30 Things To Be Thankful For

Following the example of Lynette and at the prompting of Duker,

Here’s my list in no particular order:

1. My children - they are healthy and moving on with their lives as responsible adults
2. My nieces and the opportunity to spend time with them
3. That I got to attend seminary this semester and did not have to take out a loan for it
4. The Believing God study I am doing is directing me into well, believing God more
5. Internet access and the way it allows me to keep in touch with others, like Duker, at a time in life when face-to-face meetings aren’t often possible.
6. Mark and Jenny have been a great emotional, spiritual, and intellectual support to me
7. OF COURSE the CNC family. I told the staff awhile back that even if I wasn’t on staff, I’d still go here!
8. God’s never-ending patience with and endless love for me
9. The women’s ministry team - I appreciate their servant hearts, humble feet, and blessed mouths
10. Roberta! She does so much to “make me look good” and feel good too.
11. Prayer - wow - it really is a link to the heavenlies
12. Books - If you are a book lover, you know what I mean. If not, I can’t explain it.
13. The freedom to worship and minister freely as a woman
14. My car - I am grateful that it is dependable
15. Fixed-up study area
16. The angels who surround and protect me each night
17. Bryce and his team - they are greatly impacting the youth. I want this godly remnant because they will be in power when I’m feeble
18. Healing is still going on today!
19. The Bible - When I let it, it instructs, encourages and matures me. And of great importance - grows my faith.
20. That I am not in charge.
21. Chip, my 14 year old doggie brings me continued laughter, “conversation,” and comfort.
22. Fresh, clean water
23. That this life with its joys and troubles is “just a moment” in the span of Eternity with GOD
24. For people who are surrounding me in prayer, faith and friendship
25. Fog that I can take a walk in
26. Puffy paint - I REALLY like to use it
27. A house and home to call my own
28. Fenced in side-porch
29. That God has a “job” just for me to do and the gifts and the power to accomplish that
30. Music - especially music that moves me to remember just how mighty God is and worthy of praise

Do you have 1 thing you are grateful for? 5? 30? Go ahead and say so the comments or in your own post.

Be sure to let me know if you write a thankful post.

30 cheers to Sandra today!

Happy Birthday To You.
Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday dear Sandra.
Happy Birthday to you.

Sandra, I thank God for your life, example, spunkiness, warmth and friendship.

I pray that this year you’ll come to know Him and trust Him in ways you never thought possible.

Hey, if you (dear reader) have time, go to Sandra’s blog and leave a commnet or two. Every blogger loves those kind of presents.
Wouldn’t it be cool if we could leave 30 messages for her? If you know Sandra, maybe you could reveal a way or two Sandra is special to you. I’m going over there and leaving messages one and two.

Nightmare as Teaching Tool

I hate nightmares.

The whole someone chasing after you, heart in your throat, oh no, I’m dead kinda thing if I get caught. That’s how I woke up this morning.

BUT just before I opened my eyes, I saw and heard Sandra’s voice quoting I John 4:4.

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

I need that kind of assurance every now and then. Especially when I get to focusing on the physical aspects of life.

I need to know that God is greater than:

• my fears.
• the circumstances I get dragged into.
• the evil of men.
• my incompetencies.
• Satan’s schemes.
• my past.

Reading these I John “overcome” passages I see that I am an overcome-er because:

• I have been born of God. At 16 I asked Jesus to become my Saviour. I can trust Him with my eternity and my today.
• I live in faith. It is a growing thing. The Beth Moore study, Believing God, is helping me grow. Maybe some people don’t need “tools” to help them grow in faith but I do. And I need others to hold me accountable, to encourage me and to walk the path of faith with me.
• The Word of God lives in me. Wahoo! That IS the greatest way to grow faith and to live an overcoming life. That’s one of the themes from our past several Bible studies. The Word of God gets in me through studying, reading, reflecting, memorizing, nightmares, and talking about the Word of God. Isn’t it fun to have a friend or two where you just can’t help yourself but talk about Scripture?

I confess.

I have been living more as a fear-er than an overcome-er. This nightmare has “awakened” me to this fact.

Dear Lord, thank You for the creative ways You try to catch my attention. Help me to settle down into Your Word today and breathe in Your mightiness and love. Help me to breathe out fear and live in trust. Thank you Lord for the women in my life who help me and who model faith as a lifestyle. Amen.

How are you doing today? Where’s your focus? What do you need to breathe in? Breathe out?

Sorry I Haven’t Been Around

My new glasses gave me eye strain which got progressively worse (starting last Monday) over the weekend. Reading and looking was painful and tiring.

Sunday and Monday I wore an eye patch - and not because I’m a pirate.
Today I wore it all afternoon and took it off to do some homework.
My eyes are sore now. After Bible study I’ll put the patch back on.

Please pray that my eye continues healing and is all well by Thursday.

That’s when I should get my new glasses. Pray that the prescription is correct this time.
I am nervous about wearing them.

All my papers, homework, and projects for school are due Dec. 1. It’s going to be a long several weeks, especially if my eye isn’t all better.

I am chomping at the bit to read the comments and then make comments myself. Well, my eyes aren’t chomping.
Talk to you all SOON!

I’ve Been Thinking & Reading About Balance

What do you think about the following quote?

“If someone is unable to take a sabbath-a day per week of complete rest-it is a pretty good indicator that their lives are unbalanced.”
by Mary Ellen Ashcraft, Balancing Act: How Women Can Lose Their Roles & Find Their Callings

I am reading this book for one of my seminary classes.

There is lots to share and I will, but right now I need to get back to reading.
I have two all day classes this weekend and I have lots to do still.

But if you have the time and inclination, leave a comment.

100th Post - 100 Things About Me - In No Particular Order

1. I like to eat chocolate cake (with chocolate frosting) in a bowl covered with half and half.
2. I have a piano in my home I have not played. I hope to start lessons soon. I had lessons when I was in grade school. I wish my mom made me continue.
3. I’ve also taken clarinet and guitar lessons.
4. I have no innate sense of rhythm – I cannot clap and sing at the same time. Although, SI says she can teach me that as well as piano. I’m sure about the piano, not so sure about the clapping.
5. I am allergic to pine trees, cats, lillies, and grass.
6. And now parakeets. I just give away Tea and Luke, two gorgeous parakeets, because within 10 minutes of being in the same room with them my asthma got REAL bad. They are in a temporary home – anyone able to give them a permanent home? They come with a nice cage, lots of toys, and food. And they love to chatter! I miss them.
7. I am allergic to metal too. So that means no jewelry.
8. BUT I found a gorgeous pair of earrings that I am able to wear. I originally bought them for my sista for Christmas. I couldn’t remember if she had a pair like them so I wore them over to her house. Long story short: She doesn’t. My ears didn’t react. So I got an early Christmas present and sista still doesn’t have hers.
9. I have half of my Christmas shopping done and all wrapped! (Did this in August.) I wrapped them all in red wrapping paper. Once the tree is up, I’ll put on green ribbon and bows.
10. CL (4 y.o.) had a dream about me, knights and a castle. I’m not too sure about the details but it sounded like I wasn’t in any way connected to something scary. Too cute.
11. It was also too cute when he asked, “Sue, will the birds stay here fo-ever?” I think mom’s in trouble. It was so much cuter in person!
12. I have 17 shoeboxes to give to Operation Shoebox. Most are NOT from me. Cindy, my friend and fellow graduate from William Jessup University, is a teacher and got her students involved. They received community hours (ch) for doing this. It’s (ch) required at their school.
13. I like to look at and buy cards. However, I’m not too good about mailing them.
14. Daylight savings time ALWAYS screws me up. My kiddos don’t understand and think a. I’m weird, b. Making it up and definitely c. BOTH.
15. I collect white pitchers. I bought most of them in England at boot sales for 25-50 pence. A boot sale is a bunch of people gathering in a parking lot and selling their wares from their trunk (boot).
16. I learned how to drive a stick shift when I was 30 years old in England. The hardest part was not driving on the left hand side of the road. It was being able to go once I stopped on an incline.
17. I love all kinds of surprises. I.e. On Saturday night I met friends, Clayton and Judy, from England for dinner. (They now live in WA.) Tim, my son, was able to go with me, BUT they didn’t know he was coming. You should have heard the joyous cries and seen the tears. Tim spent a lot of time at their English farm caring for sheep, slopping hogs, etc.
18. My oldest niece is going to have a baby in the Spring! Wahoo! I’ll be a great-aunt. And I’ll get to snuggle a baby with my DNA.
19. I was able to watch two of my nieces be born.
20. Two of my nieces have my middle name: Jean. (Not the same two as in #19.)
21. I don’t let anyone sleep on my pillow.
22. I keep important messages in shorthand on my palm. I call it my solar powered palm pilot.
23. I don’t like crumbs in the butter, peanut butter, mayonnaise, or jam containers.
24. The meat has to be on the right-hand side of the plate.
25. I like to go bare-foot. Even when I lived in places that snowed (CO, Canada), I’d check the mail without first putting on shoes.
26. I’ve been a calendar girl and even had my own month! It was a calendar put out by the dairy association and I was an infant. Unfortunately the calendar has disappeared in one of the many moves we made throughout my growing up years. Just as well, no-one likes a braggart with proof.
27. I once had a spider plant that I named Priscilla. This confused my dad to no end. He kept calling my brother’s wife Priscilla – her name is Crystal.
28. If it’s a full moon, dark outside, and you pretend to be a monster, I’ll get irrationally afraid, scream, and run away from you.
29. I have a phobic fear of the dentist and heights. Mammograms – piece of cake. But dental work and the catwalk? Again with the irrational fear.
30. I have a knife wound in my derriere. Not an exciting, blood pumping story. Dull and stupid more describes the incident.
31. Even though I am a native Californian, I have never seen a whale in the wild. Doesn’t it seem funny to call the coastal waters of CA “the wild”?
32. I’ve been to Disneyland so many times I’ve lost track. My favorite rides are the Pirates of the Caribbean and It’s a Small World. I also like the Haunted House and Tom Sawyer’s Island. Oh, and the fireworks are spectacular. For a spell, my folks had a home in Anaheim. We could see the fireworks from our home.
33. It’s probably been a decade since the last visit. Time to go again. Anyone game?
34. I’ve had three surprise parties. I was surprised by one of them.
35. I feel embarrassed, lost and sad about being divorced.
36. My children, Timothy and Elizabeth, mean the world to me and I would relive everything in my life so that I could have them, again, as my children.
37. I wore my first contacts at 13. I stopped wearing contacts at 27. My eyes became too dry.
38. I am a flybaby. Not a very good one, but at least I am taking flysteps.
39. I have friends in England, Canada and New Zealand.
40. When I read the Bible I underline the parts that “speak” to me. When I am in need of encouragement, I copy those underlined verses and read them over and over.
41. I like decorating Christmas trees according to a theme or color.
42. I love walls painted with COLOUR! My front room is painted a warm brown and my back room is yellow. My son calls it the “we all live in the yellow submarine” room. My front door is maroon.
43. My favorite singing artist is Twila Paris.
44. My favorite (right now) song is In Christ Alone.
45. I like to read the Minor Prophets when I’m feeling out-of-sorts.
46. I try to read a Proverb and a Psalm each day.
47. I like to take notes and underline verses in my Bible.
48. My first Bible was an NASB.
49. My current favorite version is the NIV.
50. I like to look up verses at Biblegateway.com so I can (easily) read them in different versions.
51. Would you use your boyfirend/husband’s toothbrush? No – unless stuck in the wilderness for weeks and weeks and weeks.
52. What about a friend’s? No. Not even if stuck.
53. If you could go back and relive one day, which one would it be and why? Any day at home with my children. At the time I felt fatigued and worried too much about peripheral things. I’d like to savour the mundane and enjoy the simple pleasures of home.
54. When were you the most ill you’ve ever been? I had a gall bladder attack which lastest several days. Recovery lasted several weeks. During the attack nothing comforted me; I was in too much pain to really think about anythihg. I just tried to sleep.
55. What comforted you through that illness? During the recovery phase I kept telling myself that I’d get better someday so do what it took to get there. I didn’t let myself project into the future.
56. Who was your very first crush and how old were you? Carl is the first boy who took my breath away. I was about 8 or 9. I was so into Carl that I had to write, in chalk, on the back of my dresser, about our eternal future, Susie + Carl. One of my niece’s has that dresser. Isn’t it funny that I have no memory of what he looked like, what I liked about him or if he even knew I existed. All I know is that it was very important at that time.
57. When my kids were of (legal) trick-or-treat age we took them to the air force base. It was awesome to see ALL those kids going house-to-house. Just like when I was a kid or just like in ET. HUndreds of kiddos in costume roaming the streets.
58. Except for one year, I sewed them a costume. One year was way too crazy and I didn’t have the time. I felt like such a failure as a mother because I didn’t make that time.
59. My mom always made my costumes too. My favorite one was a yellowish Indian costume with real beading and feathers.
60. My mom’s favorite costume was me dressed as Mrs. Piggly Wiggly: Wig, big clothes, a pillow stuffed in front and back. I cried. After I won the prize for first place I stopped crying.
61. Every time I hear Melodramma by Andrea Bocelli I cry after the first few moments of music. I don’t understand the words but I understand the feeling.
62. I cry during movies, commercials, books, weddings, baptisms, singing at church. I can’t stop myself during these times.
63. I hate for anyone to see me cry when I’m sad.
64. I scream during a scary part of a movie. And on scary rides.
65. I like to wear jeans. One day my niece, S, asked if I had any other pants becasue all she saw me wear is jeans. Now I am trying to branch out a bit. Thanks S.
66. I fractured my ribs as the result of a bike accident. My brother was on the handle bars while I steered a fast path down a steep hill and turned into a driveway of pebbles. Brother flew clear and was fine. The handle bars smashed into my ribs and I wasn’t fine. I think we were mimicking something we saw on TV. We were tweeners.
67. I climbed a telephone pole and got stuck. The fire department had to rescue me. I was about 3 or 4.
68. I like gardening. When I lived in CO I shopped at a grocery store that also had a garden section. That way I could bring home plants each week to put into the yard.
69. I graduated from high school in 1976. The same year as America’s bicentennial.
70. My birthday is the same day as the Girl Scout birthday.
71. I loved being a Girl Scout. I especially enjoyed working for the merit badges. I had the most badges in my troop. Sometimes I now get to help one of my niece’s work on a merit badge.
72. I was a co-leader for my daughter’s Daisy troop. We lived in England. Those girls were so precious. My co-leader, Deborah, was great at planning activities. We had a lot of fun together.
73. Growing up I was a copious reader. I was good for nothing until the book was done. My mom would have to hide my book if she wanted me to do something.
74. I haven’t done much pleasure reading the past few years. But I still have the same urge to finish the book in one sitting.
75. I saw the northern lights when I lived in Canada.
76. I went scuba diving off the coast of Galveston, Texas.
77. While there we boarded The Calypso: Jacques Cousteau’s boat. Unfortunately Jacque was someplace else filming something.
78. I’ve received flowers from a secret admirer.
79. I like to send cards and gifts anonymously.
80. I went with my family on an Easter egg hunt at Henry the 8th’s favorite castle - Leed’s. Beautiful grounds laden with Cadbury eggs.
81. I used to be skinny. So long ago I don’t remember.
82. I’ve never had plastic surgery, but if I had the money, I’d seriously consider it.
83. I chickened out getting lasik surgery. The week before I was to go I had my last doctor appointment. My regular doctor couldn’t see me so I had his replacement. He wore glasses. And said, “If it were me, I wouldn’t do this.” He then said something about the possibility of my eye exploding because I have (controlled) glaucoma. That was all I needed to hear. No surgery for me.
84. I have had laser surgery for my eyes to correct glaucoma. But at that point it was do this or take tons of medication daily and face the possibility of going blind. The laser surgery was quick, easy and effective. And the glaucoma is still under control without medication.
85. I lose things easily and often - especially my keys, calendar and purse.
86. I saw puffins in Scotland on the island of Skye.
87. My favorite bird is the Rocky Mountain Bluebird. I saw it in CO.
88. I heard a Mocking bird and Cuckoo bird in England.
89. I saw penguins on the beach in Felixstowe, England. Not many people believe me. But I did!
90. My dream is to fly high like a bird in a hot air balloon.
91. I jumped on a bouncy castle on my last birthday. My wonderful family pooled their money and ordered one for the WHOLE day. I couldn’t believe what hard work bouncing is. And HOW FUN it was. Thank you again, FAMILIA.
92. I often called my mom “mamacita.” I miss you mamacita.
93. I’ve had four screen names: momoftimandliz, BlessedMom, ScrappinAuntie, and Susan2007. The first three are obvious. The 2007 referred to when I thought I’d have my masters. Looks like it’ll be 2008 or more’n likely 2009.
94. I was once kicked off an online scrapbook forum. The moderator made a harsh, personal comment about someone in the group. I wrote back that I was uncomfortable with such information and asked that such comments not be made public. I was banned for flaming! Oh, the uproar it caused. I had such hurt feelings. Now it seems so silly.
95. I can only hear on the phone if I put the phone to my left ear.
96. I hear best, in person, if I can also see your lips. Sometimes my kiddos tease me by hiding their faces or by covering my eyes.
97. I finally bought a headset for my telephone. Now I can multi-task with two hands. I also got a new phone so I can be sure that I’ll get ALL my phone messages. I can’t believe how inexpensive it was. Too bad I waited so long.
98. I hope to see The Polar Express at the movies this year. I especially like the dance and song about hot chocolate.
99. The weirdest job I had was a night-time receptionist at a mortuary. My best job is working at CNC.
100. I don’t know how people can live life without a personal relationship with God.

More Top 50 Books from Christianity Today

All the below book reviews are by CT.

#43. Operation World by Patrick Johnstone
The who, where, what, why, when, and how many of unreached peoples.

#42. The Purpose-Driven Life by Rick Warren
A recommended resource to have on hand when faced with a home intruder (a la Ashley Smith) or when seeking to turn around an African nation (a la Rwanda).

#41. Born Again by Charles W. Colson
As we now know, the metamorphosis of a Nixon administration crook into a prison evangelist wasn’t just a phase.

#40. Darwin on Trial by Phillip E. Johnson
This Berkeley law professor’s takedown of scientific naturalism launched Intelligent Design and gained creationists a level of public attention they hadn’t enjoyed since the Scopes trial.

#39. Desiring God by John Piper
Who expected a Calvinist Baptist to redeem hedonism for Christ?

The only book I’ve read is The Purpose Driven Life. Last year (or so?) our whole church went through it. Pastor Mike preached on salient points, small groups pondered applicable arguments and individuals read for enlightenment.

While I didn’t turn around a nation, or deter an intruder, I did reconnect with a relational God. I was reminded of how important those basics are. I relearned it’s NOT about me. And that was enough.

So which above books touched you and why?

CNC Bloggers - How Many Are Out There?

So far, we have 5 female bloggers at church.

Check out their sites by clicking on their names!

Jenny
Lynette
Sandra
Susan (me)
Theresa

Four former members also have their own blog.
AutumRain (oldest dd of Lori)
Doodah
LavendarGirl (2nd oldest dd of Lori)
Lori

What a fun way to keep in touch! If you’d like to join the fun and set one up, contact any one of us for help.

If there are more, leave the info in the commnet section and I will update it here.

“Wow, That’s Hot!”

Me: What did I put into the potato salad?
Sista: Did you sprinkle spicy paprika on top?
Me: I didn’t know there was spicy paprika. That’s what I must have done.

Last night we celebrated Sista’s husband’s birthday and he requested I bring my secret recipe potato salad. I just checked. I didn’t use paprika. I used cayenne pepper!

Good thing I am picking up my new glasses today!

Below is the secret recipe – it truly is one of the best ones for potato salad.

Calico Surprise Potato Salad
Ingredients to serve 8

• 4 potatoes – peeled and cubed – boiled until tender, cooled
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• ½ cup carrot, grated
• ½ cup sweet relish
• ½ cup sweet red onion, chopped
• 1 cup dry roasted peanuts (shhhh! secret ingredient)
• ½ cup (or so) mayonnaise
• Several squirts Ranch Dressing
• Several sprinkles Paprika
• One sprig of parsley

Combine all ingredients, except for paprika and parsley into a big bowl. Put in more veggies and mayonnaise to taste. Lightly sprinkle paprika and lay parsley on top for festive look.

NOTE: You can also add sweet corn, sliced black or green olives, and/or pimento. The most important part of this recipe is the peanuts.

Want to share one of your family recipes?

Daughter Scores Second in Fencing Tournament

6 weeks ago Elizabeth joined the university fencing team.

This past weekend they had their first tournament. She came in 2nd in the women’s category and 6th overall (out of 31 men and women).

Can you tell I’m proud?

When my kiddos were younger we lived in England for about 5 years. On many occasions both kids played in their Robin Hood costumes. I remember visiting the real Sherwood Forest with both in character. Sweet memories.

I’ll have to look and see if I have the pictures. And the costumes!

What is something you are proud of on account of your kid(s)?