Tonight we finally got to watch Watseka’s fourth of July fireworks. Fourth of July this year brought lots of rain so they had postponed the fireworks until a later date. I can’t believe we had them in September! We had tons of fun though. The church (Faith Lutheran) sold popcorn, soda and glow sticks and people brought there lawn chairs out on the church grass and watched them. Jacob and Lily both found friends pretty fast to run around with and chase bugs or each other with glow sticks. All in all a great night, here are a few pictures of it…

Sisters

 

 

 

 

 

Lily braved it very well while clinging to her friend Alaina’s hand, two very brave four year olds.

 

Joe & Hannah watching them, she absolutely loved them and wasn’t bothered by the noise at all, lots of pointing and smiling.

 

Jacob did great the second half of them. Before they started he told me that he was going to hide underneath me during the “big booms”. When they first he crawled under a blanket to hide on Mary’s lap when I wouldn’t let him hide under my shirt. Then was content with just sitting there when he got used to the noise.  Such a fun night for all of us.

Today is the day that we are challenged to fight that urge to put off until tomorrow what we really should do. I struggle with procrastination, I always have. In high school and college I would wait until the night before a paper or a project was due before working on it. I’m surprised my parents are still sane, I’m sure it drove them crazy. It drove me crazy! To this day my dad calls my last minute frantic work “pulling a rabbit out of a hat”, and I can attest that some of those papers were only completed with the help of God. But after succeeding and failing so many times I decided that enough was enough. This is not a trait I would pass down to my children and thus started the battle against procrastination. I’m still horrible at it, and often I find myself putting off the fight of procrastination to another day when I don’t have as much to do. But perseverance is what kills any two headed monster under the bed so I persist… and persist… and persist. So here’s my list. Luckily tomorrow is Labor Day, Mary & Joe are home and I WILL get through this list. One task at a time…

Things I’ve Procrastinated On…

• Clean & Organize Room
• Sort & Organize kid’s toys
• Clean Jacob’s Room
• Scrapbook at least 1 page
• Write Letters

The first key to fighting procrastination or really any habit is persistence. Persistence breaks negative habits as well as builds positive ones. Second, getting stuff done that I’ve been putting off is only half the battle. The other half and just as important is taking steps to work on projects/tasks that don’t have to get done right away… preventing procrastination.

Preventing Procrastination

• Sort through & Organize Library Books
• Work on 1 Christmas Project
• Journal 1st Day of 365 BOM Journal
• Plan my next backpacking trip
• Call the Girls

Here are five ways of fighting procrastination…

1. Write it down. This is one of the simplest and quickest things to do. Sit down and make a list of what you need to get done. But keep it to a manageable amount so that you don’t feel overwhelmed by everything that has to get done. Pick 5 things and write them down and resist the urge to keep adding to the list  (you can write them down on a separate sheet of paper and store it out of sight until you complete the five on your Task List)
2. Identify the the which task that you procrastinate WORST on and begin with completing this task first. Get it out of the way first thing in the morning so that it doesn’t loom over your head.
3. Break the task down into smaller steps and take one step at a time. Be realistic with your steps and do not make them so large that they are looming over you constantly and are a reason to continue the habit of procrastination.
4. Commit 15 minutes a day to completing the task if it is a larger task or project that requires more time to commit, a project versus a phone call.
5. Reward yourself when you complete a task.

I continually have to remember that there is never enough time during the day to get everything done, and when/if I finally get time to myself the temptation to sit down and veg out will always be there so I must prepare for it.

I can’t believe summer is at it’s end. Really this has to be the fastest summer I’ve ever experienced. September is going to be such a full month that I’m sure it will be gone before I know it. Lily started preschool today at Calvary Lutheran, she looked so cute all dressed up for her first day. Jacob was a little put out that he isn’t going to school so I’m in the process of converting one of the desks in the office into a schoolroom area for him, a fun project for sure. Virginia Garrett one of my dearest friends and cousin is starting her freshman year at Concordia University in Milwaukee which is only 3 hours away!!! I’m hoping to make it up there on weekends as often as possible!! I’m also going to be flying out to Seattle this month to visit my best friend Nicole and her hubby Jeff. And Hannah is turning one years old!!! Can you believe it, really this tiny little baby goddaughter of mine is no longer a baby…. toddlerhood here she comes! This is truly going to be a memorable month and a busy one, but I’m really looking forward to it. Certainly going to be a lot to share with everyone. I know Mary posted some pictures of the kids that Ruthie took (http://dapelofamily.blogspot.com) but here are some more, they are just so adorable and are getting so big I thought I’d share them…

  

Day Celebrations

• 6 Fight Procrastination Day 
• 7 Labor Day
• 8 National Date Nut Bread Day
• 8 World Physical Therapy Day
• 10 Swap Ideas Day
• 11 Patriot Day
• 12 Naional Pet Memorial Day
• 13 Grandparents Day
• 17 Citizenship Day
• 18 National Play-doh Day
• 19 Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets)
• 21 International Banana Festival
• 21 Feast of Gedaliah
• 22 Autumnal Equinox
• 22 Dear Diary Day
• 22 Dad's Birthday
• 26 National Good Neighbor Day
• 28 Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement)
• 30 National Women's Health and Fitness Day

Month Celebrations

• World Leukemia/Lymphoma Awareness Month
• Self-improvement Month
• National Piano Month
• College Savings Month
• National Preparedness Month
• National Rice Month

The NOBA awards have become my field of wildflowers. When I cannot do, I read. I have never really taken advantage of the library system. The last couple of months though it seems that I go to the library probably twice a week. Watseka Public Library has an excellent summer reading program once a week for preschool age kids that Lily and Jacob love. I’ve filled my evenings with reading both to the kids and for myself. It has been marvelous, sitting down with a cup of tea and a good book. I have indulged my heart with great devotionals, works of fiction and of course the dreaming and scheming of the next trail or park I’m going to take myself to and saturate my spirit with the beauty all around. The National Outdoor Book Awards or commonly known as NOBA’s each year feed my frenzy for the outdoors. I’m working my way through last years books and am so excited (bolded are ones I’m planning to read). Here are the books from 2008…

• Natural History Literature Category - The American Chestnut: The Life, Death, and Rebirth of a Perfect Tree. By Susan Freinkel
• Outdoor Literature Category - Forget Me Not: A Memoir. By Jennifer Lowe-Anker.
• History/Biography Category
  • Grand Obsession: Harvey Butchart and the Exploration of the Grand Canyon. By Elias Butler and Tom Myers.
  • Fallen Giants: A History of Himalayan Mountaineering from the Age of Empire to the Age of Extremes. By Maurice Isserman and Stewart Weaver.
• Classic Category
  • Through the Grand Canyon to Mexico. By Ellsworth L. Kolb.
  • The Pacific Crest Trail (Series, 3 volumes)
• Children’s Category - The Pole. By Eric Walters. Puffin Canada/Penguin Group,Toronto
• Nature & Environment Category
  • The Last Polar Bear: Facing the Truth of a Warming World. Photographs by Steven Kazlowski.
  • The Great Lakes: The Natural History of a Changing Region. By Wayne Grady.
• Design/Artistic Merit Category
  • Surfboards by Guy Motil.
  • Bruce Aiken's Grand Canyon: An Intimate Affair. Paintings by Bruce Aiken. Text by Susan Hallsten McGarry
  • Honorable Mention - Soul of the Heights: 50 Years Going to the Mountains. Photographs and text by Ed Cooper
• Nature Guidebook Category
  • Birds of Peru. By Tomas S. Schulenberg, Douglas F. Stotz, Daniel F. Lane, John P. O'Neill, and Theodore A. Parker III.
• Outdoor Adventure Guidebook Category - Florida Keys Paddling Atlas. By Bill and Mary Burnham.
• Instructional Category
  • Road Bike Maintenance. By Guy Andrews.
  • Whitewater Kayaking: The Ultimate Guide. By Ken Whiting and Kevin Varette.

* Full List and details can be found at http://www.noba-web.org

Since I actually want to keep track of each month’s holidays that way i can celebrate them year after year, I’m still posting this months. Although half over, it’s always better late then never right… I got to celebrate many of them, just never seemed to find the time to blog about them. I’ve been super busy potty training Jacob AND Hannah. Little Miss Hannah decided that she wants to be potty trained at the age of 11 months! Her older sister Lily was potty trained by a 1 1/2 and it looks like Hannah wasn’t about to let her sister beat her on this one. They both absolutely LOVE the potty that my mom bought for them when she was out visiting for a couple of weeks. It sings any time anything lands in the bowl… instant reward and it’s been working like a charm. I’ve really had to encourage Jacob with rewards but i think we’ve finally found a system that works. If he sits on the potty he get’s one little smarty, if he goes in the potty then he gets a nickel for his nickel jar and a sticker for his potty chart. I found the cutest little potty chart for him. Free downloads a for behavior charts can be found at http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/ My two favorite are the policeman and froggy ones at the bottom of the potty training page http://www.freeprintablebehaviorcharts.com/toilettrainingcharts.htm. They are perfect for little tykes who don’t really understand the concept of the days of the week. This is so much better then normal charts where they get new stickers for each day of the week. Every time he is able to go in the potty he helps the froggy (the one he chose) jump closer to the lily pad. This gives them a goal to getting stickers and it carries on from day to day that way they don’t feel like a failure if they don’t get any stickers for the day. I loved the Holy Spirit conference and I have so much I can write about it, I don’t know where to possibly begin (so I'll leave it for now, I might get to it later ~ no promises though) :D Peace for now…

AUGUST CALENDAR

• 1 Friendship Day
• 1 National Rasberry Cream Pie Day
• 2 Sister's Day
• 3 National Watermelon Day
• 4 National Chocolate Chip Day
• 6 Ruthie's Birthday
• 7 Purple Heart Day
• 8 The Day to Create
• 11 Mom's Birthday
• 12 Middle Child's Day
• 14 Koolaide Day
• 15 National Lemon Meringue Pie Day
• 15 Bangladesh's National Mourning Day
• 18 Cupcake Day
• 19 Aviation Day
• 19 Birth of Norway's Crown Princess Mette Marit
• 24 National Waffle Day
• 30 National Toasted Marshmallow Day
• 31 National Trail Mix Day

 

• Simply Your Life Week (1-7)
• Waffle Week (31-9/6)
• Peer Gynt Festival
• The Hamsun Festival
• Telemark Folk Festival
• Oslo Jazz Festival

I think that coffee shops are the perfect environment for me to read. It’s busy and noisy enough to keep me from getting bored but quiet enough for me to sit down without distractions and read a good book or ponder a thought. Here is something that has been rattling around in me lately…
I long to be found in His nearness because He longs to be found by me. Does God ever take away his nearness on account of our sin? Or is it perhaps that when we sin that very nearness awakens the pain of wounding the heart of God with our lack of trust or rebellious attitudes. I think that sometimes my mind and heart would rather accept the concept of being distanced for a time then to accept his nearness during these moments of failure. But how has this and does this affect my understanding and knowledge of God? Would I really rather prefer to believe in a God of my own construction to save myself the feelings of Spirit inspired shame when I am confronted with the consequences of my weakness and failure? Does a God who is unconditional in his love and continual sacrificial offering of Himself terrify me so? Have I traded a God of absolute faithfulness to spare myself the effort to obey him no matter what the cost, knowing that failure is bound to happen occasionally and shame is bound to overwhelm my heart at times when it is appropriate for the Spirit’s pruning and development of my character? And instead of my effort to “save” my emotions from the pain of knowing my actions have wounded my Beloved, it has condemned me to a shallowness in my affection of the Maker of my being, the Designer of my heart.
Why have I hidden myself from Him? For I’m beginning to see that I have hidden my heart away from the divine designer who created it in the first place, instead of Him hiding Himself from me. So fearful of it being wounded, I have locked this heart away. Away from people but most importantly from the Creator of it. What does that do to Him? What does that speak to him? How I have mourned the wounds inflicted on it yet have wounded it in far greater ways by holding it captive from the Healer of all ages. I have bound my emotions up, chaining them down for fear of my inability to control them if they were ever given the freedom to be controlled by He who is Love. The few times I have allowed them to love the way they desired to… the way they were designed, the moment they were rejected or I face my failure, I flee. I flee and retreat into the recesses of my being to lick the wounds to terrified to let them out again. However in the darkness, solitude and silence I recognize the whisper of my Beloved calling me out…

“draw near to me, love me, delight in me, pour out your affection on me…adore me. Do not lock them away, I want them. I want them unbridled… I want you.”

And slowly, patiently, faithfully he draws them out, wooing me with great and intimate acts of love. “Trust me” he says. “Love me with all your heart. Love me with all your soul. Love me with all your mind. Trust me. Yes I will ask you to love people, yes some will reject you but I will lead you as you love my sheep. But not with a love that is your own, rather come we will love them together. Come with me, love with me.” Amazing Grace how sweet is thy sound. A river of living water has washed me clean. A great thirst has gripped me, a great thirst He has quenched. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise.

Bangladesh…

SO this post is a little late. :D I didn’t get around to posting this last Saturday with the fourth being so busy. The fourth of July is one of my favorite holidays. It has always been a HUGE deal for my family. In Bangladesh we would either drive or fly to Dhaka (the capital) and celebrate at the American Embassy and the American Club. It was special (and rare) for us kids to be able to be around other Americans. The missionaries my parents worked with would be from all over the world but mostly Norwegian and so whenever we were in Dhaka we would spend as much time as we could hanging out at a enclosed club for American foreigners. As a child being American meant swimming in pools, eating hamburgers, getting to play on a playground, renting videos and being able to wear pants/shorts and t-shirts (while at the club). Every trip to Dhaka was a treat and I always looked forward to “being American”. My mom and dad did a fabulous job teaching us about American history and various customs that Americans celebrated, especially at holidays. I feel like growing up as a missionary kid I clung to my American heritage furiously because it wasn’t an everyday fact that I was aware of. Fourth of July was the epitome of what it meant to be American to me as a child. We would watch the raising of the flag at the embassy and I would stare in awe as fellow Americans all dressed in uniform would raise that flag. Then we would head over to the Club and with tons of other Americans, that I knew nothing about but didn’t matter since we were all “American”, celebrate all day. There were relay races, swimming races, playground fun, games, face painting, and the coveted “American food” (hamburgers). It was a huge deal. When I came to the States I was so disappointed that although people would celebrate, it wasn’t as big of a deal. Families might get together for a potluck and maybe watch fireworks but there wasn’t the same intense passion. I have noticed that whenever I’m in other countries, when I’d meet other Americans, our patriotism would be awakened and would create a bond of kinship. (Below picture is of the American Club… it’s changed a little since I lived there)

Columbia…

After a couple years in the States I was so blessed to become a camp counselor and celebrate the fourth with a bunch of kids. All the campers and staff would dress up in their camp t-shirts and head out to a town called Columbia in Tuolumne County, California. (http://www.columbiacalifornia.com/) Columbia is a state preserved historic park and a National Historic Landmark. It is a former California Gold Rush boom town and has been preserved to still look like one. On the fourth, we would see people dressed up in pioneer and Native American outfits, we would as a camp walk in a parade, then spend the day walking around visiting the blacksmith, candy shop, soap making shop, a various antique stores and gift stores that all looked like they stepped out of a history book. We got to mine for gold, ride a stage coach, participate in watermelon eating contests, egg tosses, races, grease pole climbing. We got to here a cannon fire a shot and listen to bands play. It was always a little funny for me because as a kid growing up this is the America I thought I knew. :D Needless to say I returned every year regardless of whether I was working a camp or not. This year has been the first in 10 years that I haven’t been up there celebrating.

Watseka…

I was so looking forward to spending the fourth in a small town with all of its charm unfortunately it rained. Boo! But it was still so much fun to spend time with family. We all got to go over to Legion Park and have a pork chop barbeque (in the rain) then we drove home, hung out for a while and watched a movie. We picnicked on the porch since it was raining still and had such a fun time. Joe made delicious brauts, corn on the cob and baked beans. I feel so honored in many ways to be a part of this beautiful country and to celebrate with my beautiful sister and family. I am blessed indeed!

FREEDOM

As the day wound down I spent some time reflecting on the reasons why I love this country and how I am thankful that the Lord granted me this heritage. I think it came down to two things. I am struck my the beauty of this land and the people here, both will be forever etched into my heart. Second, I get to live in a community where people are passionate about freedom (in as many forms as they can think of). Whenever I think of the freedoms we seek as humans on this earth I am always challenged to examine the difference and similarities to the freedom that God desires for us. What does freedom mean to me? What is the biblical understanding (both Old & New Testaments) of freedom? Is freedom ever attainable for those who do not have a right relationship with God? Am I free? What areas in my life and heart still need to be freed or embrace freedom?  I am overwhelmed with so much when I think of this concept. Overwhelmed by my weakness… by God’s strength… His omnipotence… the fact that God is love… how much God has changed me and what he has delivered me from. I think that the most influential work of freedom in my life that I am aware of other then the God’s forgiveness of my sins is the freedom he has given me in my relationship with him… He has not only freed me from death but has granted me so much freedom in my intimacy with him. He is truly my closest and dearest friend and the Beloved of all that I am and know. This love he shows me brings me to Him in adoration. He has freed me to be loved and to love Him in return.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” (2 Cor. 3:17-18)

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)

 

How and why are you free? Are you free? I want to encourage you let it ring. :D Share your stories with each other, the Lord will use it to bless and encourage. 

Ok, I admit it the title is totally corny but it popped into my head and I can’t seem to shake it out. :D June was a month of discovery! I spent a lot of time doing crafts/projects with the kids both inside and out. May, I felt like I was floundering a little, still trying to discover what I was doing here in Watseka (other than taking care of three adorable children). June I felt like I finally was able to get my feet under me and got a chance to discover some really cool things. Now that July is upon me, I just know that it is going to be such a fun month!! :D A few highlights of June that have enriched my life and solidified the ground beneath me, so to speak, have been…

• Garden/Patio. The outside is so nice right now: raspberry plants, hanging baskets, flowers, bushes have all been planted and hung. We’ve gotten to eat outside a few times and I looked forward to the many warm summer days we will get to spend out there. It is such a relaxation for me to pull out my guitar, the Word and some tea and spend some time with the Lord after the kids are all in bed.
• Discovery of Legion Park. A mile away from the house is a beautiful park that i discovered last weekend. It has little trails and tall trees everywhere. I’m absolutely in love with it. The moment I set foot on the grass and stared up at the tall trees, I was stirred within. It was peace to my troubled heart. Praise the Lord! I’m looking forward to many times sitting next to old trees and seeking God.
• Promises Cafe. A cute and tasty little Christian cafe in town has not only serviced my coffee fix but also provided such a relaxing place to sit and ponder simple but astounding thoughts. I’ve really gotten some great reading time in every Saturday morning.
• Farmers Market. Saturday mornings are one of my favorite days. The Farmer’s Market here in Watseka has been truly a gift from God. I’ve gotten to buy organic veggies every time I’ve been. It’s so much fun walking around and talking to people.
• Wednesday Night bible study with some of the ladies from Trinity Church. This group has really been food for my hungering soul and the worship on Sundays at church has quenched my thirst. It has been such a relief to find women of wisdom and beauty to fellowship with and learn from. God has blessed me greatly.
• Finished reading Dana Chandler’s book Deep Unto Deep. I recommend this book highly. It is full of beautiful insight into the heart of both man and God. More about this to come.

As I’ve been seeking God throughout this last month he has really been teaching me to relax. I have learned that I need this time desperately and I have such a hungering to be surround by beauty. It hasn’t been the easiest lesson to learn and praise God I’m nowhere close to learning it completely. To rest in God, an overwhelming thought indeed. Something that I have been examining is the difference between relaxing and relaxing in God. I find  I am always in need of rest (not necessarily physically though). I feel like I’m going a million miles a minute inside. I find that when I do it on my own, I either get exhausted from fruitless attempts or lazier then a spotted dog, not knowing when to move forward. When I relax in the Lord, in the place of his choosing and according to his time I find beautiful sweet rest. A rest accompanied by peace. What wisdom He has, what beauty is at his fingertips.

A few reasons to celebrate… (besides the list on the right) :D

• July 1 (1824) Ordination of Charles Finney
• July 2 (1752) First English Bible printed in America
• July 11 National Cheer Up the Lonely Day
• July 15 Gummy Worm Day
• July 19 National Ice Cream Day
• July 21-25 National Baby Food Week
• July 26 Parent's Day
• July 27 Take Your Pants for a Walk Day
• July 30 National Cheesecake Day
• July 31-Aug 1 Moby Dick Week
• National Grilling Month
• Social Wellness Month

Today people all over are celebrating the birthday of St. John the Baptist, also known as St. Hans Day or Jonsok (Norwegian). Luke 1:26 indicates that John the Baptist is approximately 6 months older then Jesus thus the church chose today as the day of celebration for the birth of John. Very few American Christians even know about this day much less celebrate it, however people all over Norway and other countries are celebrating. This is one of the many holidays that I would like to teach my family about. Part of the celebrations for this day is the lighting of big bonfires, gathering together, eating good food and dancing. As with many church festivals, it replaced the pagan festival of the Summer Solstice. The burning bonfires are actually a remnant of those pagan rituals. Bonfires were originally burned to expel evil powers from the village. Summer solstice is such a fun time in Norway. I remember the last time I was out visiting some relatives in Norway we drove from Oslo all the way up north. It was such a long drive but fun, we would stop in various towns visiting friends and family. The one thing I was so excited about was being there during this time. It stayed light and people would stay up fellowshipping and enjoying each others company. I wish I had some of the pictures from the trip. It was so exciting for me at the time to take pictures with the time printed in the bottom corner of the photo. The photos were what looked like beautiful summer days but the time recorded would indicate the wee hours of the morning.

John the Baptist was a remarkable man, an opinion that my family seems to agree with me on. John is the popular boy’s name it seems like in my family. My brother, two uncles (mom’s only brother and dad’s brother), grandfather (mom’s dad), and a few cousins here and there are all named John. It has kind of been the theme to name each boy (and there aren’t a ton of those in the family, mostly girls!) John. I always vehemently declared that I would never name any male child of mine John simply because there were far to many of them in the family. However after really listening to the stories of Scripture and in particular the story of John the Baptist I can’t help but actually consider it (and I can’t believe I just admitted that). :D I could go on and on about the way that this historical figure tugs at my heartstrings but it would be soo much better over coffee. ;D One thing I would say is, from the time John the Baptist was in Elizabeth’s womb he literally leapt for joy when in the presence of Christ. Oh to have that heart, to not need to see Him or see anything for that matter and simply know that my Lord is near and leap. He knew the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords before he knew anything else. He knew His Messiah was near and was filled with such joy that he responded in the only way he could. He leapt. He goes on to spend his life serving God with all his heart, spending time seeking God in the wilderness, then proclaiming the message that the time of Christ was near and when he met Christ at the river his humility is overwhelming. Christ said two things about John that really stood out to me. The first is found in Matthew 11:11, "Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist." Wow that’s a pretty rock solid personal reference. The second thing He said recorded in John 5:35. Christ had been informed of John’s death (which was 6 months prior to the death of Christ) and he responded to the news saying, “John was a lamp that burned and gave light…” I want to leave you a challenge to get to know this man better, study him and learn all that you can from this life. Christ seemed to think pretty highly of him. The other thing I want to leave you with John’s words, they have often been a reminder to me of the heart of true disciple. When Christ came to John to be baptized, John tried to deter him saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” John did indeed baptize Christ to fulfill Scriptures, however he was filled with humility and I would imagine a certain sense of awe when in the presence of his Savior. What does this mean to you? Not just a theoretical or theological answer but personally in your heart? How does your heart respond to Christ drawing near to you. A weighty thought to ponder indeed.

Father’s Day

What a day today is! First of all Father’s Day. What words could I possibly use to describe how dear and incredible my Father is? I’m afraid that when I think about how much he means to me and how much he has taught me I come up with very little words and quite a few tears. I am blessed beyond measure. This I do know, he has been beyond supportive, compassionate, wise, kindhearted and most of all has taught me how to love by loving me. I have watched him pretty closely as I’ve grown through the years; as a child, a teen and finally now as a young adult. His integrity, strength of character and servant’s heart have guided and taught me so much. My heavenly father couldn’t have picked a better person to show me the love that a father has for a child. So much of my relationship with Him and my understanding of Him is rooted in understanding that a father’s love is boundless in so many ways. I am confident in saying that my Dad has been one of the most influential people in my understanding of the love that God has for His children. I will never be able to thank you enough for that. Thank you for loving me, thank you for showing me that God loves. Thank you for teaching me how to love Him. My understanding of what it means to have a relationship with God is so deeply affected by the security and comfortability that I have in my relationship with my Dad. There is no better inheritance that a father can give his daughter then this and for that I am forever grateful.

Me with my dad and mom this last summer at my brother, John’s graduation.

  

My Dad holding Lily when she was a baby. I love this picture of my dad, it is such the image of a loving father.

Summer Solstice

Today is also summer solstice, everyone grab your party pants and celebrate the longest day of the year with me. The sun is at it’s greatest distance from the equator. This only happens twice a year so party up! It was so nice to have more daylight today, I am such a light hog! I love the night too, don’t get me wrong. There is the moon, fireflies (lightning bugs), stars, headlamps, camp fires, the dim fire from my amazing jetboil backpacking stove (quick shout out for jetboil :D ), and of course the chance to burn yummy smelling candles. As you see even my favorite things about the night is the light that we bring into it. Today my heart is drawn to the influence of light in my life. All the things that I can do because there is light, both physical light and light for my spirit, mind and heart. I remember when the electricity would go out in Bangladesh (daily). We would use alot of candles and gas lamps. I remember my dad reading us devotions by the firelight and all of us huddling around. Our day would wind down, significantly getting slower, simply because things were more difficult to do without lights. I wonder if our lives aren’t like this in general. Christ is the light of the world and without him shining energy and love into us, we simply slow down. Everything becomes much more difficult. I find that it becomes harder to love people, I get exhausted much more quickly. I become short tempered, my desire to serve is fleeting, I am haunted by my insecurities and constantly reminded of my weaknesses. While I was out hiking the JMT (John Muir Trail) in the Sierras it brought me so much comfort to finally see my jetboil light up at the end of a long day. The warmth it brought to my cold hands and the signal to my aching feet that it was now time to rest and to eat. Now whenever I think about Christ being the light of the world it takes me back to that feeling of pure joy, that I can sit and relax in His presence and trust Him for my needs. There is also nothing like having a good headlamp when it is pitch dark outside and I have another few miles to go before making camp. It keeps me so often from getting lost and then when I am lost it shines light onto my map so that I can find the trail again. These are such simple illustrations but the terror and fear that I may never find my way out again can do funny things to a single gal out hiking in the middle of nowhere! Haha, thank goodness for headlamps and maps, I would definitely not be here today! (probably still out there wondering if that tree looked familiar). This is Christ to me, his wisdom and love help me from getting lost in life and losing focus of the way that He desires me to go. When I do get lost His love and the knowledge of His mercy and grace open my eyes to His Holy Word. He is indeed the light for my feet and for my heart. My hope in the terror of the night.

*It is also the first day of Extremsportveko, could luck to all the participants! May you compete to the best of your ability & then some. ;D One day I will be there climbing along side of the best of you. :D

Mary & Joe had bible study on Tuesday night, such a wonderful excuse to get mixing bowls dirty. This dessert is perfect for when you don’t want to use your oven and it is completely foolproof for those of you who don’t consider yourselves bakers. I got it from a friend of mine, thank you Donna! I will forever be in your gratitude. Done in a jiffy and is as tasty as tasty gets.

Recipe

1 Baked graham cracker crust

8 oz package of cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tub of cool whip

Frozen or fresh berries (if desired)

Soften cream cheese in the microwave. Mix sugar with cream cheese until smooth. Add sour cream, vanilla and cool whip. Stir with wooden spoon until smooth. Pour into baked graham cracker crust (8-inch). Refrigerate approximately 2-3 hours or until firm. The consistency is best if it’s refrigerated overnight. This cheesecake will not have the typical  “cheesecake” consistency. It is much lighter but I prefer it to cheesecake. Serves 8 pie size slices. Eat it plain, or topped with berries. I’ve used both strawberries and raspberries so far and both are absolutely delicious.

I love fudge and any excuse to make fudge. All that delicious chocolate as it melts in my mouth (although my favorite is still Russian fudge) brings a whole new meaning to the word “savor”. I didn’t plan enough time yesterday to make Russian Fudge but the kids and I did get to try our hands at a new recipe. Chocolate Caramel Walnut Fudge… absolutely delicious.    

Then today Lily asked for a tea party so we spent all afternoon planning and decorating for it…

With the table set, the caramel drizzled “fancy” on the plates (everything has to be fancy like Fancy Nancy), the invitations made and posted on every entry door to the house (we didn’t know which one Mary would come into), the stuffed animals/dolls seated, and accessories found and displayed… we sat in anticipation. Lily instructed me in a very serious tone that we had to hide until mom got home so that we could surprise her, and so the hunt for the perfect hiding place began. We crawled under the table and practiced several times jumping out and yelling “SURPRISE!” until Lily felt like we had mastered the skill. Then we sat (under the table) waiting... five minutes went by… ten… fifteen…the anticipation was completely overwhelming. Finally, Lily instructed me sternly to sit by the window with Hannah and watch for Mom to get home (a much better solution for an anxious 4 year old). Not quite sure though if I could handle such an important job she kept eyeing me asking every few minutes “are you watching??”.  Just when she could not wait any longer all was not lost, Mary pulled up in the driveway and I haven’t seen a little girl move so fast. When Mary walked in she properly exclaimed how surprised she was to get the invitation. Lily either couldn’t remember what to say or wasn’t sure what to do because she stayed hidden under the table! Mary kept talking while Lily tried to figure out what she was supposed to do. Mary finally asked where Lily was because she wasn't sure where she was supposed to go. This clicked for Lily and out she jumped with a big “SURPRISE!”. Mary did fabulous acting completely surprised.

Accessorizing before sitting down to tea.

           

Fancy fudge. Monkey was the guest of honor until Mom got home.

     

Hannah loved being part of the party and thoroughly enjoyed her empty plate and fork. She looked so grown up in her little chair, she hardly looked like the little baby I thought she was when I first got here. Mommy kept a hand on her leg just in case.

 

All in all a fun time to be had by everyone. Lily was quite excited about the way it turned out and had all sorts of ideas for the next one. The planning has begun and this time with LISTS!! A girl after my own heart.

Yesterday was Relay 4 Life,  and Mary, Joe, the kids and I spent an amazing but emotional night walking around Blake Field (high school track just behind the house practically). Raising money for the fight against cancer, participants and teams walked from 6pm to 6 am. We only stayed from 530pm until about 10pm and then brought the kids home but it was one of the most memorable nights I have spent. The event was so beautiful and I found myself with tears streaming down my face several times throughout the night. The first Relay for Life was held in Tacoma Washington with 300 members in 1985. Now it has grown into an annual event in which more then 3.5 million participate. The entire event celebrated the lives, courage and strength of those battling, and the many caregivers who support them. We got to hear and speak with many of cancer survivors, those battling and the many caregivers that support them. It also honored those many loved ones who have lost their lives to cancer. They had a survivors lap as the first lap around the track following the Opening Ceremony and it was so inspiring to see these beautiful men, women and children walk.

The kids had such a fun time too, the event had a lot of children’s activities but the kids probably enjoyed walking the most. :D They LOVE to go walk/run around the track and are so sad when they have to leave. So for the last week they could hardly wait until they were allowed to walk “as long as they wanted!” SO exciting. I walked with Hannah pretty much the whole time and it was such a  peaceful time with her. Their is such beauty in this tiny little person. She was asleep most of the time but whenever she was awake, she thought it was about just as much fun as a baby could have… to sit in her carrier and bounce around… so many giggles! The kids also loved the free face painting and were so sad that they had to take it off when they went to bed. Poor Jake would only concede when he was told that he might be scared if we woke up in the middle of the night and saw a tiger.  

Jake was hilarious about the tiger he got, it was so ticklish! The nice lady changed from a paint brush to a sponge, and still the faces he was making cracked me up, but he was so happy with the end result… so cute!

      

He got quite into his tiger role but poor kid couldn’t get his “claws”  pointing the right direction. :D After quite a bit of coaching he was able to get them pointing out.

      

Sweet Lily had made up her mind that she wanted a red butterfly and was pretty pleased with the fact that it turned out just right, even though she has a goofy look on her face. Hannah and I got matching pink ribbons.

 

At around 9pm they turned out the light and with darkness as our covering we walked in silence remembering those who had lost their fight with cancer. They had surrounded the track with about 1300 luminaries, each in honor of a loved one. As bagpipes played and with Hannah in my arms I walked and I wept.

I wept for all the names they played on a screen and their families. I wept for my family and the loss of my father’s brother Uncle Ed, his sister Aunt Virginia. and his parents (my grandparents) Aubry and Effie. And I wept and prayed for my Uncle John who is battling it now and my high school best friend Angela. There is so much pain in this world as a result of this disease, so many lives devastated and so much hopelessness in the hearts of many. Please pray… pray for a cure and most importantly pray that people will find their hope in Christ. That they may see He is the light of the world and to trust Him to be their Savior and their strength.

My Evening…

• Make dinner (white chicken chili. yum.)... check
• Go grocery shopping... check
• Make pie with kids... check
• Read stories and shadow hand puppets... check
• Prayers and goodnight kisses... check
• Bake pie...check
• Watch Gran Torino...check
• Reflect on God's many blessings to me...double check. Children touch a place in my heart that desires above all to love.

My Grandmother Effie (my father's mother) was an award winning pie maker. Therefore my dad grew up with delicious pies and when he married my mom (who didn't make a whole lot of pies) an interesting conversation was bound to take place. Now my mom and dad were newly married and one day my grandpa got wind of the lack of pies that she had apparently not been making. The next time he came over this is what transpired. Now my Grandfather would kind of take over a kitchen when he would walk in, so I can only imagine what my mom must have been feeling to have her newly acquired father in-law in her kitchen. Here's the story my mom tells: Grandpa... "Have you made Robert any pies?"

Mom... "Nope" (Actually she said she was thinking "No way am I going to compete with his mom")

Grandpa... "Are you going to make him any pies?"

Mom... "Nope"

Grandpa (very sternly)... "I'm telling you, you have to make Robert pies"

My mom said that she was totally horrified at the "order"  she had just been given. (Lord have mercy on me and give me quiet in-laws) :D So she started making my dad pies and has (of course) become an amazing pie maker. :D Her crusts are always flaky and her lemon meringue pie is a thing to behold. Literally it is probably the most beautiful and tasty pie I have ever seen. So as a teenager I made it my goal to make a good pie and after 10 years I'm still baking them. She graciously says that there isn't any difference between hers and mine, but I still call her every once in a while freaked out that something has gone terribly wrong and if she's ever around I still drag her into the kitchen at various points of the baking and ask for her advice (mostly reassurance that I haven't destroyed it beyond repair). She always laughs and tells me that it's fine. The times when I refuse to be consoled she just cuts a little dough off here and pastes it there. Amazingly just her presence comforts me and lets me know that the pie will survive. She has been the most amazing teacher since no one has yet complained or died from eating a pie of mine. ;-D This pie is a new one for me... actually my first mixed berry pie. Hope it tastes as good as it smells...

Recipe

2 pie crusts
2 cups  Blueberries, picked over and rinsed
5 cups Strawberries , roughly chopped                                                                  1 cup Blackberries, picked over and rinsed
3/4 cups sugar, plus some for sprinkling top
2 tablespoons cup flour, plus some for rolling the dough
2 tablespoons cornstarch
zest of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. The dough should be in a ball in wax paper for 1 hour. On a lightly floured surface, roll out half the dough, 1/8-inch thick, to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Chill the shell while assembling the filling.

 

In a large bowl, combine the blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, sugar, flour, cornstarch, lemon zest, cinnamon and ginger. Stir until well combined. Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator and pour in the fruit mixture.

Roll out the other half of the door on a lightly flour surfaced. Cut into strips to make a lattice topping. Arrange the dough into a lattice pattern. Crimp the edges. Sprinkle sugar over the top.

Bake the pie at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place foil over the edges because they will be browning lightly. Reduce the temperature of the oven to 375 degrees. Let bake for an additional 35-40 minutes until the crust is golden and the fruit filling has started to bubble. Best served with vanilla ice cream.

So a day living with three children always has the potential to teach me a lot! Let's take today for example... I woke up sometime in the night with this weird lump underneath my covers half asleep i fished around for the possible t-shirt or maybe I had fallen asleep with my journal who knows right?... yeah wet diaper!! Yuck! Definitely a preview to the day. I have learned something valuable after this day. The most trying moments are followed by the some of the sweetest ones.

• Wet Diaper steals my sleep and woke up so groggy (rare and throws my emotions off kilter a little for the entire day! Everything seems so much more dramatic. Thank goodness my God loves me)... but I wake up without a bad dream (also very rare).

• The kids were squirrely and it takes twice as long to get them fed and ready for the day. I'm totally behind already and it's only 9:30am... but found a really cool worship CD my mom had given me but hadn't gotten a chance to exhaust it.

• Hannah's been fighting a 104 fever and sore throat and is teething, such a sad baby. Takes me forever to get her to sleep for her nap... but got to stare out the window for 45 minutes and the day is incredibly beautiful with the wind blowing in the trees.

• Finally 10:00 sat down to breakfast and devos at the kitchen table. Lily and Jacob saw me sit and ran up to me with their devotion book that we've been working through. (The One Year Book of Devotions for Preschoolers, put out by Tyndale Kids Little Blessings. Written by Crystal Bowman) Our daily ritual. They each get to pick one story to read and Jake eats half my fruit and Lily eats half my white egg omelet while they listen. (I've learned to make a little more then usual :D) Today I was so busy reading with the kids I forgot about the food, big mistake... they sure hadn't. No food... but got to watch unbridled curiosity and hear the excitement in their voices as they tried to figure out all that God might be responsible for creating. “What!! He even created the grass!! And the sky!! Wow!”-Lily. (Priceless)

• After devos with the kids I go in to make myself something else I reach for the pan and poor Hannah wakes up after only a 40 minute nap. I scoop her up and try to get her to sleep again. I have to say the saddest thing is watching a tired sick baby cuddle against you desperate to feel normal... my heart couldn't figure out how to not break for her. Finally I gave up and figured i would just hold her all day. Looks like I'm not going to get quiet time this morning... but I have a blast with the new worship CD. Dance party with the kids and building forts! Had a blast. Then I hear this from Lily, “I love dancing and singing for Jesus.” My joy is complete.

• Lunch all around. Hannah won't eat anything and dumps the baby food all over the floor! ....but Jacob said “Don't worry, I get it" finds a towel and does an amazing job of cleaning it up! He is soo helpful!

• Hannah woke up every time I tried to put her down so I had to slow down and sit with her for an 2 hours... it forced me to stop my day and I got my quiet time with the Lord after all. :D

• Hannah woke up after another short nap when Jacob goes yelling and running down the hall. Oh no sad baby all day?!... nope. Fever is gone down tremendously and she's back to her sweet natured self (still no smiling though).

• Then I walk out and the house is completely trashed. There are toys scattered from one end to the other. I did not even know where all the toys came from, half I don't recognize! I think I'm only having 2 children. I go and put a very upset Jacob down for a nap (that was the last thing he wanted to do today). He was sobbing and wouldn't look at me at all, there was no love in the air. I panicked; I'm never going to have time to clean everything up before Mary comes home.... I come back out Lily had cleaned it all up without being asked!!!!! I love her!

• Mary comes home just as I try and cheer Hannah up before Mary sees that her children aren't happy. Mary walks around the hall and Hannah gives her the biggest smile. Then I go wake Jacob up wary of the reaction I was going to get after his meltdown... he wakes up immediately gives me a hug and says “I wuv you Auntie Esther “ before I could say a word to him.

All in all just another day, but a blessed one indeed.

Freedom of the Press
Since moving to America, there have been the obvious differences in culture. At times I find myself disgusted or shocked by something new and unknown which sends me running towards the familiar. Then there are those times when the US gets it right and I can hold my head up high and be proud of being a part of this astounding country. One of those things is the freedom of press that so many have fought to protect. World Press Freedom Day was May 3, since I obviously missed that one I'm grabbing this opportunity to toot the States' horn. In 2002 there was serious cause for worry as it looked like freedom of the press was taking a serious down turn on a world scale. Now in 2009 the alarm and threat is very real with freedom declining for the seventh year in a row this year. Freedom Houses International Survey studied 195 countries and out of those countries 70 (36%) were rated free (go Norway & US), 61 (31%) are partly free and 64 (33%) are rated not free. In 1999 Bangladesh was declared partly free however looking at the situation now in 2009 it is declared not free by Freedom House. Self censorship is a reigning yardstick for the journalists of Bangladesh. A yardstick which they can choose to measure and restrict their freedom with or choose to be beaten by. For an interesting look into the situation for journalists here's a link to the International Press Review on IPI's website.
The same article is also located on Free Media. (the better one if you can link to it) (page 12)

A sobering thought. Please pray for the journalists in your country that they will be guided to truth and that there words will take root into the hearts of the people and effect change. I am interested in whether anyone knows how Bangladesh measures up using the international 10-point standard. Freedom House uses a 5 point standard.

Union Dissolution
June 7th 164 years ago, Norway dissolved it's union with Sweden. Woo-hoo. I wish my great grandparents were living, I would have loved to sit down and talk to them about what it was like growing up in a country that had just gained it's independence. My great grandmother Karin Margarethe Andersen was born in Fauske, Nordland. She was born June 10, 1892 and died October 13 1985. She married my great grandfather Olaf Ottesen at the age of 19 on August 22, 1919. Great grandfather Olaf was born October 9, 1889 and died August 30, 1959. I've only gotten the privilege to know one of my great grandparents. My grandmother Helga (Masted) Bøe died only 4 years ago but it doesn't seem that long ago. One of my fondest memories was every evening going over to her house (across the yard) :D and marching around the living room to the theme song of Hogan's Heroes and spending the evening with her. She was born September 4, 1905, died March 8, 2005. Married my Great Grandpa Hans Oli Norem Bøe (who spoke no English when he came to the States!) Grandma Bøe was petite, beautiful, kind, sweet-natured, loving, and had one of the most beautiful smiles I have ever seen. (One I selfishly hope I've inherited j/k) :D God used this beautiful quiet woman to plant the first seeds of my love for grandmothers. I cannot wait to be one. To be an old lady has been a life long goal of mine. I always thought that I would automatically be one like Grandma Bøe, a woman of grace and strength. However after spending a lot of time with older people I realize that the nature that she had does not come automatically with age. Her heart was devoted to God and that changed her entire being. Her years gave her a lot of lessons to learn but the meekness, sweet spirit and kind heart came from continual trust and reliance in our God. I must remember to sit down with my Grandpa John and ask him about his parents Grandmother Karin and Grandpa Olaf. I'm sure I could learn alot from their lives too.

Thursday was national applesauce cake day, so the kids and I tried our hands at making one. Here are a few pictures.



It turned out really yummy especially after I added the cream cheese frosting, definitely something for the recipe box. After we had fun baking I sat down at the computer and a few minutes later Jacob found me. He walked into the office and proudly announced "Auntie Esther, Auntie Esther I caught myself" So precious! Luckily I had the camera handy.