tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-47480947119598095332024-03-19T01:53:04.925-07:00Have A Cup With MeBeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.comBlogger533125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-43028056939118658452016-01-01T10:55:00.001-08:002019-08-24T12:08:56.083-07:00Best of 2015In no particular order, here is my year-end list…<br />
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<span style="color: #8080ff; font-family: "ribbon happy"; font-size: x-large;">Best Book</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPdPa_Aqo2mciX_rMo5k-3R5qBw-KOPqM2h-qPW9GFjPHfPZU0Iid7fDVZkz0vTSa8NuhdMMCQyGVOoM6QDkktcTHpc4c6UE44wW9QCoWLBSxnhMli9bzmgOhSALLt8TwnpEI8Fuy6ixB/s1600/51b8hR%252BTLcL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="323" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitPdPa_Aqo2mciX_rMo5k-3R5qBw-KOPqM2h-qPW9GFjPHfPZU0Iid7fDVZkz0vTSa8NuhdMMCQyGVOoM6QDkktcTHpc4c6UE44wW9QCoWLBSxnhMli9bzmgOhSALLt8TwnpEI8Fuy6ixB/s320/51b8hR%252BTLcL._SX321_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
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I’ve grown to love these imaginary people so much and this latest in the Mitford series was delightful. If you haven’t read the series, this one won’t work as a stand-alone. After finishing it, I’m re-reading #1: At Home in Mitford.<br />
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Grace Michelle – May 21, 2015<br />
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<span style="color: #8080ff; font-family: "ribbon happy"; font-size: x-large;">Best Celebration</span></div>
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Our <a href="http://haveacupwithme.blogspot.com/2015/11/31.html" target="_blank">31st anniversary</a> celebrated in Cannon Beach on a stormy November getaway. <br />
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I use <a href="http://pepperplate.com/" target="_blank">Pepperplate</a> on my tablet in the kitchen and it is awesome. This replaces a million recipes printed on reams of paper and shoved into a file folder. You can upload recipes right from the web or enter your old favorites manually. Everything in one place, organized by category. You can make shopping lists and create menus too but I haven’t done that yet.<br />
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It used to be that we would get together once a year – our Jubilee weekends. This year Liane, Karen and I had <em>four</em> Jubilees. And two of them celebrated the 60th birthdays of my dearest friends. As the youngster of the group (but not by much), I look up to these two women in so many ways. Our very old friendship (42 years!) means more to me each year. We’ll walk forward together into 2016 holding tightly to God’s word. <br />
Love you, my sisters!<br />
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<span style="color: #8080ff; font-family: "ribbon happy"; font-size: x-large;">Happy New Year!!</span></div>
BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-30446936043452882372015-12-31T16:41:00.001-08:002019-08-24T12:08:32.539-07:00Dear Grammy,<br />
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It was fun to see you a couple times this month! <br />
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The first thing that happened was when I woke up from my afternoon nap on the 11th and there you were! I didn’t really care WHY you were at my house but you kept talking about going on an airplane together so that Mama and I could be in a wedding. All I really cared about was showing you my dolls and sitting on your lap to sing Doh-Doh (Do-Re-Mi for those who don’t understand two-year-olds).<br />
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Yes, I threw myself on the floor a couple of times but that’s understandable – things weren’t always going my way. (I’m glad you understand the two-year-old psyche.) Grace doesn’t have the same flair for drama that I do, at least not yet. <br />
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When I got up at 4:00 the next morning I found you sleeping on my couch! You and Mama dragged a bunch of suitcases down to the car and we headed to the airport in the dark. Why did you keep talking about coffee? <br />
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I would have liked to walk a little faster but you and Mama were going really slow... a few times I couldn’t see you at all behind that big suitcase with my car seat stacked on top and all the bags hanging from your shoulders. <br />
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I liked staring at all the people in that long line. There was even a big dog with a vest on but we couldn’t pet it – they said something about him sniffing something. Then we got to run to the underground train! Then we ran to our gate! Then you suddenly disappeared and came back with two cups of coffee, which seemed to make you and Mama very happy. <br />
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Just then we got to go to the front of the long line and get on the airplane first! I said hi and smiled at all the airline employees so that we would get good service. You and Mama literally fell into your seats in row 20 while I got right to work playing with the tray table and the seat belt. <br />
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I’m proud of you for searching on Pinterest for ways to keep a two-year-old busy on an airplane and for packing a ‘Grammy Bag’ with stuff to do. That kept me busy for about 23 minutes. Glad you remembered your “iPad!” <br />
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(Why don’t you have any pictures from that morning? You must have forgotten that you would be blogging about it or you would have done a better job of recording those memories.) <br />
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After we landed in Ontario, went to that big moving belt with our stuff on it, and dragged two suitcases, two car seats and shoulder bags to the shuttle bus, we finally got a pretty new car and headed to someplace called “In n Out” where we ate a lot of french fries. <br />
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We loved staying in a hotel and watching Mickey Christmas cartoons in bed!<br />
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I’m a little disappointed you didn’t take a picture of me walking down the aisle in the wedding ringing my jingle bells. Where were you anyway? Mama said you were in the bathroom with Gracie so you missed the whole thing. Was she crying because she didn’t get to be a jingle bell girl?<br />
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Well it was very fun to be in my first wedding and I’m glad I could help you have fun. <br />
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Then we all got to come to your house for Christmas! I got to see Aunt Mimi and Aunt Lulu and my cousin cousins…<br />
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I fixed some of your decorating mistakes…<br />
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Gracie and I appreciate all the fun stuff we got…<br />
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But mostly we just like being with everybody!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioP-RhsvLQcKDPzOSNQGFFA4OhNqR2ZkrPRTLv_hiYfkWig-ZRiXRGVElT9juuP1vdc2qWTSNJF0g-5MV5Tf5iMW-2Yh5j4tZAcOB4IQu-YCJEZh2AbEahWIXGF7g9KogGfRwYenwztIi1/s1600/IMG_3833.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioP-RhsvLQcKDPzOSNQGFFA4OhNqR2ZkrPRTLv_hiYfkWig-ZRiXRGVElT9juuP1vdc2qWTSNJF0g-5MV5Tf5iMW-2Yh5j4tZAcOB4IQu-YCJEZh2AbEahWIXGF7g9KogGfRwYenwztIi1/s640/IMG_3833.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAce_8eTZiwZKViGiQHfp9UcRqFwRuPujdYwD269jvbx2T4OeDJf-WfEa8ztyVRTVZB6qW8B54vTtGIDUn5cNlAxHA6eJN57zMQ2MY7_rLuRF0j8WJY-cM59qA-Dav9300gRm7Uq-oHFc/s1600/IMG_3971.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAce_8eTZiwZKViGiQHfp9UcRqFwRuPujdYwD269jvbx2T4OeDJf-WfEa8ztyVRTVZB6qW8B54vTtGIDUn5cNlAxHA6eJN57zMQ2MY7_rLuRF0j8WJY-cM59qA-Dav9300gRm7Uq-oHFc/s640/IMG_3971.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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When can we come again??<br />
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<br />BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-51209916095674811712015-12-08T19:57:00.000-08:002019-08-24T12:10:23.720-07:00Christmas time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyteAE2sQ6dAG_2EM-coMNUft1FYD9YSLO68JxynEQ4hsZACVcGOr0I2j5InWHNkksnxwoWt9PvGT6kCbGrvjRDVlZDIS5KY9VZnrzX6XhZarmgjzasXLyGny8-HRYkh49sDk-R-QcLkZv/s1600/3134886830_5c3f3824e7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="382" data-original-width="478" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyteAE2sQ6dAG_2EM-coMNUft1FYD9YSLO68JxynEQ4hsZACVcGOr0I2j5InWHNkksnxwoWt9PvGT6kCbGrvjRDVlZDIS5KY9VZnrzX6XhZarmgjzasXLyGny8-HRYkh49sDk-R-QcLkZv/s320/3134886830_5c3f3824e7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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This holiday season has already felt so different for me. None of our girls were home at Thanksgiving – for the first time ever. We’re still not sure who will be here at Christmas. <br />
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It’s caused me to think. <br />
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I’ve always struggled to really ENJOY the days leading up to Christmas… to make time to be still. To listen to the words in so many wonderful Christmas carols. To give thanks in quiet. <br />
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I tend to set ridiculous expectations and I am usually disappointed in myself. And at the end of the day on December 25th I’m often left with an empty feeling and a great sense of loss – like I didn’t grasp what God had for me throughout Advent. <br />
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I’m realizing it’s about letting God have my time. The ‘interruptions’ to my carefully scripted days can be the the place where so much joy is found. Jesus came for people – broken, difficult, bothersome people like me. And He asks me to love them too.<br />
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So <strong>time</strong> is taking on a new perspective. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">It’s God’s time, not mine.</span> <br />
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Lord, how do You want to use the time in this day? <br />
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Who do You want me to spend time with? <br />
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Fill these days of Advent - these hours and minutes - with significance. <br />
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I want to make the most of this blink-of-an-eye I'm living in. Help me cooperate with You and not miss ways You can use me, teach me, surprise me.<br />
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And <em>this</em> might make you cry just a bit… but it's a great reminder to me of what's important.<br />
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-71885110606647991862015-12-03T08:47:00.000-08:002019-08-24T12:27:23.423-07:00Favorite Christmas cookies<div align="center">
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We all have cookies we remember from our childhood, right? The ones we made with our moms or the ones our grandmas made every year at Christmas. Here are a few from my childhood and a few ‘new’ ones that have become part of our family tradition… </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iQxAa8bNWSCmvwwhYLUn2f7vEmK2PAD82KuOJPAqsEN_Yym21Xhyphenhyphen83ZUWpfGiIc8xRJvEG0BH1xGHVk1vvkm_B6jP4qlJyoaBDn02Xq4lFf7kEEfHFFtRk-fvmXvfRqLq-NjHsSHsr5v/s1600/2018_Peanut-Blossom-Cookies_5287_600x600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6iQxAa8bNWSCmvwwhYLUn2f7vEmK2PAD82KuOJPAqsEN_Yym21Xhyphenhyphen83ZUWpfGiIc8xRJvEG0BH1xGHVk1vvkm_B6jP4qlJyoaBDn02Xq4lFf7kEEfHFFtRk-fvmXvfRqLq-NjHsSHsr5v/s320/2018_Peanut-Blossom-Cookies_5287_600x600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.hersheys.com/celebrate/holidays/recipedetail.aspx?id=5191" target="_blank">Peanut Butter Kisses</a><br />
Peanut butter and chocolate… what’s not to love? Easy to make with kids.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tMP2o91MQSwrQN_NaIfRdABp-6p5WV_O68nQN0rTV68kMswTQuGoTCI5TvUESYOYO6-18wCw80S0FkeRs-XMzkW4hoNMK0dddVm8ldkoB8jKTj-7PxlyIx4yCKwCy2fmtTKteRwYapW0/s1600/chocolate-crinkle-cookies-8-2-600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="600" height="260" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9tMP2o91MQSwrQN_NaIfRdABp-6p5WV_O68nQN0rTV68kMswTQuGoTCI5TvUESYOYO6-18wCw80S0FkeRs-XMzkW4hoNMK0dddVm8ldkoB8jKTj-7PxlyIx4yCKwCy2fmtTKteRwYapW0/s320/chocolate-crinkle-cookies-8-2-600.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/chocolate-crinkles/941e22b3-9a48-4fb1-bdb0-27479e76d484" target="_blank">Chocolate Crinkles</a><br />
Crunchy, messy goodness.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVhewxqO0zAarg3U-Q7DuqJ-Jb11XipoQ3QYIgm6zTxgGY7U8gQ7ZeG-9Lj_MULFr-CIDxx5dLuTsJV4Pehmo0ypGY6iX6X9TQFGH19CbQjbLeB77JOoypVlSiK4TPA_F5OkolckdOuzw/s1600/e51de9bb-a240-45e5-9d2c-0977e2279c80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBVhewxqO0zAarg3U-Q7DuqJ-Jb11XipoQ3QYIgm6zTxgGY7U8gQ7ZeG-9Lj_MULFr-CIDxx5dLuTsJV4Pehmo0ypGY6iX6X9TQFGH19CbQjbLeB77JOoypVlSiK4TPA_F5OkolckdOuzw/s320/e51de9bb-a240-45e5-9d2c-0977e2279c80.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/classic-spritz-cookies/aa68df04-bd64-4f1b-8421-0df82064bca4" target="_blank">Spritz</a><br />
I remember my mom letting me choose the designs, color the dough and twist the cookie press. Then came the sprinkles! I still use her cookie press. Rich and buttery… yum.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcdlu5ClnX1QmCVxLphfHiWEjZiQFVz93Wu_jd4Nq8aeJ0rpR6-mDeGWoWvxEoQSC-YPrpODGkzveZyt666DWWwgQcKkdq2LfASE9iUDXs3e2RsnNdMmImnLQnYNx5-UvxRyy5y8WitO4/s1600/Pecan_Snowball_Cookies-131217-6766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1407" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEcdlu5ClnX1QmCVxLphfHiWEjZiQFVz93Wu_jd4Nq8aeJ0rpR6-mDeGWoWvxEoQSC-YPrpODGkzveZyt666DWWwgQcKkdq2LfASE9iUDXs3e2RsnNdMmImnLQnYNx5-UvxRyy5y8WitO4/s320/Pecan_Snowball_Cookies-131217-6766.jpg" width="281" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cookingclassy.com/2012/12/snowball-cookies/" target="_blank">Snowballs</a><br />
These rich cookies just say Christmas to me.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJunwUQVbpW5W-aolaQcNic7PkwabsWewccyXfD3yW5OpQGsmdr-OSAOva3HBFJPqi9dMQD8-vw-T4-efePR9C2s4mVw-QObvjXSKNaEPoyuLq-pU6dvcmx4y-GcRfOsBQFckCMxeNZgx/s1600/071216-pepparkakor021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="276" data-original-width="410" height="215" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIJunwUQVbpW5W-aolaQcNic7PkwabsWewccyXfD3yW5OpQGsmdr-OSAOva3HBFJPqi9dMQD8-vw-T4-efePR9C2s4mVw-QObvjXSKNaEPoyuLq-pU6dvcmx4y-GcRfOsBQFckCMxeNZgx/s320/071216-pepparkakor021.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/pepparkakor-swedish-ginger-cookies-51212230" target="_blank">Pepparkakor</a><br />
A wonderful spicy cookie that doesn’t need frosting so it’s easier to do with kids.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzdEVrfVPk2Xq2N7eyK8qWQ_rKB3d85CNwAm4pao0IvqtVyS8FpdAZgzyQtqhs6SgqRJ39nawYcwdBdLWxYy_JDysNKJ_9ZlIrxjMZB4WUXZIggG1EOYaA4lK3vxn3DNvd-0LUFJ5Auyf/s1600/gincookiesR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTzdEVrfVPk2Xq2N7eyK8qWQ_rKB3d85CNwAm4pao0IvqtVyS8FpdAZgzyQtqhs6SgqRJ39nawYcwdBdLWxYy_JDysNKJ_9ZlIrxjMZB4WUXZIggG1EOYaA4lK3vxn3DNvd-0LUFJ5Auyf/s320/gincookiesR.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://food-cool-image.blogspot.com/2015/11/soft-gingerbread-cookie-recipe.html" target="_blank">Soft Gingerbread Cookie</a><br />
Wonderfully chewy goodness!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwr7XfCMFUdTABJSAmaw8ONec8gyHCukiWE5HZwQlS3qYyaHUmoWRIGWux6M5Ac3AtHkXDTkK9X2ud1bv-pzOFRhUdbvvQki3mLx1d9r47eJfJM22jfKxmxVZd4g8gKUbtTf0ydRhruAT/s1600/3214620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWwr7XfCMFUdTABJSAmaw8ONec8gyHCukiWE5HZwQlS3qYyaHUmoWRIGWux6M5Ac3AtHkXDTkK9X2ud1bv-pzOFRhUdbvvQki3mLx1d9r47eJfJM22jfKxmxVZd4g8gKUbtTf0ydRhruAT/s320/3214620.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://bekicookscakesblog.blogspot.com/2011/12/special-k-bars.html" target="_blank">No-bake Special K Bars</a><br />
We make these every year and they disappear quickly!<br />
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-17768331428802678712015-11-19T09:21:00.000-08:002019-08-24T12:29:45.666-07:0031<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLqw0dtNcxK_jzGvlkVtSN-33d6Tw7Hm5Wfmh9hzI2orLuALra_x4NKkJ48TWQTrMDexwKoZtvK9th5LwHYaKD61-i59J54L1y73W8s6-K-OIGGerPwIsTnAuWeetHxHjNGs4U0BqcYQl/s1600/1200px-Bundesstra%25C3%259Fe_31_number.svg.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1200" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsLqw0dtNcxK_jzGvlkVtSN-33d6Tw7Hm5Wfmh9hzI2orLuALra_x4NKkJ48TWQTrMDexwKoZtvK9th5LwHYaKD61-i59J54L1y73W8s6-K-OIGGerPwIsTnAuWeetHxHjNGs4U0BqcYQl/s320/1200px-Bundesstra%25C3%259Fe_31_number.svg.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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You know you’ve been married for 31 years when…<br />
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<li>you get out a calculator in order to figure out it is 31 and not 32 years</li>
<li>you start wondering if you sent a thank you card to the person who provided ice cream for your reception or the person who let you use their beach house for your honeymoon</li>
<li>your kids are older than Russell Wilson</li>
<li>you’re happy to celebrate in a cozy restaurant with good food and cracked vinyl booths instead of a fancy place that rotates 360°</li>
<li>you don’t even take a photo of yourselves on your anniversary getaway at the Oregon coast </li>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_I07LzZesYlHoJVH08VvbWRC5tf8T2qbPs4yS3uehvctzRUws9nccyD4M4YPgHuUwWrf0uxVAJHg83CjLvKvvTJhIrWv8y8-ddKoymvKW8RPCK7mrx8gIl5qj7NVcvrUSZP_L6tMocuZ/s1600/IMG_3696.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_I07LzZesYlHoJVH08VvbWRC5tf8T2qbPs4yS3uehvctzRUws9nccyD4M4YPgHuUwWrf0uxVAJHg83CjLvKvvTJhIrWv8y8-ddKoymvKW8RPCK7mrx8gIl5qj7NVcvrUSZP_L6tMocuZ/s640/IMG_3696.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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We had a wonderful couple of days in Cannon Beach during a huge rain and wind storm. Our hotel looked right out onto the beach and we sat by the fireplace to watch the fury. Clam chowder, fish and chips, good coffee at Insomnia and few other ‘tourists’ made for a great anniversary!<br />
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I am so very thankful for my husband and best friend. I’m thankful that he still likes me. I’m thankful we love our marriage as well as each other. In many ways it seems like we have been part of each other’s lives for always. We’re grateful for 31 years of life together. God is faithful in a million ways and that has been the theme of our marriage. We’re looking forward to what He has in store in the days and years to come!BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-6854246214850890402015-11-14T10:35:00.002-08:002019-08-24T12:31:21.526-07:00Pilgrims<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGee7t5rfeVDDr7763FBQ0mtoDMjp6qn82xmzyxDmggAdE2UlKszIpqbi154IG312EQZSyf2ECNt4azZ1m6iUniJbL3SwcpJYwKZ3JR8zwrbyBID9csDyC0eu51b1NQd5LqVV9zEYILKT/s1600/5-Vintage-Gurley-Novelty-Thanksgiving-Candles-Pilgrim-Boy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGee7t5rfeVDDr7763FBQ0mtoDMjp6qn82xmzyxDmggAdE2UlKszIpqbi154IG312EQZSyf2ECNt4azZ1m6iUniJbL3SwcpJYwKZ3JR8zwrbyBID9csDyC0eu51b1NQd5LqVV9zEYILKT/s320/5-Vintage-Gurley-Novelty-Thanksgiving-Candles-Pilgrim-Boy.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I’ve been thinking a lot about all the different ways Peter refers to Christians living in this broken world of ours… <br />
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<strong>Aliens</strong><br />
<strong>Exiles </strong><br />
<strong>Foreigners </strong><br />
<strong>Sojourners</strong><br />
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We’re even called ‘<b>pilgrims</b>’ in the old King James.<br />
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<em>What if we really believed that and thought and acted that way?</em> What would that look like?<br />
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Well, we wouldn’t be looking to get really comfortable here, as if we owned our house, our car, our stuff. It’s actually not ours – it’s on loan to us for a little while. We’d be thankful for the use of it and we’d share it with everybody.<br />
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We wouldn’t <span style="font-size: large;">expect</span> the folks around us to understand us or the way we look at life. We wouldn’t be completely offended by those who don’t want to acknowledge the Christ of Christmas or who think Black Friday is a national holiday. They don’t know Him! We’d be humbled to introduce them to the One who loves them so.<br />
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We wouldn’t speak to the ones ‘of this world’ in the same language we’re familiar with. We’d speak to them in words they can relate to and understand. We would remember how much we have in common with them. <br />
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We wouldn’t think of this world as home at all. We don’t belong here. We aren’t staying here. This is very temporary and truly is a blink of an eye in light of eternity. We would always be thinking about our Father who is getting excited about all He is preparing for us with Him. About going HOME. <br />
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I want to remember this. I want to live with this in mind… I am just traveling through here. <br />
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*Those pilgrim candles up there are exactly like the ones my mom got out every Thanksgiving. I played with them for hours, along with the Indians and the turkey that went with them. I’m sure they sat down to eat with my trolls and my Barbies. Somewhere along the way they were probably sent to the Salvation Army along with mom’s basket cornucopia and the felt leaf coasters I glued sequins onto. Sniff. <br />
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-66809051204646564782015-11-03T08:22:00.001-08:002019-08-24T12:31:42.498-07:00Links I liked<br />
Happy November and the start of the holiday season! <br />
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<a href="http://www.megduerksen.com/2014/04/07/so-mod/" target="_blank">So Mod</a><br />
@megduerksen.com<br />
I actually remember ads like this when I was a kid. You have to read the wording in each… Love em!<br />
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<a href="http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/the-world-there-were-only-100-people.html" target="_blank">The World If There Were Only 100 People</a><br />
@lifehack.org<br />
A great way to wrap you mind around statistics about this little marble we live on!<br />
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<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2015/08/how-quiet-marriages-may-be-the-most-exciting-marriages-of-all/" target="_blank">How Quiet Marriages May Be the Most Exciting Marriages of All</a><br />
@aholyexperience<br />
<em>You’ve probably already realized that there was a purpose for your marriage that went beyond happiness. </em><em>You might not have chosen the word “holiness” to express it, but you understood there was a transcendent truth beyond the superficial romance depicted in popular culture. </em><em>Far from assaulting our happiness, pursuing the biblical holiness of a quiet and godly life in marriage enhances it by giving us a new appreciation for the person with whom we walk this journey.</em></div>
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<a href="http://wearethatfamily.com/2015/11/we-cant-take-credit-for-our-kids-stellar-or-stupid-choices/" target="_blank">We Can't Take Credit for Our Kids' Stellar or Stupid Choices</a><br />
@weareTHATfamily<br />
<i>No credit. No blame.</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/pain-a-secret-garden-of-pride" target="_blank">Pain: A Secret Garden of Pride</a><br />
@desiringgod.org<br />
I’ve been thinking a lot about this…<br />
<em>Satan uses pleasure and pain to try and destroy our faith. He wields pleasure to make us doubt God’s satisfying greatness, and pain to make us doubt God’s sovereign goodness. Pain can be a powerful weapon for good in the heart of faith. It can produce deeper, heartfelt humility and greater dependence on God. <em>And</em> pain can inflict wounds far worse and more lasting than any physical agony. At its worst, it can cause us to doubt God’s goodness, to wallow in self-pity, and to isolate ourselves from him, as well as from others.</em><br />
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<a href="http://jenniferdukeslee.com/the-five-friends-we-all-need-tellhisstory/" target="_blank">The Five Friends We All Need</a><br />
@jenniferdukeslee.com<br />
I loved this one.<br />
<em>Social media will tell that the more friends you have, the better you are. </em><em>But that’s not true at all. Friendship is about depth, not width. We don't need 2000 friends... most of us need five. </em></div>
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And just for fun...<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HxKeCmTCDV4?rel=0" width="640"></iframe><br />
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-73486803966845229142015-10-26T08:20:00.001-07:002023-04-15T13:06:55.451-07:00Dear Grammy…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Thanks for coming up to see us this last weekend! <br />We missed Papa though. What’s in Africa that could possibly be better than </span><em style="text-align: left;">us</em><span style="text-align: left;">?</span></div>
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You said Mama and Daddy went out on something called a <em>date</em>. They don’t ever do that - which makes sense because why would they ever want to leave us? <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3fezP20mrRpMj_PlB-OJQzLMCGgNf4bol57jFUy8K-mTEbBLVl3b5HxwmwIKFCmI6V4o-ClCFNt1SOu49H8xfuSR5Gk8k6mHc2RK8O_gBvQsol-cwXYgx74Qbmtoesm5VeMDWQZ532X1LRvKhLb81MBHd-OLCz628sD0DmELnSPrNuqbpO9itgOE2A/s1024/FullSizeRender1%5B7%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO3fezP20mrRpMj_PlB-OJQzLMCGgNf4bol57jFUy8K-mTEbBLVl3b5HxwmwIKFCmI6V4o-ClCFNt1SOu49H8xfuSR5Gk8k6mHc2RK8O_gBvQsol-cwXYgx74Qbmtoesm5VeMDWQZ532X1LRvKhLb81MBHd-OLCz628sD0DmELnSPrNuqbpO9itgOE2A/w400-h300/FullSizeRender1%5B7%5D.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div><br />
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We <em>loved</em> being with Auntie Mimi too!<br />
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You seemed to be really glad she was there too. You used to take care of <u>three</u> little girls so I’m sure we must be a piece of cake to take care of, right? Right??<br />
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I liked riding in your car…<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh401yzAGHlMCOpI6t0bVvtnWnURvPvqB-yYvtpCAF7HGcS6lMSXI6loAl35pzCgzohN2iB0PylNqKd03nTx1GVNMPcCgRaWhRIflE98RqRufnO_N9NxIVOwh4svLR2nn5GmxshWfV-eZXbmUqFbJ7bjVp0t0sf-72bhDriiciQdq9wxYUbE2mBlk3NTw/s768/20151024_101639%5B4%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh401yzAGHlMCOpI6t0bVvtnWnURvPvqB-yYvtpCAF7HGcS6lMSXI6loAl35pzCgzohN2iB0PylNqKd03nTx1GVNMPcCgRaWhRIflE98RqRufnO_N9NxIVOwh4svLR2nn5GmxshWfV-eZXbmUqFbJ7bjVp0t0sf-72bhDriiciQdq9wxYUbE2mBlk3NTw/w300-h400/20151024_101639%5B4%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi239qbsJ3frTtkBZod9KMYyFp6IoGl47bCGfN1k4INqjjLx04KApYl0xe_YTcK2v4cDEuorAh4_eGdzeS3eSbZ3mTpwHWVjD0IpgQq8gS3ANyefJ1Xes6vQYlyu4tRYhWqzvnb6BwRWre7tHqSuqHj2arVaANxalZyD5mAdzpeLdQotRnXI-IM1wG5Ng/s768/20151024_101616%5B4%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi239qbsJ3frTtkBZod9KMYyFp6IoGl47bCGfN1k4INqjjLx04KApYl0xe_YTcK2v4cDEuorAh4_eGdzeS3eSbZ3mTpwHWVjD0IpgQq8gS3ANyefJ1Xes6vQYlyu4tRYhWqzvnb6BwRWre7tHqSuqHj2arVaANxalZyD5mAdzpeLdQotRnXI-IM1wG5Ng/w300-h400/20151024_101616%5B4%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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even though you don’t have any snacks in there.<br />
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And Costco with Grammy is fun! I haven’t figured out yet that you can actually take home all the stuff in there so I was happy to hold Minnie Mouse…<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIl6aOObOc0jSKFFHSzoCIDsueYt70kZaWuqfVHmI-Dv1HZyhY0GRMQKX_kKfc3hw0ztARc1Db6RjGAA2fLGOMDvprBRrBBZP18GQGh3mNYv7xZRQS_mg8dfTk4ee8sT3sH590Rbn8vQrgZfaDv21d73BwpDsab1vnfbwtj9Xpazy7CkHVb1YLJUyNg/s768/20151024_111039%5B4%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglIl6aOObOc0jSKFFHSzoCIDsueYt70kZaWuqfVHmI-Dv1HZyhY0GRMQKX_kKfc3hw0ztARc1Db6RjGAA2fLGOMDvprBRrBBZP18GQGh3mNYv7xZRQS_mg8dfTk4ee8sT3sH590Rbn8vQrgZfaDv21d73BwpDsab1vnfbwtj9Xpazy7CkHVb1YLJUyNg/w300-h400/20151024_111039%5B4%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--ohTlZ-B9w4/Vi5D3gC5jEI/AAAAAAAAJeg/X3TdOsbdyY4/s1600-h/20151024_111039%25255B4%25255D.jpg"></a><br />
play the piano…<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2RfKAP99dDWvCnVItFfBy_cSTIZthUwB5nPVeQ6LCiAfk4xZuAXgfqRUVHprDjS5diqwOBR-gQd3eWSLKOgLdCi6lhk9_adtCNLSF8bNTc7lH36RJ3kVP6CiiJz3a2_2-pejeTmYWHaiBibbmImf0P1gFJu1X_T0LbITaDUxoXPDRAfLTlEM3By0fGQ/s768/20151024_112007%5B8%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2RfKAP99dDWvCnVItFfBy_cSTIZthUwB5nPVeQ6LCiAfk4xZuAXgfqRUVHprDjS5diqwOBR-gQd3eWSLKOgLdCi6lhk9_adtCNLSF8bNTc7lH36RJ3kVP6CiiJz3a2_2-pejeTmYWHaiBibbmImf0P1gFJu1X_T0LbITaDUxoXPDRAfLTlEM3By0fGQ/w300-h400/20151024_112007%5B8%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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And ride the horse…</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IS8LAdPubwlKU_3wUQYwURdfIa6xeS07gbXYWecC9x5QXVswcJrW-wNfS2A0ZZVKouvpkK2oY00yfYgXATAZSCh69ESGyMofpROr1wZ44bDCLDYi0YPd1Q16NtsE2VlNX6qQt7c91N6ZcmAYnIoD7Iu-Ja17AoF84l3h7qVdkHoCowO0PjUPTM3-aQ/s768/20151024_110817%5B4%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8IS8LAdPubwlKU_3wUQYwURdfIa6xeS07gbXYWecC9x5QXVswcJrW-wNfS2A0ZZVKouvpkK2oY00yfYgXATAZSCh69ESGyMofpROr1wZ44bDCLDYi0YPd1Q16NtsE2VlNX6qQt7c91N6ZcmAYnIoD7Iu-Ja17AoF84l3h7qVdkHoCowO0PjUPTM3-aQ/w300-h400/20151024_110817%5B4%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div>
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<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Dra4GHjbFDA/Vi5D8ypxU-I/AAAAAAAAJfA/o4NZRIqThww/s1600-h/20151024_110817%25255B4%25255D.jpg"></a><br />
But why did you make me get off? I did NOT want to get off. Why did you stop taking pictures, Grammy?<br />
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So Grammy, when are Mama and Daddy going on a date again? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-21761996915510849832015-10-18T11:58:00.001-07:002023-04-15T13:16:44.416-07:00A cure for DreadI'd say that for me, DREAD is the most common way fear shows up in my life. <br />
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I wrote the post below a few years ago but as I'm slowly making my way through 1 John, I thought about it again this morning in a new light. Here's my original post and then some thoughts from this morning: <br />
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<span style="text-align: center;"> ___________________________________________</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6btTRvjsRW-Qnycm2HbmroaMMzSUophMr1hRjKwJHqlELcRZVwobTivagbAGdyUkBJbU7DOapEH2XzYiTFDcvTjgvkUoo5aM-3b4tJ_pb43MoLliJkcA_GvkdKfwLGckkIqz8Lbjm3-NOHREOvjXRpkGRL12cO_3AeoAaG3YLdpNxanX9GIf3ORd2w/s640/cobweb-449911_640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="426" data-original-width="640" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl6btTRvjsRW-Qnycm2HbmroaMMzSUophMr1hRjKwJHqlELcRZVwobTivagbAGdyUkBJbU7DOapEH2XzYiTFDcvTjgvkUoo5aM-3b4tJ_pb43MoLliJkcA_GvkdKfwLGckkIqz8Lbjm3-NOHREOvjXRpkGRL12cO_3AeoAaG3YLdpNxanX9GIf3ORd2w/w640-h426/cobweb-449911_640.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times;"><strong>dread</strong>: to fear greatly; to be in extreme apprehension; to be reluctant to do, meet or experience; terror or apprehension as to something in the future</span><br />
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I heard someone mention this word not long ago and it’s made me take a look at how much influence dread has in my life. I think I've underestimated its power.<br />
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Dread can be outright terror about doing something. It's a paralyzing fear of something awful happening. But it can also be a nagging apprehension about the ‘what ifs’ in life – the kind of below-the-surface feeling that prevents us from sleep or from stepping out in faith. In other words, dread can cripple us. <br />
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Dread is a lie straight from the master-liar. Imagining what <em>might</em> happen is not keeping our minds and hearts focused on Truth. None of those ‘what ifs’ we come up with are really TRUE. It’s what the bible calls ‘vain imagination’. In fact, I don’t think it’s too strong to say that <strong>dread is sin</strong>. <br />
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In Deuteronomy 1:29 God says, “Dread not, neither be afraid…”<br />
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<strong>Dread declares God to be unfaithful</strong>. It’s saying (without coming right out and saying it), “God, You aren’t enough. If ________ happened, I couldn’t handle it. When I have to face _________, You won’t get me through it.”<br />
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What do you dread? Your next mammogram? Loss of a loved one? An uncertain future?<br />
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We can lean into God’s strong arms when dread creeps in. His presence, His nearness, His powerful control over all of our circumstances brings peace and trust. (I’m speaking to myself here.) Maybe you <a href="http://haveacupwithme.blogspot.com/2012/06/i-need-counselor.html" target="_blank">need a counselor</a> like I do.<br />
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Lord, forgive me for rehearsing ‘what ifs’ and by doing that, declaring that You aren’t enough for me and my circumstances. Your grace IS enough for whatever You have for me. Remind me of Your promises. Help me rehearse the Truth. <br />
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I read this verse today:<br />
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<span face="Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fdfeff; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><span style="color: #783f04;">There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18</span></i></span><br />
<span face="Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #fdfeff; color: #001320; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; text-align: justify;"><i><br /></i></span>
"Perfect love" drives out fear and its evil stepsister, dread. But HOW? And what in the world is "perfect love?" <br />
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This idea of love that is perfected or completed is all throughout 1 John. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Perfect love is living out God's love for me <i>by loving others</i>, completely depending on his Spirit in me to actually do it!</b> </span><br />
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It's the weirdest solution to fear, don't you think? How would loving others deal with my fear and dread? <br />
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Fear shifts all our focus onto ourselves and how whatever we're fearing will affect us. It makes worry, anxiety and dread boss us around. <br />
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Loving others with Christ's love gets me out of myself, my perspective, my small world of me. Actually trusting in God's ability to work His love through me is incredibly powerful in setting me free from fear and dread because I <i>experience His life</i> flowing through me. It doesn't take long to realize that I have a huge God living in me. And fear is destroyed in the process because which of the things I dread can possibly compare to His love?<br />
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Something for me to think more about for sure...<br />
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<br />BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-51982379063696593172015-10-14T07:45:00.001-07:002023-04-15T13:17:14.294-07:00Links I liked<div align="center">
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/jennifer.s.hughes.5/videos/10152901596435904/?pnref=story" target="_blank">Fakebook</a><br />
@facebook.com<br />
<em>Facebook’s not real, y’all.</em><br />
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<a href="http://www.clarkhoward.com/11-frugal-ways-to-prepare-emerge" target="_blank">11 frugal ways to prepare for an emergency</a><br />
@clarkhoward.com<br />
Do you have an emergency stash? I don’t but I’m thinking about it seriously. I’m actually hoping that Jesus returns before this is necessary but if He doesn’t, this makes good sense.<br />
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<a href="http://honeyholden.blogspot.com/2012/11/dear-me.html" target="_blank">Dear Me</a><br />
@The Honey Pot<br />
<em>Dear 16 year old me…</em><br />
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<a href="http://cams.allaboutbirds.org/channel/50/West_Texas_Hummingbirds/" target="_blank">Hummingbird webcam</a><br />
@allaboutbirds.org<br />
Assuming you don’t have anything better to do, watch some hummers!<br />
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/05/health/being-13-teens-social-media-study/index.html" target="_blank">Why some 13-year-olds check social media 100 times a day</a><br />
@cnn.com<br />
When 200+ eighth graders allow their social media feeds to be studied by child development specialists, the results are both telling and frightening. "To know what each other are doing, where they stand, to know how many people like what they posted, to know how many people followed them today and unfollowed them ... that I think is highly addictive."<br />
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<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2015/10/dear-kids-why-wait-till-marriage-what-no-one-tells-you-what-i-wish-someone-had-told-me-2/" target="_blank">About Not Waiting Till Marriage: What No One Tells Kids & What I Wish Someone Had Told Me</a><br />
@aholyexperience<br />
<em>There’s a story I know about that, that’s likely never going to be told. You don’t need to know the self-hating, shaming pain of that story – just that your father is a very caring man who knows that the soul of a woman needs to feel a deep safeness before you ever touch the skin of a woman.</em><br />
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-53379949786096662302015-10-13T19:24:00.002-07:002023-04-15T13:22:45.023-07:00What’s up?A bullet list, that’s what!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQPqlSuSCHCPFIY-BJH9C8W9lN90rK6fZFyj-7Ypd4J6Af9OTttd69gyZN16sooIF7pqUJAN7Uu0o8M81koL9ijJG43Cb1ABBo-2VNyAguDDQZ9P0i36TmxuEjnxekDD0GzO7fIQGOvpR_WMoGWqqu-13Pgs45NM4l3kXZRtraU9MCA0YgwgZJZ5YBg/s4000/IMG_8157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkQPqlSuSCHCPFIY-BJH9C8W9lN90rK6fZFyj-7Ypd4J6Af9OTttd69gyZN16sooIF7pqUJAN7Uu0o8M81koL9ijJG43Cb1ABBo-2VNyAguDDQZ9P0i36TmxuEjnxekDD0GzO7fIQGOvpR_WMoGWqqu-13Pgs45NM4l3kXZRtraU9MCA0YgwgZJZ5YBg/w640-h480/IMG_8157.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-aUsvmCWjpaI/Vh27ohWLyrI/AAAAAAAAJcQ/b-GjgEVNckM/s1600-h/IMG_7245%25255B12%25255D.jpg"></a><br />
<ul>
<li>October in Oregon is magnificent! Take-your-breath-away magnificent. Taking a walk brings lots of scripture to mind… “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made.” <span style="font-size: x-small;">Romans 1:20</span> Don’t you love that God even helps us know Him better on a walk?<br /><br /><br /><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5b/Weisse-Fliege.jpg" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /><br /></li>
<li>But all is not beautiful in the NW… We have <em>millions</em> of these creatures filling the air outside. The ash whitefly (I googled it). So I think these help remind of the mysterious parts of God’s plan that I’d like to ask Him about when we have a chat in heaven. Why??<br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ArRZ4nypY1FVdnLIi_LmKXUP7GBAIS_4_horDh6YsdQ5O2HtttloZE71CykhOEyTTmawPd2PLdncOeV1axd_YSbAF087pnPUvRldS8bdT7V_AahYEYKL7bGVAULY6mbqvWheEwSFCaiOlop14HBsh5YZd7ZPgDojAiv7gYQkSJEkiawPqUlPf1qWew/s768/10-2015%5B7%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="576" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ArRZ4nypY1FVdnLIi_LmKXUP7GBAIS_4_horDh6YsdQ5O2HtttloZE71CykhOEyTTmawPd2PLdncOeV1axd_YSbAF087pnPUvRldS8bdT7V_AahYEYKL7bGVAULY6mbqvWheEwSFCaiOlop14HBsh5YZd7ZPgDojAiv7gYQkSJEkiawPqUlPf1qWew/w300-h400/10-2015%5B7%5D.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><br /></li>
<li>My daughter texted me this pic from the grocery store. Hadley is such a good mommy – unashamed, really. The caption could read, “If they start crying in the store, you gotta do what you gotta do.”<br /><br /></li>
<li>I completely let my imagination run away with itself tonight… the neighbor’s dog was barking outside for hours (<i>not</i> typical) and I hadn’t seen any activity over there for a couple of days. After calling and texting and ringing the doorbell, I decided there had been a terrible tragedy (pictured it in detail, actually) so I went to our other neighbor’s and asked him if he had seen anyone around in the last few days. He hadn’t but had noticed the dog barking all day. So since Jeff wasn’t home I asked him if he would come with me to go in the house (I have a key). He was nervous about going in someone’s house uninvited but I assured him that I often took their mail in and fed the dog. We rang the bell. Nothing. With a shaky hand, I unlocked the door, ready to face a pile of dead bodies. “Hello?” And that’s when the son came around the corner with a startled look on his face. Ooops. I apologized profusely for coming into his house uninvited but explained my <u>completely</u> <u>rational</u> reasons. A few minutes later his mom called me saying she’d been in a meeting all day and was just now getting my texts and voicemails. The moral of this story: follow your gut and be better safe than sorry. My neighbor agrees, thankfully!<br /><br /></li>
<li>I’m going to get caught up on Downton Abbey – I completely missed season 5. When last I watched, Mrs. Hughes and Carson were wading in the ocean holding hands…<br /> <br /></li>
<li>My hair is driving me crazy. Flat. Falling forward. Maybe I need a whole new look?</li></ul><blockquote>
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<img height="400" src="http://images6.fanpop.com/image/photos/35600000/Season-4-downton-abbey-35621641-3000-2000.jpg" width="600" /></blockquote>
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No, too much work.</blockquote>
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Definitely time to get off this rabbit trail of bullet points and ridiculousness. Happy October!<br />
<br />BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-44362746394238206582015-09-30T16:45:00.001-07:002023-04-15T13:28:16.696-07:00On my nightstandThe reason I share ‘what’s on my nightstand’ every now and then is because of how much I love getting good book recommendations – it’s as simple as that. Do I always enjoy the same books my friends or other bloggers do? No but there are usually one or two I find that way and it’s worth starting a few that don’t appeal to me to find that one I can’t put down. Because I’m a library girl, I can check out a whole stack of books and maybe only end up reading a couple of them all the way through – and it doesn’t cost me anything!<br />
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I do like to read reviews to get an idea what the book might be like before I reserve them at the library but sometimes I know I like an author or it’s one I’ve been waiting for a long time… like this first one on my stack today:<br />
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<strong>Come Rain or Come Shine</strong> by Jan Karon<br />
The latest in the Mitford Novel series just came out this month. It’s a wedding!<br />
(Don’t start with this one… be sure to read the whole series!)<br />
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<strong>The Wright Brothers</strong> by David McCullough<br />
I learned a lot about something I knew nothing about. <br />Where was my head during history class?<br />
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<strong>Nobody’s Cuter Than You</strong> by Melanie Shankle<br />
I’ve read Mel’s blog for years and didn’t want to miss her latest book. Not as good (for me) as her previous books on parenting and marriage but full of her characteristic humor!<br />
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<strong>Go Set A Watchman</strong> by Harper Lee<br />
This is the much-anticipated and much-maligned sequel to “To Kill A Mockingbird.” I’d like to sit in on a book club discussion of this one. I just don't know what to say about it.<br />
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<strong>For The Love</strong> by Jen Hatmaker<br />
I thought the premise of the book was really good – giving grace. I’m not sure how all the chapters fit under that topic and my outline-oriented self found it was confusing. The chapter on church was really good and the chapter on what tweets would be back in the 70’s was funny.<br />
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<strong>Life and Death in Shanghai</strong> by Nien Cheng<br />
This Chinese woman was put under house arrest in 1966 at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution and ended up spending years in prison under incredibly difficult circumstances after being falsely charged as a spy. Again, because I somehow failed to retain one iota of information I read in my history classes, I learned so much about communism and socialism through her experience, as well as what impact the cultural revolution had on that enormous country. Very good.<br />
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-78168871854944919342015-09-29T09:54:00.001-07:002023-04-15T13:32:12.516-07:00The other vitamin C<br />
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Happy International Coffee Day!<br />
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Did you know you can get a free cup today at Dunkin’ Donuts, Peet’s, Krispy Kreme (+ free glazed donut!) and a few others that I’m not familiar with (Wawa and Sheetz Bros. aren’t in the NW where I live).<br />
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My love of coffee began when I was in high school. I took one of those tiny school buses to a student aide position at an elementary school several days a week and the bus driver was a coffee drinker. The wonderful smell of her coffee filled that little bus and made me wish I liked it. She told me she drank only 'good' coffee (I can't imagine what that was back in a time when MJB and Folgers were pretty much the norm). <br />
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I wanted to be just like her, holding a hot mug of coffee with long painted fingernails. Well, not <i>just</i> like her... I didn't want to imitate her excessive make-up or jewelry but those were requirements for every female who drove a bus, right? That and a loud-voiced, take-charge personality. <br />
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I started out like most people do, I'd guess... with lots of milk and sugar. Somewhere along the way I cut out the sugar and have had my coffee<i> au lait</i> ever since. Then Starbucks came along, capitalized on our obsession with caffeine and coffee became the expected ingredient in our meetings, business appointments, social gatherings and get-to-know-yous. Now we have an International Coffee Day. Who knew?<br />
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Make a coffee date with someone you haven’t seen in a while. Maybe they need your listening ear or encouraging words. Or just a good laugh together over a cuppa Joe. <br />
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<span style="font-family: Allura; font-size: x-large;">A joyful heart is good medicine</span>… and coffee is a wonderful way to enjoy it!BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-30903704659574035272015-09-09T19:13:00.002-07:002023-04-15T18:54:18.401-07:00SMPDI know.<br />
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It’s inching close to <em>two months</em> since I’ve written anything on here. And while I’ve been tempted to just insert about 327 links to other people’s blog posts that I know you would love, I decided to explain what I’m going through. Get yourself a Kleenex, okay?<br />
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Listen, I am suffering from SMPD – social media phobia disorder. This is a condition where you start questioning why you would <em>EVER</em> post <em>any</em><i>thing </i>online. It’s obvious that other folks are clever and funny and creative but you are not so what do you even think you are doing with a blog? Or a Facebook page? You worry about not ‘liking’ or commenting on all of your friends’ posts because you can’t possibly spend the time necessary to respond on <em>every</em><i>one’s</i> page so you decide not to click ‘like’ on <em>any</em><i>one’s</i> page. You resort to being a stalker. Until, in a weak moment, you ‘like’ someone's photo. Because you are so self-focused you're sure that all the folks whose pics you haven’t ‘liked’ feel slighted. <br />
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I haven’t met anyone else with SMPD but if there’s a group I would feel so much relief. If I’m going to live in 2015 I’ve got to get a grip. You think I am joking but this is real, people.<br />
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Thus, I have been absent from the blog. I really thought of calling it quits. But the thing is, I really do enjoy it. So, for now anyway, I am hanging in there with Have A Cup and we’ll see what happens.<br />
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We had all three of our girls home this summer, though not all at the same time unfortunately. <br />
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We celebrated Miss Hadley’s birthday…<br />
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and got some baby time too!<br />
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We’ve weathered the hottest summer in Oregon ever. I think the only thing that equipped me to handle it were my years in Palm Springs. The lawn is dry as dust but the flowers are thriving and the tomatoes are sweet!<br />
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And now, it is officially pumpkin candle/soup/football/sweater season, even though the thermometer says otherwise. If you’re looking for a wonderfully scented pumpkin candle that doesn’t cost $12, look no further than your local Walsmart. That 'easy peel' label means it can <i>almost </i>look like a premium brand!<br />
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<img height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbCXuhZQ6F3PAEKd9N5yfrR5pGa9OAOup7mMO2gzURn0k8UWJWq0nIJi7FKqjyaDuoPGp3igFQf2FVQLLAGnlQgkLb6pKjaHJ33mhLHBQDfFEa46gkK3wf1sIk5ZmP5z-VD08wm9mWg_0/s1600/DSC07180.JPG" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="446" /><br />
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Thanks so much for stopping by the blog today. If you too suffer from SMPD, let me know and I’ll meet you for a cup of coffee. We need to stick together. BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-66719920564701475842015-07-27T15:57:00.001-07:002023-04-15T19:02:58.546-07:00On my nightstand<br />
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<strong><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimS5WoElf4kkQxuxRB444M_FdNtjSTJy_dpcPbQoF7jiOrWB2xzEcNu_88FoEBSSmxlLiKowC9Ljc-0VJOjXjXqI7eTtt1q4wY6RGpoTH1QzMLutaneBFkRp6w48mN2Gp08W4nIfdZtRD_I0PVo6ViO19Ws8WNFWvOaIVF9roZeXwwF7hFzRqGHdTmug/s279/cold%20tangerines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="279" data-original-width="181" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimS5WoElf4kkQxuxRB444M_FdNtjSTJy_dpcPbQoF7jiOrWB2xzEcNu_88FoEBSSmxlLiKowC9Ljc-0VJOjXjXqI7eTtt1q4wY6RGpoTH1QzMLutaneBFkRp6w48mN2Gp08W4nIfdZtRD_I0PVo6ViO19Ws8WNFWvOaIVF9roZeXwwF7hFzRqGHdTmug/s1600/cold%20tangerines.jpg" width="181" /></a></div><br /></strong><strong><br />Cold Tangerines</strong><br />
by Shauna Niequist<br />
I love Shauna’s writing… it’s approachable and vulnerable and invites you to join her in finding joy in our everyday stuff. This is the second book of hers I’ve read. Perfect for summer!</div>
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<strong>A Year of Living Prayerfully</strong><br />
by Jared Brock<br />
I can’t remember how I stumbled on this book or why it interested me. Jared wanted to grow up in his prayer life so he embarked on a pretty bizarre journey all over the world to research how people pray and what prayer really is. I almost put it aside several times but I’m so glad I didn’t. I learned a lot!</div>
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<strong>My Father’s Daughter</strong><br />
by Hannah Pool<br />
Hannah was adopted from Eritrea as a baby by a British couple and in this book she tells of meeting her birth family many years later. It’s pretty raw and emotional as she processes all the things she thinks and feels as a young woman who has struggled with her identity – as most adopted children do at some point. Again, I learned a lot!</div>
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<strong>Mrs. Pollifax mysteries</strong><br />
by Dorothy Gilman<br />
This is three books in one and was a perfect summer ‘take me away’ read. Mrs. Pollifax is a widow with grown children who gets bored with her quiet life and decides to pursue an old desire to become a CIA agent. What begins as a seemingly easy assignment turns into danger, espionage, kidnapping and murder. These are great fun to read! </div>
BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-57385393336577236382015-07-23T08:29:00.003-07:002023-04-15T19:06:34.151-07:00Links you’ll like<div align="center">
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<a href="http://joshuarogers.com/2015/06/18/im-grateful-that-lady-forced-a-bible-on-me/" target="_blank">I’m Grateful That Lady Forced a Bible on Me</a><br />@joshuarogers.com<br /><em>The other day, I arrived at the bus stop where four Asian ladies were indiscriminately passing out New Testament Bibles. When one of the ladies offered me a Bible, I tried to decline.</em></div>
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<a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/seven-subtle-symptoms-of-pride" target="_blank">Seven Subtle Symptoms of Pride</a><br />@desiringgod.org<br />This one’s for me. And it stung to read it. But, as the author says, Pride will kill you.</div>
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<div align="center"><br /><a href="http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/internet-outrage-public-shaming-and-modern-day-pharisees#roEBfqyeRalAYODT.01" target="_blank">Internet Outrage, Public Shaming and Modern-Day Pharisees</a><br />@relevantmagazine.com<br /><em>Many contemporary people feed off of feeling 1) right and 2) wronged. "Outrage Porn" resembles actual pornography in that it aims for a cheap, temporary thrill at the expense of another human being, but without any personal accountability or commitment to that human being.</em></div>
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<a href="https://onmogul.com/articles/this-list-of-senior-discounts-for-people-over-50-might-be-the-best-thing-you-learn-all-day" target="_blank">Senior Discounts</a><br />@onmogul.com <br />Who is brave enough – <em>shameless</em> enough – to ask for these? I was actually surprised to see how many there are and how some of them start at the young age of 50.</div>
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<a href="http://www.bhg.com/videos/m/72223353/how-to-clean-a-toilet.htm?q=how+to+clean+a+toilet" target="_blank">How to Clean a Toilet</a><br />@bhg.com<br />You thought you already knew, didn’t you?</div>
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<a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.likethatapps.garden&hl=en" target="_blank">Like That Garden</a><br />@play.google.com<br />This app is so great for anyone who loves flowers… simply snap a photo of any plant and it identifies the flower as well as providing helpful info. Also available for iPhones.</div>
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-8613283402037388882015-07-22T15:18:00.001-07:002023-04-15T19:08:36.541-07:00Checking inHello. Remember me?<br />
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I have a silly, direction-less blog that I occasionally abandon completely because a) I have nothing of any meaning or worth to say or b) I get too busy/distracted/otherwise involved.<br />
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What have I been doing in the almost <em>month</em> since I last posted? <br />
Good question. Let’s see…<br />
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<strong>Suffering through a hotter than average summer here in Oregon.</strong> You’d think that after 16 summers in the desert of Palm Springs I would laugh at 99° temperatures. But you would be very wrong. I truly have no idea how I survived those years because I am a heat wimp. It’s cloudy and cool this morning and I (along with my fellow native Oregonians) feel alive again. <br />
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<strong>Begrudgingly settling for technology connections instead of face to face time with my granddaughters.</strong> Facetime is no substitute for real life but it has been my touchpoint this last month. Yesterday while I was talking with Lisa on the computer I heard my tablet ‘ring’. At the same time, Lisa realized that Hadley had found their iPad and was calling me on Skype. Yes, my not-quite-two-year-old Mensa prodigy has seen her mommy do it many times and can now find the Skype icon, choose a contact and make a video call. Do you think this is the 21st century equivalent to my kids being able to insert a video cassette in the VCR? We laughed and laughed. I feel sure Hadley felt her mommy was hogging Facetime and wanted her own connection to her Nammy.<br />
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<strong>Trying to determine what God's will is.</strong> How do you find direction from God? Here’s what I KNOW:<br />
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<li><strong>He <u>wants</u> me to ask Him - </strong>He loves to help me – just like I love to help my children. <br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Bookman Old Style;"><span style="font-family: SF Foxboro Script;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">You don’t have because you don’t ask. </span><span style="font-size: large;">James 4:2</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> </span> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /></span></li>
<li><strong>Knowing <u>Him</u> is more important than knowing exactly what to do - </strong>He wants shared life with me. He shows me more and more of what He’s like through these times of decision-making. <br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style';"><span style="font-family: SF Foxboro Script;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">My determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Phil 3:10</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: inherit;"><br /><br /></span></span></li>
<li><strong>He can help me avoid wrong choices</strong> - <span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">Bottom line?</span> </span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He is always in control</span>.</span><br /><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: 'Bookman Old Style';"><span style="font-family: SF Foxboro Script;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Spirit did not allow them….. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Acts 16:6-7</span></span><span style="font-size: x-large;"> </span></span> <br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span></span></li>
<li><strong>Fear can never be the basis for a decision - </strong><span style="font-family: inherit;">I need to look deep down to see if fear is determining what I choose to do or not do.</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Bookman Old Style;"><span style="font-family: SF Foxboro Script;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind. </span><span style="font-size: large;">2 Tim 1:7</span></span> <br /><br /></span></li>
<li><strong>Obedience leads to closeness to Him and great joy - </strong>Why do we think doing God’s will means difficulty and pain? What father doesn’t give his child a blessing for obeying?<br /><span style="font-family: SF Foxboro Script;"><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Even more blessed are those who hear the word of God and put it into practice! </span><span style="font-size: large;">Luke 11:28</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></li>
<li><strong>I can trust Him to lead me</strong> - <span style="font-family: inherit;">He is completely worth trusting because He will never fail me!</span><br /><span style="color: red; font-family: Bookman Old Style;"><span style="font-family: SF Foxboro Script;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">You have not forsaken those who seek You. </span><span style="font-size: large;">Psalm 9:10</span><br /></span></span></li>
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-29837350185308782132015-06-24T11:31:00.002-07:002023-04-15T19:13:51.499-07:00This sweet girl<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwS01YcCWCGAngVtkdNwBHl7FbUQRzmx6Td0KXaMJMtErOjZ9P7KDyLeMAgXK0v3iXi-7R_YG06rDq4cBKsFKhcwJMusa01bS9uNcQi1VEQHRB-HufG_MIkv1FBdk287aVrsdOhPXDAXmvLGp6Mi2jJzyP1dnKG4EERpJ1ShjXrA4l9DkfLai6vuxCA/s768/Hadley%2021%20months%5B4%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="768" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqwS01YcCWCGAngVtkdNwBHl7FbUQRzmx6Td0KXaMJMtErOjZ9P7KDyLeMAgXK0v3iXi-7R_YG06rDq4cBKsFKhcwJMusa01bS9uNcQi1VEQHRB-HufG_MIkv1FBdk287aVrsdOhPXDAXmvLGp6Mi2jJzyP1dnKG4EERpJ1ShjXrA4l9DkfLai6vuxCA/w640-h640/Hadley%2021%20months%5B4%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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Almost-two is such a darling age. Haddykins is cuddly, dramatic, funny and tender all at the same time. Jeff captured her perfectly!<br />
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Soon it will be Gracie’s turn for her own collage. And that’s a pretty good reason for a visit, don’t you think?BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-79669974192553992632015-06-09T11:43:00.005-07:002023-04-15T19:16:49.063-07:00Strawberries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzvnZNhX_7q-zOhqTDqncqZBhKg0WSM6i7ejC7WrUXePNm2UgZgTfpB05RSoj0dxz0UGFnUTVSOlR6srOVAOk-Dr_vZMk48ya-ov0EOxvXDoj32ZVAahGe-6XeLo7TKdQe0Om9RbGLxg07KJzgUE_ks4m20NNMxp3QD8832COa4095-xD4-Is9M2eyg/s1024/strawberries%20haveacupwithme%5B9%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAzvnZNhX_7q-zOhqTDqncqZBhKg0WSM6i7ejC7WrUXePNm2UgZgTfpB05RSoj0dxz0UGFnUTVSOlR6srOVAOk-Dr_vZMk48ya-ov0EOxvXDoj32ZVAahGe-6XeLo7TKdQe0Om9RbGLxg07KJzgUE_ks4m20NNMxp3QD8832COa4095-xD4-Is9M2eyg/w640-h360/strawberries%20haveacupwithme%5B9%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDehPZdL7JWtuSt28KWJZ7z822Sa6aEnVyTARXPSb9AF86Ku2Igl4Al7QV02RYXA3EZFA4yWvp3Uv-8Y7u63GFroN2NMG3ToI6my4iJYO3aRJ4AkQzvip6DuVdaOwHYii8G0sL7Jbao32tNz4EvoW608kJNenEDs68bmXaERix0neAKvCajjzxfozgoQ/s1024/berries%20haveacupwithme%5B4%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDehPZdL7JWtuSt28KWJZ7z822Sa6aEnVyTARXPSb9AF86Ku2Igl4Al7QV02RYXA3EZFA4yWvp3Uv-8Y7u63GFroN2NMG3ToI6my4iJYO3aRJ4AkQzvip6DuVdaOwHYii8G0sL7Jbao32tNz4EvoW608kJNenEDs68bmXaERix0neAKvCajjzxfozgoQ/s320/berries%20haveacupwithme%5B4%5D.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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These beauties are showing up all over here in Oregon… at roadside fruit-stands, in markets that carry local produce, in rural u-pick fields and (cue angelic singing) in our garden! Ours are lumpy and funny-shaped but they are mmmmmm good. <br />
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<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyWVP1jwB9toVvD_exTO0Yutd03rg9pt7heMW72vbPO_GFsnWUpw1Nq6YfkwzXFb80l-Iy0cKZFBy3kNbyGKYw4DOsTvZxohMeXMBKiz949O8W0u2SqAhNnkiAt1iPog8zZ40yph-PTDPvGiQbKFSNPb5iuwydiaoJnIg8P8pq86kqmtFsdvZ-xFv6Q/s1024/berries%20haveacupwithme%5B4%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1024" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyWVP1jwB9toVvD_exTO0Yutd03rg9pt7heMW72vbPO_GFsnWUpw1Nq6YfkwzXFb80l-Iy0cKZFBy3kNbyGKYw4DOsTvZxohMeXMBKiz949O8W0u2SqAhNnkiAt1iPog8zZ40yph-PTDPvGiQbKFSNPb5iuwydiaoJnIg8P8pq86kqmtFsdvZ-xFv6Q/w640-h360/berries%20haveacupwithme%5B4%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-1QJhhRV3Nyo/VXcye6zbh-I/AAAAAAAAJPY/Qmuv_oPFYiM/s1600-h/berries%252520haveacupwithme%25255B4%25255D.jpg"></a>
I don’t even bother to buy strawberries any other time of year, do you? – they are usually tasteless with hard, white centers.<br />
<br />
Here are three tips for keeping your strawberries fresh:<br />
<ul>
<li>wait to wash them until you’re ready to eat or use them – prevents mushy berries</li>
<li>keep the stems on until right before eating – they won’t spoil as quickly</li>
<li>get rid of any berries turning soft or moldly – the rest will quickly follow if snuggled up to these</li>
</ul>
My <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/allburns5/berries/" target="_blank">“Berries’ board</a> on Pinterest is a source of a LOT of good recipe ideas…<br />
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<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xstCh3U4LoI/VXcygUpxHVI/AAAAAAAAJPo/zwZeoPLDg4s/s1600-h/8901309722_c24d5ae3a5_z%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="8901309722_c24d5ae3a5_z" border="0" height="381" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-uEPDjH9h8hI/VXcyix7P2-I/AAAAAAAAJPw/s2Mv8l1nJq0/8901309722_c24d5ae3a5_z_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top: 0px; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="8901309722_c24d5ae3a5_z" width="250" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2013/05/chocolate-strawberry-nutella-cake/" target="_blank">Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Cake</a> <br />
@thepioneerwoman<br />
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<div align="center">
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<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2kdX4E0Givs/VXcyjtxnHeI/AAAAAAAAJP4/U2oYac3LNZk/s1600-h/strawberrylemonadebarstext1%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="strawberrylemonadebarstext1" border="0" height="368" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pXpInRO_EIg/VXcykOKs0zI/AAAAAAAAJP8/IfyS2KthdmQ/strawberrylemonadebarstext1_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top: 0px; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="strawberrylemonadebarstext1" width="243" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.averiecooks.com/2014/07/strawberry-lemonade-bars.html" target="_blank">Strawberry Lemonade Bars</a> <br />
@averiecooks<br />
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<div align="center">
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<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-9ayPZ0PKqEo/VXcykr9HkqI/AAAAAAAAJQI/8Gw-Pmy6nbc/s1600-h/strawberry-rhubarb-cobbler2%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="strawberry-rhubarb-cobbler2" border="0" height="218" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-njWko-StvJk/VXcylPWh9MI/AAAAAAAAJQM/jOgUcb3yAQU/strawberry-rhubarb-cobbler2_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top: 0px; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="strawberry-rhubarb-cobbler2" width="316" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/strawberry-rhubarb-cobbler/" target="_blank">Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler</a> <br />
@twopeasandtheirpod<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w2tahouVaT8/VXcyl5ei1xI/AAAAAAAAJQY/kLhwF8EH-GQ/s1600-h/c9008bc65a0e699eb977830d5dfefb60%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img alt="c9008bc65a0e699eb977830d5dfefb60" border="0" height="241" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bayFNC2f2f8/VXcymQq6oMI/AAAAAAAAJQg/-m-4dzBmzG4/c9008bc65a0e699eb977830d5dfefb60_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top: 0px; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="c9008bc65a0e699eb977830d5dfefb60" width="349" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.annies-eats.com/2011/05/20/strawberry-cream-cheese-tart/" target="_blank">Strawberry Cream Cheese Tart</a> <br />
@annieseats<br />
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<div align="center">
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<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yuIE_he5eMI/VXcynAMBXoI/AAAAAAAAJQo/JdtjFo4FoNA/s1600-h/strawberryrhubarbcakerecipe%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="strawberryrhubarbcakerecipe" border="0" height="342" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-xau7Pgp9KYE/VXcynlbLfxI/AAAAAAAAJQs/4S9h3t9suig/strawberryrhubarbcakerecipe_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top: 0px; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="strawberryrhubarbcakerecipe" width="225" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/strawberry-rhubarb-crumb-cake/" target="_blank">Strawberry Rhubarb Crumb Cake</a> <br />
@mybakingaddiction<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NFa3RLum_5o/VXcyoD_GtxI/AAAAAAAAJQ4/wXN7o4BSRjI/s1600-h/food-002-410x375%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="food-002-410x375" border="0" height="298" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-68LiNljI4hc/VXcyorx5eXI/AAAAAAAAJRA/l4aLzvgiqts/food-002-410x375_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top: 0px; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="food-002-410x375" width="318" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/canning/rhubarb-strawberry-jam-cooked/" target="_blank">Rhubarb-Strawberry Jam</a> <br />
@tastykitchen<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
Here’s one that doesn’t have a valid link any more but looks super-easy and delicious!<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q69AAz0mZAA/VXcypJWvCkI/AAAAAAAAJRI/_RtYULibej0/s1600-h/79d1c8a55534696f98bb3d0849e91416%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img alt="79d1c8a55534696f98bb3d0849e91416" border="0" height="368" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-neP3p5A8y4o/VXcypsAg4vI/AAAAAAAAJRQ/qYfVs5X9jWM/79d1c8a55534696f98bb3d0849e91416_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top: 0px; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="79d1c8a55534696f98bb3d0849e91416" width="242" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
Angel Food Cake and Strawberry Kabobs with Chocolate Drizzle<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
And just so it’s not ALL sweet…<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-0_ONbu6YGOw/VXcyqQw50eI/AAAAAAAAJRY/bQV2YuHCqNQ/s1600-h/One-of-our-favorite-summertime%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img alt="One-of-our-favorite-summertime-salads-thats-perfect-for-dinners-BBQs-with-friends-or-a-potluck.-Luscious-strawberries-cool-cucumbers-and-a-honey-balsamic-sauce.-ohsweetbasil.com-2-600x400" border="0" height="289" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/--emGH0BbpGo/VXcyq-rkh4I/AAAAAAAAJRg/Att14R_CfbA/One-of-our-favorite-summertime%25255B4%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top: 0px; border-width: 0px; display: inline; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="One-of-our-favorite-summertime-salads-thats-perfect-for-dinners-BBQs-with-friends-or-a-potluck.-Luscious-strawberries-cool-cucumbers-and-a-honey-balsamic-sauce.-ohsweetbasil.com-2-600x400" width="419" /></a></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.ohsweetbasil.com/strawberry-cucumber-salad-recipe.html" target="_blank">Strawberry Cucumber Salad</a> @OhSweetBasil<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
I hope you get some local berries in your neck of the woods and if you do nothing more than eat them right out of the container, you'll have a taste of summer to be thankful for!</div>
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</div>
BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-81027913457005171822015-06-05T03:00:00.001-07:002023-04-15T19:17:40.550-07:00Links I LikedHappy National Donut Day! I hope you're heading into a great weekend! Ours is supposed to be record-breaking HOT so I'm going to make a big pitcher of iced tea and will retreat to the basement, where it's always cool. We still have lots of boxes and cupboards to go through down there in our effort to <i>clean out the stuff </i>so maybe we'll actually make some progress! I really hope you're doing something more exciting than that. <br />
<br /><div align="center"><br /></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.sunnyskyz.com/blog/492/Unrealistic-Stock-Photos-Of-Parenting-With-Hilarious-More-Relatable-Captions#LOGbQ7GUFke8v5W5.01" target="_blank">Unrealistic Stock Photos of Parenting</a> <br />
@sunnyskyz.com<br />
<br /></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/5-unexpected-things-happy-people-have-in-their-homes-218185#.mlqojl:Na3Q" target="_blank">5 Unexpected Things Happy People Have in Their Homes</a><br />
@apartmenttherapy.com<br />
<em>You probably have most of this stuff already, so here's why you should love it. Just think, you could be happier by tonight!</em><br />
<em><br /></em></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://hookedonhouses.net/2015/05/18/before-after-making-an-inherited-house-feel-like-home/" target="_blank">Making An Inherited House Feel Like Home</a><br />
@hookedonhouses.net<br />
Since we are living in the house I grew up in, this article could either be incredibly inspirational or terribly deflating. I think we have our work cut out for us.<br /><br /></div>
<div align="center">
<a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/articles/what-not-to-ask-someone-suffering" target="_blank">What Not to Ask Someone Suffering</a><br />
@desiringgod.org<br />
<em>People ask me all the time what to say and what to do for people who are grieving the death of someone they love. And I’m glad they ask. I’m glad they want to know what is really helpful and meaningful, and what is completely unhelpful and actually hurtful. And I wish I could tell you that I always know myself what to say. But sometimes words fail me.</em><br /></div><div align="center"><em><br /></em></div><div align="center">
<a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/blogs/2015/05/11/why-you-should-spiralize-all-your-hot-dogs-summer?xid=pinsharebar" target="_blank">Why You Should Spiralize All Your Hot Dogs This Summer</a><br />
@foodandwine.com<br />A great tip for summer bbq-ing… genius!<br /></div>
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-5450798424279078832015-06-01T19:02:00.002-07:002023-04-15T19:33:58.039-07:00Dear Grammy,<div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3u1NjX_3ke_MviOyO9xgU9vcj3iNdR_hwtO7pXW3ZSh5G_Po4YVs501KK6yrzKYqwyyMyW6Jb1NjOxS6LQJXWdd1jLY7oBDhinzvGlmCqQZnLyZF0OyuoPzgqLDog9rrgyDmNpojFzL4JJAlHGaP8gPgRPrchiH71pMiRg1Gy4AfwHkOEAvhSI3ylSA/s1024/IMG_4102e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3u1NjX_3ke_MviOyO9xgU9vcj3iNdR_hwtO7pXW3ZSh5G_Po4YVs501KK6yrzKYqwyyMyW6Jb1NjOxS6LQJXWdd1jLY7oBDhinzvGlmCqQZnLyZF0OyuoPzgqLDog9rrgyDmNpojFzL4JJAlHGaP8gPgRPrchiH71pMiRg1Gy4AfwHkOEAvhSI3ylSA/w640-h426/IMG_4102e.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><span style="color: #0000ee; text-decoration-line: underline;"><br /></span></div><br />
I’m so glad you and Papa spent so much time with me a week or so ago. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7KZT6Tw8sbc/VW0MCNsvowI/AAAAAAAAJHM/jX8ZVBTAm5k/s1600-h/IMG_40931.jpg"><br /></a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4B35n92S6pYHD9jRgEEz6_YylOp6gxpBHIjVnYL5iWIAAyBFJue3yFKWAHKcjQEG4k4Gck2HdXjh82Jd3lbTQkvlHBcQ2-fdARHkH6FomA_AfczCJw_BLoWVQQxLDeuvhXSZvNjqBBRlM6OwzlikdIfQciecK0GbEzc_cQo4qK--8KFj-dOJ8YXaNlQ/s1024/IMG_40931.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4B35n92S6pYHD9jRgEEz6_YylOp6gxpBHIjVnYL5iWIAAyBFJue3yFKWAHKcjQEG4k4Gck2HdXjh82Jd3lbTQkvlHBcQ2-fdARHkH6FomA_AfczCJw_BLoWVQQxLDeuvhXSZvNjqBBRlM6OwzlikdIfQciecK0GbEzc_cQo4qK--8KFj-dOJ8YXaNlQ/w640-h426/IMG_40931.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcsbXnc14P9xmV_wcCTh1I1Q4T4nkCuC-PSArkZBE8dWC6NZtlcgApEL56nLPId5a7W699Jijs9OnNNtn4Uk4aYiC5OIa8hMT3sXExulL2k8E5mZ5C1u5n55sTcFCAatNJYfGl0QU8rlwh-MwwQBNQLVNIsJeYfTmHkvy8QCgW4kPVnyLUYTjksHt_A/s1024/IMG_4116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcsbXnc14P9xmV_wcCTh1I1Q4T4nkCuC-PSArkZBE8dWC6NZtlcgApEL56nLPId5a7W699Jijs9OnNNtn4Uk4aYiC5OIa8hMT3sXExulL2k8E5mZ5C1u5n55sTcFCAatNJYfGl0QU8rlwh-MwwQBNQLVNIsJeYfTmHkvy8QCgW4kPVnyLUYTjksHt_A/w640-h426/IMG_4116.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cXrEL9R1tdk/VW0MFkcXyrI/AAAAAAAAJHk/AOslpHMycOU/s1600-h/IMG_4116.jpg"></a>
It was FUN!<br />
<br />
I’m not sure why Mama and Daddy were gone but you did a very good job of distracting me. <br />
<br />
I have lots of teeth so I will definitely use the toothbrushes…<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rWLWN61yLfBXre2hhAtAWUgmVD36-tWhGtdSC_VjPo5gKeZku0qUxmhWiXevUNvjfjBlALfh6DUI9tVS5DripkeTydhTThSKnno8OQiAGPBcim9hxJfALGJWrpThN2g2yMzwhqxQgnP4apwP9SJsXh_W8zHXYdBdrT0DuWqCK-3FVPNNaTBnnYi_oA/s768/IMG_4059e15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="621" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1rWLWN61yLfBXre2hhAtAWUgmVD36-tWhGtdSC_VjPo5gKeZku0qUxmhWiXevUNvjfjBlALfh6DUI9tVS5DripkeTydhTThSKnno8OQiAGPBcim9hxJfALGJWrpThN2g2yMzwhqxQgnP4apwP9SJsXh_W8zHXYdBdrT0DuWqCK-3FVPNNaTBnnYi_oA/w518-h640/IMG_4059e15.jpg" width="518" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-g9iCwtlNzVo/VW0MHItgOOI/AAAAAAAAJH0/5A4C3lDnzWE/s1600-h/IMG_4059e15.jpg"></a>
<br />
And a girl can always use a <em>packpack</em> and new books.<br />
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3wRhvfnIuR1Gue5r5Zr7b-AhTGlfKpIX5gDK87ojdzCxSeiJD1OYUOUtEmt2TUgHz8YuC7e6qnACxBKL7o-llRF7SVJk2L2GjGvRpqW6i5f5KHUjFFyNGGotUbBOhiPVB5rEKEm8_cyw-pdFY_sD2xzbLzLLQxfuGENuo-btfUNhW5-m8LD1Ea9P2A/s1024/IMG_4153e.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM3wRhvfnIuR1Gue5r5Zr7b-AhTGlfKpIX5gDK87ojdzCxSeiJD1OYUOUtEmt2TUgHz8YuC7e6qnACxBKL7o-llRF7SVJk2L2GjGvRpqW6i5f5KHUjFFyNGGotUbBOhiPVB5rEKEm8_cyw-pdFY_sD2xzbLzLLQxfuGENuo-btfUNhW5-m8LD1Ea9P2A/w640-h426/IMG_4153e.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
But can I talk to you about something?<br />
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkHEVoa5l1LF8oelHtcFAwQGGs4K4fi_0wkfaaK1nU7Ix_Pa6dyJcR3lVKzYE8C98UGg36j_xLRFeoubk-xgWPONIaakx0CBQd6CmBmBezwPkwE-zCXkr9yYh9Va1OZrGc5N4fqGK_SRLgI-qskmSViq-USQbw0MM5lbk6FpQBotNKGWXt7QPqtyWaA/s768/IMG_41617.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXkHEVoa5l1LF8oelHtcFAwQGGs4K4fi_0wkfaaK1nU7Ix_Pa6dyJcR3lVKzYE8C98UGg36j_xLRFeoubk-xgWPONIaakx0CBQd6CmBmBezwPkwE-zCXkr9yYh9Va1OZrGc5N4fqGK_SRLgI-qskmSViq-USQbw0MM5lbk6FpQBotNKGWXt7QPqtyWaA/w426-h640/IMG_41617.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-JHpzZMbnZ38/VW0MKsxIIII/AAAAAAAAJIU/x9xO7i5ywgQ/s1600-h/IMG_41617.jpg"></a><div><br /></div>
Why didn’t anyone explain what Mama and Daddy were doing while we were reading books and coloring and doing puzzles? <br />
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wuIGhFiIUxw/VW0MMDN_82I/AAAAAAAAJIk/BVpBJ5U6DbU/s1600-h/IMG_4174.jpg"></a><br />
I mean, you’ve all been saying stuff about a new baby but I thought we were talking about the pictures in my board books. <br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V5bR7_ECd6A/VW0MONfr5QI/AAAAAAAAJI0/wRErKAOnxEk/s1600-h/IMG_4184.jpg"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZPKy3e9mW2W7cpwdOdkdY1T-CSu82YOcXYg9SnqNTrJAFXjClE8OqN5_ePkF8__sdAsvwX3oFwSB-fPvGmc2vwKxgCxxoU1U7qnK5sSLw_MSrtkF6hGxgrQXHLwe48kjE3x3zfMGJu0MZtq8ybXqswn223tYowfKW0YqcSqU2xgqiv8f3aXwusxQig/s1024/IMG_4184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisZPKy3e9mW2W7cpwdOdkdY1T-CSu82YOcXYg9SnqNTrJAFXjClE8OqN5_ePkF8__sdAsvwX3oFwSB-fPvGmc2vwKxgCxxoU1U7qnK5sSLw_MSrtkF6hGxgrQXHLwe48kjE3x3zfMGJu0MZtq8ybXqswn223tYowfKW0YqcSqU2xgqiv8f3aXwusxQig/w640-h426/IMG_4184.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
Daddy showed me a baby who everybody was looking at and holding their phones up in front of and saying things like ‘She is so tiny!’ and ‘I think she’ll have blond hair’ and ‘She looks like Hadley!’<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Xm9ptO3J3e2MXygmE8IH6qYGq7pzucqY5Li3GSblE6D7pve1uexiL_cBSxABHgKkNBvYxfn4OGzBgTfWK0xcS14KYmhJ1riIoR3CteU_yKwrVQzcJqSPpVWu19ZDsVpjuK2f6aLmcmaQFK1Z38DgQzMXSUysjLm5UuHozMF-Dd9bhioKiXTGzN0rpw/s1024/IMG_4242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Xm9ptO3J3e2MXygmE8IH6qYGq7pzucqY5Li3GSblE6D7pve1uexiL_cBSxABHgKkNBvYxfn4OGzBgTfWK0xcS14KYmhJ1riIoR3CteU_yKwrVQzcJqSPpVWu19ZDsVpjuK2f6aLmcmaQFK1Z38DgQzMXSUysjLm5UuHozMF-Dd9bhioKiXTGzN0rpw/w640-h426/IMG_4242.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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Then everyone asked me if I liked my new sister. Is that anything like a new packpack?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbVFflpn1VnTO4vFGAtygMoBiywbkJrzSIaXbtPlYXVwZrkhd18bzxtyGp8d5Pb19yTlgfmOVt90NHE9S5hfn1mRiEZTMApRzSaxSqPBdQ8AO3etepXB2EwvnUbPlx5kxdLOYr4HyOH_EwcW23ZjtncuWSfYIcvMqZlaw9sM__wDryxNUZpbwzf1-0Q/s1024/IMG_4199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbVFflpn1VnTO4vFGAtygMoBiywbkJrzSIaXbtPlYXVwZrkhd18bzxtyGp8d5Pb19yTlgfmOVt90NHE9S5hfn1mRiEZTMApRzSaxSqPBdQ8AO3etepXB2EwvnUbPlx5kxdLOYr4HyOH_EwcW23ZjtncuWSfYIcvMqZlaw9sM__wDryxNUZpbwzf1-0Q/w640-h426/IMG_4199.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
It was all just a little too much.<br />
<br />
Thankfully Mama shared her french fries with me so that was good.<br />
<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis004jRCmAOmff7M30vtf1MxgLUM8J5mY7Q_j4cxs5Zf1o-vjaswMdEM8kXA6N-j1CRc4_vuKv_BoCbFNG8XXFFCfC8NQmOxjT5RI8w8p-s1x_7XZoHSmtao92ZIA4DKN1_UYw68G52Ls6wiwILB_9cmHtW7DG1D1__0xeCGdlsI9CjTFebFRvPHFt1g/s1024/IMG_4231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1024" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis004jRCmAOmff7M30vtf1MxgLUM8J5mY7Q_j4cxs5Zf1o-vjaswMdEM8kXA6N-j1CRc4_vuKv_BoCbFNG8XXFFCfC8NQmOxjT5RI8w8p-s1x_7XZoHSmtao92ZIA4DKN1_UYw68G52Ls6wiwILB_9cmHtW7DG1D1__0xeCGdlsI9CjTFebFRvPHFt1g/w640-h422/IMG_4231.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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I was a little surprised when they came home the next day with that ‘sister’ in the baby car seat I’ve been playing in.<br />
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj42vU2BfedNPVCjubeB3cc7F09kf1fW1b9N7Gk_QWPIkZnJxa7JT9G0yWFtv6YA-bGMKUL8Ce5nRdO6y_iKrymLlkO8iAE8Dzt_lLbNwLf7FknFtsGCIOJL-cMa5g1MqHlp7dcwXoRnvCSGzaGjioBiNd20mHpR8Mj3DJIv6HrZoLDUcqaWsy4O93nA/s775/IMG_42699.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="775" height="634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj42vU2BfedNPVCjubeB3cc7F09kf1fW1b9N7Gk_QWPIkZnJxa7JT9G0yWFtv6YA-bGMKUL8Ce5nRdO6y_iKrymLlkO8iAE8Dzt_lLbNwLf7FknFtsGCIOJL-cMa5g1MqHlp7dcwXoRnvCSGzaGjioBiNd20mHpR8Mj3DJIv6HrZoLDUcqaWsy4O93nA/w640-h634/IMG_42699.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I actually can still fit in it myself, you know.<br />
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv-6PtlMIUVivclxzFSC8z0s2pXg-CMlkmME8ZPlYXOwX8jJodNDYRWXPCncODrsK8A55VODWiK9g63kqEklh9NfToekIUcR6WD5vc9_3z9spnLEx_511wfwDMv4BGt3X1HGarRHSrSMrjm2sr9pePw5pzzSh8MbhyUStfICUID8HLd7L2Wuizx_AUw/s1024/IMG_4301.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAv-6PtlMIUVivclxzFSC8z0s2pXg-CMlkmME8ZPlYXOwX8jJodNDYRWXPCncODrsK8A55VODWiK9g63kqEklh9NfToekIUcR6WD5vc9_3z9spnLEx_511wfwDMv4BGt3X1HGarRHSrSMrjm2sr9pePw5pzzSh8MbhyUStfICUID8HLd7L2Wuizx_AUw/w640-h426/IMG_4301.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
Daddy let me hold Grace. She wiggles a lot and makes weird noises.<br />
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsMkvle2bQdlpxEoYxApGMisVwwAfd3Wb3ZNvCH75KD3WEbk4UMhfw0XPwTNLLoWqyep9kAYaJqj6zxIolYAvNQB5R9wff_goJpIotwg-rcpJYzobg9lzEIQgRTb9fQpLIifnQCvC4A6TZ7ppcSjLx-WNRnltmdjTo-QEAg5BfuOtJORyldC67D_iWw/s579/IMG_4280_thumb14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="545" data-original-width="579" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIsMkvle2bQdlpxEoYxApGMisVwwAfd3Wb3ZNvCH75KD3WEbk4UMhfw0XPwTNLLoWqyep9kAYaJqj6zxIolYAvNQB5R9wff_goJpIotwg-rcpJYzobg9lzEIQgRTb9fQpLIifnQCvC4A6TZ7ppcSjLx-WNRnltmdjTo-QEAg5BfuOtJORyldC67D_iWw/w640-h602/IMG_4280_thumb14.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
The thing is, Grammy, I feel kinda like I’ve been de-throned.<br />
<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIBJecbxzEIetnAI0lRYmi5ck6owWi6jlayH8RnPl64NwAq_adA0AoX6f3BOhF-FM8c9ahxQrDx0oe1nP0scUNRjz5mxfc5THVPgvth1ejDOmk5LDvpX-t6EAk-v1RIGNORuuunkBaL0ay1hmIirryHxf6Nim_wIrI4k3iyWOG_g0gEalw_gwJ_yFDA/s1024/IMG_4351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitIBJecbxzEIetnAI0lRYmi5ck6owWi6jlayH8RnPl64NwAq_adA0AoX6f3BOhF-FM8c9ahxQrDx0oe1nP0scUNRjz5mxfc5THVPgvth1ejDOmk5LDvpX-t6EAk-v1RIGNORuuunkBaL0ay1hmIirryHxf6Nim_wIrI4k3iyWOG_g0gEalw_gwJ_yFDA/w640-h480/IMG_4351.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<br />
So come on back any time and I promise we can read together and sing songs and Papa can take pictures of me. <br />
<br />
Pleeeeeeease?<div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKEIxvzoH3ilPHkQFNERwod9CLrKMKKuQ1tiT2pKIeFGwBNNDbP2HMJFPqvsKiMqjnGxvU2pQVgQYPBLZdeWsIFs1c97oCxbCwNZtCyO0xZumJUc0tTpvqg5-hJ3iOQw_3MQqU0Jo6aH8y_CkIEsJB1nzfOepE6F6fzFbOxxgWHgo6B1HuiwBtgQ9NQ/s768/IMG_44077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="512" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWKEIxvzoH3ilPHkQFNERwod9CLrKMKKuQ1tiT2pKIeFGwBNNDbP2HMJFPqvsKiMqjnGxvU2pQVgQYPBLZdeWsIFs1c97oCxbCwNZtCyO0xZumJUc0tTpvqg5-hJ3iOQw_3MQqU0Jo6aH8y_CkIEsJB1nzfOepE6F6fzFbOxxgWHgo6B1HuiwBtgQ9NQ/w426-h640/IMG_44077.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br /></div></div>BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-1051111185357478042015-05-24T15:57:00.001-07:002023-04-16T18:59:28.695-07:00Happy birth-day Gracie!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4pd1eoj_4Kc7ptCj66ErOmpEgPDnvuENyxCNSlWTEPR5StfkxdMdcSVkRPE7mkvzr2Iw_3zAsOw6P0cj1M2hGUW8PbCwDJZu-UoqIlXqk-rEW9_K5zqH2Gv3J-0l4BPecHopOsUKLJUvJiFCsN5QLb0YVSs5aiB9e64zhDr5n13OCuwbkmeMkTC9rg/s644/IMG_4211_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="431" data-original-width="644" height="428" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia4pd1eoj_4Kc7ptCj66ErOmpEgPDnvuENyxCNSlWTEPR5StfkxdMdcSVkRPE7mkvzr2Iw_3zAsOw6P0cj1M2hGUW8PbCwDJZu-UoqIlXqk-rEW9_K5zqH2Gv3J-0l4BPecHopOsUKLJUvJiFCsN5QLb0YVSs5aiB9e64zhDr5n13OCuwbkmeMkTC9rg/w640-h428/IMG_4211_thumb%5B1%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-_jCLKO38xhc/VWJXDvpEz0I/AAAAAAAAJFo/kYojaBnUAlc/s1600-h/IMG_4211%25255B4%25255D.jpg"></a>
On May 21st we welcomed Grace Michelle into our family. How we love her!<div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHhrs6B11ffsU4-hbx1O2m5kpI5wu8N_IgjG6XhMjDNg1pv2YhdUce2FfnqsBG7YKIMKYcprPj6ML4QPLE1yGa9Dh27PSdynYVtw1LkQ6iFUPPMKI7l5F4y0BgKWrPwX5dhy1aN8PRsqj7C2i74vN45aGqZz0x0Tq_4MibpsW2kESNtn_SW5GdgXH1A/s1024/IMG_4246%5B7%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOHhrs6B11ffsU4-hbx1O2m5kpI5wu8N_IgjG6XhMjDNg1pv2YhdUce2FfnqsBG7YKIMKYcprPj6ML4QPLE1yGa9Dh27PSdynYVtw1LkQ6iFUPPMKI7l5F4y0BgKWrPwX5dhy1aN8PRsqj7C2i74vN45aGqZz0x0Tq_4MibpsW2kESNtn_SW5GdgXH1A/w640-h426/IMG_4246%5B7%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg491KgxHO4V97un5C2GfvLU4XsVnuJO_h3AbkJiwDR87BF6VPKSe-EKGiBTY2-g9gHza2O9UtjXgd8hWhQ3bTMpaevv4hI1tECJO0vy4MlixrZ_1t4JApT3pmqoIJmXMc5Hu5bz7PZw9BqJvTTwVNrcHMlMtJxV5um72Q29zOzWHs2ZgelSS-YDR1Rhg/s1024/IMG_4166e%5B4%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="682" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg491KgxHO4V97un5C2GfvLU4XsVnuJO_h3AbkJiwDR87BF6VPKSe-EKGiBTY2-g9gHza2O9UtjXgd8hWhQ3bTMpaevv4hI1tECJO0vy4MlixrZ_1t4JApT3pmqoIJmXMc5Hu5bz7PZw9BqJvTTwVNrcHMlMtJxV5um72Q29zOzWHs2ZgelSS-YDR1Rhg/w640-h426/IMG_4166e%5B4%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85sVmbVrkJzxwLp3v2Chw5Q1qBLnz7GCdTZfArjfEEywTkC81zSB7Y-QNkeQl4vGLpoJgiD19lt3FCEaaHRCrEQdkd9qqwAZeKmKhA4RxWmkSrLiDP7hrfp9bfOrHWTq2ZQ_Bw0gqgcexBuf3nJOq03Vf2rCXN-ttSjDUR562b47mQOm6ZkWL_LYZRQ/s1024/IMG_4324%5B4%5D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg85sVmbVrkJzxwLp3v2Chw5Q1qBLnz7GCdTZfArjfEEywTkC81zSB7Y-QNkeQl4vGLpoJgiD19lt3FCEaaHRCrEQdkd9qqwAZeKmKhA4RxWmkSrLiDP7hrfp9bfOrHWTq2ZQ_Bw0gqgcexBuf3nJOq03Vf2rCXN-ttSjDUR562b47mQOm6ZkWL_LYZRQ/w640-h426/IMG_4324%5B4%5D.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<br />
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-UMss3tqrxj8/VWJXE70_2TI/AAAAAAAAJF4/4cXWAAWNi90/s1600-h/IMG_4166e%25255B4%25255D.jpg"></a><br />
<a href="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-epljFeIy-Ow/VWJXGamsPwI/AAAAAAAAJGI/b-o3z_TOA80/s1600-h/IMG_4324%25255B4%25255D.jpg"></a><br /><br /></div>BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-17666462174877921512015-05-20T11:52:00.001-07:002023-04-15T19:05:43.381-07:00On my nightstand<br />
I missed my ‘Nightstand’ post in April somehow but I’ve still been reading! I don’t share these titles to show off about how much I read but because of how much I appreciate a good book recommendation. Here are mine…<br />
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This is a lovely collection of black and white photos of southern porches and accompanying quotes that all make you want to add on to your home immediately. I love this feature of so many homes in the south… with rocking chairs, porch swings and hanging ferns. You’ll want a glass of sweet tea.</div>
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<strong>Eve’s Daughters</strong> by Lynn Austin<br />
The story of four generations of women who have to come to grips with the choices they have made – but also those of their mothers. <br />
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<strong>Bread & Wine</strong> by Shauna Niequist</div>
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I’d never read anything by this author but I <em>so</em> enjoyed this book! The subtitle is <em>A Love Letter to Life Around the Table</em> and is all about the celebrations, traditions and experiences we share at the table with friends and family. Shauna is vulnerable and funny and I look forward to reading her other books. And to trying a few of her recipes (in the book) too!<br />
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<strong>Managing God’s Money</strong> by Randy Alcorn</div>
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The operative word here is <u>God’s</u>. This is a great little book about what we do with what God has entrusted to us… whether it’s a lot or a little. Biblical advice on giving, saving, tithing, spending.<br />
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<strong>Girl in Hyacinth Blue</strong> by Susan Vreeland</div>
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This story, which works backwards, is of a painting stolen in WWII and kept hidden for decades. If you like historical fiction, you might enjoy this one.<br />
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<strong>All the Light We Cannot See</strong> by Anthony Doerr<br />
Two stories are told simultaneously – one of a blind girl in France during the Nazi occupation who has a valuable and dangerous jewel; the other of an orphaned German boy whose gift for building and repairing radios makes him a valuable asset in Hitler’s Youth movement. As I hoped throughout the early parts of the book, their poignant stories ultimately converge. The chapters are brief and the writing is very good. Difficult subject matter. <br />
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-75851350508537898572015-05-18T09:43:00.001-07:002023-04-16T19:00:05.024-07:00Links I liked (baby watch edition)While we wait anxiously for granddaughter #2 to arrive, I’ve been cooking up a storm. This is what I do. For some unknown reason, I go into a cooking frenzy whenever the kids are coming home for a visit or, in this case, when we are going to visit them. I’ve wanted Ray and Lisa to have some meals in the freezer so they don’t have to worry about what’s for dinner in the week or so following baby’s arrival. After all, <em>they will also be moving that same week </em>(because it’s not stressful enough to have your second child). Their lease is up so this is what it is. I thought it might be nice to at least have some good food to heat up. <br />
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I make all my old stand-bys (because I have ZERO creativity when it comes to meals). Lasagne, flank steak, ribs, pasta salad, pumpkin bead, bran muffins… Hopefully it’s comfort food that makes them turn to each other and say ‘It’s good to know we can count on some absolutes in life when everything around us is changing.’ Or something like that. <br />
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Anyway, here are a few links you might enjoy. I’ll start off with a couple of Mother-related posts…<br />
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<a href="http://www.chattingatthesky.com/2015/05/06/this-ones-for-the-mothers/" target="_blank">This One’s for the Mothers</a><br />
@chattingatthesky<br />
A wonderful toast to so many mother roles you’ll relate to… <br />
<em>Here’s to you who fights off guilt, comparison, and shame.</em><br />
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<a href="http://www.cleveland.com/brett/blog/index.ssf/2015/05/mothers_day_at_least_one_more.html#incart_river" target="_blank">Mother’s Day at least one more time for Mom</a><br />
@cleveland.com<br />
<em>When we moved our mom into assisted living, my brother ordered business cards so her friends would have her new address. He added these lovely words: Mother of 11 waiting on Heaven. Mom is still waiting. And not so patiently.</em></div>
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<a href="http://www.becomingminimalist.com/clutter-stats/" target="_blank">21 Surprising Statistics That Reveal How Much Stuff We Actually Own</a><br />
@becomingminimalist<br />
<em>The research is confirming our observation: we own too much stuff. <br />And it is robbing us of life.</em><br />
Guilty.<br />
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<a href="http://boomama.net/2015/05/12/real-life-is-better-than-spider-man/" target="_blank">Real Life is Better Than Spider-Man</a><br />
@boomama.net<br />
<em>That little orange piece of paper has brought about some fresh conviction that 1) a little encouragement goes a long way and 2) OUR WORDS MATTER, especially when it comes to affirming each other’s God-given characteristics.</em><br />
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<a href="http://www.infarrantlycreative.net/why-i-dont-throw-my-kids-birthday-parties/" target="_blank">Why I Don’t Throw Kids Birthday Parties</a><br />
@infarrantlycreative.net<br />
Because I secretly dreaded doing birthday parties for my kids, I thought this was genius!<br />
<em>I spent a truckload of time and money – mostly time, to make it perfect. Or so I thought. I was stressed for a week planning and creating decorations. I came up with fun themed games, food and party favors. And as my kids had post party let down they were always disappointed. And to be honest, I was too.</em><br />
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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/16/living/christianity-american-dead/index.html" target="_blank">No, American Christianity is not dead</a><br />
@cnn.com<br />
Very insightful article on the recent news about the state of Christianity in the U.S. <br />
<em>The majority of people who use the term Christian, do so in a way that is different from their church-going and faith-driven friends. Think about it—your religious uncle and irreligious neighbor could both call themselves Christians, but mean different things.</em><br />
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BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4748094711959809533.post-50226598917087308582015-05-15T14:18:00.005-07:002023-04-17T18:39:01.164-07:00Really? I won?There are LOTS of giveaways in the blogosphere these days and if it doesn’t involve signing up for newsletters or other sharing of my info, I often enter. Because of my rather cynical nature (I hate seeing that in print), I just <em>assume</em> I won’t be chosen to win. In the case of the many WONDERFUL giveaways that The Pioneer Woman has on her blog, there are tens of thousands of entries so I guess it’s no surprise that I’ve never won the DSLR camera or the painted Kitchen-Aid mixer or the beautiful leather bag.<br />
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The only time I can remember winning anything is when I entered a watermelon seed-spitting contest at a local grocery store when I was about twenty years old. I won a shopping cart full of summer BBQ groceries for spitting a seed across the parking lot further than anyone else! I pretended not to notice that all the other contestants were 10 and under.<br />
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So last week when I received an email from Kristen at <a href="http://wearethatfamily.com/" target="_blank">We are THAT family</a> saying I had been randomly chosen to win a prize package, I was in shock! A few days ago several boxes arrived on my doorstep and here is what was inside:<br />
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<em>A signed copy of Rhinestone Jesus, letterpress letters that spell the world “yes”, Micah 6:8 poster, a paper bead necklace created by the maternity home residents in Kenya, a bracelet from a Mercy House community outreach and Dayspring’s “Change the World” tablet decal.</em></div>
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How fun is that?? Except the dear person who packed my box from Dayspring accidentally spelled YES wrong:<br />
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(They are sending an ‘S’) <br />
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Y’all know how much I love Kristen’s blog. Her writing is funny and full of wisdom and raw honesty. She was a classic ‘good girl’ who ended up in Africa on a Compassion trip where God began to nudge her out of her comfort zone and into a spiritual adventure that she shares with us on her blog and in her book. She has stepped out with trembling knees in obedience to Christ and I love that about her. She makes me want to do the same. Her book, <a href="http://wearethatfamily.com/rhinestone-jesus/" target="_blank">Rhinestone Jesus</a> “is the story of one woman’s journey from comfortably living a safe, good-girl faith that didn’t cost much, to realizing that God was daring her to say YES to a bolder, more authentic, more dangerous way.”<br />
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Be SURE to read it – you will love it!<br />
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And check out her maternity home in Kenya: <a href="http://mercyhousekenya.org/" target="_blank">Mercy House</a> The women there made the beautiful necklace and bracelet I got!<br />
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Like Kristen, I want to learn to say YES to God – I know His ways are always always worth it!BeckyBhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05441442704996795212noreply@blogger.com2