mountains and valleys.

The pause from the blog these past few weeks has been intentional, as I sought refuge and quiet and an unplugged rest in the Colorado mountains. It has been delightful. A true mountaintop of experiences. Thank you for the prayers and wishes.

Mornings of strong coffee on the deck overlooking God's creation.
Sounds of the creek trickling and laughter from children exploring dirt and rocks and sticks and wild raspberries.
Memories made with family - snapshots captured eternally in my heart.
Getting back to the basics of life and earth and family.
Campfires and singing praises to our Creator.
Watching wildlife in their habitats - as a mere spectator. (thankfully no bears!)
Cool evenings and daily storms watering the forest.
Sunrises and sunsets followed by full moon skies.
Conversations that would not have happened otherwise.
Books read and quiet times enjoyed daily.
Climbing and conquering a mountain - a true adventure with the one I love.
Weekend away in luxury with just the husband.
Self-reflection. Heart-refection. Confession. Prayer.

Such a rare treasure - cabin time. Family time. Mountain time. A treasure not taken lightly.

As we were planning to return to City life last weekend (please note :I'm not sure I'm ever prepared), we received a call that stopped the world from spinning a bit. My world, that is.

My dear aunt passed away, after a year battle with cancer. I had said my goodbyes at the conclusion of each visit over the past year - and God graciously allowed me one more hour with her last Wednesday before she left us on Friday.

Though she and I saw God through different lenses, I loved hearing what she learned in this last year of knowing her time on earth was limited. Though many things were mentioned, one stood out among the rest as the most profound. That she was not in control. She said her experience of God was deeper  - she felt Him nearer in her valley this past year.  She reminded me of much - the important things - to love well and to be thankful for the valleys where we can experience God the most.

Loss. Goodbye. Emptiness.

Never ready, but always known.

Such a contrast to the rest and joy experienced during the first few weeks of our trip. Yet, such gratitude that the Lord allowed us weeks of laughter to lead into a week of sorrow. A mountaintop experience followed by the valley. That's how life works, I've found.

Mountains and valleys. They cannot exist apart from each other.

The perspective is gained on the mountain top, but the vision is first cast down in the valley.



David and I climbed a 14-er mountain a few weekends ago. Starting out on the trail - you never really know what is ahead of you. It's just about one foot in front of the other. At points along the 7 mile trail, you can see the summit, and the vision is cast.

But, it's not until you summit - and feel your heart pounding out of your chest - that you look across mountain range upon mountain range, that you gain an accurate perspective.

(This is a view of the mountain we climbed from another mountain. Perspective. I assure you I probably would not have climbed it if I had seen it in it's entirety. Another lesson of God's grace in not letting us see the big picture.)

Perspective. How small we are. How great God is. How tough the journey up. Then, how increasingly difficult the journey down.

It brings a song by Steven Curtis Champman to mind.  In The Mountain Champman sings, "My faith is strengthened by all that I see. You make it easy for me to believe, up on the mountain." He prays, "Lord help me remember what you've taught me, up on the mountain." Then the song concludes with, "But, I know we are headed for a Valley..."

We are assured of life's mountains and valleys, though we don't know them by name.

It's remembering when we have seen God's face and experienced his love and walked with his faithfulness and his steady provision that allow us to face the valley, confidently and securely...and to keep... walking step by step where the trail may lead.

(Oh the mountain analogies are endless!)

His love is steadfast from either vantage point. His hand ever leading. His promises sure.

Psalm 121

¹I lift up my eyes to the hills.
   From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the LORD,
   who made heaven and earth.

 ³He will not let your foot be moved;
   he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴Behold, he who keeps Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

 ⁵The LORD is your keeper;
   the LORD is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

 ⁷The LORD will keep you from all evil;
   he will keep your life.
⁸The LORD will keep
   your going out and your coming in
   from this time forth and forevermore.

going on a bear hunt.

"We're going on a bear hunt,  

            going to catch a big one, 

                    what a beautiful day,  

                                  we're not scared."

Tomorrow we embark for our annual Colorado cabin retreat, however, this year it seems to be a bit more of an unknown adventure than in years past. Something about bear sightings and visits to the cabin along with a few mountain lions may turn this year's visit into a bit of a hunt for Husband. We will see.

Prayers for safety, fun, and replenishment while we are away from the big City would be much appreciated!

Ready or not...

wisdom from pooh.

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully.

"It's the same thing," he said.

(excerpt from Winnie-the-Pooh)

***

I couldn't resist these quotes as I put together David's Father's Day festivities last month. They included a yummy breakfast, of course: David's favorite - Eggs Benedict.

 I can relate to Pooh.

Yesterday, I took Kate to see her very first movie. For her scrapbook, I want to note that we paid $12.00 for an Adult ticket, $9.50 for the Child's ticket and $6.25 for a kids pack; including, a small popcorn, small drink and some mystery small gummy candy thing - that was devoured in literally 10 seconds. I do remember when my movie ticket as a student was $5.50. I also remember now why David and I fore go the movie theater and just watch movies a few months later at home. Every now and again - it is worth the splurge though. Oh, and that popcorn you just can't quite copy at home.

I digress. We went and saw Winnie-the-Pooh and it was darling! I loved every second of the movie and every bite...of popcorn.The previews went on forever (30 minutes for an hour long movie) and since I've been reading Cinderella Ate My Daughter (more on that soon), I was overly sensitive to the multi-media marketing to our children at such young ages. But, I definitely thought Winnie-the Pooh was tastefully done, pretty true to the book (in different order), and even included character teaching - denying self to serve others. Love that!

Definitely a great movie to escape the summer heat and to make a fun memory. You can relax knowing it is really geared for the kids (not an animated movie for adults).

Happy watching!

summer snapshots.

A brief look at our summer so far - it's been very low key and nice.

Lunch from food trucks. (More on this soon.)

Family visits. 

Down time cuddling and reading together on the couch. 

Picnics in Central Park. 

Fun in Long Island. 

Unexpected treats: movie dates, carousel rides, eating popsicles.

Water parks. 

Zoo days. 

Adventure walks in the City. 

you are what you eat.

"You are what you eat." 

A notion which on the surface implies that to be healthy, you need to consume healthy food. What you put in is what you get out. A mere mathematical equation of sorts.

I was researching the statement out of curiosity and stumbled upon a few other translations over the past few centuries:

Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a French lawyer and politician living in Paris during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, wrote an essay that included the phrase, 

"Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es." 

Which translates, 'Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are'.

Then, in an essay entitled Concerning Spiritualism and Materialism, 1863/4, Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach wrote:

"Der Mensch ist, was er ißt."

That translates into English as 'man is what he eats'. 


Though numerous whole food products have piggy-backed on this slogan for mere marketing advantage year after year, it is no new concept. 


Today, our church is participating in a communal fast. Once a month, we participate as a church community in a fast to pray for the vision of our church and the flourishing of the gospel in the City. To pray together as a 'communion of saints' to seek God's face, recognizing that to see the kingdom come in the City will not be on our own efforts. To spend time in individual worship all day and to gather together in the evening to sing praise as one. One body. One mind. One heart. One vision. One. I love this day and all that is represents. 


It's hard though - that fasting and prayer part. [understatement] If you are not familiar with the spiritual discipline of fasting or prayer, Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster is a fabulous place to start in reading more about it. I have so much more to learn, but am discovering the sweetness of this discipline as a way to quiet the noise around me and search the heart of God is a more focused way for a certain period of time. 


I am in no way intending this blog to be a way of saying, look at my spiritual self. On the contrary, my heart is ugly and empty and I long for much to fill it up. 


This morning, instead of enjoying my favorite meal of the day,  I read John 4 and tasted of the Daily Bread. 


Verse 11:
Woman at the Well: "Where do you get that living water?"
Jesus: "Everyone who drinks of this water [referring to the well] will be thirsty again but whoever drinks of the water I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." 

Verse 31, 34: 

Disciples: "Rabbi, eat." 

Jesus: "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work."

What does it mean to live in obedience to the Father and to grow from the nourishment of doing his will in my life? What is his will in my life?  Some days that is more clear than others. Am I feeling malnourished on those days because I am seeking my own agenda over his?  I love that He promises to satisfy. That we can rest on the Truth that we don't have to leverage our lives for anything else than obedience to Him because nothing else is able to satisfy with complete fulfillment. I need that reminder....daily. Hourly. I continue to seek out empty, tasteless food foregoing the food that is best for my soul. 


If 'I am what I eat', then am I consuming false promises from earthly marketing of identity and image and self-worth or am I content and confident in my meals of Daily Bread. Am I drinking from the cup of bitterness, control, self-preservation or am I drinking from the Living Water that leads to life in abundance?


Am I still thirsty - not because of my circumstances but because I am drinking from the wrong well? 


I read on this blog a month or so ago, about how her grandfather would read a passage of scripture after every family dinner. That, of course, implies they had family dinner regularly. I loved how she spoke of her grandfather's recognition that the meal they just ate as a family would not satisfy. They would each be hungry again in the morning. So, every meal ended in a brief time in the Word - the true Nourishment.


Am I feeding my children's souls from this Bread or from an organic morsel that will just leave them starving the next morning? Am I an example of how to live on this Daily Bread - trusting God to replenish me while I continually pour out for others - or am I a picture of a famished mother, desperate for rest and me-time? I don't want to know the answer. I know the answer most days. The empty well vs. the deep well. The water that leads us to everlasting life and the Bread that nourishes us to walk in the Will of him who Created me or the one that leads us back to the table and cup time and time again. Thirsty. Hungry. 


The Daily Bread satisfies and nourishes. The Living Well leaves you hydrated. Taste and See. 

the beauty of baking soda.

In the past week, life has taken some twists and turns that have led me to some late night researching of answers and remedies. For all of them, I was led me in one way or another to... Baking Soda.  In addition to the traditional use as a baking ingredient,  I have recently discovered (this may be old news for you, but you can celebrate with me anyway) even more uses for the genius product and I'm beginning to get a bit weirded out that one product can do so much.

I found this comprehensive LIST on everything baking soda can do and it's quite fascinating.

In the past week, I have asked myself the following questions:

1. Will this baking pan ever look the same?
2. Our family somehow was attacked by a swarm of mosquitoes (OK, maybe it was just one that decided to strike multiple times), is there a home remedy I can use to stop the dreadful itching? 
3. Before I start spraying harmful fumes - I wonder if something less toxic can eliminate this odor in our trash that may or may not have been caused by the following items: discarded food, stinky Wesley James diapers, and coffee grinds?
4. If, let's say, my son's bottom looks more like a Baboon than a 13 month old, and is crying in pain - is there anything I can use to bring him relief without having to take him to the doctor? 

Guess what the answer is to all of them? Yup.

Baking Soda.

I mean, I was already a big fan after the beloved baking soda turned my pink hand (from making homemade play dough) back to normal. I just had no idea there are really so many uses. After reading the list, I must say, I am intrigued by the fact that:

Baking Soda can be added to every load of laundry.
Baking Soda, cream of tartar, and corn starch can make baking powder.
Baking Soda can polish silverware.
Baking Soda can keep your drains a-flowin'.
Baking Soda can clean my old shower curtain.
Baking Soda can be used as underarm deodorant, toothpaste and mouthwash.

You name it. Read the list! I'm not making this up.

I'm sure I'll read next that Baking Soda causes cancer, but for now - I am a fan.

If you have a favorite use of Baking Soda - please share!

four.

Hair the perfect shade of red and brown, mixed so perfectly as if by a perfect Creator. Eyes an endless blue. A smile radiating joy and life. A mind far beyond her age. A heart beating out compassion and love and laughter.

Four years of watching and marveling as learning took place and limbs stretched and character began to develop.

Four.

To celebrate, we combined a few of Kate's favorite things: girlfriends, pink, ballet, and ... treats. So invites were made and sent out saying, "Come twirl with the birthday girl..."

A sweet girl from our church came and taught the girls a "mini" ballet class. Let's just say there was lots of twirling going on in our apartment.

For the favors, I made these booklets personalized for each girl. I actually used the same template for the invitations - just leaving them full size. You must try them. They came out darling, and Kate loves little books like this to draw and write and adorn with stickers. They were joined in a clear bag with a set of ballet pencils, a heart bracelet, and dance stickers.

Fun was had by all. I think we might just have a ballet, all-girls party every year!

***

Oh, what an honor it is to be your Mommy, Miss Kate. I remain so thankful for your health and your humor. Your curiosity and your sensitivity. Your complexity and your steadfast love. So much of life in these past four years. And so much ahead, my love.

Your family celebrates you today and every day.