Carnival!

For my mother-in-law's last day of full-time volunteering at the Home, she threw a carnival for the residents. The boys and I, along with friends and some cousins, drove out to help her pull it off. The kids manned the stands - the face-painting station, carnival games and popcorn cart.

My friend and I, along with other volunteers, helped in the kitchen. Gail's plan was to give the residents a special lunch of fair food:

* Grilled Sausage Sandwiches with Sauteed Peppers & Onions
* Homemade French Fries
* Oven-Baked Zucchini Sticks (the residents grew the zucchinis in their garden)
* Funnel Cakes


* Miss M. had a blast at the penny pitch - she won so many dishes they made her stop so there would be some left for the others! She also reveled in pitching water balloons at Gail - what an arm she still has.
* Mr. R. loved the music playing in the background and stood in front of the stereo for a long time swaying and directing the music. My mother-in-law danced with him later and he liked that so much he didn't want to stop.
* Miss R. enjoyed having her face painted with a butterfly and sat very still to have it done. She loves to say, "I love you!" and the face painters weren't quite sure how to respond to so much verbal affection!
* Mr. J. wanted one of the volunteers to guess how old he is. After revealing his age, he asked her, "Don't I look good?!" which had the kitchen help giggling.




I love it that on HER last day, my mother-in-law threw OTHERS a party. That is so like her.

Pushing Wheelchairs

My posts have been a bit sporadic due to the fact they we experienced a minor crisis last week – Caleb’s mouth connecting with a baseball bat. The incident resulted in some excitement AND some dental work, of course. Anyway, Caleb’s fine (far better than his mother), and life is returning to normality.

The five of us spent yesterday morning at our denomination’s affiliated nursing home. It was our church’s turn to act as escorts for the morning - ferrying residents from the various floors to the worship service. When the opportunity to push wheelchairs arose, we quickly jumped at the chance knowing how much we have enjoyed this avenue of service in the past. The time spent with the residents is a privilege and a blessing – they bring us joy, foster compassion, remind us to be thankful and teach us lessons that God uses to shape our paths.

After our time at the home, I enjoy reflecting back on the things I saw, learned and experienced there. The Lord is always faithful in using the sweet souls that we come across to minister to our hearts.

* I jumped at the chance to push Miss M. She has the funniest little giggle, is almost always cheerful and enthusiastic, and will tell you to go nice and slow over the “bumpity-bumps” (the metal ridges in the hallway carpet). She usually wears pretty-colored beads with her Sunday dress and is one of my favorite residents because of her cheerful heart.

* Today Caleb and I met Miss A. One of the nurses told us that quiet and soft-spoken Miss A. was a beauty contest winner in the ‘50s! The Lord used her to remind me that though physical beauty is fleeting, spiritual beauty lasts for eternity.

* When I opened the elevator door on one floor, I was greeted by Mr. W. sitting in his wheelchair lustily belting out a hymn. As we chatted on the way to the service, whenever something I said particularly pleased him, he would reply with “Oh, happy day!” I should show such enthusiasm upon going to church.

* Miss K. wanted to go to church this week. Last week she wasn’t feeling well and headed back to her room. But today I found her ready and waiting, dressed in a lovely blue suit with pearls – her Sunday best. She is nearly 100, was a pastor’s wife and is very proud of her daughter who comes to teach the residents about music. Miss K. looks like a flower and when she told me that I could escort her, I told her that it would definitely be my pleasure.

And it is, indeed, a pleasure.

Been Reading

Contains several excellent principles for healthy living -

Choosing Joy

"Perhaps if we recognized this more forcibly, the petty provocations, the little teasing troubles, that are so "tolerable and not to be endured" while we are laboring through them, would cease to make the present uncomfortable, would wear less detestable aspects as they came, would no longer excite, in the rebellion against them, our ill temper, malice, hatred, and all uncharitableness, and would make less final impressions upon our nature than even now they do; we might refuse to be provoked or teased by them, and remembering the evanescence of pain and vexation, and the permanency of joy, we might yet learn a lesson from the trees of the forest that heal their wounds with precious gums; from the oysters that mend their shells with pearls."

-- Harriet Prescott Spofford, Stepping Stones to Happiness (1897)

Herbs & Tea

As the boys were away last week, my mom and I spent a day together - we visited a used book sale where I found some goodies on hospitality and womanhood, a candy shop for a few gummy treats for my nephew, a cannery where they sold all sorts of jarred delectables and an antique store that had lots of odds and ends of things - paper goods, linens, buttons and sewing notions and huge jars of gorgeous potpourri.

For lunch we fell over a tea shop - Ye Olde English Tea Room. We didn't have reservations, but they had a table on the porch which suited us just fine. Mom had a huge Maui Chicken Salad with Cinnamon Plum Iced Tea, and I enjoyed Broccoli-Tomato Quiche with a Side Salad and Apricot Iced Tea. It was all delicious, and we hope to come back sometime for their High Tea. The tea room specializes in British fare including Cream Cakes and Treacle Pudding. They also have a little gift shop in the front where they sell various candies and canned goods from England. A delightful place to visit -



And now for my favorite stop - King's Herb Nook. Oh. My. I could have moved right in. When you walk in the door, you are immediately hit with the amazing smell of a blending of herbs, teas and soap. Other than the computer on the desk, the experience was like walking back in time. Shelves of bulk goods, herbal supplements, and oils. Baskets of chunks of wonderfully-smelling homemade soap and herbal cosmetic products. Jars and jars of dried herbs and loose tea to buy by the ounce or pound. The front counter with a basket of fresh bouquets of basil and mint to buy. And baskets of fresh produce on the porch as well as herbs and periennials lined up outside for taking home to your garden. The whole experience was pure delight to the senses! I plan to visit this place again and again. (King's Herb Nook doesn't have a website, but they do have an e-mail address for questions - kingsherbs@emypeople.net.)

Vacationing

My posts have been a bit sporadic lately as we've all been vacationing. The boys went to Niagara Falls with their cousins and grandparents, so M. and I spent a few lovely days in the mountains . . .

Eating at the famous Wellsboro Diner (what blackberry pie!) -


Walking around Penn State's Ag Progress Days -


Visiting Eagles Mere - a gorgeous old resort town that surrounds a lake high in the mountains -


And discovering a 100-year-old general store in the middle of nowhere and having lunch there.


Just to name a few delights . . .

Inspiration From Mitford: Cultivating Community

“Going south on Main Street to Wisteria Lane were the post office, the library, a bank, the bookstore, Winnie Ivey’s Sweet Stuff Bakery, and a new shop for men’s furnishings.

There was also a grocery store, so well-known for its fresh poultry and produce from local sources that most people simply called it The Local. For thirty-six years, The Local had provided chickens, rabbits, sausage, hams, butter, cakes, pies, free-range eggs, jams, and jellies from a farming community in the valley, along with vegetables and berries in season. In summer, produce bins on the sidewalk under the green awnings were filled each day with Silver Queen corn in the shuck. And in July, pails of fat blackberries were displayed in the cooler case . . .

The second and only other business block of Main Street was lined with a hardware store, a tea shop, a florist, an Irish woolen shop, and an antique shop, with gardens in between.”

I love the description of Mitford that Ms. Karon presents to us near the beginning of “At Home in Mitford.” Reading it always makes me want to jump into the pages of the book and walk down Mitford’s streets visiting the quaint shops and stores along the way. Mitford is a make-believe town, but it’s based on the real town where Ms. Karon’s lives - Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Though I’ve never walked the streets of Blowing Rock, I have walked the streets of Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. And every time I visit there, I feel as if I’ve stepped right into the pages of a Mitford novel.

The photo above is one I took at a little coffee shop which sits in the front part of a 100-year-old department store called Dunham’s in Wellsboro. M. and I love to sit in front of the windows with a cup of hot tea and watch the passers-by. Besides Dunham’s, Wellsboro boasts a used book shop; a sweet shop filled with delicious smells of candy, coffee and frozen treats; a diner that was once a train car where the locals (and visitors) can have a big slice of one of the more than dozen different pies; a beautiful library; the Green where you can sit on a park bench and read or enjoy the fountain and the breeze; as well as the infamous gas lights that still line and shine the avenue.

On our latest trip to the coffee shop, M. and I conversed about how one can create a small town feeling of unity and community no matter where one lives. Cultivating relationships seems to be the key. Making the point of taking the time to connect with others helps one feel a part of the community. In our fast-paced age, we’re often guilty of running here and there without thought to the person behind the counter. Choosing to strike up simple conversations and building on that relationship week-by-week is a good starting point. Making it a habit to get in the same cashier’s line each week is one way of getting to know someone by making conversation. So is visiting a smaller, mom-and-pop type store where it can be easier to come in contact with the same people from week-to-week. Another added benefit to shopping at a smaller store instead of a larger chain is that you’re supporting a family business instead of a large corporation.

Getting to know our neighbors is yet another way to cultivate community. Introducing yourself, dropping off a homemade treat, and/or offering to help with some chore are all simple ways to build neighborliness. I find that taking a morning walk has also connected me with my neighbors. Many of them are elderly or farmers who are out and about early in the morning. A word here and there has slowly developed little relationships that I trust will grow with time. I also enjoy making it a point to visit various neighbors periodically. Several of them have become such a sweet blessing to me – sharing veggies, wisdom, ideas and friendship with me.

I hope that these few ideas will spark your imagination and creativity as to how YOU can cultivate community right in the town, neighborhood or city where you live!

Fascinating Reading

Birthday Outing

For several years now, my sister and I have been doing Birthday Outings for one another each year. She has a winter birthday, and I have a summer one so we get to enjoy an outing every six months or so. The gift of time has been a blessing to each of us as we both live busy lives and don't get to see one another as often as we'd like.

Last Saturday Jen took me for my Birthday Outing. We started out for lunch at a little restaurant that she and her family enjoy frequently - the Chestnut Street Cafe. It was fun, quaint and the food was organic - an added treat. We tucked ourselves at a table in the back and enjoyed our sandwiches with mixed greens and caught up a bit. Jen pulled out piles of little notes that she had written down of the past few months of things that she wanted to tell me - funny, little things her boys had done, sermon notes and spiritual lessons learned, as well as books to share that had inspired her.


We slipped into the little used box store across the street to check out their beautiful rare books and then took a walk around the gorgeous old neighborhood. Jen recounted her recent visit to a friend's home in New York City while we oohed and ahhed over the Victorian-style homes.



We did some shopping down the street - I bought a tea strainer at a little British shop, and we popped into the Markethouse that was just closing for the day. Jen also gave me a tour of the gorgeous, 14-story Marriot Hotel in the center of town where she attended a convention several months ago. We decided to have dessert there in the lounge. Wow - what a cool experience! We decided on tea and desserts. My favorite part was having them present us with a large tea box from which we chose our tea - I picked Exotic Green Tea with Pineapple Flavoring. The desserts we shared were amazing - one was a tart made of a pretzel crust with a milk chocolate filling and coffee ice cream on the side. And the other was a chocolate lava cake with chocolate sauce, raspberry puree, whipped cream and ice cream. A sweet ending to a sweet day . . .





Thanks again, J - love you much!

Inspiration From Mitford: Letter-Writing

“Years ago, his seminary friend had been moved by the Apostle Paul’s comment that the letter he wrote to the Galatians was “by my own hand,” as if it were an act of great personal sacrifice. As a young seminarian Stuart Cullen had taken that to heart. Since his installation as bishop, he was known to personally pen all the letters of real importance to his diocese. How did he have the time, people inevitably wondered. Well, that was the whole point. He didn’t. Which, of course, made his handwritten and reflective letters a treasure to anyone who received an example.”

-- Jan Karon, At Home in Mitford

Scattered throughout the Mitford series, one will read letters written to Father Tim from his friend and mentor, Bishop Stuart Cullen. These handwritten missives are of encouragement to the recipient as well as beautiful examples of the lost art of letter-writing. Reading the Bishop’s gracious and reflective letters always puts me in the frame of mind to give the gift of a letter to someone else. And letters ARE gifts. In this fast-paced age of e-mail, IMing and Facebook, there is something very sentimental and precious about receiving an old-fashioned letter. The feel of the paper, beauty of the handwriting, encouragement in the words and thoughtfulness of the sender never cease to bring me joy. And that joy spurs me on to pass on that same gift to others.

When the mood strikes (or should I say, when the Spirit moves?), I pull out my correspondence basket and start writing. I have enjoyed stocking my basket with a variety of note paper, vintage cards, interesting postcards, cardstock to create my own cards, thin markers, stickers, stamps, address labels and my address book. I’m continually on the look-out at yard sales and thrift shops for other supplies with which to embellish my basket. (Just the weekend I found an old box of vintage get-well cards at a yard sale. It doesn’t seem that many people send get-well cards anymore – it think, perhaps, it’s an old tradition that it might be nice to resurrect.)

Blessing someone today with a thoughtful handwritten letter will bring encouragement to the sender as well as joy to your heart.

Giant Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

This photo isn't the best but its' of Caleb decorating my birthday cake last week. The boys offered to bake me a cake, but I had been hungry for a Giant Ice Cream Sandwich so I put one together and they decorated it. Easy and yummy, it's a great summertime birthday cake!

Giant Ice Cream Sandwich

Heat oven to 350. Generously spray two 9" round cake pans. Cut a roll of chocolate chip cookie dough into 20 - 1/2" slices and lay 10 in each pan. Press slices together leaving a 3/4" gap all around the edge (the cookies will spread to the edge of pan when baking). Bake 14 minutes or until golden. Let cool for 2 minutes then remove cookies from pans onto waxed paper and cool completely. Place two pieces of plastic wrap at right angles to each other in one of the empty pans, leaving enough overhang to cover sandwich. Set 1 cookie upside down in pan. Spread 1 qt. of slightly thawed ice cream over cookie. Place the second cookie, right side up, on top of ice cream then wrap. Cover with aluminum foil (if you make it really far ahead of time) and freeze until firm (about 5 hours). Decorate, if desired, then slice and serve.

Giving God Glory

"It is not only prayer that gives God glory but work. Smiting on an anvil, sawing a beam, whitewashing a wall, driving horses, sweeping, scouring . . . To go to communion worthily gives God great glory, but to take food in thankfulness and temperance gives Him glory too. To lift up the hands in prayer gives God glory, but a man with a dungfork in his hand, a woman with a sloppail, give Him glory, too. He is so great that all things give Him glory if you mean they should."

-- Gerard Manley Hopkins

Christmas in August?

Last Friday evening, my aunt, mom, sister and I had our first "Christmas in August" session. Several months ago, my sister came across an article in a magazine about someone making beautiful Victorian Christmas ornaments. When she saw them, she knew immediately that the four of us could come up with some similar ornaments of our own to sell at Christmastime during the craft shows my mom and aunt frequently do. So we spent the next few months buying odds & ends at auctions, thrift shops and yard sales to use in our creations. Friday night (while our guys visited, watched a movie and snacked - our family has to include snacks in everything!), we had a blast inspiring one another and creating a small pile of Victorian Christmas ornaments. We have plans to do another session shortly which I'm really looking forward to. The only thing missing was Christmas music!



"

Fresh Salsa

I made this recipe for a gathering the other night - there's nothing like homemade salsa in the summertime with fresh veggies from the garden! This concoction is actually an adaptation of a recipe that my nephew learned how to make in home-ec class this year. He thought I would like it so delivered a bowl of it and the recipe to my door.

Fresh Salsa
3 medium to large tomatoes, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 banana peppers, seeded and chopped (NOTE: Wear gloves when working with hot peppers! I didn't and my hands burned for hours afterward!!)
2 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. crushed dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients and let sit in frig for at least 30 minutes. Serve with tortilla chips.

A Tea Folder

This fun, little idea was a gift from a friend this week which she included inside a birthday card. It's a little folder which contains a tea bag. I thought this would make a perfect little favor for teatime, a Mother's Day banquet, or any other gathering for ladies. It's simply a piece of colored paper (not quite as thick as cardstock) that's cut to the same measurement as a tea bag that's in a packet. Another little square of contrasting paper was added and then the top layer was cut down the center. A tiny bow was wrapped around the whole thing and a tea bag packet slipped inside.

(The card sitting behind the folder in the photo was given to me by my mom. It's got flower seeds embedded in the paper. You soak it, tear it up, and plant it inside or out for an added gift. Very clever! See www.LeaninTree.com for more info.)

Orange Vanilla Smoothies

This is another smoothie recipe we like though not quite as much as the Fruit Smoothies. Next time I plan to add a banana or so for thickness as well as another layer of flavor.

1 C. plain, low-fat yogurt
3/4 C. frozen orange juice concentrate
1/2 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Serve immediately.

Organizing The Craft Drawer

One afternoon this week I spent a pleasant hour or two organizing two craft/gift-giving drawers. All of my gift supplies and craft stuff was in two large boxes in the attic so whenever I wanted to wrap, decorate or craft, I'd have to climb up there. I decided to clean out two drawers in a bureau in my bedroom and streamline my items to fit there. Now everything's nice and handy, and I think I will be quicker to bless someone with an impromptu goodie with my supplies closer at hand.

Sidewalk Paint

I mixed up some sidewalk paint one afternoon this week for my nephew and Eli to mess with. The bright hues were impressive when mixed up, and the colors of the designs the boys made looked so vibrant on the sidewalks after their creations dried. A great recipe from The Ultimate Book of Kid Concotions by John E. Thomas and Danita Pagel -

Super Sidewalk Paint
1/4 C. cornstarch
1/4 C. cold water
6 drops of food coloring (I used McCormick's Neon Colors.)

Mix cornstarch and cold water together in a small plastic bowl. Add food coloring and stir. Repeat this process to create different colors. Brush on with a paintbrush - it easily rinses off the sidewalk with water.

Inspiration From Mitford: Hiding God's Word in Our Hearts

In the first chapter of “At Home in Mitford,” we are introduced to a large dog named Barnabas, whom we come to find out a bit later in the chapter, is controlled by Scripture! In order to calm the beast down, Father Tim discovers by accident that if he recites any Scripture that comes to his mind, Barnabas immediately relents and obeys. A perfect picture as to what should happen to us when we hear God’s Word proclaimed!

Father Tim spends much time throughout the Mitford series reciting Scripture to Barnabas – and in order to do this, he would have had to hide passages of God’s Word in his heart as some point or another. This reminded me of how important Scripture memory is to our hearts, minds and lives. I was recently convicted to get serious about memorizing when I heard a broadcast on the Revive Our Hearts radio program. Nancy Leigh DeMoss had been interviewing Janet Pope who wrote the book called “His Word In My Heart.” This woman has memorized something like 14 BOOKS of the Bible. I sat mesmerized as I listened to her beautifully and passionately recite a portion from one of the books of the New Testament.

Ms. Pope offered several comments about memorization:
* She shared that Scripture memory isn’t a discipline, it’s a habit. Just as it is a habit for us to brush our teeth every day or eat three meals a day, so is spending time memorizing Scripture.
* Her motivation for memorizing is her love for God. She knows that by memorizing large portions of the Word, she gets to know her Savior and His will and ways better.
* Memorizing large portions of Scripture versus individual verses helps her understand the context of the Word better and is actually easier than pulling out verses here and there since it is in context. Memorizing large portions of the Word makes it your’s – it becomes personal, you know it well, you become intimately familiar with it.
* Ms. Pope also shared that though memorizing the Word doesn’t make her sin less – she IS convicted more readily because having the Word continually being poured into her mind makes it very easy for the Spirit to remind her and help her obey more quickly.

After hearing this broadcast, I challenged myself to memorize the short book of James. I had started this several years ago and memorized the first two chapters but eventually allowed it to fall by the wayside. I have begun with it again and was delighted to find how much of it I actually remembered. (Ms. Pope mentioned that it’s beneficial to routinely review past memorization to keep it fresh.) I have also found it to be true that the Spirit quickly brings this portion of Scripture to my mind to convict at various points in my day. Because it is fresh in my mind, it so clearly and readily comes to my heart and persuades me to obey.

Might I encourage you as well to begin the habit of hiding God’s Word in your heart? As Father Tim found out, you never know when it might just come in handy!

While We Were Yet Sinners

"The measure of his love for us increases still more when we consider our unworthiness. "Perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die - but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:7-8). We deserved divine punishment, not divine sacrifice.

I have heard it said, "God didn't die for frogs. So he was responding to our value as humans." This turns grace on its head. We are worse off than frogs. They have not sinned. They have not rebelled and treated God with the contempt of being inconsequential in their lives. God did not have to die for frogs. They aren't bad enough. We are. Our debt is so great, only a divine sacrifice could pay it."

-- John Piper, The Passion of Jesus Christ - Fifty Reasons Why He Came to Die

Nature Question

Eli and I discovered this in my grandfather's flower beds when we were weeding and mulching. It's fascinating and looks like tiny birds' nests with eggs inside. Anybody know if it's fungus, mushrooms, mold???