Secret Place

After a really busy and stressful week, Ryan suggested that we head to the Mississippi River (a few blocks from us) for some relaxation. Considering that there are typically TONS of people out on Saturdays, I told him that fighting the crowds didn't sound too appealing to me.

Little did I know that Ryan had found a "secret place" on the river in south Memphis! We did have to drive there, but it was a little park that had, maybe, two other visitors! Here are some of our pictures from this BEAUTIFUL spot. I was able to get a good start on my new book, Three Cups of Tea. :)

If you are from Memphis, can you identify this place?

Confessions of a Chicken

After driving past the Cornelia Crenshaw Public Library at least 20 times this summer, I finally decided to stop in. Today.

You see, my husband Ryan tutored students at that library this past school year, but I have always, ALWAYS been afraid to go in it.

This library is the closest library to our house and is located smack dab in the middle of Cleaborn and Foote Homes. I have strategically avoided it (even while in grad school) because I am a coward. Don't get me wrong...I spend most of my afternoons just a block away in a building that is much less aesthetically pleasing. We live a mile from the library. But the difference is that there are people I know inside the building and there aren't people hanging around outside. So, I've made excuses, "It's not safe to go in alone being a woman...I'm sure that it isn't a good library anyway." What? In broad daylight? I go tons of places by myself as a woman. It's a LIBRARY not a detention center. Not a good library? Talk about judgmental...

So....here it is. Does it look that scary?

Indeed, THE LORAX by Dr. Seuss motivated me to get over my fears and visit the library. I needed the book for MUM Summer Camp and could not bring myself to drive a long way to get it. I also wondered what God was thinking of my unrealistic fears and lack of faith.

Once again, God showed me a BEAUTIFUL, BEAUTIFUL place in the middle of the city. Younger children were reading, older children were being tutored, the desk workers were very attentive, and...and you could check out Big Books (normal children's stories in a bigger book) which you CANNOT do at the main library.

"What is, therefore, our task today? Shall I answer: 'Faith, hope, and love?' That sounds beautiful. But I would say -courage. No, even that is not challenging enough to be the whole truth. Our task today is recklessness." -Kaj Munk (quote from Irresistible Revolution)

No Grad School=Spring Projects

Well, this blog has become all but obsolete. I've discovered that my life isn't really that interesting, but now and then I have a few things to share. This spring I had a lot of goals/projects in mind: (1)build some window boxes for our patio (cheaper than buying them!) (2)make a flower bed in backyard (3) sew some things with my grandmother's old machine

Here is what was accomplished:

(1) Window boxes (one of them)...

The boxes mounted with Wave Petunias--my favorite--on the inside of the patio!

(2) Flower-bed--it was HARD WORK to dig up all of the grass! The bricks were salvaged from an abandoned property behind our house.

Finished product! All of the annual flowers (not bushes) were bought from Lowe's from the 70% discount area...I added a little Miracle Grow, watered them well, and they look great now!

(3) Sewing (My new favorite hobby!)

A preppy "tie" onesie, bib, burp cloth for a friend

Summer is here! Now on to summer projects and creativity...

The Cake

L to R:  Grandma Lloyd and MaMaw Richardson

Both of my grandmothers are excellent, southern cooks.  I have yet to attempt any of my MaMaw's specialties (hen and dressing, sweet potatoes, jam cake), but I put my neck out there to create my grandma Lloyd's carrot cake--twice--in the past few weeks.  

1st-  My sister's birthday weekend in Memphis 

2nd- Ryan's dad's weekend visit

Definitely a keeper.  Here is the DELICIOUS result:

Grandma Lloyd's Carrot-Nut Cake

cake:

2 cups sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

2 t. baking soda

2 t. cinnamon (I used pumpkin pie spice)

1 t. salt

4 eggs

1 1/2 c. vegetable oil

3 cups grated carrots

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup raisins

Mix dry ingredients.  Add eggs and oil and mix well.  Add carrots, nuts, and raisins.  Bake in two (9in.) greased and floured pans for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

cream cheese icing:

1  stick butter

1 8oz pkg cream cheese softened

1 lb. box confectioners sugar

1 cup chopped pecans

1 t. vanilla

Cream butter and cheese until light and fluffy.  Gradually beat in sugar.  Add vanilla and pecans.  Spread on cooled cake.

The most time-consuming part is shredding the carrots (minimum 15 minutes):

But it is well worth the wait!  Enjoy!

The Valleys

This past week was a difficult and trying one.  Not such a great start to the New Year.  I'm a bit more emotionally stable today, but I covet your prayers.  

Wednesday

On Wednesday of last week, my father called to let me know that a dear friend of our family's had lost his struggle with depression and taken his own life.  Kevin moved to Columbia, TN when he was a college grad and I was in junior high.  He had been hired to be a sports writer for Columbia's paper.  He instantly became "youth minister #2."  He was athletic (which the guys loved!), encouraging, patient, genuine, and funny.  When he asked you how you were, he genuinely wanted to know.  Kevin always wanted to have a family, and a year before Ryan and I married, Kevin met and married the love of his life, Denise. :) They had two boys, Reed and Cannon.  Please pray for the family and ask for healing.  

Thursday

My friend Angela moved to the big city of Memphis in 2004 when she didn't know a soul.  In many ways, she "paved the way" for Ryan and I to move here.  She genuinely cares for people and is forced to do many things on her own because of her choice to be here.  On Thursday, Angela called to let me know that she had been in a one-car wreck which totaled her car.  A car swerved into her lane causing her to over-correct.  The bad news was that two weeks prior to the wreck, she had let her insurance lapse.  Because she was driving un-insured, her car was impounded by the city at the charge of $30 a day, it was un-fixable, and she had no form of transportation.  God is good, and things are working out, but how much stress can a woman take?!

Friday

Ana (left) and Gloria (right) were good friends of mine when Ryan and I were at the Spanish-speaking church.  They were both very patient with my Spanish and called upon me to help them with different "translation tasks."  Ana called me when Isabela was born (on left) and Gloria asked me to go and interpret when her son was having cleft-pallet surgery (on right).  Since this picture, both have had additional babies--one boy, one girl--and they were born in the same month (September).  On Friday, Ana's baby girl died while at childcare.  The cause of death is still unknown and the police are investigating.  The funeral is tomorrow.

Sunday

On Sunday afternoon, Ryan and I finally put our Christmas stuff away.  Ryan took down the outside lights with the help of two boys from our neighborhood, Jaquez and Kion.  After they were finished, we invited the boys in for a snack.  When Ryan and boys headed back outside, someone had stolen Jaquez' bike!  Within a 5 minute time span!  We felt awful, as did he.  SEVERAL things have been stolen from the outside of our home since we moved here, but to steal a kid's bike?!  HOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

There is a lot of brokenness in my world.  A lot of sadness and despair.  With the Lord's help, I  am trying to come to grips with how to comfort those that have lost loved ones, be supportive to those without support, and demand justice for wrongs done on this earth.  Trying to be His hands and feet.  I am so glad that this is not my home...

Finally!

For the past two years I have been an A+ graduate student, an A-/B+ Spanish teacher, and a D/F wife, daughter, sister, and  friend.  Well, that is all about to change!  This past Friday (12/12) I graduated with my M.Ed. from Freed-Hardeman University.  I would have had no interest in walking, had it not been for my sister who received her B.A. in the same ceremony!

Congratulations Laura Beth!  She is working as a youth minister for the Skyline Church of Christ in Jackson, TN.  We are 2.5 years apart in age and have always been 3 years apart in school.  It was a unique experience to graduate together.  I am glad that she will be living so close to us!

Although my graduate program was not that difficult, it was time consuming and I am SO THANKFUL to my husband who was supportive through the whole two years.  He is fantastic!  When I had to go to the main campus, he was my "car companion" and he picked up a lot of my responsibilities. A lot of things went undone while I was in school, but he was rather patient and understanding.  He took the below picture one Saturday while I was in class to show how much I was behind on laundry (please also notice the layer of dust on the dresser).  I came home and cried. 

 

My parents have also been a great support.  Both of them have chosen careers of service (teacher and social worker) and they had a great influence on my career choices.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

I can't wait to see what I can accomplish in all of my "free time!"

HWJV: How Would Jesus Vote?

I was impacted by the words of Elizabeth Alvarez in her article Out of Africa: How Would Jesus Vote? (http://www.wineskins.org/filter.asp?SID=2&fi_key=186&co_key=1590)  A wise man once told her that Christians cannot be comfortable with any political party, but that they choose what is important to them and make a choice. Some Christians may say that choosing a president is about “what is important to God,” but does God care more for the unborn child or for the impoverished child already living?  More for the international safety of America or for the thousands being killed to ensure it?  More for affordable transportation or the protection of the environment?   For me and many other Christians, voting is not so “cut and dry.”

There has been an influx of extreme, indecent, and slanderous e-mails, letters, and propaganda by Christians within the past few weeks—all targeting Barack Obama.  They all indicate that voting Obama is a one-way ticket to the end of Christianity in the U.S. and some propose that Christians must vote for McCain.  Let me make two things clear:  First, Christianity does not depend on the state of the United States.  Our Lord is not American.  Christians belong to a more powerful kingdom and have the Most Powerful Leader who can work through even the weakest of presidents.  Second, deeply held convictions of faith may mean that Christians are voting differently and that is okay.  I trust that we are all prayerfully applying the Word as best we can.  It is not okay however, that Christians continue to slander each other and elevate the “Christianity” of one candidate over another.

My vote was cast on Thursday after waiting in line for two and ½ hours.  On that ticket I voted for Republicans, Democrats, and Independents.  These were the issues that were important to me:

 Abortion

-  I believe in protection of life (not just the lives of the unborn)

-  Roe vs. Wade has not been overturned for 30 years so why should I be confident that it will be overturned within the next four years (it did not happen during Bush’s presidency, even in light of the nominations of John Roberts and Samuel Alito)

-  Abortions can be prevented if women are financially able to care for their young and/or if they are properly educated on family planning

Same-sex marriage

-       The Bible teaches that homosexuality is a sin (Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Deuteronomy 23:17, I Corinthians 6:9-11, etc.)

-       I believe that marriage is a holy covenant with God as the third-party (Malachi 2:14-16, etc.)

-       The laws of God concerning homosexual marriage speaks higher than any definition of the government

-       McCain defines marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman, but will leave the definition of the term to the states

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.samesexmarriage.html

-       Obama opposes same-sex marriage, but supports civil unions that allow equal rights to same-sex couples as those of married couples

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/issues.samesexmarriage.html

Tax policies

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/09/ST2008060900950.html

-       McCain has proposed to cut taxes, especially for the upper class, in hopes that the upper class will create jobs and stimulate the economy

-       Unfortunately this “trickle down” effect has not happened during the past few years.  The 2002 census statistics show that the top 1/5 of American society held 49.7% of the nation’s income while the bottom quintile had only 3.5%  (top fifth has 14.3 times more income than the bottom fifth)

http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_program=ECN&_lang=en&_ts=125490903938

http://www.heritage.org/Research/Taxes/bg1791.cfm

-       McCain has called Obama’s tax plan “socialism,” but when did paying taxes and receiving tax breaks become socialism?

-       Obama has proposed to increase taxes for those making $250,000+ while decreasing taxes for the middle and lower class

Matthew 19:23, 24—“it will be hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven..easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle…”

Luke 16:19—“there was a rich man, clothed in purple and fine linen who feasted sumptously every day.  And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus full of sores who desired to be fed with WHAT FELL from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores….the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom….”

Matthew 19:21—to the rich young ruler: “You lack one thing; go, sell what you have and give it to the poor.  Then you will have treasure in Heaven.”

Luke 4:18-19 (my favorite because Jesus hand-picked what Scripture to read from Isaiah during worship in the synagogue in Nazareth) “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

Personal Choices

-       McCain served our country in the military

-       Obama served our country through community organization

-     After his first wife was severely injured in a car accident, McCain cheated on her with a wealthy, beautiful heiress to a Budweiser fortune.  A month after divorcing his disfigured wife, he married woman #2.  McCain has admitted that their failed marriage lies on his shoulders.

http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jul/11/nation/na-divorce11

-       Obama has been married to the same woman for 19 years and they are raising two daughters—together

-       McCain chose a Vice-President who knows little about leading a country that is a prominent world power

o      She had never traveled outside of the United States until July 2007

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/30/us/politics/30veep.html

o      Have you EVEN SEEN the Katie Couric interview?

http://video.google.com/videosearch?client=safari&rls=en&q=palin%20and%20couric&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv#

-       Obama feels that it is important that we restore America’s reputation around

the world and has a logical, global perspective

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/732322.html