Day Before April

The day before April
Alone, alone,
I walked in the woods
And sat on a stone.

I sat on a broad stone
And sang to the birds.
The tune was God's making
But I made the words

Mary Carolyn Davies

Kudos to me!! I walked the neighborhood and fyi this hill is only one of nine uphills I encounter. Yes, I want a brownie point. The reason this is so important is that most of my winter walking has been in two local parks, where it is flat, flat, flat. So, the neighborhood *course* is more aerobic :) and therefore, more fat burning!

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National Poetry Month

Understanding verse is not one of my strong points. But every now and then I run across a poem which really speaks to me. Therefore, in honor of National Poetry Month (April), I plan to post each day a poem I like.

"For poems are not, as people think, simply emotions (one has emotions early enough)—they are experiences."
-Rainer Maria Rilke

Funny article in opposition to the celebration.

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Highschool Cheerleading

I made the team for five years. It was fun and I enjoyed it. This post is for Donna, who helps me *remember*

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Swan Coach House

Today the girls and I enjoyed a ladies luncheon at an historic Atlanta restaurant. We had a lovely time. The picture of the girls had too many shadows, so you will have to enjoy this one of the swan.

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Abdul Rahman

Is this trial a case of religious persecution or a test of the rule of law?

The news reports (Chicago Tribune and Houston Chronicle) are interesting. Chuck Colson chimes in at Breakpoint and TownHall.

Update: 3/28 The judge dismissed the case due to lack of evidence and the accused is seeking asylum in another country.

What do you think? Click on the time to comment.

Bible Meme

1)Who is my favorite Biblical personage, other than Jesus?
I tend to relate to the *little* people....like when reading about the exodus/wandering, I tried to imagine in which tribe I would be and how we would line up in *formation* Or in the NT, I pray that I would NOT be one of those conservative, culture-preserving Jewesses, but one of the ladies who attended Jesus, meeting his boat and gathering to hear his teaching.

2)Which is my favorite OT book?
In terms of which one I read most often, THE PSALMS, hands down!

3)Which is my least favorite OT book?
I probably dont refer enough to Song of Solomon :)

4)Which is my favorite non-gospel book of NT?
Probably Romans, because of its *controversy* Guess that makes me a type *C*

5) Which is my least favorite NT book?
Revelation, simply because I'm have trouble with the imagery. Must be a genetic defect.

6)Which is my favorite Bible verse (life verse)?
John 17:3 *And this is eternal life, that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.*

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Grandparents


Gustie and Sheffield 1918


















Albert and Dorcas 1925


















Aren't these old photos interesting?
I clipped them from our family website.

Does your family have a website?

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Kitchen Meme

1. How many meals does most of your family eat at home each week? How many are in your family?

We eat most of our meals at home, although more have been out of late due to conflicting schedules. There are six in our family, but two are off at college.

2. How many cookbooks do you own?

I own too many cookbooks to count, since I started collecting as a teenager :) I have a nice Time-published set of cookbooks entitled Food of the World.

3. How often do you refer to a cookbook each week?

Less than I used to.

4. Do you collect recipes from other sources?

I collect recipes from all types of sources: friends, family, websites, food containers.

5. How do you store those recipes?

I have index card file boxes, a basket, and a spiral-bound *Family* cookbook.

6. When you cook, do you follow the recipe pretty closely, or do you use recipes primarily to give you ideas?

The first time I follow a recipe very closely, ie I measure. But after that, I may change it or follow it again exactly.

7. Is there a particular ethnic style or flavor that predominates in your cooking? If so, what is it?

No particular ethnic style. We like all types of food from boxed MacNCheese to gourmet five course meals.

8. What's your favorite kitchen task related to meal planning and preparation?

I like all the parts of feeding my family from coming up with the plan, preparing the plan, executing the plan, and redoing the plan.


9. What's your least favorite part?

My least favorite part is..... not have all the spots filled up around the table :)

10. Do you plan menus before you shop?

Sometimes and sometimes not. I am often persuaded to change my plan once I get to the store and find something else on sale. But I have also be known to drive a few extra miles to buy the precise ingredient for one of those elegant meals.

11. What are your three favorite kitchen tools or appliances?

My favorite kitchen tool is my food processor. Then my knives. Then the dishwasher, but I did live without one for three years.

12. If you could buy one new thing for your kitchen, money was no object, and space not an issue, what would you most like to have?

I would love two sets of Cutco knives.

13. Since money and space probably are objects, what are you most likely to buy next?

New sponges.

14. Do you have a separate freezer for storage?

Yes, we have an extra refrigerator in the garage as well as a separate freezer out there too.

15. Grocery shop alone or with others?

I have done both: once a week with all four daughters in tow, but right now I am mostly alone running in at least three times a week. I have learned to be more flexible with my meal planning based on the extra-curricular activities of the two highschoolers at home.


16. How many meatless main dish meals do you fix in a week?

At least one....I try to slip them in more often, but usually when hubby is NOT home for dinner.

17. If you have a decorating theme in your kitchen, what is it? Favorite kitchen colors?

I am lucky enough to have just had my kitchen re-wallpapered and painted, after 17 yrs of the same decor. I dont categorize it, but you might after viewing the photo on my xanga page.

18. What's the first thing you ever learned to cook, and how old were you?

Brownies....and I was 8 y o.

19. How did you learn to cook?

I learned to cook from my mother and watching others. I was fortunate to take some lessons in my late teens from Nathalie Dupree.

20. Tag two other people to play. Want to play? Click on the time to comment.

Sharp Weapons

Spurgeon's comments today on I Sam 13:20 are intriguing:

We might learn from our enemies if we would, and so make the Philistines sharpen our weapons.

Learning from our enemies is a dangerous enterprise, since one unless well-grounded might be persuaded to join their ranks. But nevertheless, today I will ponder learning from my enemies, identifying my weapons which need to be sharpened (axe, plowshare, coulter, and mattock). And then I will turn them over to the other side for sharpening? Isnt that interesting? There was no smith found througout all Israel....but all went down to the Philistines to sharpen....

First, however, I will beg the Holy Spirit to sharpen my zeal TODAY, so that I may seek whom I shall bless.

Imagine

Truth be known, I am not particularly gifted in the *imagination* realm. For example, I dont read fantasy/science fiction stuff. And I have never read C S Lewis' Narnia series. Gasp!

But borrowing a phrase from Spurgeon's devotional today, I am going to try and *let the thought of what life would be without His enhancing His preciousness* govern my imagination today.

Seriously. This should affect my actions.

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