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...