Krispy Kreme is Back!

From November 2011

Today, Noah and I got up at 5 am to go to the Grand Opening of Krispy Kreme in Johnson City. We were among the first one hundred in line, so we got free commemorative T-shirts!

When I first got married twenty-one years ago and moved to East Tennessee, I tasted Krispy Kreme donuts for the first time. I can truly say that I think they are the best donuts in the world - especially when they are hot and fresh!

Sadly, over ten years ago, the Krispy Kreme in Johnson City went out of business. There was a store in Kingsport, so occasionally we would stop by there after (ironically) visiting the dentist or after a late-night rehearsal with the Kingsport Theater Guild. Then it, too, went out of business last year.

I hope the return of Krispy Kreme is a sign of good economic times coming. At any rate, we'll all enjoy a little sweetness.

From November 2011

From November 2011

From November 2011

From November 2011

From November 2011

From November 2011

From November 2011

And yes, a little strange timing after the post about fasting.

A Woman's Guide to Fasting

I haven't fasted in a long time - and have never fasted for a long time (as in more than a day). I think for about ten years, I had the excuse that I couldn't fast because I was pregnant or nursing. Then I starting feeling like maybe my motives were not right. I think that I, along with many, sometimes have erroneously regarded fasting in Ghandi-fashion, as a hunger-strike of sorts against God - a way to manipulate Him to answer my prayers. Another error it's easy to fall into is legalism - somehow thinking I'm better because I fast. In order to avoid errors, I pretty much decided not to fast at all. But I can't escape the fact that Jesus fasted and he also said "When you fast" in the gospels, not "if you fast."

So when I got the opportunity to review this book, I decided it was time to revisit the idea of fasting.

Lisa Nelson does a great job of discussing the subject - addressing the very issues I felt were problematic in the chapter "Should You Fast?". There is NO legalism in this book. It is written in a very humble way with lots of practical advice for everything from a one-day fast to a forty day fast. The author also deals with aspects of our spiritual lives like dealing with temptation, journaling, etc. My only criticism is that the author didn't address the subject of exercise during fasting. It really seemed like an oversight.

"A Woman's Guide to Fasting" is a quick, easy read, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is considering adding the discipline of fasting to their life.

My New Wall Clock!

I finally got this done! This project has been about two years in the making. Not that it takes long at all - I just procrastinate a lot!

From For Clock

I saw a clock like this in a magazine several years ago - I think it was Family Circle, but I'm not sure. I tore out the page and filed it away in a drawer somewhere. Then Terry got laid off, and we put a moratorium on unnecessary spending.

I guess at some point I decided that it was necessary that we have this clock! I purchased 12 black frames, 4 that were 5X7, 8 that were 4X6. and one 2X2 for the middle of the clock. In retrospect, I wish I would have gone with bigger sizes since I have such a big wall. I also bought clock hands and a working clock piece.

Those frames sat in a drawer for over a year while I decided what photos to use. This was by far the most painful part - not only choosing the photos but deciding if each child should have the same number, whether they should be portrait or landscape, etc. I started collecting potential shots in a folder on my computer.

Then one night I printed out 20 or so potential photos (printing them in miniature on regular paper) and played around with them. I ended up choosing four family photos for 12 o'clock, 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock. Then since I have four kids I chose two pictures for each child - one landscape and one portrait. And yes, it didn't seem right not to put them clockwise in order of birth. And I still was not pleased with some of my choices - but it's only 50 cents or so to print out a new photo to update the clock.

After ordering the photos and receiving them, they stayed in another drawer for about a month while I figured out exactly how to hang them.

I ended up cutting a long wire type string to a 2' length (because I decided I wanted my clock to have a 4' diameter). I put a hole in the wall and used a protactor to mark the center where each picture needed to go. And since pictures don't hang on their center point, I measured each framed picture to find out where it's center was and how far up from center the hanger was (see the dots below).

From For Clock

Then it was pretty easy. I just measured the correct distance up from center on the 12 dots I had made on my wall, put in the nails and then hung the photos.

From For Clock

From For Clock

I am thinking of putting some words from Wise Decor in the middle of my clock. I am thinking of "My times are in your hands" from Psalm 31:15 as that verse has meant a lot to me these past few months.

From For Clock

Night of the Living Dead Christian

What Does it Mean to Be Truly Transformed?

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I decided to review this book. I'm not normally into reading about zombies, werewolves, and vampires (in fact, thanks to Dark Shadows, I had an enormous fear of vampires throughout my childhood). I got the book because I thought it might appeal to my teenage sons and might be something we could read together and discuss during our homeschool devotional time.

It has been a great read - the funniest book we have read in a long time - but also extremely thought-provoking. And while it's sometimes hard to get my boys to talk about spiritual matters, Mikalatos' humor seemed to break down some barriers and allow for deep discussions. We used the discussion pages included in the book but also had plenty of our own insights to share.

This book tells the story of some Christian friends hilariously helping a neighbor (a werewolf whose marriage is crumbling as he struggles with his inner beast). In fact the neighborhood is full of monsters - vampires (those struggling with selfishness), zombies (those who appear to be alive but are in fact dead), etc. Each one provides a mirror that we can use to think about how each of us desperately need the transformation that only God can provide.

The back of the book described the author's style as "Monte Python meets C.S. Lewis." I thought that would be pretty hard to pull off, but Matt Mikalatos has done a superb job!

Here's a link to Matt Miklatos explaining why you should read his book. You can add my recommendation as well!

Men in Black

We spent a quiet Halloween here - only Caleb and Noah dressed up and went trick-or-treating in the neighborhood - as a Ninja and as Wesley from The Princess Bride.

From Oct2011

They got a lot of candy for their efforts, and fortunately Terry and I got all the Almond Joys (since the boys don't like coconut).

From Oct2011

From Oct2011

Ascent from Darkness

This book is the true story of a transformed life. I believe God transforms all believers, but sometimes those changes are a bit more subtle - especially for folks like me who came to know the Lord at a very tender age and live a fairly sheltered life. Sometimes its easy to forget God's transforming power. This book was an excellent reminder. It told the story of how Michael Leehan, a Satanist, came to a believing faith in Jesus Christ.

The darkness of Michael's life before Christ is such a contrast to the joy he feels now. It's a bit disturbing to read the details of his former dark life, but I felt what he shared was necessary to understand the delivery he has experienced.

Michael also has some disturbing things to say about some of the church-goers he met that were just "playing the game" versus the authentic Christians he met who had a palpable spiritual brightness about them.

The book is honestly told in first person and gives insight into true transformation and how no one is beyond God's reach.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Table Rock Family Hike

From Oct2011

Terry's birthday is tomorrow, and he wanted to celebrate by going on a family hike.
We decided to try out Table Rock in North Carolina - about an hour and a half from our house.

It was a beautiful drive, but the curves made a few of the kids a bit carsick. We arrived and had a little picnic at the base.

From Oct2011

It was only a mile (but all uphill) to the summit. The view up there was great - probably the best I have seen in this part of the mountains.

From Oct2011

From Oct2011

From Oct2011

From Oct2011

From Oct2011

From Oct2011

From Oct2011

Legacy Quest

From Legacy Quest

This past Friday the whole family was involved in the inaugural Legacy Quest 5K - a race sponsored by TEACH, our homechool group, and the Tipton Haynes Historic Site.

The boys and I were all runners, Rebecca was a photographer (making pictures for the TEACH yearbook - called "The Legacy"), and Terry got to wear an orange vest and help block traffic.

The race was started by re-enactors with rifles:

From Legacy Quest

Noah meant to run the One Mile Fun Run instead of the 5K. Right after Rebecca snapped this photo, he handed her his jacket. She neglected to tell him that he was at the end of the one-mile run, so he just kept going.

From Legacy Quest

Caleb had his best time ever at 22:38. This won him 1st in his age group and 6th place overall.

From Legacy Quest

From Legacy Quest

Nathan was running his first 5K, and he did it in 24:43, which was first place in his age group as well.

From Legacy Quest

I haven't really been running lately, so this was actually my worst time ever. I sorta hate it that the clock has to be in the picture:

From Legacy Quest

But I did manage to beat Noah who was managing to smile even though he took that wrong turn:

From Legacy Quest

Michelle Dorr, the race director, did such a great job organizing the event! The trophies were cannons - very unique! We got three first place trophies - Caleb for age 0-15, Nathan for age 15-19, and me for age 45-49, an age group I will only be in for one more month. Sigh. All three of us benefited from lack of competition - most teens in the area that run were involved in a huge cross-country meet that day, and most of the runners in my age group must have been at another race as well.

But speaking of age, I met this very inspiring woman at the race. Her name is Eleanor. She is 75 years old, and she actually ran a half-marathon two weeks ago. She told me that she has MS and was in a wheelchair four years ago. The doctors told her she would never walk again. She said "I don't accept that" and started working out. I told her she was my hero.

From Legacy Quest

Fall Break

Rebecca had a four-day fall break from Milligan College, and we enjoyed having her home. Seemed like she spent most of the time making treats like Apple Cider Caramel Cookies (so good!) and Cracker Candy.

We had a fun shopping trip during one of her days home. Rebecca hates to spend money and almost has to have someone come along to give her the nerve (I, on the other hand, sometimes feel guilty spending money when I'm with somebody, so it's sometimes easier alone).

Rebecca didn't buy this hat but had fun trying it on. Baby hats are so "in" that I guess they decided to make them for big people. Somehow, I don't think the effect is quite the same.

From Oct2011

Seeing Red

I spent a week in Arkansas visiting Mom and helping out a little as she was being diagnosed with Stage IV cancer. This cancer originated in her breast but is now in her liver - so this is "breast cancer awareness month" for me in a big way! I'm so proud of my Mom's attitude - she has the faith of Job and doesn't complain. But please pray for her as she is in the battle of her life as she starts chemo and tries to put on some weight at the same time. And Mom, if you read this, please clean your plate! That's something you were never able to make me do as a kid, but I'm pretty good at it now.

I realize I didn't take any photos of Mom while I was there, but she probably likes it that way. Rebecca has the nicest camera at college with her, and the better of our remaining two Panasonic cameras is not currently working. But I have this little Panasonic that I keep with me all the time, and I did manage to take a few photos at my nephew's soccer game. I know I'm home in Arkansas when I see the red everywhere and little Razorbacks on all the clothing. And when I see my sweet sisters:

From Oct2011

The red is even more prominant than the orange in Tennessee, if you can believe that. I love the Vols (hey, I married one!), but red looks better on anybody, in my opinion! Here's my Dad in his red - my sisters and I love how his hair flips up in the wind. We still remember the crew cut he wore for about thirty years - and how he was always taking photos of us

From Oct2011

I really had fun getting to call the Hogs with him as they creamed Auburn in Razorback Stadium. I hadn't gone to a game with him since I was in high school.

Let it Snow?

Last year, Terry took Nathan on an overnight backpacking trip. This past weekend, it was Caleb's turn, and they had an unexpected surprise for Oct. 1st- SNOW!

From Backpacking

From Backpacking

They hiked up on the Appalachian Trail near Unicoi. They stayed in the Cherry Gap Shelter (the haze in this picture is from their fire):

From Backpacking

They got pretty cold, but they must have had a good time because Caleb came back totally enthused about backpacking - planning his next trip and hoping to get a new backpack for his birthday (so far they've mostly been borrowing equipment). As you can see from the photos, the leaves haven't really even turned yet - that's why the snow was so unusual.

From Backpacking

From Backpacking

From Backpacking

From Backpacking

From Backpacking

From Backpacking

Stained Glass Hearts

The subtitle of the book "Stained Glass Hearts" by Patsy Clairmont is Seeing Life from a Broken Perspective. I expected a book about what it is like to be broken, which has been a subject of discussion in our house since Terry was laid off a few years ago.

Instead, the "broken" subtitle of this book was more about the idea of a mosaic. With chapters like "Stained Glass Prayer","Stained Glass Books", and "Stained Glass Nature," Patsy explains how all these aspects in her life contribute to the themes of light and redemption.

I enjoyed the book, but like a mosaic, it did seem to be sort of random and rambly. She used the "stained glass theme" to tie together a lot of otherwise unconnected thoughts. It didn't really bother me, though, because she shared a lot of wisdom. Conversations are often quite random like this and can still be very inspirational.

I liked the way that she included recommendations at the end of each chapter for books to read, art to look at, and music to listen to. I'm going to add several of her literature recommendations to my book list.

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Happy Birthday, Noah!

From For Blog

Today my little boy turns twelve! Noah's birthdays are somehow more bittersweet since he is my baby! He is my only child who still climbs in the recliner to snuggle next to me and the only one who reaches out to hold my hand when we're on a hike. And he's my only boy who can't sing bass! I know those days are numbered.

We celebrated Noah's birthday with a swimming party back in July (his idea). so today was very simple and low-key. He got some candy and a set of Lego Minifigures that he'd been wanting. We got an afternoon treat at Sonic and went out to eat as a family at his choice of restaurant - which turned out to be Burger King. Rebecca came over from college for the evening.

Today Terry's Dad also has a birthday, and he is turning 75! We'll be headed to Knoxville this Sunday to have a family celebration for him.

Lessons, Part 2

August 14, 2011

In Hind's Feet, when Much-Afraid reaches the heights, the shepherd asks her for her bag of remembrance stones, and he turns them into precious jewels.

Yesterday, Terry bought me a little bracelet entirely made with stones from Lake
Michigan - petosky stones, iron and copper.

From Michigan Favorites

It will be another reminder of lessons learned on this trip.

I want to be a polished stone - made beautiful by affliction.

"I am my Love's and he is mine, and this is his desire,
That with his beauty I may shine in radiant attire.
And this will be - when all of me is pruned and purged with fire."

August 24, 2011

After Much-Afraid reaches the High Places and has her name changed, she realizes the need to return to the valley to share what she has found. In this way, she is like the water - going always lower:

"From the heights we leap and flow
To the valleys down below,
Sweetest urge and sweetest will
To go lower, lower still."

She realizes she was brought to the heights just for this purpose.

How can I "go lower" today?

From Michigan Favorites