Read in the New Year!

I pulled out some books from a bookcase in the living room and put them in other places. As I would walk by my bookcases around the house, I would peruse my books for ones to read for 2008. I have placed the ones that I found in the spot on the living room shelf. My aim was for 6. I have 11 right now. I may shoot for 12. I also hope to keep track of what I read in 2008. I also hope to read more of what I own and resist buying as much in 2008.

Here is my list

The Harvester by Gene Stratton-Porter
A World Lit by Fire by William Manchester ( this was my mama's and she has written notes in it)
Love is a Wild Assault by Elithe Hamilton Kirkland
For the Love of God by D. A. Carson ( this is a devotional for reading through the Bible in a year)
Eulalia by Brian Jacques ( this is the latest in the Rewall series)
Eight Cousins by Louisa May Alcott
The Education of Henry Adams
God's Passion for HIs Glory by John Piper
No! I Don't want to join a BookClub by Virginia Ironside
The Oregon Trail by Francis Parkman
This Rough Magic by Mary Stewart

I'll let you know as I am reading them if I really like them or if I am giving them away to get them off my shelves.

Big Ben

A few posts ago I wrote about my hair looking like Ben Wallace. Several folks wrote and called to say Who is Ben Wallace and What does he look like? here is a picture so you all know what my hair looks like when I am having a big hair day

Very Moving

ABC news had their persons of the year last night. One was Randy Pausch. I wish I knew how to link my blog to youtube but I don't so you go there and read about him. It was moving.

What's in your wallet...I mean heart

I am reading Idols of the Heart by Elyse Fitzpatrick. I can only read a chapter a day because I need to think about what she has written. She got my attention when she said that Rachel made 'having children' her idol. She couldn't see the love that her husband had for her. And how did Rachel die... in childbirth. Wow.

The primary love in your heart has to be centered on God. Any thing else is Idolatry. How will you know...If you work very hard at your job and still get passed over for the promotion, your response will reveal whether you are serving God or worshipping an idol. It you make a nice dinner for your husband and he ignores you, watches tv and goes to bed, and you get angry and cry or pout or look for ways to punish him, you can know that your love for God isn't the predominant love in your life.

I was convicted because when people don't act the way I want them too I get mad and then think of ways to punish them. Wow. I am about to read chapter 2.

My Photos!

Here is my final project from my studio lighting class at UALR. What I tried to capture is relationships. My mother thought you would enjoy looking at these!

This little light of mine

We just returned from our Christmas Eve service. We have only been attending it for 6 years. Before that we were with family for the holiday's. Our church does Advent readings that include the lighting of the Advent candles. Families do the readings. We begin this the four weeks before Christmas. One new candle is lit every week with all five candles being lit on Christmas Eve.

Our family was asked to do the reading on Christmas Eve in 2002. Usually the fathers do the bulk of the readings with the rest of the families asking questions and lighting the candles. We did our reading when our church was meeting in our fellowship hall. It was situated such that where our pastor sat he could not see us as we read and lit the candles. We had rehearsed our parts and when the time came we went forward. Andrew didn't want to read anything instead he asked to light all the candles. All went well until the lighting was happening. We can only suppose that maybe a thread or a fume was on Andrew's arm because when he lit the last candle the flame went up his arm. I gasped! The congregation was stunned. Our pastor couldn't see anything that was going on. He could just hear the muffled commotion . I was ready to stop, drop, and roll. Carl calmly said " Let us pray" As quickly as the flame went up his arm, it was gone. I don't remember too much of the rest of that service because I was still stunned. After church several of Andrew's friends came up to him and said that he was their hero and that they have only dreamed of doing what he did. Our pastor asked as we left what had happened. We shared our story and laughed about it.

We have not been asked to do it again. I wonder what else could go astray

...with visions of sugarplums

Andrew and Taylor flew in on Wednesday night and flew back out on Saturday afternoon. We had a wonderful time. I sleep with such sweetness when my children are all here. I kept thinking of the line from Twas the Night before Christmas....the children were nestled all snug in their beds.

Not all the windows are in yet...

I am hopping to have all new windows sometime next week. They never called this week. That was fine with me. We have been so busy that to stay at home would have been tricky.

the continuing saga

The workman got here about 8 am yesterday. They worked and worked. It was a chilly day. My thermostat was set at 55. I could see the end in site about 5 pm. I couldn't really appreciate my new windows because it was dark. And then... the last of the inside double paned windows cracked. We could hear it popping and breaking from another room. I was so mad and inwardly I was stomping my foot. I just wanted to have my warm house back with my beautiful new view and my Christmas tree back where it belongs and the presents under it ready to be opened. The workman ordered a new window as soon as he saw what had happened. He felt so bad. He apologized profusely. He said that he should have the new window by next Friday if not before.

I was very convicted by my attitude. I have always tried to play the 'Glad Game' from Pollianna with my children. Where was that now? I could also hear my brother, John , saying " If that is the worse thing that happens to you, you're okay" I also thought of my friend, Jan, whose father is in the last stages of cancer. She would trade places with me in a heart beat.

I am rejoicing in my new view this morning. I am thankful that God isn't finished with me yet. It is interesting what all He uses to show us our heart attitude problems.

Windows Day Two

So everything was going along great yesterday until...They realized that the windows in my den were put in a frame and then the whole frame was installed. So one is not able to just remove my windows. How did they find this out? As they were working on the first set they realized they would have to break the windows to get them out. Can you say LOUD? They have this supped up vacuum that so far has gotten all the glass. They pondered for about 2 hours After they had removed the windows. Can you say COLD? I kept setting the thermostat lower and lower trying to keep from heating all of your houses and yards too. I shut all doors to the den. I thought about getting under my electric blanket. Kaitlin and I had heavier and heavier jackets on as the sun began to set. The big boss came and his conclusion was to tear out the whole frame and start afresh. They built a frame and put the glass in and set it in temporally. They plan to be back earlier today in hopes that they can finish today. I have on warmer pants, long sleeve shirt and a vest. I have my jackets from yesterday ready.

I love my new kitchen window. I wish I had gotten one for over my sink too. I am starting my wish list for 2008.

I'll keep you posted on the den.

Hanke Brothers...building a beautiful Arkansas

Mine new windows are being installed now. They first put in the new one in the kitchen. I feel like I have a new kitchen. It feels more open. Next was the sliding glass door. Now they are in the den working on the plate glass windows. It is chilly in the house but so far no lizards. The workman assured me they would apprehend any that violated my No Lizard policy. I hope to put pictures up here soon to show off my new windows!

We are getting our windows from the Hanke Brothers. An Arkansas company. They built these windows for me and were the best price which surprised us.

Mine is Peanut Butter

I am making Christmas cookies. I have made ginger cookies for Andrew, peanut butter for me, the batter for the chocolate crinkles is in the fridge. Today I plan to make chocolate, chocolate chip cookies for Kaitlin, and snickerdoodles for Carl and John. We also like sugar cookies, fudge, sugar plum bread and pumpkin bread. Taylor likes the breads. Over the years I would buy a new container to hold a large volume of cookies, I believe with my last years purchases, I have enough.

I used to just make peanut butter cookies. One year Kaitlin unwrapped about 40 kisses to go on top of them and now we make those every year. Last year we found that Hershey even makes kisses with no wrapping on them for folks like me who use them in baking!

I never made cookies growing up. When I was first married I made cookies with friends I met at church. Ruth in St Louis and Bev in Minneapolis. I have been making them since. When the children were small they each picked out a recipe they were to help with. They would pour over the cookbook to find the one for them. Some helped more readily than others. Once in Pine Bluff when the long counter was full of cookies after a day of baking, Carl came home. Kaitlin stood between Carl and the cookies and told Papa that Mama said we could not eat them all. We needed to share some. We laughed at the thought that Carl could eat all the cookies in front of him.

Do you make Christmas cookies? What is your favorite?

No more sightings

Kaitlin feels better and Ben Wallace has left the building

Where were you December 7, 1941?

Twenty years ago today I read Andrew a book on the bombing of Pearl Harbor. It awakened in him a love of history that he has yet to quench. As soon as we read that book, he wanted to know everything he could about Pearl Harbor. He asked everyone " Where were you when Pearl Harbor was bombed?" A lady from our church in New Orleans, Miss Jean, had Andrew over one day knowing he would ask his question to her guest, her brother-in-law. His answer thrilled Andrew because this man was at Pearl when it was bombed. He talked and showed lots of things to Andrew. It was a very moving experience.

In our church here is a man who was a missionary to Japan. He talked to Andrew about meeting some of the Japanese pilots and bombers who participated in the raid. Some became Christians after WW II through the witness of their American captives.

For our Pearl Harbor Day celebration we usually watch the movie Tora Tora Tora and when the children were all at home we would reread books about the subject.

Some folks will always be unnerved by homeschooling. They try to take it out on your children. Once we were at church when a man asked 6 year old Andrew, in an arrogant way, " So you know so much about Pearl Harbor- How many ships were sunk at Pearl? In the innocence of a babe Andrew answered " Do you want to know how many were sunk that we brought up and used again or how many we left down there?" Stunned, the man stammered " Either"

When Andrew was in his second year of college he called me distraught on December 7th. He had talked to those in the dorm about Pearl Harbor and they had no idea. We gave him his own copy of the movie for Christmas that year.

Tora, Tora, Tora will be shown on the TV today at 4:30 on FMC

Tora, Tora, Tora are the code words used by the Japanese to say the attack was a complete surprise on the Americans.

Let's swap howdy's

We met last night at the house of Elizabeth T for our book club. Her house was beautifully decorated for Christmas. We discussed Christy. Many had read it years ago and enjoyed the rereading. Those who had not, enjoyed this reading of it.

We discussed how we did not like the ending. We wanted more. Who did she marry? We saw from some books that the real life 'Christy' married a pastor but the notes in some books suggested that the book should include her marrying the doctor.

One of our book clubbers is a doctor and she is as handy as a pocket on a shirt. She told us about the eye disease that is discussed in the book. I can't for the life of me find it now and won't begin to spell it on my own. She told us it is an infection of the eye lid such that it turns the lid inward so that the eyelashes brush up and down on the cornea. Some one in the group remembered that we just got a letter from our missionaries in Mozambique. He is a doctor and has just learned how to treat this same disease because they see it a lot over there.

We loved Catherine Marshall's verbiage and how we could picture and smell and taste what she was telling us about.

Julie liked when Little Burl came up to Christy to swap howdy's

Evelyn had her list of questions and quotes which always adds to discussion.

It was a great time of discussion and fellowship.

Betty won the door prize. She and Elizabeth and Sandy got Laurie Parker snowman pins that KimT had purchased over the weekend.

Our next book is Manhunt

Ben Wallace called. He needs his hair back.

I love having someone ,no, anyone comb my hair. I have two boxes of clips, pins, barrettes etc for use on my hair. I could sit for days and let someone comb and 'fix' my hair. I have made all my children in the past ' give mama a hair combing'. I have been known to fall asleep during these said 'hair combings'.

Kaitlin is now the only one at home. She faithfully and with joy fixes my hair. If she is not available I have found that Marisa and Taylor and Alyssa ( do you do hair) also do a wonderful job on my hair. Kaitlin does it so much that I have gotten out of practice of how to curl it.

Kaitlin is in the middle of the end of the semester. She is covered up with photos to turn in, naked pictures to draw( I'll write on that another day), a oral report to give, a deaf person to interview etc. plus she is sick. She has an appointment for the doctor tomorrow. My Hair was looking bad! It was not going to make it another day. I could not ask Kaitlin. I was going to have to break down and do it myself.

I am sorry that I don't know how to put pictures on my blog without my tech support( Carl and Kaitlin). I think I look like Ben Wallace today. He is a very large African-American basketball player with a HUGE afro. When he runs down the court, his hair has a life of it's own. So if you hear of Ben Wallace being in my town today , it's probably just me and they have gotten us confused. I am hoping Kaitlin has some time tomorrow or Friday when she can do some damage control.

I may go buy a hat!

The LEON candles are out

When I was growing up my mama had these darling little red and white candle holders. They were children dressed up in choir robes. They were holding the letters N O E L. My brother, Charles, would change the spelling to LEON. Finally we started refering to them as the LEON candles. When I got married I got a set of angels holding letters that spell out NOEL. My children would change the spelling. Andrew began to support Florida State, I believe in 1991 ( Is that right Andrew?) He soon began spelling out NOLE.

When my children were little and we would go out and they would see NOEL spelled out. They often would say " Look, Mama LEON candles" with a twinkle in their eyes. More often than not someone would take me aside and tell me that the candles spelled out NOEL. I would smile and nod.

Do you have your LEON candles out?

The Trees are Up

On Tuesday Carl and I went to Home Depot and picked out two Fraiser Fur Trees. One is in the den and the other in the dining room. The one in the den has the homey ornaments -ones the children have made and ones Aunt Elaine has given them over the years. The one in dining room has theglass balls and bells on it. Most of these belonged to my parents. I hung these on my tree as I was growning up. The den is where we spend most of our time but as I am cooking or at the computer I see and smell the one in the dining room.

I love Christmas!