A Time for Everything...
Once again it is time for goodbyes and new adventures. I did not realize until the goodbyes started last week how much I LOVE it here! I know I even surprised myself. I have been working so hard to be patient and I have been so focused on getting back overseas I took for granted the many blessings I have been given while here in Longview. I had the best job ever! Seriously. And who won't love a job where you are given roses on one of your last days? The client who gave me these had as his goal to see me cry. I held strong, he did not see me cry but I got pretty close. Today I had another goodbye lunch at Caring Pregnancy Center, I have learned so much from the wonderful women who serve and love others in that place. I am so blessed.

I'd Like to Go to Africa...Sallie Lanier

Today
I thought
I would like
To go to Africa

Yes, I will go to Kenya
And see if time
Has stood still
Where at least
The walk
Is on the ground
And all comes
To a sudden halt
At dusk

And sounds
Come from the voice
And travel a mile or two
And strength comes from
The Family
Near to you

Yes, today
I thought
I'd like to go to Africa

Found this in an old journal - Don't know where I originally found it but still love it.

"The sun did not shine.
It was too wet to play.
So we sat in the house
All that cold, cold, wet day...
AND THEN
Something went BUMP!
How that bump made us jump!...
These Things will not bite you.
They want to have fun..."
Oh how I wish Thing 1, Thing 2, Thing 3, and Thing 4
Would come over to play!

Sadly, Picasa is having a bad night and all my pictures won't get on the blog.
I think you get the idea from this collage how much fun I had making pies with filling from EZPZ pies.
Letha

#30!
I am so excited to talk about my cooking experiment from today.
As you can see by Heidi and Doug's expressions I think it went pretty well.
Let me start from the beginning...

I ordered Apple Pie Filling from EZPZ Pies
I was so excited to get them in the mail this week, because
"The desire of EZPZ Pies is to be used by God to support orphan care and adoptive families through the sale of delicious products!" Please go visit their website and blog. I met this family while living in North Carolina and am so excited to help support this effort.

So one jar of EZPZ pie filling fills one deep dish pie crust, but I wanted to get creative so I decided to go with a bunch of mini pies! I love cupcakes and figured the concept would apply to pie as well as it does to cake. I was bit worried but they turned out fabulous. They do crumble a bit coming out of the cupcake pan so I might buy the fancy mini foil pie things next time but then also I think if I was more patient and waited till they were fully cooled it would have been better. Hope you enjoy the pics as much as I enjoyed the baking.

#29 Precious New Niece
Laleh Eve DeLaughter

May 18, 2011

#28 - I almost forgot to write about SPECKA
I do believe sometime in February on this long list of somethings new I mentioned starting to go to a women's Bible Study. At first I felt greatly out of place, looking over my shoulder to be directed to the nursery, that's where I have always been placed in settings such as this. But what a blessing that study was and the women I met during that study continue to bless me. To continue, because of my participation in that study and deepened relationships and other factors Jan asked me to help her with another smaller study using SPECKA - How excited am I still? VERY! So the last few weeks on Tuesday mornings you could find me "teaching/leading/facilitating" (don't really know what word to put there) a women's Bible Study. I still can't believe it! I love it! I feel protective over these women just like I would over the babies in the nursery. I love that the group is small and I can pray for them each by name during the week. I hope they are learning even a fraction of what I have been learning from them! And just in cause you are wondering - SPECKA stands for
S - Sin to confess
P - Promise to claim
E- Example to follow (or not to follow)
C - Command to Obey
K - Knowledge to gain about God and God's Kingdom
A - Application in General and Application to my life this week/today

Somethings to be grateful for...
I can't believe May is halfway over!
I am not keeping up well with time, but I am enjoying this season in my life.
A few new things I have been up to
#25 - I went back to Wake Forest for a visit!
I loved every moment of visiting with friends, being a part of Mary Pat's baby shower, and finally officially meeting Judah Crane (who ranks among the cutest babies ever, I do believe his only competition would be Sahara, Wesley, Bria, Isaiah, Tirza and Selah to name them all)

#26 - I made the poster and passed out about 60 baby bottles at Church to help collect change from Mother's Day until Father's Day for the local Caring Pregnancy Center where I volunteer my time every Wednesday. I was and still am very excited about the positive response to this fundraiser!
#27 - I am watching Spring finally arrive and stay put here in Washington. The flower outside my front window is blooming, the grass is growing like weeds. I finally had a sunny day and was able to mow the yard on Friday!
So life continues to give me new adventures to celebrate.

#24 I was in the local newspaper
See the person sitting on the couch in gray? That's me. The article has nothing to do with me, but it is about this couple who have given a lot to the community and specifically the special needs community of this area, so much that the main office building of the company I work for, LifeWorks, has been named after them. I just happened to be in the office the day they took the pictures. I am leading a very exciting game of Bingo in the background.

New Book and Old Book I found again...
I am right now reading two books which I don't do as a general rule, but I am enjoying both so for my new #23 I recommend both of them for different reasons as must reads.
1st - Stepping Heavenward by Elizabeth Prentiss
2nd - UnPlanned by Abby Johnson

Both books tell the story of a woman's life through her own thoughts and that's about where the similarities end. I am enjoying seeing how each woman works through trying to DO the best she can only to realize her best is not enough. Realizing that she can have the best motivation but without Truth she is deceived.

A few more "New" things to add to my list
19. See my New Shelf behind me? Finally found what I was looking for at Ross.
20. New Hair Cut, New Hair Color, new bangs...So fun! I just let Nikki at Esteem Salon go with it and so far I like the change. I was told I looked younger, I will take that.
21. Met with client at local pregnancy center this morning! Some of you may be wondering how I claim this to be something new, but it is for here - I don't have a full day like I did in TN or NC so it has taken longer to adjust to volunteering at this center but I am still loving it.
22. Showed up to work to be sent to get petty cash from main office and go buy lunch for everyone! This is not the normal but it was moving day for one of our clients. I picked up pizza from Bruno's - so yummy I even ate pizza today - I may regret that later.

I only have 8 more "New" things to come up with! I hope one of those will be a "New Tan" I can't believe how much I glow in these pictures - winter is WAY too long here!

I WON!
#17 - I won a raffle at The Electric Bean!
I never win these things and I got to pick a prize basket out of a table full of fabulous options. I went for the one with coffee, candy, treats, mugs and a basket. What fun. I should have taken a pictures but too late now. And I have decided to add as my #18 my visits to the newly opened Electric Bean Coffee House. I have been everyday this week - Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. I had fabulous Republic of Tea, Good Hope Vanilla Red Tea the first two visits and then today went for a Hazelnut Latte - may just be one of my new favorite spots to be.

I heard a new song on KLOVE, and am so excited to have found it before they overplay it to its death. Love the words and how Laura sings it - this in my new #16 - Blessings by Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if the thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt your goodness, we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
As long as we have faith to believe

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise

#14 - A New Season - Spring!

I love the thought that Spring is soon to arrive

finding this new flower blooming in the yard made my day

And #15 - Celebrating St. Patrick's Day with party at work - hence the face painting. I also participated in a group picture, prize walk and tried to get Bill to go play Bingo with me but he wasn't willing, so no bingo for me either. Well no Bingo today, we are making it a regular Friday night event. Fun times.

The question is
How have I never done this before???

I saw the idea on Leslie's blog and could not resist trying it out. The above picture is not colored icing but cake batter about to be made into the funniest cupcakes ever.

I have determined that regular sized cupcakes work best for this fun project, but I did try a batch of mini-cupcakes just because that is what I do. See them mid-baking above.

The finished cupcakes are so much fun! I kept busting them in half just to see what was inside! Also note that I am copying Leslie and she used "Neon" food coloring - how fun is that! And so I really did not want to go with the traditional red, blue, green and yellow...

What to do?

Follow the color blending chart! It worked fabulous and I now have multi-colored cupcakes in varieties of lime, pink, purple and turquoise. I liked the color so much I didn't want to cover it up with any frosting. Maybe next time, because I am certain there will be a next time.

So much fun!

Something New

I was given this map of Kenya as a gift for my high school graduation. I had this picture of a frame in my mind for years and never got it done. So for my birthday Dad and Mom got it framed for me! So I got something new - the pictures not great and we did end up moving it into the living room so it matches better with the wall color. So excited to finally have this up.

A few more new things I did

3. Ate at new restaurant - Parker's Steak House
4. Ate out with co-workers and had staff meeting at the restaurant
5. Took a completely new way to and back home from Church this morning
6. Organized and Asked my Sunday School class to help take meals to Alana who just got out of the hospital and was amazed at the response. Alana and Lonnie are set for two weeks of dinners!
7. Got a package from Autumn! With card and first bday gifts of the cutest cupcake kitchen towels
8. Came home to new furniture in the house (actually since Dad and Mom have been here I have been coming home to something new everyday)
9. Started going to a formal Ladies Bible Study on Thursday mornings. I am so excited about this - Since college I have not been a part of a group Ladies Bible study and I have never been a part of one at church, actually most of the time I felt like I was in the wrong places I have always taken care of the kids for these things but never attended myself.
10. The new Bible study is a Liz Curtis Higgs study - I have read loads of her books, but never worked through one of her Bible studies, so this is new and so far I am impressed.
11. Turned 30

Last February...
Last year I challenged myself to celebrate 29 years of life by making 29 lists of 29 things - very fun. This year I have decided to do 30 new things...I have no idea what the 30 shall be so if anyone is reading please give me ideas - they have to be something I can do in the Longview-Kelso area and with limited time. The first 2 of my "30 new" have been
1. To update my blog and give it a New look
2. Today I got a New Haircut

Another Something New

Before

After

I decided to change things around a bit. Not sure I love the new look, but still thinking it was time.

When the Wine Gives Out
"They have no wine" John 2:3
Vance Havner - Consider Him

There comes a time when the wine of life's ordinary satisfactions gives out...But if Jesus is our Guest there is a way to even better wine than we lost: "Whatsoever He saith unto you, do it."
He may put you to drawing water, filling waterpots, the most irksome drudgery right when you are so desperate you feel like screaming out over lost wine...He will give you the new wine of the Spirit. And He will turn the water of service into wine, even as with the lad's loaves and fishes He fed the multitude.
"This...did Jesus...and manifested forth His glory" So will He manifest Himself to you if you obey (John 14:21) "And His disciples believed on Him." So shall you believe afresh with the certainty of experience.

I love reading others blogs. So I try to write regularly on mine, just in cause someone in still reading it. I have not been able to think of much to write about this month.
This morning I was reading from Havner's Consider Him (which I highly recommend) and this caught my attention. Honestly, the entire water to wine story always confused me, why would this be Christ's first miracle? How significant is good wine? But I like how Havner explains this text, and I do rejoice in the good wine of the Holy Spirit and that Christ is able to take my 'water of service' and make it into wine for His glory.

Winter I don't think you got my memo...

Winter you are not allowed to come this early, it is not even Thanksgiving Day.
Winter our relationship has always been on shakey ground so don't push it.
Winter it is a good thing you are so pretty.
Winter, I am looking forward to enjoying a hot cup of chocolate and making a snowman.
But please Winter, don't stay too long.

I've been reading. I know your shocked. I was reading this morning through the training manual for volunteering at the Longview Caring Pregnancy Centre. I have enjoyed the manual as it challenges me to think. Think about my worldview. Think about the culture that surrounds me. And think about the truth revealed in Scripture. Just now I read this quote by William Barclay - of which I thought of the bank but this is a different Barclay - I googled him. Okay the quote

"We need not to think of the task God has in store for us in terms of some great act or achievement of which all men will know. It may be to fit a child for life; it may be at some crucial moment to speak that word and exert that influence which will stop someone ruining his life; it may be to do some quite small job superlatively well; it may be to touch the lives of many by our hands, our voices or our minds. The fact remains that God is preparing us by all the experiences of life for something; and many refuse the task when it comes and never even realize that they are refusing it."

While I see some problems with this quote the thought that captured me after reading this was that I want to be ready. I do not want to just live and feel and experience this life. I want to learn. I want to be intelligent. I want to know Christ and grow in each experience. I want a deeper relationship with Christ so that I am ready for the task of serving Christ with all that I am, no matter the task. I want each experience of life to draw me closer to Christ, because that is what my life is about. That is my identity. And only in Christ will I complete the race before me.

Finding New Places

I am in the midst of exploring and finding my way around my new town. And while I would like to say I have found a new job, I have not yet. I have found "the lake" that I love going to when the sun in shining. I have also found a new tea/coffee shop that I will enjoy going to. I forgot to take a picture sooner but I had a fabulous Iced Mango Tea with Pineapple "Bubbles".
Tomorrow I plan to go explore at the library and I have a job interview! Hurray!

Adoption Blog

This summer I had the privilege of meeting Alison of "Lovin' Much!"

And I have become a faithful follower of her adoption blog.

Alison is celebrating a 5 month anniversary with a bracelet giveaway so I am giving her blog a shout-out and getting my name in the drawing. These bracelets are being sold as a part of their adoption fundraising efforts.

I love them!

Check out her blog at Lovin' Much!

Her cheerful spirit will encourage you. Her gift of writing and expressing herself will make you think you are a close family friend. And the dedication and love she has for her family and their adoption passion will challenge you.

With friends in California!

I realized that it had been 7 years since I last saw Bekah! Not since 2003, this made me feel older but also made me once again so grateful for the blessing of friendship that continues even when we are separated by oceans and continents. And just for your information between the three of us a lot of oceans and continents have been crossed in the last 7 years. It was a wonderful visit and I hope to see Bekah and Sarah again soon.

More Pictures

Me and Meriwether looking out over the new lands

Doug being bacon. He says this is what bacon looks like in the frying pan...

What does this mean? Good or Bad day?

Heidi noticed this first and asked what it meant - I thought it was odd enough to get a picture. Since taking this picture I have discovered that quamash is a very pretty flower, so I am guessing a good day.

We found it at the Lewis and Clark Monument at Long Beach. I don't know when I was last at Long Beach so I enjoyed walking down the street and seeing the sights again.

Before visiting Long Beach we first went to Benson Beach and while Heidi and Doug enjoyed the waves I enjoyed being on the beach. I was properly dressed to keep warm and went for a short jog a couple times when I got too cold.

Once again excited and taking pictures because the sun was out.

Heidi and Doug riding the waves

I loved the view! This is (I think) the NorthHead Lighthouse at Cape Disappointment - what a horrid name. I was trying to imagine what would cause a person to name such a beautiful place disappointment. So I googled it...apparently the early men discovering the area did not care about the view, but were rather upset about finding no ships.

Just Thinking

If you had asked me about a year ago where I would be in August 2010 I would have given you a lot of different options, none of which would have included Longview, Washington. It seems the more I think I have my life figured out, or my plans made God has to teach me once again that I am NOT in charge. So I wait (not so patiently) with a lot of fear and a little excitement about what this next step will end up looking like. How long will I be here? I don't know, but for now this song by Francesca Battistelli called Unpredictable, seems to be a good theme song for my life right now.

Got my thoughts
I got my words
Got this head full of answers

Got You wrapped up
Got You under control
See my future like the past behind me
I think I know where You’re leading
Don’t need no questions
Don’t need no rocking the boat

But I just forget all the mystery
I just forget who You are

(Chorus)
When I know that I know
What You have down the road
When I’m sure that
I’ve figured You out
Help me see that I’m small
That I can’t know it all
‘Cause You’re so unpredictable
‘Cause You’re so unpredictable

You said the foolish
Would shame the wise
To put my faith
In what’s beyond my eyes
And to believe You
I have to come as a child

So help me to rest in the mystery
Of what I can’t understand

(Chorus)

Can’t wrap my mind around You
Can’t put You in a box
Can’t keep You safely contained
You’re gonna move the way
You wanna move today
Just let me follow along