Neat Books and a Learning Curve!

For Christmas, I asked for a few books that I have always wanted and never acquired. My Mom graciously got them for me. As a result, during our Christmas break, my nose was often buried in one of said books. :) The two that I have learned the most from are Before You Meet Prince Charming, by Sarah Mally, and One Thousand Gifts, by Ann vos Kamp. They are both amazing authors and are truly seeking God's will in their lives. I wanted to do this post and just share some of the things that God really opened my eyes to through these books. Here it goes:)

 Before You Meet Prince Charming:
 As a young girl, I have read a few books on courtship or how to prepare for it. However, I have been singularly unimpressed with many of the few I have read. (If that makes sense:D) They all seem to have have a main theme that kind of runs like this..."Stay pure until married...God will bring you the right man at the right time...talk to your parents when puzzled...etc." This is all good advice, but I knew there had to be something bigger and more relevant. I also knew that my days could not be taken up with thinking about this, because there is also the possibility that I may never marry or marry later in life. (This is not my wish, but it still is a possibility.) When reading Sarah's book, I was amazed and very happy to find that you could not even technically call it a book on courtship. One of the chapters really hit home for me. It was on delighting yourself in the Lord. For some reason, it is one of my largest struggles to wait contentedly. This was a really good chapter for me to read. The princess in the story also struggles with contentment, and there lives an alligator who always is tempting her to go run with the youth of the world. One day, he sees her walking on the bridge above his moat. She seems unusually happy. (This is all a paraphrase FYI.) He asks her why she is happy. "Did a special someone send thee flowers today?" "Oh yes," she replies," a special Someone did send me flowers today. They were so lovely!" "Lovesick", muttered the alligator to himself. "I guess I should not be surprised."  "Actually, He has sent them before, but I did not realize they were for me," replied the princess." "So tell me," inquired the alligator, "when did you meet your special someone?" "Oh, I have known Him a very long time," the princess said, "but I am getting to know Him better each day." The conversation goes on, with him asking if they were engaged, and her replying that they were. They continue talking....but I just loved the perspective that He sends me some token of His love many times a day, but so often I miss them. Now, I am looking for them and see so much more beauty in life. The other day, He sent me a baby chick. It was so fluffy and tiny, and I just had to marvel that the same hands that made those huge stars and the entire universe can and does also create and love that which is miniscule. The day after that, He painted one of the most beautiful sunrises imaginable for me, and it just makes me want to sing because of the abundant love He has poured out on me and on all. And, most importantly, I have His love letter which I can read and study every day.

That chapter also correlates with the other book I have been reading called...
One Thousand Gifts:
Mrs. vos Kamp is a wonderful author and writes in a down to earth style, just like someone would talk to you  if you were having a conversation. My Mom and sister are reading the book right now, so I can't quote from it, but I will try to share some of the key passages.  She began her journey by a challenge from a friend to mark down one thousand gifts that she could see in her everyday life. Her book is centered around the word eucharisto, which is thanksgiving. She observed that the pattern throughout the Bible is Grace given, Thanksgiving offered, and Joy received. Thanksgiving always precedes the miracle. She began watching her children, who found joy in such little things, and found that all joy comes from a lack of expectation. The expectation ruins whatever joy He sends if we expect it. It is when we don't expect, and just let the grace fall upon us, that we truly experience the Joy of eucharisto. And when we don't expect, we find so many different blessings...gifts.

Ummmm Cake..or pile of Crumbs???

I made a cake today and tried to decorate it for the first time with a decorating set my Aunt gave me for Christmas. I have not made a cake for a loooooong time and forgot to flour the pans. Mistake number one.... So, the cake comes out of the pan in approx. 4 large chunks with a lot of crumbs on the side. Nice. I pieced it together with icing and moved on. Second, because I had the cake in pieces, I got the chocolate cake mixed with the white icing, and we suddenly had Oreo icing! I started doing swags and flowers, and, well it just went downhill from there.We had a really ugly, delicious tasting cake!!! I wouldn't even let my Mom take a pic:) I really hope my Aunt doesn't see this post, because she is like a pro at decorating cakes. She's REALLY good!!!! I am now determined to make pretty cakes, and thus, we may all get quite sick of cake before they are good :) :) :)

Mary's Dream...(fictional, but so true of today)

"I had a dream, Joseph. I don't understand it, not really, but I think it was about a birthday celebration for our Son. I think that was what it was all about. The people had been preparing for it for about 6 weeks . They had decorated the house and bought new clothes. They'd gone shopping many times and bought elaborate gifts. It was peculiar though, because the presents wern't for our Son. They wrapped them in beautiful paper and tied them with lovely bows and stacked them under a tree. Yes, a tree Joseph, right in their house! They'd decorated the tree also. The branches were full of glowing balls and sparkling ornaments. There was a figure on the top of the tree. It looked like an angel might look. Oh, it was beautiful. Everyone was laughing and happy. They were all excited about the gifts. They gave the gifts to each other, Joseph, not to our Son. I don't think they even knew Him. They never mentioned His name. Doesn't it seem odd for people to go to all that trouble to celebrate somebody's birthday if they don't even know Him? I had the strangest feeling that if our Son had gone to this celebration He would have been intruding. Everything was so beautiful, Joseph, and everyone was so gay, but it made me want to cry. How sad for Jesus--not to be wanted at His own birthday party. I'm glad it was only a dream.

 How terrible, Joseph, if it had been real."

I found this little story in our family book of Christmas stories when we pulled out the decorations the other day. I have always known how sad it was that people do not recognize Him when it is really Him we are celebrating....but looking at it from a drawn back point of view relay made it vividly obvious to me how truly sad it is.

 Have a merry CHRISTmas, and remember to keep Him at the center of your celebration as well as everything you do!

Thanksgiving

We came down to Tucson on wed. night because my grandparents and aunts and uncles on my Mom's side all live down here. We went to my Uncle's house last night and had a huge dinner...:) However, I did not feel well, so I could not eat very much at all. This morning, we went to my aunt's house for a pancake breakfast that was super super good. We are at her house right now, and will leave tonight. She has one of those dart games and I was soooo bad at first....but....practice makes perfect :) Will post pics later.... My aunt has a goldfish pond in her front yard, and she has a great blue heron fishing for her goldfish in it right now. The heron is HUGE!!!! So neat. We are having so much fun and got to see our cousins who we have not seen in 2-3 years. Mom and Dad and my Aunt Lisa and Uncle Jerry and the girls all got to go hiking in Sabino Canyon yesterday morning. Mom took our labrador, Annie, and she found out you cannot take dogs on the trail.....so.....she turned around and walked the 4 miles back to my grandparent's house where we are staying......so much fun!!!

Wow....it's been a while!!!!!

My lands!!!! I have not been on blogs in ever so long! OK...For a quickish update on happenings...

 We went to Fort Worth in October for the World Miniature Horse Show. My Mom and sisters all got to show, and my mom's horse did super well. She won reserve in all her classes and even won one of them!!!

The people standing by Mom are a father/daughter team who now own Design!

After we got home from worlds, Mom went to Mexico for a week with a friend who was/is going through cancer treatment. The day she got home from Mexico, Lisa went to Oregon to stay with the same lady,(she lives in Oregon), and is still there!! I really miss her and we hope to see her on Monday!!!!

We had a baby horse born while we were in TX!! SOOOO cute!

This weekend, we have our fall church picnic, and then we hopefully get to go to Tucson to be with family over Thanksgiving!!!



 Mom bought a juicer, and we have been making carrot/lemon juice like crazy :) At first, we just made carrot/apple juice, and it made me gag every time I drank it, but the carrot/lemon is not too bad!

My sister's pony... just a cute picture:)

OK.. I think I have completed my update.. now I have to go practice my piano before going to bed ;)

Fun Photos!!!

 We have had sooo much fun lately between Lisa's piano recital, water day, and just hanging out with friends!

One of our friends has been living with us and he loves horses...so last Saturday, we all went riding at another friend's house.I wanted to put pics of that on here, but I think they are still all on Lisa's computer:)

My baby girl:)

Three of my siblings!!!

Trying to get taller???

You make us laugh Adam!!!!!

Me and Cherry

We have an absolute blast surfing!!!!

Goofy Mom

Beautiful Mia!!!

Dave

A overdue update...!!!

 Lisa is having her senior piano recital on the 25th! She is excited, but kinda nervous I think :) I took the pictures of her, (she made the invitation and did the editing), and she took the two of me and Jessie. Just some more recent pics of us three...:)

We are going to Texas in October for the World Horse Show and Mom and Jessie are taking their two horses. We are SOOOOO excited!!!!!! Also, Family Camp is coming up the end of September, and we have our church's Water Day this Saturday. We have a few fun, but busy weeks coming up!!!!