My Book Report

In sixth grade, Mrs. Chandler began requiring a weekly oral book report. I had been killing the competition in reading prior to this unfortunate change in reporting method. Before this, we could turn in a written report as often as we finished a chapter book. Then a circle of colored paper with our name and the book we read written on it was taped to the wall, forming a snake across the top of the room. My snake was the longest, closely followed by Nancy Curtis' (which kept me reading like a maniac). We could also get extra credit if we made a 'shadowbox' of a scene from our current book. I remember a painstakingly detailed rendition of 'Charlotte's Web' in a shoebox, with a spiderweb made of string and a plastic pig.

But an oral report? For this shy, freckled little girl? Just shoot me! And although I can't remember the name of the book I was reporting on, I do remember vividly that I mispronounced the name of the main character. I said "Pen lope" instead of "Pen el o pee" and everyone burst out laughing. My face grew beet red and I'm sure I was fighting back tears. Looking back, it was probably a good experience for Miss Smarty-Pants-with-the-longest-book-snake.

Which brings me - somewhat indirectly - to my book report for today! I'm just finishing the most wonderful book that I highly recommend. It's called Same Kind Of Different As Me and the subtitle reads: A modern-day slave, an international art dealer and the unlikely woman who bound them together. It's written by a black man and a white man, alternating chapters.

I think the reason it has resonated with me so much is in the white man's (Ron) honest self-assessment - he makes judgments about people based on appearance first and doesn't know the first thing about unconditional love. But the story of how this homeless black man (Denver) changes his life is absolutely amazing. I won't try to retell the story or even give my take on it. Instead, I'll just quote a few of my favorite parts.

On a sun-splashed Monday in the early spring of 1998, Deborah and I drove to the Rescue Mission, she propelled by her passion to help the broken and I propelled by a love for my wife... To our left, a string of shabby men staggered from the johnsongrass that covered the lot. To the right, a parade of women and children in dirty, mismatched clothes shambled along, dragging green garbage bags... I pulled into the parking lot wondering how quickly I'd be able to pull out again.

Things was goin along jus fine at the mission till that smilin white couple started servin in the dinin hall on Tuesdays. Ever week, that woman drew a bead on me in the servin line. She'd smile at me real big and ask me my name and how I was doin - you know, attackin me for no particular reason. I did my best to stay completely outta her way.

And later in the story...

Denver leaned in with his right shoulder and narrowed his eyes even farther. "Mr. Ron, I was captive in the devil's prison. That was easy for Miss Debbie to see. But I got to tell you: Many folks had seen me behind the bars in that prison for more than thirty years and they jus walked on by. Kept their keys in their pocket and left me locked up. Now I ain't tryin to run them other folks down, cause I was not a nice fella - dangerous - and probly just as happy to stay in prison. But Miss Debbie was different. She seen me behind them bars and reached way down in her pocket and pulled out the keys God gave her and used one to unlock the prison door and set me free." Denver pounded home those last words like eight separate nails, then sat back in his chair. "She's the onlyest person that ever loved me enough not to give up on me and I praise God that today I can sit here in your home a changed man - a FREE man!"

Of course, you have to read the book to appreciate the really miraculous but simple story of how God changes these two men. I hope you do - you won't regret it. And I'd love to hear your thoughts. (No oral report necessary!)

A Couple of Lists

A few things I LOVE... (in no particular order)

• Coffee hot and ready in the morning when I wake up (love my coffeemaker with a timer!)
• Cool mornings in the summer when you can open windows
• First-thing-in-the-morning time in the living room with my bible, pen and the One I'm getting to know and trust better - only because He is faithful
• Starting a good book
• Jeff's perspective
• A text from my daughter telling me she's landed in the U.S. and had an incredible, but hard, trip to Africa
• My memory foam mattress
• Good friends over a long time or new friends that click right away
• Purple hydrangea
• The library
• Driving down tree-lined streets
• Raspberry Gateau at Papa Haydn's
• My job with Adoption Ministry of YWAM - Ethiopia
• Anticipating

And not so much...

• My self in traffic
• Piles of things to be filed
• Cars that leak oil (ours)
• Bees
• Finding new doctors, dentists, hair stylists and vets
• Thinking of what to make for dinner
• Days over 90 degrees
• Clutter
• Dusty blinds
• Spending money on brakes or insurance
• Hurts you can't 'fix'
• The smell of a retirement home
• Unreconciled checkbook registers
• Pens that leave blobs of ink on the page

That's all for now - but I could go on and on. You?

Monday Morning

It's an overcast day in the Northwest this morning - rain last night has left everything moist and fresh. The dahlias in the front corner of the yard needed the drink, as I don't stretch the hose out to where they're planted as often as I should.

We did attempt some bush-trimming on Saturday but no sooner had Jeff fired up the electric trimmer and began shearing the monstrous azaleas, than an angry swarm of bees living in our shrubs descended on my poor husband. And me. Visons of killer bee attacks we'd seen on the news in S. California danced in my head. I'm sure we looked like idiots, flailing our arms and jumping around frantically. When we finally got in the house - thinking the worst was over - we realized there were bees in our clothes!!! Jeff got about 7 stings and I got several repeat stings by one very vengeful bee in my shirt sleeve. Even today, my arm is swollen and itches like crazy. Needless to say, the azaleas are still huge and may stay that way.

I heard from Lisa in Ethiopia today - a quick email to say she is loving it so far. She especially enjoyed the time they spent with the teenaged girls in Addis Ababa. They took them on a special retreat at a hotel, where they shared, ate, laughed, prayed and cried together. Her next big adventure is a 12 hour car ride to a little village near the Sudan border where Adoption Ministry is starting an orphanage. The team may get to bring back 4 babies to one of our orphanages in Adama. Imagine that ride back to the city with 4 little infants (I think they're all boys)!

I also talked to Lindsey yesterday, who is working at a camp in Alberta, Canada. She spent last week as a counselor in Teepee Village. This week she told us she is THE cook for Teepee Village, which means cooking for ~22 people over an open campfire. I've seen her make Top Ramen and even a great Mexican meal, but I sure would love to see what she's going to do at camp! I love that she's up for the challenge. If it were me, I'd see how many different things the kids could roast over the fire on a stick and put between graham crackers.

Amy is looking for a design job in Seattle, preferrably with a large firm and having to do with motion graphics. She's working at a restaurant and doing some design work at Seattle Pacific in the athletic department - designing athletic/event calendars. She is managing to support herself but would sure love to find something with a salary and job security!

I'm so thankful for this current season I'm in. We are here because we know God told us to move. And we've never doubted that decision. We don't know what the future holds - but really, we never do! Even when I've thought I had things all planned out, God had something else in mind. If you had told me two years ago that I'd be working with adoptions in Ethiopia, that we'd be living in Portland without a job, that three out of five of us would travel to Africa... I wouldn't have believed it.

I'm very glad that I can trust God's wisdom, His timing and His sovereignty. I'm learning not to look at my circumstances and then come to some conclusions about God based on what I see or feel. Don't we all tend to do that?

• My prayer hasn't been answered so God must not care.
• My circumstances are difficult so God must not be good.
• My loved one died so there must not be a loving God.

Instead, I look at my God and make a judgment about my circumstances based on who He is and what He's said.

• God is faithful so there is a reason He hasn't answered my prayer yet
• God is all-knowing so He's going to use this tough thing to draw me closer to Him
• God's love never fails so I can trust Him in my pain

That is life-changing to me!

O great and powerful God, whose name is the LORD Almighty, great are Your purposes and mighty are Your deeds! Jeremiah 32:18-19

Leaving on a jet plane...

Today we take daughter #2 to Seattle, where early tomorrow morning she'll leave with a group of 6 other women to travel to Ethiopia. Unlike her younger sister, this one doesn't tend to be an adventurer. She's a bit more like her mother - "Comfort" and "Safety" are the places we like to live. But she's bravely stepping out of every comfort zone she's ever known and making herself available to God to reach out to a group of orphaned teenaged girls, as well as working with the children in several orphanages there. I know it will be a life-changer for her, as it was for me. But I'd sure appreciate your prayers for her.

Here is the group of women that are traveling together:

Here are some of the young women they will be with:

These precious girls, with life stories that would make your hair stand on end, are going to be treated to a 'retreat' at a hotel, with lots of laughter, sharing, hair and nail make-overs, food and prayer. It will be an unforgettable weekend for them - and for the women who get to provide it for them!

The team will also be traveling to several small villages, one of which is a 12 hour drive across the African countryside, to bring four babies back to our orphanage in the city, where they will become available for adoption. These children have either been orphaned or abandoned and have no hope or future apart from the love of a waiting family.

The verse they'll be memorizing is out of the Amplified Bible:

Habakkuk 3:19
The Lord God is my Strength, my personal bravery, and my invincible army.
He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me to walk - not to stand still in terror, but to walk - and make spiritual progress upon my high places of trouble, suffering, or responsibility!
I can't wait to hear all the stories and see all the video and pictures from this once-in-a-lifetime adventure. They'll be back on July 20th - stay tuned!

Be sure to check on the Ethiopia blog - That We Might Be Adopted - for updates on this trip!

Works For Me Wednesday - Summer Recipes

I do love to cook - well, BAKE, to be more precise. And summer produce offers some great ingredients for many yummy desserts and sides. Here is a favorite recipe for a summer dessert that is easy and quick. For more great summer recipes, be sure to check out the other Works For Me Wednesday - Summer Recipe Edition links at We Are THAT Family! Who doesn't need all the help we can get with meal ideas when you don't feel like cooking!

Raspberry Apple Crisp

3 cups fresh raspberries
2 cups coarsely chopped apples (I use Granny Smith)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup flour
1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 Tbl butter

Toss together berries and apples. Spread evenly over bottom of a lightly buttered 2 qt. baking dish. In medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and oats. Using pastry blender, work butter into oat mixture until crumbly. Spread over fruit, pressing down lightly.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until top is lightly browned. Cool slightly before serving. Top with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Serves 8.

A Teeny Bit OCD

For some summer entertainment, our family is watching 'Monk' checked out from the library. I had never seen the show on tv so it's been fun to start at Season 1. I love that guy. And I feel like I can relate to him in some frightening ways. He is a germ-o-phobe which I'm not and obsessed with order and neatness which I am to a certain extent.

For instance, I totally get why he can't pass the umbrella rack in the entry without turning all of the handles to face the same direction. If I eat M & M's (notice I said 'if'), I tend to group them in little like-color piles before eating them in order so that there are always the same number of each color left. It's scary even admitting that out loud. I used to count tiles on the floor and bricks on a path but I guess I'm making progress because I don't do that anymore. However, I do faithfully open the lid of the water compartment of my coffee maker to let it dry out each day - imagine the germs growing in that warm, wet environment!

The good thing is I know I'm not totally OCD because in all honesty, I like things to LOOK clean more than I care if they really ARE clean. Hence, the state of a few of my closets and cupboards.

My sweet mother was a neatnik to the 'nth' power. Her drawers each contained boxes or dividers for everything. The 'junk' drawer in the kitchen looked like something out of The Container Store - a box for gum, another for thumbtacks, another for playing cards, etc.. etc.. Her dresser drawer was divided neatly into separate compartments for nylons, footies, scarves and undies. She folded plastic bags into tidy squares and washed cans thoroughly before putting them in the recycling container. I admired her organizational tendancies but I know it also brought her a good bit of frustration when it came to keeping up with all of those habits - living in the real world with messy people tends to do that.

I remember as a young mother feeling extremely frustrated with keeping the house picked up and eventually decided that living with some chaos was better than becoming a grouchy, naggy mom. I recall the day I decided to let it go - and it felt good! Even my mom told me that when our family with three little girls had left their house after a weekend visit, she would leave the hand-prints on the sliding glass door just to enjoy the memory of those chubby little hands and grinning faces.

Now, things around the house stay pretty much picked up. But I have to be honest - I still have a few issues to address:

I told you I'm only a teeny bit OCD - this proves I'm healthy.

Wordless Wednesday