest prep day. Dad, Diana and I were sent to purchase the final Thanksgiving meal item. "Twas the night before Thanksgiving..." I quoted on the great expedition to pick up the bird.  We drove to the great beyond {about 10 minutes} to fulfill the desired request by the most dearest of mothers; and what a ride it was. {thankful.for.my.mom.} Christmas music streamed through the speakers of our good old van as Diana and I belted out the words to our favorite Christmas songs. They were so long forgotten, we hadn't sung them for a year. {thankful.for.memorable.moments.} We embraced them like long, lost, forgotten friends; and a bit off tune I must admit. ;) We walked into the cinnamon-y smelling store and browsed past the fresh bright red apples and vibrant veggies. We casually walked down the candy isle. Glass jars of chocolate balls and candy cane sticks appealed to our eyes. There were chocolate Christmas trees, red and green M&Ms, Christmas taffy, and cute little stuffed Christmas bears. {thankful.for.m&ms.}
 "Awww!" I squealed hugging one. Diana looked at me, "Please, we don't need any more dolls." We "oooo"ed and "ahhh"ed our way past the festive arrangements. After standing in line for what seemed like eternity, we finally walked out with our great big turkey. Pilling back into the van, I burst out that we were the only ones in the store who had actually purchased a turkey uncooked; everybody in line was purchasing "cooked Thanksgiving" meals. Dad just shook his head. :P {thankful.for.homemade.food.} {and.a.mother.who.won't.buy.anything.premade.} ;)
I woke up early Thanksgiving morning; the sun streamed through my window. {thankful.for.sunrays.} Excitement drew me out of bed; I didn't care if I was the only one awake! We took a trip up to the arboretum for a nice pre-meal hike. It was beautiful. The clean crisp air did well to our souls. It was a few hours of thankfulness to our Creator for the beauty which lay around us. {thankful.for.trees.and.fresh.air.}
2pm arrived, and so did our guests.  Food, crock-pots, coats, shoes, little kids, big kids, friends, family, my nephew; the excitement in our house grew with every moment. {thankful.for.happiness.} Our kitchen was overflowing with food; pies, turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce. {yum} 
All day and afternoon we enjoyed the laughter streaming from each room of our home. I walked in and out smiling to myself and taking it all in. I sat at the table with one little girl on my lap. Her long thin brown hair brushed against my cheeks; she looked up at me with her bright blue eyes shining. {thankful.for.little.friends.} We whispered together and tried to predict the winners of the games. My baby nephew's giggles echoed and brought smiles to everyone as he ran around from person to person. {thankful.for.the.nephew.} 
Our Thanksgiving Day came to a close as we started our hymn sing. The kids got out their violins, violas, and cellos. A whole string ensemble joined me on the piano. In-between songs, we shared with each other our thankfulness and our prayers. We spend time in prayer not just a friends, but as family in Christ. {thankful.for.the gift.of.like-mindedness.} I believe God puts people in our lives for a specific reason. He chooses your family members for a reason, He chooses your friends for a reason; all to bring glory to His name. {thankful.for.the.ones.He.chose.for.me.}  (: 

“Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before Him with joyful singing.
 Know that the Lord Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.

 Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting And His faithfulness to all generations.”

{Psalm 100}

A Battle For Him.

I woke up that Wednesday morning with the past evenings events etched in my mind. The feeling of lose and defeat weighed heavy on my heart. The thought of staying in bed for four more years was very tempting. It couldn't be real; I was determined to imagine that it had all been a dream, and now I was waking up with the sun shining and a bright new outlook on the day. But alas, I had to face that Wednesday morning just like any other day. My Bible lay on my dresser next to me, bulging with letters from dear friends, ripped-out notebook paper crinkled with writings, bookmarks, pens and bulletins from church. I thought of that book which I loved so much; the wrinkled pages that were covered with pen markings and highlighters, the verses that were circled and underlined with pen to remind myself of God's goodness. Yes, that book gets me through life. And now {shameful to say} as I lay there in my bed I doubted the power of those words. I doubted the hand of God, the very hand that made me, the very hand that formed the universe and calmed the storm, and the very hand that was nailed to the cross and bled for me. I grabbed my Bible, wanting to be reminded once more, and opened up to the pages to where I left off the day before; Jeremiah, the weeping prophet. “For both prophet and priest are polluted; Even in My house I have found their wickedness,” declares the Lord. “Therefore their way will be like slippery paths to them, They will be driven away into the gloom and fall down in it; For I will bring calamity upon them, The year of their punishment,” declares the Lord." {Jeremiah 23:9}. "The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, Like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes." {Proverbs 21:1} How could I worry, when I have such an awesome God? Thoughts buzzed through my head all day. Depression tried to creep in, but God's voice had spoken to me and lifted me out. I'm not worried, I'm not scared. Why should we ask for the easy way out? God wants to stretch us as Christians; just like Jeremiah. We are surrounded by a nation that doesn't want God's name spoken. A nation that shuts out everything we stand for. We are to be strong in this battle; knowing that God is siding with us one hundred percent."Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord." {Psalm 31:24}

Of Crisp Red Maple Leaves, Hot Tea, and Golden Afternoons.

The crisp cool autumn wind blew in my face as I took my run one morning. The sun rays gleamed through the bare branches of those tall maple trees. Red, yellow and orange leaves covered the sidewalks; crunching with every step I took. I ran, faster and faster, hoping to warm the tips of my fingers. I took a deep breath; ah, fresh air. Today the wind was with me, blowing on my back. Its brisk force pushed me forward as if to encourage me on. I looked up at the neighbors raking and smiled at them as I passed quickly by. I watched the little neighbor girl twirl in the front yard as a huge gust of wind blew the golden leaves off the trees and sent them sailing into the air. They floated down around her in circles as she danced; her brown curls bouncing in her face. I loved watching those tiny little "leaf tornados" form as cars drove down the street. Squirrels scurried across the sidewalk as they heard me approaching. I continued running; each step faster than the one before. Soaring, flying, moving faster than I ever had before; alas I had to stop. I caught my breath as I walked. Why can we not run forever? I walked past the white picket fences and the drooping sunflowers. I walked over the leaf-stained sidewalks. Beautiful. Then I ran again; praying and thanking my Heavenly Father for granting me this beautiful weather. {Even.if.i.did.need.gloves}. I spend my "running moments" with my Savior. I pour out my troubles and cares, my requests and my desires, my thoughts and my ramblings. I praise Him. I pray for Him to be my wisdom and be my strength each day. Verses from my quiet time circle in my head, encouraging me. "Then Job answered the Lord and said, “I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have declared that which I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know.” {Job 42:1-3}  I ponder the chapters and pages I read. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, Neither are your ways My ways, "declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts."   {Isaiah 55:8-9} *peace* I give thanks to Him for Octobers, Novembers and autumn weather. Without them, I do believe life would be very dull indeed.

{Autumn.} I love those cold nights when we sit by the fire drinking tea and eating pumpkin bread. I love the cozy feeling I get when the smell of Mom's warm homemade bread streams throughout the whole house on rainy weekday afternoons. I pull the covers higher and snuggle closer to my pillows as the cold morning wakes me up; the pink and red sky creating the backdrop of my morning. My warm feet emerge from the blankets and land on the icy cold floor ready to start the day. I love the leaf piles in the middle of our backyard and the rake leaning against our clean back porch; as if something from an old postcard. I like driving through tall red leafed trees leaning over the roads. All year long the leaves wait {all.boring.green.}, now they have come alive; so beautiful and vibrant dancing in the wind, as if to leap with joy. A bowl of potato soup and crunchy bread, freshly baked gingersnap cookies, fall boots and scarves, leaves in the sidewalk cracks, pumpkins on our front porch, jars of organic pumpkin pie filling; all the simple delights of autumn that make my insides explode with happiness.

I can remember going to the pumpkin patch when I was little and the taste of those scrumptious apple cider donuts. I remember the joys of jumping in leaf piles and the smell of my sweater afterwards. I remember the fun Dad and I used to have as he picked me up and tossed me into the mile high pile. :)

My fall days are busy. {explanation.as.to.why.I.haven’t.updated.} They are filled with life and laughter. Each day is a blessing from God. Each day I wake up excited for what He has. The brisk afternoons I spend baking or cleaning; listening to my mother as she teaches my siblings in the other room. Her voice warms my soul; remembering the days of my schoolwork. A basket of laundry in the family room as the rain plops against the skylights. A good book and a cup of tea in our big cozy arm chair. I love the hours I spend on the piano as the wind and leaves rush by outside. The late afternoon comes quickly and everything that was once brown or dull turns golden just before the sun sinks down. The golden rays stream through my window eliminating my lace curtain. The bare branches suddenly become alive as the sun shines on them from behind.  I think of my dear friend {her.favorite.time.of.day.} and smile. Dinner preparations to begin; soup or chicken, pasta or chili, as long as it’s warm. ;) Half way through my cooking, Dad’s car rumbles in the garage, and the back door opens. His tired, worn-out, cold face appears and suddenly he smiles. Our cozy house seems to melt any stress or grief from his day away. I watch him transform as he walks into the schoolroom to greet Mom. I hear their voices, and Dad sighs, “I love our house.” :) I smiled to myself and finished chopping. *happiness*

"Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places."  {Habakkuk 3:18-19}

Genesis 1:31

The blue cloudless sky hung above. The cool breeze flew through my hair. Water droplets splashed on my sunburned skin. The bright yellow sun-rays shone on my face. Sweat beaded around my neck and forehead as I dipped my oar into the water; slowly rowing alongside the canoe. 7 a.m. and we were already on our way. 

"Faster, Kelle!" Diana called from in front of me. She turned around and smiled at me; resting her oar in her lap. Little strands of hair twirled and curled around her long messy braid and flew across her face. 

"I don't want to ruin it," I replied. 

"Ruin what?"

"This feeling; being perfectly content. I'm afraid if I move, it will all just disappear."  I looked around; the waters were so still. The silver tips of the wave ripples shone brightly as if from a dream. I pushed my sunglasses over my head, holding my "summer hair" back, and focused on the islands about us.  Diana looked too. She stopped and sighed, knowing exactly what I meant. We sat still for a moment in the middle of the lake; breathing it all in. Then without a word, we quietly began to row again; this time faster. The island in the distance drew closer as our arm muscles tightened.  Every inch of our bodies wanted to stop and rest; but the excitement rushed through us and we persisted on. Reaching the shore and desperate to cool off, I jumped out of the canoe into the ankle deep water and climbed up on the island. For fear of being marooned, we pulled our canoe on the land; running up the hill to the top of the island. We could see for miles. The tall trees rustled and blew back and forth above us. We sat across from each other on the ground and opened our Bibles for our morning quiet time; perfect bliss. "All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being." {John 1:3}

A motor boat hummed in the distance as it made dock next to our canoe. Two voices murmured softly and then drew closer. Diana looked at me with a puzzled face and suddenly Dad's smiling face appeared followed by our brother-in-law. Both of their noses were sunburned but they were smiling. We laughed as they began to tell us their fishing adventures. They had been fishing since five that morning; just when the mist forms over the waters and the sun is still below the horizon. Just before they left, Dad informed us that breakfast was ready back at the cottage. We packed our Bibles and journals and ran down the hill.  Rowing back as fast as our sore arms could move; we could almost smell the pancakes. We tided up our canoe and raced across the dock, up the hill and into the cozy little cottage.  The family was already sitting around the table as we kicked off our shoes and dropped our bags. The smells emitted from the kitchen as Mom and my older sister flipped more pancakes. We sat around together eating, laughing and passing our nephew around trying to decide what grand adventure to take on next. 

It was a beautiful weekend at the lake house; such a relaxing time away with our family.  It seemed there were so many things to do and so little time. We got up early each morning and went to bed late at night; who needs sleep when you are on vacation anyway? We jumped from one activity to the next. 

"Let's go biking!" Adam suggested. So we all would go biking. A few hours later we were found in the garage digging out the rackets and heading to the tennis courts. The next day we kayaked to the island and swam in the crystal clear lake. I can't describe every little feeling of happiness I felt that weekend. Sometimes I would just stand and watch my family figuring out the kayaks, or digging in the bushes for lost tennis balls. Sometimes I would just stand and watch the waves brush against the rocks. I would close my eyes and listen to the birds and the trees sing; all in awe of a wonderful Creator. "O Lord, how many are Your works! In wisdom You have made them all; The earth is full of Your possessions. Here is the sea, great and broad, In which are swarms without number, Animals both small and great." {Psalm 104: 24-25}

At night after our exhausting day out on the lake, we all would climb back up the long rocky driveway to our cottage. Sometimes I would walk slower, falling behind the group to admire the warm yellow lights coming from the cabin and listen to the sweet sounds of happiness and delight coming from my family as they shared funny memories of the day.  We enjoyed dinners together; talking and sharing each others company. Dishes were passed and hungry stomachs waited for Dad to pray a blessing over the meal. After dinner dishes were done, we would bring out the games and play until our eyes couldn't stay open any longer.  

Sunday morning we met on the island and had our church service.  We looked around us at the beauty that God created and marveled at His hand. We felt so blessed and so unworthy. The beauty of each little fish, each wild flower, each tree and blade of grass, each rock beneath the waters, each moment of silence; they all praised the name of the Lord. 

Sadly, all the good things had to come to an end. Diana, Jon and I spent our last day playing hide and seek in the cottage and kayaking on the open waters. We were all silent; trying to soak up our last few hours. We sighed to ourselves and waded in the rocky water.  I watched as the kids swam out toward the sun; laughs echoing. We rowed ourselves back to the dock as Dad, Mom and Adam came up behind us in the motor boat. Dad looked at us and soaked up our smiles. Then he whispered those dreaded words, 

"Time to go home." 

We packed up the van and began our long drive home. We silently reminisced at the happy vacation we had. The golden sun sunk down behind the trees as if saying goodbye. Wishing it wouldn't end, I looked back longingly at the town and dreamed of rewinding time. Such happy memories we had. 

"God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." {Genesis 1:31} 

Planting Seeds.

I rolled up my jeans just above my ankles after tripping too many times. My worn blue jeans, streaked with dirt, were already too big for me as it was; me being so short.  Creeping deep into the tall green bushes, I pushed a branch from the tomato plant out of my hair. I let out a determined breath as I steadily reached my fingers through the branches trying to pick the bright red ones amiss the round green ones. I looked down at my basket full of onions, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers; sighing contently.  I wiggled my bare feet out of the dirt and leaned over to make sure I picked the last of the ripe veggies. I remember when Dad first planted our garden; way back before the summer started.  It is hard to believe that our garden started from little seeds.  My thoughts were suddenly disturbed by the grasshopper I caught out of the corner of my eye. The little green bug, so intricately designed, sat a few feet from me. His antennas moved swiftly as I shifted my position. I smiled and looked back to my work.  I picked one tomato, then quickly plopped in into my mouth; juicy and sweet. I pulled up onions and radishes. I began to think about how God commands us to plant seeds; how He commands us to "go and make disciples of all the nations.." {Matthew 28:19}.  Witnessing and sharing our faith can be hard; I will be the first one to admit. I recalled a few weeks back, witnessing to a friend. Starting with a simple question, I began to dig deep into her thoughts and her beliefs.  My heart pounded at the beginning of the conversation, my hands were clammy, and I began to ask myself, why I even started this discussion. Question after question, insult after insult, I began to feel discouraged. I prayed over and over in my head asking God for the words to dispute her. The more I listened to her, the more I felt sorry for her. I truly cared about her. I walked away from the conversation hurt and rejected. I felt beaten and worn like an old abused rug; stepped on and left on the floor.  But then I began to realize that it's not me that she's rejecting; it's God's Word. After that realization, it festered inside of me at the thought of someone hating and rejecting Jesus and His gift. Those thoughts swarmed my head; I felt like someone punched me in the stomach. But God says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." {Hebrews 4:12}. No best argument is going to turn their hearts to God. No convincing debate will win her over to the truth. I could argue and debate for hour and hours; I could condemn and convict with my words, but nothing will prevail except the Word of our Almighty God! He will open the eyes of the lost, and one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord. I thought back to the seeds; those tiny little seeds. So small, they could lay in the palm of my hand. All it takes for them to grow is to cover them with dirt and water them daily. Not knowing if they will ever produce and flourish, we plant them with faith.  Just like witnessing, we give others Bible verses and pray for them daily; not knowing how God will use those tiny seeds. We must have faith to know that God is in control.  Our job is to plant, God will work through us. 

 ^"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.  So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow." {1 Corinthians 3:6-7} 

Tire Swings And Juicy Red Tomatoes.

I swung lazily on the tire swing in our front yard; my bare feet dangling.  Sliding up and down, my hands were grasping the red rope attached to my swing.  I held on tightly and leaned up against it.  I remembered the day, a few weeks ago, when Dad hung the tire swing up with some help from our friends.  It was a hot humid Friday. Our home was filled with happiness all day; laughter, families, lots of friends, swimming, little feet, giggles from the pool, wet towels, stringed instruments, potlucks, great meaningful conversations, Jeep rides to the field, competitive Frisbee game, riding back home in the jeep; wind blowing our sweaty faces, looking to the west and seeing the faint sun set while the darkness covered everything else.  My mind raced back to reality as I found myself reminiscing.  I smiled at the happy days I had.  The soft summer breeze flew through my hair and across my forehead.  I looked above at the deep blue cloudless sky and watched the tree above me sway back and forth; rustling.  I spun in slow circles, admiring my house.  The colorful flowers were in full bloom as they leaned across the pathway to our front door; welcoming those who walked by. The green bushes and long blades of grass created that picture-perfect scene. I loved the flag that hung off of our porch; proclaiming our independence.  I was loving my Summer; everything about it was perfect.  I enjoyed those hot days when all three of us agreed to jump in the pool at the same time.  I love our "summer hair" everyday; especially when it flies everywhere and curls by itself.  I like sitting outside and having dinner with my family as the sun sinks down behind our house; afterward catching a glimpse of the fireflies as they come out one by one. I like our hammock; especially when my dad comes home from work and lies on it with his farmers tan showing on his ankles.  I love all those little things about summer; fresh watermelon at church, corn on the cob, cute summer dresses, sitting at my piano with the windows open playing Beethoven, early mornings filled with my many piano students, our lace curtains blowing with the wind through our family room, loud exciting family game nights, sidewalk chalk, and bubbles. I’m thankful for my church and the many conversations I get to have; the laughs we have in line, the fellowship meal together, the games we play afterwards.  I feel blessed to have those close friends stand behind me and encourage me as I share my story of someone I witnessed to.  I love smiling and being happy.  God's blessings shower us every day; no matter how small they come.  The trick is to be thankful for them all; even the not so happy ones.  His creation is so beautiful and powerful, I marvel every time I walk outside.  

The garden in our backyard has flourished.  Gathering the fresh, bright red, juicy, cherry tomatoes, I sigh with contentment.  They truly are a gift from God.  The dirt beneath my bare feet feels warm and free.  I lean over to make sure I picked all the ripe ones; leaving the green ones with hope of coming back tomorrow and seeing them bright red.  I head back to the house; enjoying a few of the tomatoes.  Dad looks closely at my basket, 

"That's all we got?" I look down, 

"Well, there was more. I must have eaten a few more than I thought." ;) I think it is amazing how God created the production of fruit and vegetables; how he orchestrated every little seed to bloom and produce.  My mind tries to wrap around how great my God actually is; I stand in awe.  I feel comforted to know He knows my thoughts and hopes for the future.  I worry and fret, but He guides my steps.  "He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end." {Ecclesiastes 3:11} I feel save in the arms of my Savior as He leads me beside still waters. 

A few Sundays ago, our Pastor spoke out of Habakkuk. “ Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days—You would not believe if you were told."-Habakkuk 1:5.  I felt God speaking to me, telling me not to be anxious. He is going to do wonderful things in my life; things I wouldn't believe even if He told me. Amazing.  I wake up each day and walk in faith knowing He loves me. {2 Corinthians 5:7} "We walk by faith, not by sight." I hear Him speak to me each day through my quiet time in the morning. ^"So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun." {Ecclesiastes 8:15}. I try to imagine what it must have been like to have been one of Jesus' disciples; following in His footsteps and watching Him perform miracles. I close my eyes and picture myself on the boat, speechless as He calmed the raging waves and winds.  I try to picture myself handing out the bread and fish to the four thousand; the wonder that must have filled the eyes of all those around Him.  A might fortress is my God.

Be a witness, be a testimony, keep strong in the faith, never doubt how mighty our God is. He will do a work in our lives, far more than we can imagine.  :) 

The Day After Independence Day.

July 4th; the day before my sister was born. I can remember that day as if it was yesterday.  It had been an enjoyable evening in our friend's backyard.  They had their annual Fourth of July party and this year my mother was very pregnant. The air was muggy, but the cool breeze blew through the trees giving us a breath of fresh air.  Sparklers danced in the yard as the sun sank down the horizon.  Us kids were enjoying the holiday; jumping on the trampoline, swimming, splashing, running, and playing tag.  I sat up in the treehouse frantically waiting for the fireworks to begin; my absolutely favorite part of the summer. Suddenly I looked down to see my Father rush toward me with an excited but serious expression. 

"Kelle, we have to leave!" He called up to me. Worried, I quickly obeyed and climbed down.  Running over to my family on the back porch, I saw our friends rush around quickly. There was noise everywhere; people talking all at once, excited and nervous. Life had seemed to stop.  I looked around for my brother but found my older sister instead. 

"What is going on?" I asked her rather clueless, "Are we going to be able to see the fireworks soon?" She looked down at me and whispered, 

"I highly doubt it, Mom just went into labor." I gasped in excitement! Thoughts started buzzing in my head. Mixed emotions came into my soul, "Was Mom going to be alright? Am I not going to see the fireworks? Is it going to be a girl?"

I remember the ride back home; Mom seemed so calm, breathing deeply as Dad raced through traffic.  We quickly pulled up in the driveway and we kids filed out of the car.  Dad jumped out and ran into the house, coming back a few seconds later with Mom's overnight bag.  We stood on the driveway waving goodbye to them as our Grandma called us in; I didn't even know our grandparents were at our house.  Everything seemed to go by so fast, and to a little kid, things just seem to happen without me even knowing.  

I lay in my bed that night as my brother sat on my dresser and my Grandma sat in the rocking chair.  I squealed with delight as we talked about our new baby sister or brother. We watched out my window and saw the faint colors of the fireworks in the distance. Sadness filled me as I wished I could be there right now. 

I can remember the next morning, how excited we were to hear the news of a sweet baby girl! I burst with excitement. I can remember aching to see her and hold her.  I remember Dad placing her in my arms at the hospital. She was so precious; Diana Anne. I whispered her name over and over to myself. I thought everything about her was just beautiful and breath-taking. I was so excited to have someone to finally play with; to laugh with and to talk with. Holding her in my arms, I felt content. I wouldn't trade a million fireworks for my little sister. She was perfect, and the best surprise for the Fourth. 

It has been many years since that day my precious little sister was born.  As the years have passed, she has become my best friend.  Growing up we have had some adventurous day.  There were the days when we played "Little House on the Prairie". Grabbing old dress up clothes and playing barefoot outside. We could imagine we lived on acres of land in a tiny log cabin. We imagined big bears in the forest, and Indiana’s living in the fields. We even pretended to have a puppy. {After our little brother was born, we didn't have to pretend that anymore.} I always wound up being Laura while Diana pretended she was Mary. She seemed to have a better argument; I was better at pretending to be bad than she was, and I also could climb trees better than she could; just like Laura.

We had such great imagination; everyday was an adventure.  Summertime was our favorite.  We would ride our bikes for hours and suck on cherry Popsicles after dinner. As the sun would sink down, we would grab our jars and race to see who could collect the most Fireflies.  As autumn crept in, we would take turns raking the leaves in big colorful piles. Then we would run as fast as our little legs could take us and jump in them; leaves flying every which way.  Snow angels and tilting, lopsided snowmen were our projects for the first snowfall.  We had dreams of one day building a huge snow-fort that would withstand till the spring. We loved playing dolls together. So many ideas would fill our heads, it didn't seem like there was ever going to be enough time to play.  We would sit upstairs in our room and play for hours and hours, not even breaking for lunch.

Now we are both grown up, not little children anymore. We have different adventures now. She is my brain half the time; and she is almost taller than me.  She inspires me to be creative. She is always coming up with new crafts; it makes me jealous that I don't have that sense of inspiration. :P 

I love our talks; especially late at night. After a party or get together, we relive the evening together and reminisce of the happy moments we had. We share our thoughts, our dreams, and our hopes of the future.  She doesn't laugh at me when I feel upset, but instead she comforts me and says, "Remember that one time something like that happened to me..?" and it really did. We could stay up forever talking and giggling into our pillows for fear we might wake someone up.  

I like how we have the same style and we share jewelry.  I like when she says, "Hey, our craft room is getting kind of messy," and thus begins hours of cleaning out together while listening to “Adventures in Odyssey”.  I love it how organized she is. She must have a list for everything, and everything she owns is in some kind of order in some little box somewhere. :) I like our inside jokes and those moments we laugh and no one else knows why we are laughing. Or the wide-eye look we give each other from across the room when we have something to say to each other but can't say it out loud. 

I can remember the pain we both felt when we got the Chicken Pox last year. Scratching and crying at night, she was with me. I would feel like there was no end in sight to the pain we were both in, but she was there to comfort me and tell me it would all be better soon.  

We have taken on some pretty crazy ideas; some not so smart. Like the time I used her rotary cutter to cut paper; not a good idea. :-/ Or the time we decided to clean out our closet, and took everything out at once; way too overwhelming. 

We have baked together and cooked together; cleaned together and scrubbed together.  We have decorated for tea parties together and have made the kitchen look beautiful.  She is a fantastic muffin baker; they always turn out so moist. One day I could see her owning her own muffin bakery. She is a great gardener.  Her little herb garden is my favorite during the summer. She makes great tomato and basil sandwiches. She has many talents, I love to brag about her whenever I get the chance. 

I love our laughs and our moments.  I wish I could write them all down. I keep each one close to my heart, saving the memory forever.  I love you Diana. (: Thank you Lord for blessing me with a sister who can read my thoughts and share my hearts desires. She truly is a blessing to me. <3

Freedom.

O beautiful for spacious skies, For amber waves of grain,

For purple mountain majesties Above the fruited plain.

America, America. God shed his grace on thee

 And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea.

 O beautiful for heroes proved 

In liberating strife. 

Who more than self their country loved

And mercy more than life.

America. America.

May God thy gold refine 

Till all success be nobleness 

And every gain divine.

O beautiful for halcyon skies, 
For amber waves of grain, 
For purple mountain majesties 
Above the enameled plain.

America. America.
God shed his grace on thee 
Till souls wax fair as earth and air 
And music-hearted sea.

 O beautiful for glory-tale 

Of liberating strife 

When once and twice, 

for man's avail 

Men lavished precious life.

America. America.

God shed his grace on thee 

Till selfish gain no longer stain 

The banner of the free.

"When we view the blessings with which our country has been favored, those which we now enjoy, and the means which we possess of handing them down unimpaired to our latest posterity, our attention is irresistibly drawn to the source from whence they flow. Let us then, unite in offering our most grateful acknowledgments for these blessings to the Divine Author of All Good." -James Monroe.

Praising Him.

Dark grey clouds rolled in as my friend and I stood on the sidewalk outside of church.  The wind blew our hair frantically. We blinked and breathed in the smell of rain.  In the distance, we could see it raining.  Far to the north on the horizon, the sun peaked through the clouds as the storm overcame the once beautiful summer sky.  Free from buildings and houses, we could see for miles across the cornfields.  We smiled as a little girl, came out squealing with delight at the thought of rain in sight.  The deep wisps of clouds stretched and moved quickly with the strong wind.  Lighting danced between the clouds and thunder rumbled in the distance.  I looked up and saw streaks of lighting above me; beautiful.  My mind tried to wrap around my Creator who breathed this; indescribable.  Suddenly a strong gust of wind blew against us, forcing us to take a step back.  One by one, big drops of rain splattered on our faces. Giggling we stood there for a minute before heading back inside. I watched my friend twirl in the rain, arms stretched out and face looking up toward the heavens. 


It was one of those Sunday's that made me want to burst with excitement; powerful sermons that made me tear up, Habakkuk 1:5, strong points: "It is one thing to recognize God as Savior, another to accept Him as Lord, but it is another matter entirely to accept Him as Father. May we embrace Him when our world goes wrong."-Pastor F., competitive trench ball games, teamwork, high fives, lots of laughs, dodging balls, fresh fruit for fellowship meal, adorable little girls with blonde pig-tales and pink dresses, sitting quietly and shyly smiling back at me, folding bulletins, excited conversations about Frisbee on Friday, graduation party on the beach, sitting on the dock dangling my bare-feet in the warm water, the sun shining on the waves, sand, beach hair, driving through the country, lots and lots of pick-ups, big red barns, and rolling meadows. 


We left our Trench ball game early after learning that a large branch had fallen on our house.  Not knowing too much of the situation, we raced home.  One hundred mile an hour winds blew through our town as we were watching the storm from afar that afternoon.  Power lines broken in half, leaned against the fences; no electricity for us.  The strong wind blew one of the branches from our tree against our house. We were thanking God there was no serious damage. Thankful for helpful neighbors in our time of need. We looked around us at our neighbor's houses and were astonished at how bad the storm really was. Just a few hours ago we were watching it blow by from another town .  Amazing. 


¹³ Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.-1 Chronices 29:13. 


Psalms 63:3-4 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.



“Depend on it, my hearer, you never will go to heaven unless you are prepared to worship Jesus Christ as God.” ~ Charles Spurgeon

Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God has highly exalted him [Jesus] and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Flashlight Tag, Twizzlers, Ice Skating, and Algebra.

   I can remember when I was six.  I can remember Wednesday nights with Dad.  I would wait in anticipation all week for our night together.  Those were the nights that Mom and the two older siblings were at church; leaving Dad and I home to share adventures.  I can recall picking out cookie recipes and hauling games up from the basement; only to stack them in a pile on the family room floor.  We would clean the dinner dishes and begin baking.  We both rushed to the pantry grabbing the many ingredients.  Butter and sugar were creamed and the flour was sifted. 


   After several hours of sticky fingers, flour-ly floors, dirty measuring cups, sour mouth after realizing baking soda did NOT taste like soda, scattered chocolate chips on the counter, and dishes piling in the sink, we patiently waited as the smell of homemade chocolate chip cookies rose from the hot oven.  Those nine minutes seemed like eternity to me.  I sat on the stool; feet dangling, just waiting. We cleaned the kitchen until it was spotless. Dimming the lights in the kitchen, but leaving the oven light on, we pulled out the first game from the pile on the floor. Most likely it consisted of Candy Land, or Shoots and Ladders.  Then finally, the timer would ring. Running to shut it off, we peered into the glowing oven.  Yum. We stood there together and looked at the steaming hot cookies.  Chocolate drooled out of the cookies and our mouth watered.  Not wanting to spend the rest of the night with burnt tongues, we would decide to let the cookies cool. So we grabbed our shoes, jackets and flashlight and headed outdoors.  It was my favorite time of the evening; flashlight tag.  
   The summer breeze blew through my hair as we raced to the park.  Up and down the slides, back and forth on the monkey bars, flashlights glowing, panting, giggling, and riding on Dad's shoulders; we played tag until our hearts content. Then happy and content, we would walk back home; stopping to catch every firefly we caught a glimpse of.  Back home after changing into our pajamas, we would enjoy game number two, a tall glass of milk and a warm cookie. We would sit together and reminisce of the fun evening we had. Minutes later, the rest of the family would return home.  We would bombard them with stories of our evenings as they tasted a few of our fresh homemade cookies. Happily sighing, we would smile at each other and begin thinking of a new recipe for next Wednesday.

   Those were happy days in my six year old mind. And as I look back on it now, I cherish those memories. I am thankful for the moments I have with Dad.  I love hearing his deep voice close in prayer after family Bible study.  I like when I can ask him any question after reading the Bible and he knows the answer within a few minutes.  I like how he is strong and can lift pretty much anything. Just standing behind me, he makes me feel protected and safe.  I love how I can still crawl up in His lap and sit; even though I'm not six anymore.  I love holding his Bible, and looking at all the highlighted verses and pencil markings running down the pages; I feel so blessed to have been taught all the knowledge that he learned throughout the years of his life.  I like the grey hairs in his head and mustache. I love how he knows relationships, and who is best for me or who's not. I trust him with my future husband, sometimes I say, "Dad, find me a good one, you know my type."


   I like how he lies in the hammock after a long day at work; shoes and socks off and farmer's tan showing.  I like how he loves Twizzlers and licorice; potatoes and steak for dinner and coffee in the morning.  He is the best baseball player I know; he can hit as many home runs as we want and be pitcher for hours at a time.  He loves swimming just as much as I do, and board games too.  He wins at almost every game we play, but I love how he lets us win sometimes. :) I can remember wintertime and driving by the pond everyday waiting for the water to freeze. I remember being the first ones on the pond so many years ago to ice skate; and the time we went sledding and almost slid into the river!  He has a great sense of direction, we never get lost; I always miss him when I take a wrong turn. :P I love his jeep, and the patience he had with me while he taught me how to drive a stick. I love what a leader he is to our family and the love he shows to Mom. I love his garden, and how neat and organized it looks. Sweat drips down his face as he returns from weeding it on hot, sticky summer days. In his arms are fresh vegetables and I look up to see his proud smile as he hands them to me to wash for dinner. 


   When I was in school, he was the principle and math teacher. He got me through Algebra. :) He can solve any problem, and he knows just what to do when I have problems in life. I am thankful to God for blessing me with such a Dad.  I love him. :) Thank you Dad for being patient with me and teaching me every piece of wisdom you've learned. Thank you for loving me and caring for me, even when I'm not so pleasant. Oh to the happy days we have had, and more to come. :) 

   Stealing a quote from a friend on Sunday, "A father is someone who carries pictures in his wallet where his money used to be."-Unknown author. 

   Malachi 4:6 “He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse.” Thankful for the vision my Dad has to lead us and be a prophet, priest and provider; thankful for his multigenerational vision, and his desire to seek the Lord. 

Happy Father's Day Dad!

To many more days of baking cookies.  (: