about pictures

Posted on February 9, 2007 by Shanda

Went for a walk today. Took some pictures.

A friend of mine said to me yesterday that people like my blog, “because of the pictures”. I’m glad that I can use something that I enjoy doing to give another person pleasure. Some people can do it with words, other use photos, others do both. Like many of you, I love the Lord with all my heart, and I honestly believe that we can glorify Him with our words and photos here on xanga. Although not a professional, although I do not have a professional camera, I still find satisfaction in my little “hobby for pleasure”.

In our photographs, we seek to give small glimpes of what large things we see: in nature, relationships, and different perspectives. We also make little things big, in order to inspire others to look and perhaps, to see what we see. A picture of a child also reflects and gives a glimpse a mother or father’s love. A picture of a tree gives us a taste of our awesome Creator. A picture of something homemade, like pancakes, calls to mind the memory of a loved one’s sacrifice. These are moments in time, moments to be thankful for.

I remember how I said, “Give me your best smile”, and I smile when I see the result. I remember how they took FOR. EV. ER. to arrange themselves on the ground.

I look at the detail in this picture and I am touched once again by the beauty of God’s handiwork. I think about the Bible, and how it teaches us that someday there will be a new earth. Can you imagine? Like the old hymn says, “Oh that will be glory for me!” Someday. What a beautiful word for a Believer.

To me, this is a perfect picture. First of all, I love the tree. It’s a HUGE evergreen that grew and divided into two parts. Sadly, half of it broke and fell, but it made the perfect seat for my son.

Secondly, I love my son.

The woods can be a magical place. This picture is my favorite. My children love the Narnia books, and the effect of the woods in this photo reminds my family of Narnia. That’s the wonder of it, it could be Narnia, with just a little imagination!

I have a weakness for curling bark.

“Will you love Jesus more when you go on your way?

When this moment is a memory, will you remember His face?

Will you look back and realize you felt His love more than you did before?

I pray for nothing less than for you to love Jesus more.”

~some of the lyrics to a song that was sung at my wedding. The words can also apply to a BLOG.

about pancakes

Posted on February 8, 2007 by Shanda

I remember when I was still a schoolgirl how many times my Mom made us kids a homemade breakfast. More often than not we were eating scrambled eggs with toast, french toast, or pancakes. I remember at times we would get on the bus and one of the other kids would say, “What did your Mom make you for breakfast this morning?” with a wistful look on their face.

I was so blessed to have a Mom that would sacrifice the time and energy needed to make breakfast for five hungry children.

And now, I’m doing the same thing!

This morning was a pancake morning and as I stepped on and around the Lucky Charms that Caleb scattered on my floor, and did all the 101 things to pull off bacon and pancakes, I thought of those early years again.

Only this time, instead of a longing for the old days, I felt a connection. The connection between generations of women in my own family. Grandma, Mom, and now me. All making pancakes in our own time.

Oh what contentedness I feel when doing these motherly things each day. This morning it was like a wave of bliss. Me in my nightgown and ponytail. The children all still in their pj’s. My husband drinking coffee and finishing a presentation for work over in his recliner. Tears in my eyes from gratitude.

My recipe:

Mom’s recipe:

coffee’s getting cold
that last pancake is always a dud
i use a measuring cup to scoop the batter

my father in law makes syrup every spring and is so generous with it. it’s lasted all year.

the evidence of the little ones in my life
i especially love the high chair and G’s little doll

“I can’t believe I’m
making pancakes for five children!”
~me, as I put baby in his high chair this morning

Quotes

Posted on February 7, 2007 by Shanda

“So the first effect of Christianity is to make people stop and think. They are not simply overawed by some great occasion. They say, “No, I must face this. I must think.”..the greatest trouble is that men and women go through life without thinking. Or they think for a moment but find it painful, so they stop and turn to a bottle of whiskey or television or something else—anything to forget.” Martin Lloyd Jones

These are Charles Haddon Spurgeon quotes:

“It has been said that our anxiety does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, but only empties today of its strength. “

“Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties.”

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you, and were helped by you, will remember you when forget-me-nots are withered. Carve your name on hearts, and not on marble.

None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have a high opinion of themselves. ~Spurgeon

A vigorous temper is not altogether an evil. Men who are easy as an old shoe are generally of little worth. ~Spurgeon

I go through my days, I forget to pray, I push aside deep thought for Christ, put off my Bible reading. I get caught up in the world. Fears and doubts creep in, small at first, then they grow. Oh Lord help me to be faithful. Thank you for YOUR faithfulness and for your love that will not let me go.

Are you a true believer? If you are, you ought to glory in Christ. Glory not in your own faith, your own feelings, your own knowledge, your own prayers, your own amendment, your own diligence. Glory in nothing but Christ. Alas! the best of us know but little of that merciful and mighty Saviour. We do not exalt Him and glory in Him enough. Let us pray that we may see more of the fulness there is in Him.
J.C. Ryle

New hair cut

Image

My Baby

Posted on February 5, 2007 by Shanda

(What a mom would rather watch)

Slow Dance

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round,
or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight or
gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down, don’t dance so fast, time is short , the music won’t last.

Do you run through each day on the fly,
when you ask “How are you” do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in bed
with the next hundred chores running through your head?

Ever told a child, “we’ll do it tomorrow”,
and in haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch, let a good friendship die
’cause you never had time to call and say “hi”?

When you run so fast to get somewhere
you miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,
it is an unopened gift. . .thrown away. . .

Life is not a race. Do take it slower.
Hear the music, before the song is over.

Valentine’s Party

Posted on February 3, 2007 by Shanda

I had my 2nd annual Valentine’s Party at my house today. It was so relaxing and enjoyable. I invited 8 of my friends and made them dinner. After dinner we exchanged valentine cards and gifts and we played a little game. (each person brought a picture of themselves as a baby and/or little girl and we guessed who was who).

We also passed around a journal and we each wrote a little something in it. I will add pictures to it later. We used the same journal last year and it was neat to go back and look what we wrote. Last year, we found out that **** was expecting a baby from our little journal. There were no such surprises this year!

When they left, I gave each of them a single rose with a quote tied to it with a ribbon .

Everyone has left and I am sitting here happy. We talked and laughed and just had FUN. I am sure we resembled hens in a henhouse with all the cackling and chattering we did. What I loved most of all about this night was observing my friends talking to each other and laughing. It felt so good to be together, this dear little group which has gone through so much together–mostly good times but a few bad times as well. I know we will always be there for each other. And the circle is wide. It includes everyone.

friends

(The only man allowed!)

I can’t concentrate on what I am writing because hubby is sitting on the floor next to me looking at his new purchase: a deep fat fryer. Never did I think I would own such a thing. He wants to make chicken wings. What a great man he is, he took all 5 of the children out from 4:30 until 7:30 while I had my party. When he got back he put the kids to bed and came downstairs and held my friend’s baby so she could eat her dessert. He’s the one who took the group pictures of us, too.

By the end of the night we all tend to get a little silly. I think SOMEONE had a bit too much sugar?

Thank you, God, for the love of friends.

Valentine's Party

Posted on February 3, 2007 by Shanda

When they left, I gave each of them a single rose with a quote tied to it with a ribbon .

friends

(The only man allowed!)

By the end of the night we all tend to get a little silly. I think SOMEONE had a bit too much sugar?

Thank you, God, for the love of friends.

Posted on February 3, 2007 by Shanda

Grow old along with me!
The best is yet to be,
the last of life, for which the first was made;
Our times are in His hand
Who saith, “A whole I planned,
Youth shows but half; trust God:
See all, Nor be afraid!”

Robert Browning

Thumb Cookies (Tasha Tudor recipe) & Pineapple Cookies

Posted on February 2, 2007 by Shanda

Thumb cookies (from Tasha Tudor’s cookbook, don’t think about frozen critters as you read this)

1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 (8 oz) jar raspberry jam

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets w/parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients except the raspberry jam, in the order given. Roll the dough into teaspoon-sized balls and make indentations with your thumb, fill indentations w/rasp. jam.

Bake for 10-15 minutes until delicately brown. Cool.

Pineapple Cookies (this is from an old community cookbooks that my G.Grandma gave me years ago.)

1 c. shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 c. crushed pineapple w/juice
1/2 c. nuts
3 1/2 flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Mix shortening, sugar and egg. Stir in pineapple. Stir together flour, soda, salt and nutmeg and add to bowl; stir. Mix in nuts (I never add nuts) Chill at least 1 hour. Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 8-10 minutes.

Posted on February 1, 2007 by Shanda

This morning I was thinking about my mom.

It’s the first day of February, the month that I was born. I miss my mom, we talk a lot on the phone but Rich and I moved away 7 years ago and sometimes I am momentarily sad that things aren’t what they used to be.

You know, I would just hop in the car and drive over. Any ol’ time, I knew I would always be welcomed. Sundays were my favorite day. We all went to church and then most of the time we would go back to my parent’s and hang out. Rich and I only had 2 children then so things were quieter. Dad would have the newspaper. The football game would be on. Mom would be busy in the kitchen. My brothers and my sister were still at home. If we wanted to talk, we talked. We just hung out, completely trusting, being together.

The only house I feel completely relaxed in is my parent’s.

On Thanksgiving day we were there and I started to cry a little because it felt so nice to sit on the couch and not be the one in charge. I was daughter again.

It’s special to think about MOM now and then.

To her you’ll always be
just a youngster at her knee.
Edgar Guest

To her whose heart is my heart’s quiet home,
To my first love, my Mother, on whose knee
I learnt love-lore that is not troublesome.
Christina Rossetti

When You Thought I wasn’t Looking
Mary Korzan

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You hung my first painting on the refrigerator
And I wanted to paint another.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You fed a stray cat
And I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You baked a birthday cake just for me
And I knew that little things were special things.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You said a prayer
And I believed there was a God
That I could always talk to.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You kissed me goodnight
And I felt loved.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
I saw tears come from your eyes
And I learned that sometimes things hurt-
But that it’s okay to cry.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You smiled
And it made me want to look that pretty too.

When you thought I wasn’t looking
You cared
And I wanted to be everything I could be.

When you thought I wasn’t looking-
I looked. . . .
And wanted to say thanks
For all those things you did
When you thought I wasn’t looking.