Category Archives: Stuff I Actually Think

Dear David Cassidy,

April 12, 20149 TV & Movies/Books & Entertainment, Stuff I Actually ThinkJeanie

That’s right. I am in my fifties and writing a fan letter like I’m 11. What of it???

Happy Birthday, David Cassidy, oh love of my young life, increasingly admired the world over, outrageously talented, perpetually youthful and darling boy of the 70s-set

{source}

Happy Birthday, David Cassidy.

I always remember your birthday. It doesn’t matter that I am getting {way} older (I have a huge family and 9 grandbebes now, David Cassidy!) and that somehow – you are having birthdays, but still not getting older (at least not where I have you in my memories). But I always remember.

I may or may not have mentioned you on this very blog a time or two. Or thirteen. Whatever.

How are you, birthday boy? You doing ok? You doing better?

Because I don’t like seeing mug shots of you on seedy websites. I don’t like thinking about the pain of life that caused you to turn on yourself, or hearing you’re making choices that could be disastrous for you and others. Not at all. You are better than that. That isn’t you – that isn’t what you were born to do or to be.

And I am not just saying that because I am some raving-lunatic fan who thinks she owns you and can tell you what to do. That’s not me. I am actually rather sensible. And I only visit www.davidcassidy.com a few times a year, just to check in. Like on April 12th.

I am just saying it because you were born with a gift and you worked to build a platform and you should be very careful with that. Don’t give anyone a reason to trivialize the good you have done in your life, who you really are.

You are beloved and adored and have a long-lasting fan base (like me) and you still have so much talent to share, songs to sing, smiles for heart-melting. You have influence and admiration. You still have the power to make an impact.

So be very careful, David Cassidy. Be very careful with all you have worked for and with all that was divinely bestowed and guard your heart with gusto. Take advantage of support and any help that is offered.

Then be David Cassidy. Because everybody LOVES him!

And, David Cassidy? You are invited to any of our family functions anytime. Bring your guitar and we will all sing along (my kids have twice surprised me with a song of yours – best gifts ever!**). Anytime, really!

Have a happy birthday, David Cassidy, a really happy, joy-filled, sweet-peace and satisfaction kind of day. You were born the hero in a wonderful lyric-and-melody-filled story (Psalm 119.13-16). It is treasure. Guard it and share it. Happy Day, David Cassidy. :)

Singing along since September of 1970, {Jeanie}.

I know it is silly. But I still love me some David Cassidy!

**My kids: http://youtu.be/OpDzazacUEw & http://youtu.be/ydqcM2JxXrA because I taught them good music!

Oh, don’t do that

April 7, 20141 Christ is All, Stuff I Actually ThinkJeanie

And so, I preach to myself…

Don’t do that, my sweet. Don’t dismiss some one else’s pain and affliction with pompous platitudes and sanctimonious scrutinies. Don’t rattle off Bible verses like an automatic machine-gun clip meant to prove your prophetic prowess and settle your spiritual superiority. Remember how that cuts.

Don’t speak of the weak with haughtiness, as if you can possibly know the attack they have just endured. Don’t dismiss the sensitive soul for feelings that are transparent. Don’t assume because you can see the tears that they are weaklings, inconsequential, insubstantial humans too fragile to be of value to kingdom warfare. Disclosing pain doesn’t reveal a flimsy, powerless soul, but a heart of flesh, not yet gone to stone.

There is nothing wrong with that. Feeling agony while suffering through a situation almost unbearable to share is not a sign of ineptitude or of being some feeble, worthless body part.

Be encouraged.

note to self, more than to anyone else…when I am tempted to roll my eyes and dismiss some one who is not as strong as I think I am… {bleh}

…how do we see the life of Jesus and act so contrary and haughty? how do we have the written words of God and still not understand that it is not by strength, nor by human power in any way that accomplishes anything at all, ever? it is by His Spirit. get off your high-horse, self. the way up is down. the first shall be last. don’t despise the weakest one just because you can…because that is where His power will be made strong…

Blessed are the poor in spirit,

for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,

for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,

for they will inherit the earth. Matt. 5

Be nice. For the love.

Etsy Print by romawinkel

Thought Collage Thursday // shameless

April 3, 20141 Christ is All, 2 Mi Familia, Stuff I Actually ThinkJeanie

It’s a shame isn’t it?

When you catch one of those awful, terrible, no-good, super-nasty, gross and disgusting food bugs and the meal you had last gets the blame – so sad, ne c’est pas? It might be your famous chili recipe or KFC, but whatever was “in there” when it hit, that horrid ugga-bugga, well – you won’t like that food again for a long time, a very long time. It’s the blame game.

I am a grape

So says one of those online quizzes:

You are Grape

You’re adaptable and intelligent. Always one step ahead of the rest, your friends often rely on you to know the answer to any question or help update their resumes. If everyone would just let you write ‘The Rules for Life’ that everyone must follow, the world would be a better place.

You can’t argue with truth. That last sentence pretty much sums it all up.

“Nothing stays in Vegas” – Gretchen Rubin

Probably good to remember that.

#tbt Throwback Thursday

Easter 1970. I actually asked to have my hair fixed like that. My mom’s friends took me along to a beauty shop the day before and they ratted and spray and piled and swirled. It’s all my hair. I had to sleep with toilet paper wrapped around it, haha! I felt like such a mature church lady. Oh my.

Remember when these trucks delivered potato chips right to your door? No? No one else is that old?

We never had potato chip delivery, but our friends, the Courtneys did! And oh how fun it was to look in the pantry and see several giant cans of potato chips there for the snacking.

Those were the days!

When the chips are down

There is a major non-chip chip craze happening. Potato chips are out. But kale chips are in. And spinach chips, turnip chips, zucchini chips are all ok. Butternut squash chips, eggplant chips, Brussels sprouts chips, and beet chips are on the acceptable list. And of course apple chips are fine, and carrot fries – not a chip, but who doesn’t love a fry?

But check this out – right now, while the spring radishes are large and well-hydrated and tasty, but not too spicy from the heat of summer, I just found out you can make radish chips – which was actually what got me on the chip train, anyway. I was enjoying a whole bowl full of beautiful red radishes and wondering if anyone in the course of humanity has ever cooked them (I am very sheltered) and OF COURSE they have. Radish Chips. I shall try them soon and report back! CLICK FOR RECIPE

Possible Chip Theft!

Speaking of which – I just pinned a paint-chip birthday “cake” on Pinterest, but Pinterest has an awful lot of “paint chip” projects that may or may not be using stolen paint chips. I mean , ok, maybe make yourself a bookmarker with a paint chip from Home Depot once you have chosen a color and are finished with it. Maybe even make 6 notecards using them, but when you are covering an entire wall in paint chips – I am thinking you are not buying enough paint to cover that expense. I suspect you only buy the mis-mixed paints on occasion.

And I sincerely hope you’re not ordering paint and returning it to re-buy it cheaper later because that would be way bad! Let us not steal paint chips, people.

We should all give up our shame for Easter

Since Jesus died to set us free from the law of sin and death and everything…don’t ya think?

“Shame derives its power from being unspeakable.” -Brene Brown

I have been thinking a lot about shame and how it sticks to us like glue and we walk around under the weight of it. And I just wanted to say, to anyone I have ever cursed by saying, “Shame on you,” I do hereby withdraw it and strongly encourage you to be free from it. Really – run like the Dickens, as they say – I take it back, I release you from it. DON’T be ashamed anymore.

As a priest in the kingdom of God, I can pretty much do that.

In fact, let me turn it around. I’ll trade you:

Don’t be ashamed. Be forgiven, if there is something that needs forgiven. You know how, right? “If we confess our sins, He [Jesus] is faithful and just and He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”(1 John 1.9) So – do that simple thing and be forgiven.

Or, don’t be ashamed. Because I was maybe judging you wrongly and made you feel bad when I shouldn’t have. In which case, please be blessed, instead. I approve you, I esteem you now. Better than that, God does. All good things are from Him, so please avail yourself of them and forgive me for making you feel shame or ashamed.

“Heaven knows we need never be ashamed of our tears, for they are rain upon the blinding dust of earth, overlying our hard hearts. I was better after I had cried, than before–more sorry, more aware of my own ingratitude, more gentle.” Charles Dickens, Great Expectations

This week’s mission: be shameless. :)

A man falls in a hole…

April 2, 20141 Christ is All, Stuff I Actually ThinkJeanie

From The West Wing, season two, Leo to Josh – when Josh is covering his deepest fears (and post-trauma, troubled behavior) so he won’t lose his job/identity/purpose/friends/center-

“This guy’s walking down the street when he falls in a hole. The walls are so steep he can’t get out.

A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, ‘Hey you. Can you help me out?’ The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole and moves on.

Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, ‘Father, I’m down in this hole can you help me out?’ The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on

Then a friend walks by, ‘Hey, Joe, it’s me can you help me out?’ And the friend jumps in the hole.

Our guy says, ‘Are you stupid? Now we’re both down here.’ The friend says, ‘Yeah, but I’ve been down here before and I know the way out.'”

First minute and a half:

Sometimes people fall into holes too deep to climb out on their own. Don’t ask me how I know. Sometimes, if not for the one voice saying, “I’ll help you out, you’re worth fighting for,” we’d fall deeper, become more lost than ever.

That West Wing exchange (I am watching it on Netflix, currently), reminded me of this RSA Short. It’s an incredibly smart animation of a Brene Brown talk about empathy and it makes me so mad at myself for all the times I have been the person looking down in the hole offering a sandwich or a silver lining or an “At least…”

And it makes me so thankful for the times I have thought I was doomed to die in the hole, alone, afraid, trying so hard to look like I meant to be there and had it all under control, and some one just came and picked up the burden with me – even when I couldn’t ask for help out.

True confession: I have been among those people standing on the sidelines, shaking our stupid heads, giving dumb narrative to stories we can’t comprehend.

In times of trouble, when some one really needs help, our drive-by prayers or ten-point “do this” lists are really the last thing a person needs.

Watch this. See anyone you know?

But, this:

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4.15-16 NIV

I am so grateful that Jesus still shows up, through flesh and blood people, He remains touched by the very feelings of our infirmities. He enters our chaos and our pain in the form of a friend with skin on. And through people so like Him they fairly glow reflecting HIs true nature, we are led out of captivity, out of the hole.

And finally, we can become those who can now (ridding ourselves of the head-shaking and wholly unhelpful commentary) jump in and comfort and help others out of their steep despair.

What a great plan. Jesus in us.

There is Hope for a Tree // Song for a Sunday

March 30, 20141 Christ is All, 5 Songs I am Singing, Stuff I Actually ThinkJeanie

It’s spring, but still the trees are bare, save for the few buds beginning to emerge. On frosty, gray mornings, even though the grass is slowly greening, it can still look like winter and feel like it, too. We can start wondering – will spring will ever come again? Will this deathly, barrenness last forever?

I was reminded again recently that we don’t have an enemy who is just there to annoy us. He isn’t a comical character with a pitchfork who has just come to tempt us or trip us into sin. He has come to kill, to steal from us and to destroy our lives. We get cut and sometimes everything we have tried build gets knocked down, destroyed. And we’re shocked. We’re surprised it could happen when we were following all the Christian “stuff” like living for God, reading the Word, spending time in worship, attending a good Bible-believing church. Etc.

“In this world you will have trouble, “Jesus said. What did we think He meant?

I’m surprised that I am still surprised at the enemy’s tactics, that though I have lived surrounded by God’s faithfulness, I still fear winter has come for good. I forget so quickly that He also said, “But take heart, I have overcome the world.”

I smell hope. Could new life be just around the corner?

At the scent of water…

There is hope for a tree. If it’s cut down, it will sprout again…

Last summer I fought the battle of the Cottonwoods and the Aspens. We landscaped our back yard from dirt ten years ago. Today it is full of bushes and trees and flowers and veggies, come summer. It is lush, verdant, full of living things.

Those first trees were coaxed, kissed, sweet-talked: Please grown here, little trees, please bring me shade and thrive.

Now though, the yard is fairly bursting with goodness and life {quite overgrown and out of control, actually} and years of compost and hearty feedings and love and attention have created living, oxygenated wonderland so that now Aspens and Cottonwoods try to hold conventions here. I barely turn my back and another hidden seed has become a viable seedling, planted snugly in fertile ground.

I consider it carefully {should it stay?}, but most times, I need to remove them or they’ll damage a pipeline or cover the vegetable gardens. I try pulling them out. There! Got most of the root I think. A few days later, proud, bright green leaves unfurl on sturdy, baby branches.

Foiled, I get the heavy-duty pruners out and I cut and I mangle and I damage them badly – on purpose. There, I think! Now it’s gone. But, no. New shoots, new leaves.

I generally cannot help but smile and actually am encouraged that, though the gardener has tried her best to get rid if it, another little tree has fought for life. The secret of existence anyway has been the roots were taking hold, establishing before I was even aware. My attack doesn’t have the effect I think it will because I have no idea how long those roots have been at work, of what has been happening under the surface. How true of you and me, too…

“Be well-balanced (temperate, sober of mind), be vigilant and cautious at all times; for that enemy of yours, the devil, roams around like a lion roaring [in fierce hunger], seeking someone to seize upon and devour.

Withstand him; be firm in faith [against his onset—rooted, established, strong, immovable, and determined], knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world.” 1 Peter 5.8-9 Amp

Like a tree – you may have been cut down, the enemy bent on stealing your identity, your life, your peace, your reason for living, and destroying the things you held dear. But that other tree, the one on which Jesus died with all the bloody hope that was buried that day, changes EVERYthing.

When Jesus emerged in an explosion of dazzling, bright light and life three days later, with the keys of death, hell and the grave jingling in His hands, our Risen Savior proved that being buried, cut down to the root, couldn’t stop the plan of God – not for Jesus, not for us. Regardless of what it looks like on the surface, no grave can hold you down, no death sentence, no curse, no sin, nothing.

At the scent of water, it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant…

Hear this :: Physical abuse, emotional abuse, spiritual abuse, sickness, inoperable tumors, cancer treatments, a ‘stage 4’ diagnosis, chronic pain, relational brokenness, financial ruin, disenfranchisement, illegitimate chastisement, paralyzing fear, suicidal torment, shame that flattens, depression, humiliation, guilt that shatters, fearful thoughts, unholy imaginations, competitive people, rejection, divorce, heartbreak, job loss or layoff – Anything and Everything that the enemy has tried on you or stolen from you, may this now be the scent of water before the rains even fall and may the roots you have sunk deep into the mercy of Jesus see you through to renewal and transformation, and a spring-green, hope-filled life!

Hear this as a love song from the Father~to you.

Is that the scent of rain on its’ way?

It’s About Time

March 25, 20145 Songs I am Singing, 9 TV & Movies/Books & Entertainment, Stuff I Actually Thinkabout time the film, list of time travel movies, love and time travel, time travelJeanie

Time-travel movies are plentiful and I’ve just seen a new one I really like!

I have made a list {quelle surprise} of time-travel movies I generally like. There are soooooooo many out there, but I am not all Science-fiction/Fantasy loving. So, my husband will say I have left off at least 50% of the “really good ones.” But it is my list, in no particular order. Maybe you’ve seen some of these, too?

It’s a Wonderful Life – Well, I mean. George Bailey. He gets to travel back in time and see life as it would have been without him. If you’re ever feeling sorry for yourself or thinking your life doesn’t matter, this movie brings perspective. One of my all-time favorite movies ever!
The Lake House (2006) – I totally, romantically like this movie even though it stars Keanu Reeves (cute, but not a fav actor) with Sandra Bullock (who is wonderful). However, though I have seen it countless times, I still don’t totally get how they did it. There are things still hanging up in the air for me about the storyline. But I choose to suspend disbelief and let my heart get woozy by the fact that, though living two years apart, they carry on a romance via letters they leave in a mailbox by the lake. How cute is that? Words on paper, people! I love letters…Plus the dancing scene with Paul McCartney singing in the background. Oh, yes!
Groundhog Day (1993) – This movie actually makes me nuts, because if you have seen it once, you have seen it a couple dozen times, if you know what I mean. But Bill Murray is pretty awesome in it and everyone should see it once or…20 times, whichever. All the same.
Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) – The classic Dicken’s story is at its’ finest when the Muppets are involved. Don’t judge me.
The Time Traveler’s Wife (2009) – This movie. This movie. Well, I wanted to adore it and I sort of did, but I have to admit to my confusion, too. When his wife sneaks out to go have sex with him in another time so she can get pregnant and he is jealous when she returns that she went to have sex with him when he didn’t want her to – well, you can see my dilemma. Confused. But I have the book (my mother, of all people, gave it to me) and maybe I’ll read it and understand it better?
Back to the Future (1985) – Probably the most successful time travel movie ever, don’t you think? Michael J. Fox was amazing and engaging, as he tends to be. Just a classic. Reminds me that it’s time to share it with my grand-boys.
Somewhere in Time (1980) – Heavy on the beauty, a period piece set in the early 1900s and thick with romance starring the very young and totally gorgeous Christopher Reeves and Jane Seymour. It is a tragic story, death by heartbreak. I don’t know if I’ll ever watch it again.
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986) – This is the only Star-Trek type movie I ever liked. It was funny, with the original TV cast saving the whales. My Star-Trek loving husband was happy I connected to it and I still quote it frequently. “Computer? Com-puter???”
Frequency (2000)- A Science Fiction THRILLER, it thrills, for real! And has Dennis Quaid, which is some kind of wonderful. I have to admit, I do not totally get this whole storyline, either, but there is this father-son relationship-thing that is so sweet. Really good watch.
Field of Dreams (1989) – Oh my goodness – I almost forgot this one. Kevin Costner + baseball = YES! An all-time favorite movie of mine because of summer and baseball and Iowa and dead baseball players showing back up. I love when the Kevin-character takes a walk in a small town and meets “Doc.” SEE IT!

I just found a new one for the list: About Time (2013)

“A new funny film about love. With a bit of time travel.”

I love it. I LOVE it. The actual travel mechanism/storyline is the least sophisticated, easiest explanation ever and is more of a sweet twist to the story rather than a huge thing to be explained. Rachel McAdams, who was, indeed, The Time Traveler’s actual wife is in this and though I thought I’d find it problematic, it wasn’t. It is totally its’ own story, which is sweet and full of love and caring and relationship and gentle joy-of-life and watching over people you love and letting go when it’s time. See the trailer:

The whole cast is endearing, the music is FANTASTIC and the greater message is so right on.

I’ve tried to live every day as if it was the final day of my extraordinary ordinary life. -About Time

Here is one of the songs I loved.

Oh see it, really! About Time.

“Shouts of Grace! Grace to it!”

March 25, 20142 Mi Familia, 3 Celebrations & Festive Events, Stuff I Actually Thinkbirthday blessing for my husband, dave's birthday, grace, husband birthday, james ryle quoteJeanie

Happy Birthday, Husband o’ Mine

“Tomorrow I hit my life’s halfway mark.” – said by Dave on Saturday afternoon about turning 55 on Sunday. Yes, he plans to make it to 110. No kidding.

22 + 33 = 55 (You were 22 when you married me 33 years ago).

Forget the speed limit sign. You’re 55 and just hitting your stride!

I love that your big sister reminded you that in the Bible, the number 5 symbolizes grace. And I love that she said since you’re 55, it must mean double-grace. Immediately I thought of one of your all-time favorite passages from Zechariah. It is such a word of courage, such a call to remember, “‘It’s not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord.”

And the confidence that passage inspires goes on to challenge the mountains that seemingly stand in our way, sometimes, “Who are you, mountain – you’ll become a molehill,” and the man of God will get to finish what he started by the power of the Holy Spirit and he will get to place the capstone on the whole thing with people all around rejoicing, shouting “Grace! Grace to it!”

“For who are you, O great mountain [of human obstacles]? Before Zerubbabel [who with Joshua had led the return of the exiles from Babylon and was undertaking the rebuilding of the temple, before him] you shall become a plain [a mere molehill]! And he shall bring forth the finishing gable stone [of the new temple] with loud shoutings of the people, crying, Grace, grace to it!” Zechariah 4.7 Amp.

It’s the cherry on top promise. It’s the star on the Christmas tree. It’s the king of the hill scenario, that finishing gable stone story.

And it is your story. It is your revelation.

Remember years ago when we attended James Ryle’s Grace-Grace-Grace weekend in Boulder Valley? We found out grace really had nothing to do with unmerited favor (that’s more like mercy), but that grace was

“The empowering presence of God enabling us to be who He created us to be and to do what He created us to do.”*

Grace is God’s presence and His power and I love that you have always understood the grace of God and so been able to receive it and walk in it and share it freely.

So, 55 years ago

A teen-age girl gives up a baby. For 5 days you were in a Topeka, Kansas hospital, motherless, fatherless, it would seem to the staff. But I know that is when you first encountered Grace, His power, His comforting Presence and must be why you know Him so deeply that way.

Then they came for you – the Rhoades family. They signed papers and took you home, then moved you to Colorado and raised you for me.

I didn’t know, the summer of our big Colorado vacation in the early 70s that you were living here in Denver, all brown-skinned and dimpled, being prepared to be my husband. You had no idea those same June days that some stringy-long-haired tourist from Iowa, in a station wagon with her family was being prepared for you, to be your wife.

Maybe we passed you, madly pedaling your bike through the neighborhood. Maybe I saw your super-short, good Baptist-boy haircut. Maybe you saw me flash the peace sign out the rolled-down window (something I wasn’t allowed to do) and thought me rather sinful?

All I know is, you have been the gift of grace* to me. You have spent all the years preaching the message of it, reminding me time and again that I can’t earn it and I don’t even have to try. You have graced me with your love and your presence and you have opened the door for me to live in the Grace of God, not churchy-ness, not religiousness (my fall back every time), but in His empowering Presence.

It happens, the bad with the good…

I once saw a bumper sticker that said, in other words (if you get my drift), “Dung happens.” And I remember thinking, “No kidding. This bumper sticker speaks the truth. Dung does happen!” And it was in a season to which I could fully attest to it. Dung had happened. Lots of dung.

But then, we saw another bumper sticker. It spoke of what you have nurtured in our family through love and sweat and tears and sacrifice and more love and and tending to. I see this, now. And this is truer than true, the truest of all things, this bumper sticker: “Grace happens.” And it does, freely, abundantly, time and again. Grace happens!

{source}

Tara, Stephanie, Tredessa, Rocky & Stormie

Grace does happen. I am living proof. Our family – those wonderful 5 we got to raise together: aren’t they just so beautiful? Aren’t they darling human beings? Don’t they just make you want to burst with pride and thankfulness? They’re all so pretty and so talented and passionate about so many cool things. I look at them and I am in awe. Thank-you, honey, for these children, for the ones you hinted to me about when you proposed marriage in 1981, for when you told me, “I want you to be the mother of my children.” I had no idea how amazing that was going to turn out to be, to get to be mommy to the children of grace, grace.

Tristan, Dave, Jovan, & Ryan

And hasn’t Grace, His holy Presence, so graced us yet again with the 4 who have joined us by marriage (so far…one to go)? Aren’t they the perfect additions? Aren’t they all just people we would have chosen for our babies, anyway? And didn’t Grace show up and bless these unions? He did! Aren’t we just unworthy of this, yet graced anyway?

Gavin, Hunter, Guinivere, Gemma, Averi, Amelie, Malakai, Bailey, & Evangeline

And now – we’re practically mush, aren’t we? To see these 9 and enjoy them so, so, so much. Gifts – just *boom* happiness pouring-sparkling-raining like a summer shower straight from heaven.

For all you were born to do and for all you were born to be (Psalm 112 and Psalm 128 man of mine), these 9 have been added to you. Added to you.

You are no longer a baby in a hospital nursery in cold Kansas of 1959. You are Dave, Jeanie’s husband, her lover and hero. You are dad, who checks in making sure everything is ok, who prays for and is prayed for and who leads his family beside peaceful waters; you are a spiritual father to the sweetest ones (others the ages of our own tribe) who respect you and honor you in the gates and who seek that supernatural fathering you possess; you are grandpa, poppa, grand-poppa – pouring mercy, love, peace and grace on the next generation – making an impact into the 22nd century from where you stand today.

That beautiful baby boy, once alone, has been increased and Graced beyond measure. And all the people who know you and love you now are cheering you as mountains become molehills, as barriers are blasted through as you finish everything you have started with strength: Cheers-rejoicing-yay!-Blessing-Grace and more Grace!

Happy Birthday, my best friend and love, my husband, and the grace of my heart.

“Doc McAmelie Belle” Makes Life a Whole Lot Better

March 25, 20142 Mi Familia, 3 Celebrations & Festive Events, Stuff I Actually Thinkbithday blessing, blessing for granddaughter, doc mcstuffins birthday cakeJeanie

She likes Doc McStuffins. She even has a tiny lab coat like the Disney character. She is lots of sugar and loads of spice. And she will give you candy-medicine if you ask and a band–aid to make everything better. And now she is 4. Today!

She dances, she creates, and she sings. She loves to sing! She does Kickin’ It moves in her sparkly princess attire and isn’t afraid of boys, even when she’s in her high heels, which is a lot. Ah, she is one of a kind.

Four! Teeny-tiny with gargantuan personality ~ 4!

Curly-headed sweet-pea, your Nonna sure does love you. I am so glad we are getting school time together. You work hard you snack big and when you are gone, Grand-poppa and I always laugh when we find your wad of gum somewhere in the house, for it is always in whatever place you were when you decided you wanted to move on to something else and it’s just like an Easter-egg hunt for us! *surprise* :)

And so I bless you, Amelie Belle. I bless the day you were born and the charmer you are. I bless and encourage your song-sing, little girl, sing with your might! I bless your silliness and happiness and I bless your intensity and strength. I bless your drive to do big-girl things and be as fast and accomplished as all the bigger kids and I bless that soft sweet place that melts in to my neck when it’s time to cuddle and snuggle. You are such a good hugger, what a little love! I bless you to be a deep-lover and giver.

I know you feel things so ferociously, you sense things beyond your years and while you are saddled with what some people think is a hardship, being the “middle child,” I bless your place in your family, especially! For middle children are surrounded by opportunity on either side. You’re not “stuck in the middle,” you are flourishing there, rising above limitations and shining like the sun. You’re a go-between, an ambitious little girlie, able to keep up with your big sister and help mommy and daddy with the baby. You’re right in the center of the family action and you were the perfect little girl for that job! So, thrive, baby girl

And, oh my sweet Amelie {which means industrious, laborious and eager!}, love Jesus! Love Him! Love Jesus because He first loved you! Love Him because He saw you being made – before any of us could have imagined you. Love Him because He died for you. And live for Him, too. Make Him happy. Make Him smile. Be you and that ought to do it. It does it for me!

Here is a verse for you, my Belle-baby {Belle, meaning beautiful, which, of course, you are}:

How beautiful on the mountains

are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,

the good news of peace and salvation,

the news that the God of Israel reigns!

The watchmen shout and sing with joy,

for before their very eyes, they see the Lord returning to Jerusalem. Isaiah 52.7-8 nlt

Happy Birthday to you, my sugar-plum! **kisskiss

Viva la Spring!

March 24, 20142 Mi Familia, 4 Home & Garden/Food & Seasons, Stuff I Actually ThinkJeanie

I want to be poetic about spring, but she is so fickle. Nonetheless, a little Monday morning e.e.cummings ~

“sweet spring is your

time is my time is our

time for springtime is lovetime

and viva sweet love

I glanced out my office window mid-morning to see tiny, beautiful buds on the burning bush. To make sure I wasn’t just seeing things, I moved closer and darn if I didn’t also see the tiniest snowflakes lightly swirling about the buds. Good grief, already.

(all the merry little birds are

flying in the floating in the

very spirits singing in

are winging in the blossoming)

It’s so true – the early morning was filled with bird song and singing. Now-snow? Snow!?

lovers go and lovers come

awandering awondering

but any two are perfectly

alone there’s nobody else alive

(such a sky and such a sun

i never knew and neither did you

and everybody never breathed

quite so many kinds of yes)

“quite so many kinds of yes” How cute is that?

not a tree can count his leaves

each herself by opening

but shining who by thousands mean

only one amazing thing

Ah, but wait…no more snow. The sun bursts from behind the clouds.

(secretly adoring shyly

tiny winging darting floating

merry in the blossoming

always joyful selves are singing)

Mostly blue skies with a few clouds and the birds have resumed their chorus. Must be March on the Front Range.

sweet spring is your

time is my time is our

time for springtime is lovetime

and viva sweet love”

e.e.cummings

Viva sweet love, indeed!

Stormie – don’t kill me. I like this. ;) From 2012, spring, of course.

Thought-Collage Thursday // And it is Spring…

March 20, 20142 Mi Familia, Stuff I Actually Thinkamelie belle, broccoli, church coffee, church upbringing, springJeanie

It’s that time again – a Thursday!

I have now claimed this day to actually, indeed, collage my thoughts. Aren’t you the lucky one?

Thursdays are good. I like Thursdays. I was born on a Thursday and even though “Thursday’s child has far to go,” and there couldn’t be a more accurate assessment of almost any particular day of my life (I love lists and yet, my list is never done), Thursdays, in general, are quite nice. It’s like ~ the bulk of the week is behind us, the beauty of a weekend ahead, but there is still hope everything will get done, wrapped up, finis. It probably won’t, but on Thursday? The possibility seems obtainable. *sigh

Plus, I pre-school Amelie Belle on Thursdays and each Third Thursday, monthly – I get to see my Supper Club peeps.

And, it’s spring.

Oh, how I have longed for you, sweet spring.

“Is the spring coming?” he said. “What is it like?”…

“It is the sun shining on the rain and the rain falling on the sunshine…” ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

Brought to you by the number 4

Amelie Belle turns 4 in a few days. So today we did lots of “4” activities. We baked cakes, we painted, we danced, we traced letters and free-styled some art, we taped and glued and sang and read 2 books and counted and reviewed shapes.

I am learning so much in pre-school! :)

“Holy Grounds”

“…and the sound of a stirring rod batting powdered cream into a small quantity of coffee…”

I read this hilarious blog post about all the weak, barely-brown, super-hot, white Styrofoam cups of coffee we church types have consumed in fellowship halls, foyers and church basements for, lo, these many years. But the writer sees something more there:

“It’s a material appearing of the Church universal, a visible sign of our invisible communion with one another and with God himself. I can walk into any fellowship hall, head for the refreshments table, and mix myself a sweetened milky-brown cup of coffee that puts me in touch with millions of believers around the world as they gingerly sip the same drink.” -Martyn Jones

I know I have cupped many a white Styrofoam vessels of coffee among the saints, left my own fingernail imprints about the rim, and maybe even spilled some on the indoor-outdoor carpet of questionable color, purchased for just such occasions. It is bland, but it is the cup of fellowship, week in and week out. READ HERE

THEN my daughter Stephanie sent me this

An even funnier blog post about how to tell if you were raised by religious parents (directed at my kids’ generation). I was terrified to read it because I feared I might find myself as a parent in there. Well, I totally did! I laughed until I cried, though, and then read it to Dave and laughed even more. He lists 21 possible tell-tell signs and we may or may not have been guilty of 19…or so. {CLICK HERE}

5. Every time you heard a loud rumble of thunder in the middle of the night you thought it was The Rapture.

6. If you grew up in Church of God, your college options were either Lee University or Lee University.

12. The only R rated movie you were ever allowed to watch was The Passion of the Christ.

13. You had a cassette tape labeled “Michael W. Smith” but it was actually an MC Hammer mix tape because you would never be allowed to listen to that.

I totally saw my childhood C of G tribe imprint in this list…And, it is kind of amazing my own kids turned out. Haha.

The Kelley kids on keyboard

Where have all the flowers gone?

What the ever-loving heck? Why can I open a name-brand bag of frozen, chopped broccoli and find only 5 or 6 small-sized florets with a huge pile of broc-stalks? I realize broccoli has stalks, I just refuse to believe that I am paying for only 5 or 6 small florets of broccoli. And dang the corporate executive who thought that since I was buying a bag of stalks anyway, I should just as well get some below-the-stalk pithiness, too! I am not a woodchuck and don’t like gnawing my greens. I don’t have all day to masticate, people! The lesson: BUY FRESH!

My Super-Power: Leveling

When I am sitting up straight, completely straight as far as I can tell, my head is sort of leaning to the left. It just is. I was actually born with this totally bent-neck-head thing and they corrected my newborn-neck with sand bags on either side of my head and me screaming for hours. I don’t like anything pinning my down now, either. So, I am crooked.

My whole life, photographers would say: straighten your head. When I told them it was, they’d “manually” adjust me and it would feel like I was going to fall over on my right side. I’d lose all perspective. It feels so wrong.

Somehow in spite of this “leaning” challenge, I can tell if something is level to within a 16th of inch. It is true. I can be walking down a hallway, 40 feet away, see a group of men hanging a poster, satisfied that they have just perfected it, and tell them exactly how far off it is – and which direction – to within a 16th of an inch, no kidding. Boom! No one likes me around when there are posters to be hung.

What does this particular super-power mean in my everyday life? That I have to walk through every room of my house daily and try to ignore the things on my walls, because every. single. thing. is. slightly. OFF. But in totally different directions. Jesus, have mercy on me! Makes me crazy!

Sometimes a super-power just doesn’t pay.

The picture I wasn’t going to show.

Because: Amelie = adorable. All of the pictures in the background = crooked.