Joanne Heim

Hello

Well, I didn't intend to take a blogging break, but that's what happened, I guess! Though I did intend not to blog on Sunday. In fact, I didn't even open the lid on my MacBook. 

God has been teaching me a lot about the Sabbath in the past few months. I haven't shared much of it, because it's been a little random--bits and pieces that I knew were related, but couldn't quite fit together yet. But it's all coming together in the past few weeks and some things are changing around here. I'm excited to sit down and tell you about it when I have some time.

But in the meantime, I've been hanging out with Mom and Dad (dinner on Saturday night and then Audrey and I went over for a "quick" lunch yesterday and stayed for more than three hours!), putting some new Sabbath practices into place, saying goodbye to some friends who are moving (pizza and pool time yesterday evening), working on my seminary application, gathering books at the library to read next week (see below!), doing some back to school planning this morning, and hanging out with some friends this afternoon.

We're leaving for the lake (of the Ozarks that is!) on Friday with my family. So there's some laundry and packing that needs to get done. Not to mention setting my hose sprinklers on timers so my daisies don't die while we're gone.

Time to go put some muffins in the oven for the meeting that's happening here in a bit. So I've gotta run.

Have a great day!

A little song for today

We are a singing family, constantly making up songs about just about everything. Brushing teeth, doing hair, going to the pool. Doesn't matter what it is, we sing about it. The girls get mad props for particularly good rhymes.

Anyway, here's a little song I've been singing all day (to the tune of Camptown Ladies):

Mom and Dad are home today, do dah, do dah,

Mom and Dad are home today, O it's a happy day!

Been to Alaska,

Been to Canada,

Mom and Dad are home today,

So I yell "Hooray!"

They've been gone for nine weeks and pulled into their driveway a couple of hours ago. We were waiting! We helped unload the fifth wheel, started some laundry, and loaded the pantry.

I love knowing they're just down the road about three miles again, rather than a thousand plus miles.

***

On a completely random note, I just noticed that I eat popsicles that match my outfit. The other night in my new jammies I pulled out an orange one and swapped it for a red one. Just now, I pulled out a blue one and swapped it for an orange one that matches my tee shirt. Weird, huh?!

Second chances

I went on a walk yesterday morning, really hoping that as I came to the school playground it would be filled with children--and certain little girls wanting to pet Daisy. But when I came around the corner, the playground was empty.

I was so disappointed.

For whatever reason, I really thought I'd have a second chance and an opportunity to do it right. To apologize for ignoring them the other day and ask for forgiveness and find out their names and tell them all about Daisy and let them find out how soft her ears are.

I do think that God often gives us second chances. He's gone out of his way to give me second chances in the past.

Like the time we moved and were driving from California to Colorado and I passed a man and his dog at the bottom of an on-ramp with a sign that they were hungry, but didn't stop because Toben's car was already at the top of the ramp and I wanted to catch up. I sensed God telling me to stop--especially since there was a McDonald's across the way--but I was in a hurry and I didn't.

As I drove along, I begged God to give me another chance.

However many hundreds of miles later we pulled off the highway and at the top of the off ramp there was a different man, but a man--with a dog--and a sign saying he was hungry. I couldn't believe it! I unrolled my window, talked to the guy for a while, gave him some money, a couple of dog treats (Daisy was in the front seat with me) and a bottle of cold water. (We were somewhere in Arizona and it was hot.)

It was a second chance.

But yesterday the playground was empty and I didn't understand why. I stopped to swing and talk to God about it, hoping that maybe the kids would come out while I was swinging.

Why, God? Why don't I get a second chance this time?

As I pumped back and forth, God impressed something on my heart. That this faith, this life in him is for the present moment. And that's something we never get back. A moment lasts just that long--and it's in that moment we seek him, we obey him, we carry his presence to the world.

It's today, it's now, it's in this time and place that we're called to obey. 

Yes, sometimes there will be a second chance. But it's not a guarantee. And this moment counts.

When my kids ask for help. When I choose how to respond to the person in front of me. When I'm faced with the choice to help someone or go my own way.

It's a hard lesson. But one that I pray I won't soon forget.

Wordle

How fun is this? It took all the words from my blog and made this. You can make yours here.

Bad attitude

Okay, so what I didn't mention last night when I showed you my new pjs (which slept great, by the way, and thanks for all the pj love!) was that I had a terrible attitude yesterday. Don't know if it was because I was so hot, or tired, or what, but after a great quiet time and a successful run (that means I made it the whole way running and didn't give up!), I got hit with a bad attitude out of nowhere. No reason for it at all.

I hate that. It seems like it descends like a fog and I just can't get out of it. I wasn't mean to my family or anything, but I just couldn't shake it. No patience, no happiness, just blah, blech, uck, gross.

Know what I mean?

I have to back up and say that part of what I read yesterday morning in my quiet time was this:

But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God;

may they be happy and joyful.

Psalm 68:3

Definitely not me yesterday. Not even close. Grumpy and out of sorts was more like it.

Anyway, it started to get cloudy and we all talked about how wonderful some rain would be. And even more wonderful would be rain all afternoon.

Then Toben suggested I go do something I really enjoy. So I headed downstairs to make my new pjs. (Committing it to the Lord!) And I put on my ipod and started singing.

See, the very next verse in Psalm 68 says this: 

Sing to God, sing praise to his name, 

extol him who rides on the clouds--

his name is the LORD--

and rejoice before him.

Sounds like a recipe for happiness and joy. And you know what? It's a recipe that always turns out right. Praise music never ceases to lift my spirits, to fill me with joy, to make me happy.

So I sang my way through my sewing pattern and wouldn't you know it, the rain started. And it rained all afternoon. I sat on the floor in the basement, hands lifted, singing my heart out, rejoicing before him. Because it is well with my soul. And that's what really matters.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Presto, chango!

From an old IKEA curtain from Audrey's room in California to...

Another pair of new jammies! This time with buttonholes for that darn drawstring!

AND, if that's not a happy thing--it's also pouring rain. And has been for the past two hours. And I went to the library and got a stack of decorate-y, craft-y books. And a new Clive Cussler. And the new Janet Evanovich.

I'm off to curl up on the couch, watch the rain pour, and thumb through books. Ahhhh...

Whatever you do

Commit to the LORD whatever you do,

and your plans will succeed.

Proverbs 16:3

Really? Whatever I do? 

Going for a walk, cooking dinner, reading to the girls?

Starting a sewing project, cleaning the house, running errands?

Hanging out with friends, going to the pool, reading blogs?

Part of me balks at this, thinking that God really might not care about some of those things. But my friend Jan Johnson says that nothing we do is too ordinary or too boring for God. I love that. I tell others that. But do I believe that enough to do what this verse says?

I do believe that we are to take God at his word. Take his Word, the Bible, literally. So this verse really means what it says--we are to commit whatever we do to the LORD.

I think it's more than just giving God our day in the morning--which is important. But I was challenged yesterday in listening to Beth Moore (surprise, surprise!) to pray specifically. Instead of saying, "Bless my family" to be specific in what that looks like. So I think that means being specific about what we're committing to him.

Today's a running day, so I'm off for my run. And I'm committing it to the LORD. What does that look like? "I'm going for a run, God. I'm committing it to you and asking you to be glorified in it." 

How might our lives be different if we did this? Wanna join me and see?

I so totally blew it just now

Can I just tell you that I so blew it just now? Part of me wants to say that it's not a really big deal, but the truth is that I don't know really know.

Anyway.

Daisy and I just got back from our walk. (She looked so sassy in her new pink, sparkly collar and her ladybug leash--thank you, Yvette!) It was great--sunny, warm, shady, blue skies, green grass, flowers blooming everywhere--lovely. I'm listening to a series from Beth Moore on Generations: Making a Pact for Impact. It's great too.

Near the end of our walk, we go past, well, through actually, the neighborhood school. Since it's summer, there aren't kids around. But today, for whatever reason, the playground we walk through was full of kids. I pulled Daisy's leash a little tighter, kept my eyes straight ahead, and kept on walking, listening hard to what Beth was saying about no one being invisible to God.

Now, I keep the ipod turned up pretty loud. And the sound of the kids was barely discernible--just some background noise. But I sensed some girls following me, and thought I heard someone say, "Excuse me." (So sweet and polite!) But I was really concentrating on what Beth was saying, felt hot and tired, and anxious to be home, and thought, I didn't really hear anything and, even if I did, can't they see these white things sticking out of my ears? So I kept on going.

But the whole way across the blacktop, I sensed someone right behind me. And I didn't turn around. For the two minutes it would have taken to take the things out of my ears, press pause, and let those little girls pet Daisy. I convinced myself (or tried to) that I was hearing things.

I acted like those little girls were invisible. Right while I was listening to how no one is invisible to God. Duh. 

Seems like it might be a small thing, but the more I think about it, God is showing me it wasn't. Not to be mean or to dump guilt on my head. But to show me that being seen, being heard, being acknowledged is important. No matter how small you are. And that part of following him is showing others what he is like. I didn't do a very good job just now.

I've repented. Turned around from it and asked God's forgiveness. But I wish I'd turned around in body too and walked back to say I'm sorry and to let them pet Daisy. To show them that they're not invisible. That what they have to say matters.

You know what's really annoying?

Water STILL stuck in your ear hours and hours after coming home from the pool. Ahhhh! It's driving me CRAZY!

McCall's 2586

So I was totally inspired by the gorgeous lounge pants that Chris made and decided to make a pair out of an Urban Outfitters bed cover I had in the stash. Here's the result:

A couple of things:

1. If it's a unisex pattern, take that into account when buying it. I bought a large, and these are HUGE. Fine for the first time, but if I make the pattern again, I'll take in the seams by at least an inch and cut a good two inches off the top. 

2. The pattern had side pockets and cargo pockets. I left them off of mine. That meant there were only two pattern pieces to deal with. Fast and easy!

3. Somewhere I missed making buttonholes or openings for the drawstring until it was too late. So I tried a few things, ended up with a rapidly fraying hole in the waist, and decided to try grommets. Not my favorite for this, but it fixed the problem. The ribbon tie is only for decoration because of this mistake. I really wanted a drawstring in addition to the elastic.

One thing about sewing...it helps to make notes on the instructions as you go. I always think I'll remember any changes I made, but I never do until it's too late. So this pattern is all marked up now!

Despite all of this, I think I'll probably make some more of these--you can never have too many pairs of pjs! I have some fun Christmas flannel sheets that would make cute jammies for winter.

(I've looked for a link to the pattern. I think it's out of print, but there are some on ebay if you're looking.)

Cleaning the basement--again

I spent most of the day cleaning the basement. Sorting tools, organizing paint supplies, sifting toys, getting rid of some craft supplies, creating piles for trash and piles for the school's thrift shop. You don't even want to know what I found underneath the built-in shelves down there. I never thought to clean under there when we moved in, assuming there was nothing to clean. I was wrong. Eeewww. Gross.

Somehow I always feel like I'm cleaning the basement. Without a clear purpose and being unfinished, it get cluttered all too quickly. Things pile up and the thought is usually I'll put it away/deal with it later.

Kind of like life, don't you think? Without a clear direction, without a specific purpose, behind a closed door, it gets cluttered and messy and requires a massive overhaul to get it functional again.

Okay, that's enough. I'm tired and can't make the analogy go any further tonight.

All that to say, the basement is clean once more. There must be at least eight boxes of things to be donated and at least four giant trash bags to be thrown away. 

It feels good. Like I can go be creative down there again. Like there's room to rollerskate. (I found mine today!) I feel like someone should come over to see it. Any takers?

What I've been up to

As promised, I've spent most of the past few days in the backyard. First for an entire afternoon with Wendy and her kids--such fun to sit and visit for hours while the girls played so nicely. Then spread out on a blanket under a tree reading Nancy Drew mysteries and drinking iced tea. Followed by an evening with friends who came for hamburgers on the deck and then swimming at the pool.

Then there's been watching a wonderfully loud thunderstorm this evening, some old Nancy Drew episodes on DVD, and some time this afternoon, looking through this:

Toben has been encouraging me to make this dream come true. Looks like this might be the season to go to seminary (much jumping up and down and few butterflies thrown in for good measure)! So I'm gathering admissions materials and getting excited to start after Christmas.

Now that the mulch is in...

...the backyard is the place I want to be all the time!

Audrey and I volunteered at church yesterday for the last day of the World Vision AIDS Experience and it was fun to see so many of our friends come through. Janna drove down from Arvada, and Audrey and I watched her sweet kids while she went through the experience. She got to meet Wendy, who was there too and is coming over later today. 

Anyway, when we were done Janna came over to swim. Kristen and her sweet kids were already here and it was fun to float around in the pool before coming home for dinner. 

Wade came after work (Janna's husband, Matt, was at football practice) and we fed the kids dinner while they all watched a movie, then had "adult" dinner ourselves.

Followed by popsicles on the deck, enjoying the breeze and the smell of mulch--like a thousand newly sharpened pencils. It was so great to watch the kids all run around like the wild, crazy kids they are and just sit and visit and be.

So I'm looking forward to today. Wendy and her kids are coming for lunch and to play in the backyard for the afternoon. I can't wait. It's been too long since Wendy and I had a nice long visit and I know the girls will all get along great. 

Audrey and Emma want to spread out a huge blanket and then set up all their Littlest Pet Shops to play with. And maybe the Smurfs (yes, I have a TON from when Kristen and I collected them in the 80s). And there's always bubbles. And giant bouncy balls. And frisbees. And hulahoops.

And popsicles. Definitely popsicles.

Listen and obey

Each week my prayer book has a theme. This week's is "Listening and Obeying." Oh good, I thought, this will be good for Audrey and Emma!

Well, actually, it's good for me. 

How often do I do that? Hear something, read something, and think, So and so really needs to hear that? When the truth is that I'm the one who needs to hear it?

Today's reading included James 1:19-27. I don't know about you, but James makes me a little bit uncomfortable. He's not worried about hurting my feelings, offending his readers, or coming on too strong. Nope, James says it like it is. Something I really do like and appreciate, but something that makes me cringe a bit too.

Anyway, what struck me today was this:

Everyone should be 

quick to listen,

slow to speak, and

slow to become angry...

(Something that has obviously struck me before, because it's already underlined in my Bible and has some notes written next to it.)

With Audrey and Emma on my mind, what struck me was this: Am I quick to listen to them? Am I slow to speak when they're telling me something? Am I slow to be become angry?

As much as I want them to do what this verse says, am I modeling what it looks like to them? Do they know what this looks like because they've seen me do it?

So I'm praying this morning for God to help me with this. To help me remember "quick, slow, slow" as I go through my day.

Of course, the passage goes on to say a lot more that I need to hear. But that's for another day...

Getting out of a hair rut

If you have little girls...go check out this blog. I think the girls and I have looked at every single picture. And we bought the kind of comb she uses at Target the other day, along with some new ponies. 

My girls wear their hair in ponies or braids almost every day. I can't stand having hair in their faces--especially on school days. They just can't concentrate if their hair is constantly in their eyes. So this is totally getting us out of a hair rut.

And look--fancy hair (but terrible photos--we were in a rush out the door) for church yesterday... (They already have a list of the next styles they want to try!)

 

What I did today

18 shovel fulls of mulch 

(I know 'cause I counted--just for you!)

x

a gazillion wheelbarrow loads 

(okay, that may be exaggerating a bit, but probably at least 50)

=

feeling a little bit sore and tired 

(would be a lot, but I've had lots of Advil!)

 

But it was totally worth it!

 

That's A LOT OF MULCH!

After we finished, I spent quite a bit of time at that table, eating popsicles and reading Nancy Drew before heading to the pool to relax!

Ice cream, comments, and mulch

The girls and I made some homemade ice cream yesterday--WOW. You have to go get this recipe--the cards to download are just darling and the ice cream was out of this world. Really. Go download the recipe now, buy some ice, and get crankin'. I may even have some for breakfast.

Ya'll left such sweet comments yesterday and I really want to sit down and write back to each one of you. But I need to go help Toben out back. We're having truckloads of mulch delivered tomorrow and we need to go lay plastic stuff down before it gets too hot.

We have weed-filled flower beds that run the whole length of the backyard that will be beautiful by the end of the weekend. We took out some gross, prickly, dying evergreen shrub things last summer and planted some snowball bushes (LOVE THOSE!) earlier this summer. (And planted some honeysuckle to climb over that arch.) Now we just need mulch to complete the beds and make it look neat.

Be still and know

Be still,

and know that I am God.

Psalm 46:10

Presumably, being still is a necessary part to knowing that God is God. Unfortunately I'm not very good at being still.

In fact, it's kind of a joke around here--that being still doesn't come easily to me. I tend to jump up after five minutes or so, remembering something that needs to be done, someone I need to call, something I forgot to do. 

Sure, I sit still to read a book, to watch The Brady Bunch (or Wonder Woman, which came yesterday, but that's a whole different post), or to have my quiet time. But to just be still--and do nothing else? That feels like an impossible task to me.

But one I want to learn.

So I looked up some definitions to get a better understanding of what it means to be still. And here's some of what I learned:

be still (Hebrew: raphah, pronounced rafa)

to sink, relax, sink down, let drop

to abandon, relax, refrain, forsake

to let go

to let alone

to be quiet

know (Hebrew: yada)

to know, learn to know

to perceive and see, find out and discern

to recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess

to consider

to be instructed

Here's something I found interesting. The word for be still is also translated as fail elsewhere in Scripture. And in each instance, it first states that God is with us and that he will not fail.

I want to learn to be still. And so I'm going to try something new in my quiet time. I want to sink down in my huge, comfy chair, relax, refrain from doing anything, let go of my desire to do and accomplish, and just be quiet. To consider that he is God.

I'm not sure I can do this for even five minutes. But I want to make this part of my quiet time. To put down my pen, to put down my prayer book, and just be still. 

Popsicle haiku

In honor of my favorite summertime treat, one which I indulge in at least three times a day! (I'm so not kidding, I eat MANY popsicles a day.)

Popsicles calling

Bright orange, red, and blue--cheap ones!

Taste of summertime

What's your favorite summertime treat? Think you need to post a haiku too...

Though...

This has been a week full of sad news from friends, of heavy hearts for Africa, of laying requests before God. I've sat here in my chair in the mornings, overwhelmed and unsure how to pray.

This week's Psalm in my prayer book is Psalm 46. And I was struck this morning by verses 1-2:

God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear,

though...

...AIDS kills and children are orphaned and alone

...a child dies in his sleep

...pregnancies end in loss

...a dog runs away and is killed

...children have cancer

...friends move away

...whatever we may be facing is happening

...and we don't understand why.

God is an ever-present help. We are not alone because he is Immanuel, God with us. And so in the midst of it all, I'm praising God for his "with us-ness" and am asking him simply to be who he is. To be a refuge and strength and help in all these situations. To make himself known for who he is in a tangible way today.

If you live anywhere near Denver, you need to go through this

The World Vision Experience: AIDS is at our church for the next 10 days or so. Go take a look and if you're anywhere nearby, you need go through this. This crisis seems so huge, but as the church--as individuals even--we can make a difference.

We just got home from going through with the girls (they'll put you on a splitter with your child so you can listen to the same story) and I think if I hadn't been with Emma, I would still be sitting in the prayer chapel, completely undone. 

(Audrey is almost 10; Emma is 7 1/2. You'll have to decide if your child could handle this. Mine are the same age as the brothers in the story Emma and I followed. I think that made a huge impression on her.)

I want to tell you more about it, but I don't really have the words.

Spend some time looking at the website, watch the video trailers, and if you don't live near Denver, go look at the tour dates and make sure you get to one near you.

Procrastiponement

That's the term Toben came up with the other day for that weird thing we do--wait forever to do a project we think will be a drag, but is never as bad/expensive/time-consuming as we expected.

Take the powder room.

It has had HIDEOUS wallpaper since we moved in. Hideous wallpaper that's been peeling at the edges. Hideous wallpaper that looked like a giant bruise. (I thought about digging in the trash so I could take a picture, but you'll just have to take my word for it.)

So *FINALLY* I took it down. First I set Emma and Audrey on the job. I figured that since they like to peel it little by little when they're in that bathroom, they might as well go to town--with my permission. Then I took off the rest (love that DIF!) and looked in the basement for whatever paint I had a lot of. (The previous owners left something like 20 gallons of paint down there.)

And voila! A beautiful bathroom in half a day. The only thing I had to buy was the wallpaper remover, so the total cost was something like $8.

 

 

So what are you procrastiponing? 

A Paris Street Market

Yesterday my friend Emily and I went to A Paris Street Market--just down the road and very wonderful. Though I hesitate to blog about it because it's getting very crowded--even when you arrive just after it opens at 8 a.m. But since I love you, I'll share!

My favorite find was the patterns--almost all of them are my size (and the children's ones will fit Audrey, Emma, or Ava) and with the exception of a hideously ugly Laura Ashley pattern that I would have adored when I was 13, they are beautiful. I'm having a hard time deciding what to make first.

And the purse made from Nancy Plays Nurse just had to come home with me. It was one of my all-time favorites as a little girl. I desperately wanted to be a candy striper and then a nurse. (Until my dad had a chainsaw accident one Saturday morning. After that I wanted to be a teacher. And then a model. And then a stewardess.)

Last month, this was my favorite find:

I'll be gone for the next market the first weekend of August, but I'm up for the first Saturday in September. Anyone wanna come along?

And the winner is...

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

31

Timestamp: 2008-07-06 20:39:36 UTC

Comment #31 was (I counted twice!):

Pat

Congratulations! Your prize will be on the way tomorrow...

Two more skirts...

(They're only holding hands cause I made 'em. If you look close you can see how hard they're squeezing.)

And check out picnik.com for fun and free photo editing!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway...

You still have time to enter the giveaway here. Audrey and Emma will do the drawing in the morning--since we're off to my niece's birthday party tonight.

And for those of you who asked, here's a tutorial on how to make these. (I didn't follow this--just sorta made it up as I went, but these instructions are super helpful!)

The letter U is up!

See, I really didn't forget!

Thinking about freedom

Galatians 5:13

You were called to be free. 

But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; 

rather, serve one another in love.

This jumped off the page at me last week during one of my quiet time readings. I've been thinking about the Sabbath quite a bit, and how to celebrate it and keep it holy in our family. I've listened to some incredible sermons (here), had some great conversations, and been totally challenged.

When I came across this verse, it struck me that this is the question of the Sabbath. Will I use my freedom to indulge myself or to serve others?

I suppose this is on my heart this morning as I think about what it means to be an American, what it means to be free. Will I use my freedom to indulge myself or to serve others?

Half a yard of fabric, plus some elastic, and maybe some trim...

I'm loving this pattern. A lot.

It's one Audrey picked out because she loves the capris. We haven't gotten 'round to them yet, but I made a skirt--well, almost two--today.

It takes less than 30 minutes--really. And a half a yard of fabric. I have lots of half a yard of fabrics in my stash.

Take a peek:

This fabric was once a bedspread from Urban Outfitters--on clearance for maybe $5. It's also a dress hanging in my closet!

An exception to the rule

In general, sandwiches made by others always taste better than any I make myself--with one exception.

(Note I am NOT a food stylist; this was the best I could do!)

Bagel and Vegetable Sandwich

Toasted bagel (this one's plain, but I especially like an everything bagel)

Cream cheese

Sliced carrots (essential for a good crunch)

Sliced cucumber

Sliced tomato

Sprouts

Sliced olives

Sunflower seeds

Sliced avocado

Kosher salt and pepper

That's it! Layer it all together and squish it down--otherwise it's too tall to eat! Toben likes his with a slice or two or four of honey ham and Audrey always wants a slice of swiss on hers. Emma just wants extra sprouts and avocado with some Lays potato chips on the side.

But in my opinion, you can't beat okra pickles on the side!

Reading and watching

Even though it's summer vacation, we still do the majority of our reading at breakfast time. We just read for longer periods of time since there's no rush to get out the door.

Before we left for Alaska, we were working our way through the Julie books from American Girl--thank you, Heidi!

After Alaska, though, we decided to move onto a different set of Julie books--the ones by Jean Craighead George who wrote one of my all-time favorite books as a child, My Side of the Mountain. Love, love, love that book.

Julie is an eskimo girl lost in the tundra and becomes part of a wolf pack to survive. I've read them before, but it's been a long time, and it seems new to me too. The girls are really enjoying it--despite the fact that there's almost no dialog and lots of descriptions of the tundra.

We've also been watching movies--or TV shows on DVD--in the afternoons when the pool is out. (Yesterday we tried to go twice, but it was windy and cloudy and kept trying to rain.)

My girls are insane for The Brady Bunch--and we've been getting it from Netflix. Yesterday's disc included their Grand Canyon adventure--remember that one? Bobby and Cindy wander off and meet an Indian boy whose grandfather adopts them into the tribe. 

Audrey and Emma just crack up. And I'm loving it just as much as I did in 1979.

I also introduced them to Fame--which I loved as a kid. Of course, I have to get up and sing at the beginning of every episode! 

And I've been watching The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries. I've watched the first two discs in the first season--still no Nancy Drew. But Shaun Cassidy has been singing "Da Do Run Run" and that sends me straight back to a memory of singing and dancing in someone's basement when I was about nine years old. 

The girls have watched bits and pieces here and there with me, but it's a little too scary for them--suspenseful music and dark basements send them running for cover.

Google Reader is making my day!

Angie wrote a post here the other day about Google Reader. I had no idea about this, but am loving it now that I've signed up. It's a super easy way to find out which blogs you read have been updated, and all you have to do is click one little button to go comment on the original post.

I don't know about you, but I often check my favorite blogs again and again while waiting for a new post. Now I just go to Google Reader and it lists all my updated favorites in one place. So simple and easy!

Thanks, Angie. It's making my day!

Listening for an answer

Do you ever ask a question, but not listen for an answer? I do it far too often, I'm afraid. I ask God for something, and then don't pay attention long enough for him to answer. Or I ask, but then forget even what I asked for and am oblivious to an answer.

I was thinking about this earlier this morning because I've been trying to listen hard for an answer from God. I've been praying A LOT for wisdom lately--especially wisdom in parenting. Puberty is on the horizon, and I'm feeling woefully inadequate to face it. (In fact, it makes me want to run screaming into the wild blue yonder!)

So I find myself asking God numerous times each day for his wisdom when it comes to parenting Audrey and Emma. Yes, there are some good things I do with the girls, but I've been feeling a pressing need for more if we're to do a good job of training the girls.

And as I've asked, I'm doing my best to listen. I'm praying that along with giving wisdom, he'll open my ears to hear what he has to teach. "He...wakens my ear to listen like one being taught" (Isaiah 50:4). That he'll help me to recognize wisdom when it comes, to see the answers when they come. (And for him to help me put it all into practice!)

He's answering. In books I'm reading, in conversations I'm having, in my quiet time, in blogs I'm reading, in sermons I'm listening to. It's coming at me right and left, everywhere I turn.

God answers. I just have to listen to hear it.