Birds and Bees...it's nice outside Topic: People/Family stories It has been perfect weather in Phoenix lately folks.
Sitting in my screened in porch in the mornings with a cup of strong coffee in a long sleeved, cotton shirt over my jammies is perfection. I read my Bible and I try to listen. I have to try hard, because I find the mockingbirds howling at the mourning doves (who are making a spectacle of themselves with the male doing the hoochy coochie dance of love while the female totally ignores him and walks along under the mockingbird's nest pecking at invisible specks) and woodpeckers tapping on the palm trees and pigeons eating my dog's dry food very distracting. I am reading in Psalms and have gotten to the Psalms of Ascent. It makes me long for the New Jerusalem and makes me wonder about future things. (I heard that Beth Moore is preparing a new Bible study on these Psalms and I can't wait!)
By mid-morning it is warm enough outside that you want to be in the shade. That is, unless you are a senseless teen who wants a tan. Last week being Spring Break, 2 of my girls went out to broil themselves several times. Hannah went home with at least 3 different tan lines on her back...actually burn lines. This is somehow supposed to make her look better in a halter style bridesmaid dress in May. (remember Hannah, lighten up lol) I had a dream last night that she was walking down the aisle at the wedding with a perfect tan, except for one streak of white, the size of a bathing suit tie. I woke up half alarmed for her and half cracking up.
The evenings are perfectly cool, just right for eating outside and lighting the fire in the chiminea. It's also perfect for inspiring this blog post as I sit by the pool with my laptop. (It's kind of dangerous too. A HUGE, orange blossom glutting, black bumble bee just flew by, wondering if I was an orange tree and swooped in front of me. My first reaction was to swing my open laptop around at him, because he scared the bejeebers out of me! But I came to my senses and just tossed my hair around wildly....pretty stupid-looking, but it worked!)The scent of orange blossoms is so strong this time of year that you literally smell it ALL the time, except when you are in a building with no windows open. There are so many orange trees in Phoenix that it wafts in and out of every neighborhood, in your windows on the highway and even in parking lots when you get out of your car. I love that smell...no artificial 'orange blossom' scent has ever come close to the actual smell I think. I am so glad I never developed an allergy to it, because believe me, if you have allergies to orange blossoms, you are in deep, deep misery for several weeks every March!
Then all night long, weve been sleeping with a fan in the window, bringing in the scent of orange blossoms and fresh rain. Three days of wonderful rain this week! My chamomile plants are very happy and ready to be plucked.
Well, the sun is gone from the sky, the dusk is settling in and I need to go throw some frozen pizzas in the oven for my kids who keep peeking out here and asking if I'm going to make dinner tonight. =)
Friday's Feast #136 Topic: Humor/memes Please read:First a general announcement. I learned this morning that my blog is causing some frustration with pop up ads. I do not see the pop up ads usually, because I am on a MacIntosh computer. (most of those ads are not formatted to pop up on Macs) So if you could...even if you never, ever comment.....please drop me a note if you are getting pop ups or if they are keeping you from leaving comments, just email me a short note?? My email is: crickandchas at yahoo dot com. This will help me to write an email to my blog provider (angelfire) and let them know of any trouble people are having. They are usually good about fixing things.
I did notice that all the ads are gone from my actual page. (at least from my computer) So maybe these pop ups are replacing the ads on the page. I'm really sorry if it's causing frustration. I used to despise pop up ads when I had a pc.
Thank you to M for letting me know!
Now here's the feast:
Appetizer Who is your favorite news anchor/reporter? Why? I like the evening news anchors on our local Fox channel here in Phoenix. They are not too serious, they seem to be informed and not just reading a script, and they seem to be neutral in their opinions on social and political things.
Soup Name 3 foods that are currently in your freezer. 1. Christmas biscotti, pfeffernuese cookies and undecorated gingerbread boys....I don't know what I"m keeping it for. I should put it out to be eaten! 2. Meat....a box of preshaped burger patties from Sam's club, a bag of boneless, skinless chicken breasts from the club also, corned beef, and steaks and pork chops I found on sale! 3. Lots of caked up frost in my outside freezer. My husband has informed me that we WILL empty out that freezer before summer (it pulls a lot of energy and runs too much in summer to keep cold) and just use our side by side freezer. So I will be cooking a lot in April!
Salad If you were to have the opportunity to name a new town or city, what would you call it? cricklwood or cricklhollow....lol Actually crickhollow is a town in the Fellowship of the Rings book.
Main Course What will most likely be the next book you read? A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains, the diary of Isabella L. Bird. She was a middle-aged English lady, who in 1873 in the autumn/early winter, set out on horse back through the Rocky Mountains, mainly the Estes Park area.....by herself! I've read it before several years ago and my husband found it for me again on Amazon. If you have a chance to read it and love Colorado, you'll love it.
Dessert What's the first thing you notice about the opposite gender? Well this question is a little uncomfortable for me since I'm married! But the first thing I notice about anyone I meet is their eyes and eye contact. I have no idea why.
A break from my break to bring you Passover ideas! Topic: People/Family stories
So, Spring Break is half way over and we haven't even had a chance to sit down to a meal all together yet! It's just been a busy week with teenagers and their social lives, pastor husband with weddings and funerals to do, and me trying to jump through all the hoops to get approved by the school district for a part time job. (more on that another time) I feel stressed out and not rested at all.
Thankfully the next 2 days and part of the third day, are all our own as a family. I seem to feel most rested when we've all been together....falling back from the busyness of life into our simple nest, we find the comfort that is there in each other's company.
Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh, nice.
Now here is an assignment for you....should you choose to do it. Go over to Chrysalis and read e-mom's wonderfully simple ideas to bring the full, rich meaning of Passover into our modern, weirdly bunnyish Easter. (yes, we do bunnies too, but it's still a weird way to celebrate a wonderful holiday) It's a simple start to making Easter so much more....sooooo much....
Spring Break Topic: Blogging
Sorry I haven't posted much lately. This is spring break week for all my kids, even one home from college, so I will probably be scarce for a few more days!
Friday's Feast #135 Topic: Humor/memes
**Get your own Friday Feast menu here.**
Appetizer Name two things that made you smile this week.
1. We saw a guy dressed up like Uncle Sam, waving a little flag, advertising an income tax service on the sidewalk of a busy intersection. He was leaning out, almost into oncoming traffic, staring with a silly smile on his face, making eye contact with oncoming drivers and just frozen with that silly smile. (I couldn't help it) I'm glad he likes his job so much.
2. A commercial came on a few nights ago advertising the television show Malcolm in the Middle. The boys' frog had died and they were all gathered for a backyard funeral, when all of a sudden one of them lights a fire cracker rocket and off it went, ''shooooosh'', into the sky.
Then one of the boys quips, "May he rest in pieces." (they shot the dead frog into the sky on a fire cracker!) I half choked, it caught me so much by surprise. I *instantly* found myself in pieces, snarfing and choking and laughing so hard I think I had an asthma attack.
My daughter, who was sitting there watching it too, just looked at me like I was nutso. I guess some people just don't have a very well developed sense of humor.
Soup Fill in the blank: Don't you hate it when ________?
Don't you hate it when people don't find something the slightest bit humorous when you are having an asthma attack from laughing so hard? *sheesh*
Salad When you can't go to sleep, what is your personal remedy to help yourself drift into Lullabyland?
Main Course What is something about which you've always wondered but have not yet found a good answer?
March Madness =(
Dessert What is your favorite pasta dish?
1. Seafood Alfredo 2. Jumbo ravioli (stuffed with Ricotta cheese, covered in red sauce and lots of cheese) 3. Chicken Linguini (cooked pasta...sometimes linguini....tossed with leftover chicken, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar cheese and any kinds of cooked veggies....the sprinkle with parmessan cheese...yum!)
Rain Topic: God things
I was over at Life in a Fishbowl World today and found this wonderful teaching video. It's 10 minutes long, but it is powerful and I hope you will watch it. The pastor speaking is Rob Bell. I have heard a lot of second hand information about him as a teacher, but this is the first teaching of his that I have seen or heard and I love it.....
All of us go through trials in life and this is a totally cool word picture of how God comforts us through it all.
I am From Topic: People/Family stories
Some friends I know are doing the I am From poetry on a forum I go to. This is mine....I kinda got into it! lol Here is the template if you want to do one too. Let me know if you do and I'll come read yours!
Where do crickls come from?
I am from orange popsicles, dripping down my chin and elbow, from hula hoops, roller skates with keys and a purple Huffy ten speed From the influence of hippies and the 60’s and 70’s, The Beattles, Monkees, James Taylor, Simon and Garfunkel. From air raid drills and the Viet Nam War. Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan.
I am from the suburbs of a growing desert city, loving homes and big families, neighbors talking and borrowing, playing hide and seek, football and kickball under the streetlight. From a friend dying in the night in her bed. From go-go boots, peasant tops and bell bottom jeans.
I am from the dust storms and cactus and grit in hair and teeth, from toasting in the sun, floating on the Salt River, neighborhood swimming pools, Dr. Pepper and fresh blue skies. From Bonanza, the Beaver, the Brady Bunch and Charlie’s Angels.
I am from camping in the mountains and brown hair, from Bob and Jackie, From far off grandparents and relations, And the reputations of 4 older siblings. A wayward sister, a far off brother in the navy.
I am from spoons balanced on noses at holiday dinners and loud laughter. Inside jokes and practical jokes. What are nose pants?
From don’t talk to strangers, do unto others and stand up straight.
I am from a small Baptist church full of love and mercy. From a large Baptist church that drew people in with love and mercy. From FSBC, big G, youth group, choir tours and busses full of kids. The tunnels, the pink sidewalk and Slide Rock.
I'm from Scots and Kilts and bagpipes in my imagination, from the South and the Northwest and the Southwest. Beef stew and chimichangas, biscuits and tortillas.
From the death of a brother in an airplane crash, the silence of grieving parents. Looking at old photos and slides, trying to remember. From the disillusions of older siblings’ divorces. And the 60 year marriage of my parents.
I am from looking through the cedar chest at memories, sitting in a dark, cool closet and imagining. I could never have imagined all that God has brought me through And all that life has put me through …..but I am thankful for it all.
Crime doesn't pay....unless you do car repairs for a living..... Topic: People/Family stories
Victim: an aggrieved or disadvantaged party in a crime or disaster.
Living in a big city after life in Small town, USA is a learning experience....to put it mildly. To put it honestly: I want my mommy!!!!
Two weeks ago, I was pulling out of the driveway to take the girls to school when I noticed our other vehicle, a Ford F150 pickup, no longer had a tailgate. We finally reasoned that it was either stolen in our driveway during the night, or it was taken while my daughter was working at the mall the night before until 10pm. We filed a police report and priced the replacement......EEEgads! Even with our car insurance, the deductible would be $500. A used one is several hundred too. So we are currently tailgate-less. I don't know what we'll do during football season...beg off of someone else's tailgate I guess. It was infuriating that someone would just take a part off our car for their own benefit. It's evil...it's selfish and criminal. I wanted to hurt someone. *blush*
Crime tip number one: If you have a pickup truck, please lock the tailgate. It makes it much harder to steal....so we have since been told.
Last night I was picking up our daughter from the mall, about 10pm. We no longer let her take the truck and park it there if she is working evenings. She was waiting there, two of the other employees waiting with her until she was safely picked up. (I really appreciate that!) She plopped into the car and I circled around between rows of empty parking spaces. *CRUNCH pop pop pop pop* (It seems that even if you don't let the teenager take the car to work, you can still be a victim of vandals.) She got out of the car and looked at the tire, thinking we'd run over glass. But there were domino-looking plastic things stuck into the tire. They were security tags off of stolen clothing! Four of them, poked into my back tire.
She pulled them off and exclaimed, "OH, I'm bleeding....am I bleeding? ....is that blood?....What IS that? ewwwww, it's all over me!"
It was then that we realized, while listening to that hissing sound of air escaping a tire, that the were ink tags. Yeah, my daughter is now at school with ink stained fingers, probably causing lots of suspicion among peers and teachers. And I reeeeeally want to hurt someone. I'm getting extremely vivid mental pictures of ways to punish vandals. =( I guess the shoplifters were angry about the ink, which ruins the stolen merchandise, so they left the tags sharp side up, in the parking lot among some paper trash from a fast food place.
Crime tip number two: never, EVER run over trash in a parking lot. More often than you may think (or not be thinking much at all) it is disguising all sorts of tire popping devices.
So the car repair place is getting some business today, patching holes in our tire. At least someone benefits from this.
I'm disgusted with humanity today. (including my own)
Ultimate Blog Party Topic: Blogging Click the button to go over to 5 Minutes from Mom, where twin sisters, Susan and Janice, are hosting a week long party. The purpose of the 'party' is to build more of a community feeling among Christian bloggers. Playing along will get your blog more traffic, help you to get to know other bloggers and explore blogs that you may not have noticed before! I have been exploring already from the links on the party sight and will continue as I have time this week. ***Remember to leave comments on the blogs you visit to encourage the owner of the blog. Just say hello or write some comment about something on their blog.*** Mine is a 2 step comment process, so make sure you confirm your comment!
If you are new to the nest here, WELCOME! (and if you have been before welcome too of course!) I am a 40something pastor's wife, with 4 daughters, a wonderful husband and am learning to live in a big city again, after living in a small mountain town for 9 years. We moved to Phoenix, Arizona, my hometown, a year ago and we are all finding our niche' here in this huge desert city. Our church is in an urban area, filled with apartments, international immigrants and any segment of today's society that you could name....it's all in our church neighborhood. We have often described it as coming to a mission field. We have many opportunities to reach out to our community and become part of it, so pray for and with us that we will continue to follow God's leading in reaching out to the people here.
On the home front, we have one fourth grade home schooled daughter who is 9, 2 teens who are in public high school after years of homeschooled life, and our oldest is 19 and attends a state university in another city, 2 hours away. The past year has been a learning experience also for us in helping to care for my father, who had severe dementia and then passed away in August. Then with major surgery for me in October, it really looked like a stress filled year for us.
On a stress indicator test I took last Fall, my stress level lookedto be very high and in fact, I should have been receiving mental health care by now. ;) But God has given us peace that is beyond comprehension every step of the way and we are doing very well, feeling at home here, loved, supported and needed.
I've been blogging now for a little over 2 years and enjoy practicing a story-telling type of writing. I love to tell stories of people and events that I experience or see experienced along the way. I see humor in everything and I also see God's hand at work, showing me His truths and teaching me a lot through mentally and tangibly processing what is going on in my life or in the world around me. Come to think of it, writing this blog is probably one of the tools God has given me to help me to deal with the stress of this past year. I usually quickly process things in a very simple way in my head, then move on. Writing helps me to look deeper and learn more from this journey I'm on. Kinda cool....
I also love photography, humor and cooking, so you will see a lot of those things here too. I hope you'll be back. =)
And now, let's jam, and turn our hearts toward the main thing:
Modern abolition Topic: God things
I ran across this amazing interview on CNN with Zach Hunter, a modern day abolitionist today while visiting Crystal's blog. God gave this young man a mission and it is no small thing.
We also went to see Bridge to Terabithia today. It is not what you expect, but it IS a powerful movie....so many good themes running through it to talk about with your kids. I recommend it.
And yes, expect my summary of our women's retreat coming soon. We had a great time....which may be why I am struggling to get my brain in gear. =)
Friday's Feast #132 Topic: Humor/memes Appetizer Where on your body do you have a scar, and what caused it? On my face I have a 2 centimeter scar from when I was 5 years old. I was sitting on the edge of my neighbor's driveway, eating popcorn. (no microwaves back then...it was actually popped on the stove top then drizzled with real butter and salt) My neighbor's dachshund, Molly, was sitting next to me watching every kernel from the bowl to my mouth *crunch*, bowl to mouth *crunch*, bowl to mouth *crunch*.
I noticed her intensity in watching me, so I hammed it up.
Bowl, waving it in front of the doggie's face, to my mouth, *crunch*
**BITE** "yeeeeeooooowwwwwwww waaaaah"
I was rushed into neighbor's house and set on the kitchen counter. I remember screaming my head off, the unchewed popcorn still sitting in my mouth. It was very traumatic. No stitches, just a big bandaid and put to bed. From then on, whenever I was at their house and Molly would come prancing in, I would jump on the furniture and scream. I must have been very annoying!
Soup What is something that has happened to you that you would consider a miracle? When Jesus drew me to Himself and took me as His own. Spiritual rebirth is a huge miracle.
Salad Name a television personality who really gets on your nerves. Oh I could name a lot! I'll have to say a certain, unnamed news show anchor who talks over the people he is interviewing and doesn't let them finish their thoughts. grrrrrrrr My husband likes to watch his show and if I"m in the room, he drives me crazy going 'blahblahblah' louder than anyone else on the show!
Main Course What was a funny word you said as a child (such as "pasketti" for "spaghetti")? Whatever I may have mispronounced was at once humiliated out of me by my older siblings. They were all teens when I was little. You didn't get away with things you could be made fun of around our house! So I have no memory of saying cute things like that....I feel robbed! ;)
Dessert Fill in the blank: I have always thought ______ was ______. I have always thought making people laugh was a great talent to posess. (it's too bad dachshond's don't have a better sense of humor....sheesh)
Let's give it up.......for Lent! Topic: Holidays/Vacations
This is a reprint from 2 years ago...I can't believe I can measure my blog in years now! I love this holiday season.....I hope you make the most of it this year! Our church is doing a prayer emphasis, complete with booklets!...this year. We're praying for the entire world in 40 days. We're going through a daily prayer guide called Seek God for the City 2007, put out by WayMakers organization. Day one is today and we are seeking God on behalf of the Americas and the Caribbean.
So I guess this year, instead of giving up something, we are doing something extra....making time each day to pray for our world. However you remember the Lenten season, just make sure it's about Him and not about you giving something up.....I know that is always a struggle for balance for me when I do it!
Here were my thoughts from Ash Wednesday 2005:
Lent....something which a lifetime Baptist is a little ignorant about. I remember growing up in suburbia with Catholic friends coming home on Ash Wednesday with smudges on their foreheads....curious. Then the thought that they had to eat fish on Fridays.....horrid! None of them could reasonably explain these mysteries and so I didn't think much about it until the past few years. Now when I see the ashes smudged on foreheads, I think of sackcloth and ashes...of grief over one's sin in preparation of the Easter season.....remembering a Savior's suffering for my guilt. It is a good thing, the Lenten season. It's good to set aside 40 days of reflection, prayer, fasting to prepare for Easter.
As a mom and teacher, I've been searching for years on how to make Easter a truly spiritual celebration instead of just a fluffy Springtime holiday. The past few years I have been studying Passover and the rich theological comparisons and prophecies about the perfect Lamb of God. If you've never done that, I recommend it. =) Although the Passover studies have been really enriching and meaningful, Lent causes great personal reflection and action...it's a time of growth and sacrifice....and things that cause change.
So at the school we are observing Lent and preparing ourselves for a celebration of the most amazing event in history....the Ressurection of Christ. I would absolutely love it and be really really, if not eternally, grateful for any suggestions you may have on observing the Lenten season....especially if they are for kids' activities or devotions for kids.
So repent and be baptized, prepare ye the way of the Lord, behold the Lamb of God and let's all give it up for Lent! =)
It has been perfect weather in Phoenix lately folks. 
ads usually, because I am on a MacIntosh computer. (most of those ads are not formatted to pop up on Macs) So if you could...even if you never, ever comment.....please drop me a note if you are getting pop ups or if they are keeping you from leaving comments, just email me a short note?? My email is: crickandchas at yahoo dot com. This will help me to write an email to my blog provider (angelfire) and let them know of any trouble people are having. They are usually good about fixing things. 
Appetizer
I am from spoons balanced on noses at holiday dinners and loud laughter.
Two weeks ago, I was pulling out of the driveway to take the girls to school when I noticed our other vehicle, a Ford F150 pickup, no longer had a tailgate. We finally reasoned that it was either stolen in our driveway during the night, or it was taken while my daughter was working at the mall the night before until 10pm. We filed a police report and priced the replacement......EEEgads! Even with our car insurance, the deductible would be $500. A used one is several hundred too. So we are currently tailgate-less. I don't know what we'll do during football season...beg off of someone else's tailgate I guess. It was infuriating that someone would just take a part off our car for their own benefit. It's evil...it's selfish and criminal. I wanted to hurt someone. *blush* 
Last night I was picking up our daughter from the mall, about 10pm. We no longer let her take the truck and park it there if she is working evenings. She was waiting there, two of the other employees waiting with her until she was safely picked up. (I really appreciate that!) She plopped into the car and I circled around between rows of empty parking spaces. *CRUNCH pop pop pop pop* (It seems that even if you don't let the teenager take the car to work, you can still be a victim of vandals.) She got out of the car and looked at the tire, thinking we'd run over glass. But there were domino-looking plastic things stuck into the tire. They were security tags off of stolen clothing! Four of them, poked into my back tire. 
This is Emma, then 2, reading to Baby and Bear. And now, 15, sweet as can be!
Appetizer
