dwelling in the house

An Old-Fashioned Valentine for My Imaginary Friends

2012-02-06T05:41:00.001-08:00

Hello, all!

I’ve noticed a few more of you around lately;

welcome!

Say hi if you will;

it helps me remember that I’m not talking into thin air.

Or just to my computer.

Who usually does not have nice things said to it.

I have a serious post forming in my heart, but today I am home with a sick DD and decided on a quick and happy post first.

The February mantel…

(excuse the lighting—rain,rain go away)

That frame holds my grandmother’s Valentines.

Aren’t they lovely?

They leave Hallmark in the dust…

not to mention the TwilightSpongeBobdinosaurwhateverkid-thingisinthisyear

variety.

Here’s one that says,

‘If you’ll be my Valentine,

we’ll skip along together

We’ll not mind poverty or wealth

the measles or the weather.

That might be a good one for Big Red.

Be blessed today!

Ginger

A Reminder

2012-02-01T14:20:00.001-08:00

Just in case

you’re like me,

and

you needed

a friendly reminder

of what

sunshine looks like.

You’re welcome.

Be blessed today,

Ginger

Wardrobe Cheerification

2012-01-26T14:49:00.001-08:00

Yes, I made up a word.

Otherwise, this post would be titled, “Crafting on Heavy Medication”, and that just didn’t have the same ring to it.

This project wins because it a) was cheap b) was addictively quick and cute, and c) could be completed while standing up, always a plus when one has a herniated disc.

There are approximately 80 gazillion variations of this in Blogland.

1) Take a plain, XL or XXL t-shirt (the bigger, the better),

2) cut it below the sleeves and trim off the bottom edge (excuse bad lighting and blurry pic),

3) and pull and pull and pull!

4) Ta-da! Infinity scarf!

5) Add one of the cutie-patootie flower pins that are all over Pinterest (I’ll demonstrate my favorites so far later),

6) and enjoy your cheerified wardrobe!

Linking up at It’s Overflowing, Fridays Unfolded, and Romantic Home.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Midweek Mary Moment

2012-01-25T03:34:00.001-08:00

On repeat while I grade 600 bazillion papers:

Isn’t it just like God to reset priorities in the midst of the most tedious moments of the day?

Praying you hear Him singing today.

Be blessed,

Ginger

When Spring Is a Long Way Off

2012-01-22T13:13:00.001-08:00

It’s been rainy here.

Today, the sun is trying to peek through, but the clouds will win the day and rule the week to come, if forecasts are correct.

Blah.

I want sunshine, please, and plenty of it.

I’ll even trade the milder temperatures we’ve had this year for some blue skies.

Deal?

Ummm…

There’s just one problem.

We need this rain.

Rivers run full, if muddy, and streams that had faded to trickles in the fall are rushing and churning over rocks again.

So, truthfully, I should be thankful for another day with wind-shield wipers on.

Charles Spurgeon wrote:

“We need affliction as the trees need winter that we may collect sap and nourishment for future blossoms and fruit. Sorrow is as necessary for the soul as medicine is for the body.”

I need the rain.

I am not enjoying it.

I am tired of it,

but I need it, somehow, and I am asking for it to bloom into something I can’t yet see.

Be blessed today,

Ginger

Repost with a Reason:Psalm 123: A Paraphrase

2012-01-17T14:02:00.000-08:00

***I posted this paraphrase of one of my favorite Psalms a while back, and I share it again today because the last few weeks have been hard. None of my problems have been earth-shattering, but they have been life-altering and just plain annoying. Through it all, I’ve been ~~a tower of spiritual strength and insight~~ a grumpy, discouraged mess, and I need this Psalm to be my prayer.

Lord, I am grabbing hold of Your hand, and I’m not letting go until You show me I’m Your treasure.

May it be your prayer, too.

Be blessed today.

Ginger

I lift my eyes to You

to You Whose throne is in Heaven.

As the eyes of a maid look to the Hands of her Master,

so my eyes are glued on You.

I’m here,

(image from kaikorai church.co.nz )

my tears falling on Your feet,

Your Hand resting on my head,

and I’m not leaving

until You show me Your mercy,

until You grace me,

until I know I am Your treasure.

Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us.

Why I Love Thrifting

2012-01-12T18:30:00.001-08:00

Before Christmas, I made a last-minute shopping run that took me by my favorite thrift store and my least favorite store in the whole wide universe--

Walmart.

At the evil store, I bought:

1. aluminum foil

2. ziploc bags

3. plastic wrap

4. a ham

5. four boxes of sparkly ornaments ($2 each)

6. A basically unattractive but more or less functional couch COVER for the basement sofa. (It was neater when company came.)

Total cost: $ 120

At the thrift store, I bought:

1. Ann Taylor loft belted sweater (which doesn’t, in real life, look like something from Obi-wan Kenobi’s wardrobe from Star Wars; it’s actually quite cute with fun sleeves!): $ 6

2. Two summer skirts; the blue and white one is Eddie Bauer ($2 each):

3. A box of about 1000 paper clips: $1

4. T-shirts that eventually became scarves ($2 each)

5. A few little odds and ends (ornament hooks and such)

6. And. . .

a CHAIR!

Not just a chair COVER…an overstuffed, clean Broyhill chair-and-a half that currently resides in my basement but will soon be moving to its spot of honor in the living room.

Grand Total:

$ 60

And that, my friends, is why I love thrifting.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Linking up:
Shabby Nest I’m Loving it ~ Simply Sweet Home ~ Whipper Berry ~ Chic on a Shoestring decorating ~ Spunky Junky ~ Delicate Construction ~ Homemaker in Heels ~ Family Ever After~ French Country Cottage ~ Common Ground ~ Young And Crafty ~ At the Picket Fence ~ Fingerprints on the Fridge ~ Miss Mustard Seed ~ Addicted to Decorating ~ Making Lemonade ~ I Can't Stop Crafting ~ Over the Big Moon ~ Shabby Art ~ Answer is Chocolate

What Love Sees

2012-01-10T03:52:00.001-08:00

Permit me a post full of other people’s words.

From Selwyn Hughes’ book, God, The Enough, because it convicts and challenges me:

“Sin is without a doubt the biggest problem God has ever had to deal with. . . .{The gospels} spell out in terms that are crystal clear how much anguish sin brought to the heart of the Deity. . . .

Cornelius Plantinga, in his book Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be, spells out the issue in these poignant words:

‘The ripping and writhing of a body on a cross, the bizarre metaphysical maneuver of using death to defeat death, the urgency of the summons to human beings to ally themselves with the events of Christ and with the Person of those events, and then to make that Person and those events the center of their lives—these tell us the main human trouble is desperately difficult to fix, even for God, and that sin is the longest running of all human emergencies.’

What is God’s answer to sin? The suffering of Christ. . . But what prompted that suffering?…It was grace. Grace increasing, abounding, and sufficient. Hallelujah!”

Be blessed today,

Ginger

Winter Mantel

2012-01-04T16:44:00.001-08:00

I promised you the winter mantel.

My inspiration from—three guesses, and the first two don’t count!—Pinterest:

(image from hgtv via pinterest)

A little scrounging around the house, a thrift store run for baskets (.50 each) and the 70’s wall hanging-turned chalkboard ($1.25) , and here’s what we got:

Romans 12: 9-16 is first on my memorization list this year, and for a family in a busy and sometimes difficult season of life, that portion of the verses stands out.

Others above myself.

For whatever reason, this mantel makes me smile.

Thanks so much for your prayers for my back! I am still moving slowly, but I’m in much less pain than before!

Be blessed today!

Ginger

Linking up a It’s Overflowing, thrifty home, savvy southern style

A Sneeze Changes Everything

2012-01-02T13:20:00.001-08:00

Welcome to 2012!

This was intended to be the post where I wished you a cheerful Happy New Year, showed you my January mantel, which might be my favorite of all time, and chatted with you over a cup of coffee about newness and goals and growth and all that other stuff.

Then I sneezed.

You see, I have a dicey back, and as happens about once a year, I pulled it last Thursday.

Chiropractor, ice, ibuprofen, typical stuff.

I was standing in my kitchen last night talking to the girls when I sneezed. Pain ripped through my back and left me bent double over the counter, completely stuck and hurting more than I ever have.

For the record, I’ve had two babies and two major surgeries,

but girlfriend, I have never hurt like that before.

One trip to the ER and lots of painkillers later, I can say 2012 started, ahem, auspiciously.

One of my favorite Christian authors is Selwyn Hughes. Last week I started his excellent devotional, God The Enough.

In it, we are challenged to recognize that God really is enough for all our needs—particularly my need for grace greater, more powerful, and deeper than the seemingly limitless depth of my sin.

I had already decided that my word for 2012 was enough—to walk this year with the daily awareness that He is extravagant in every way and in all circumstances.

Ironically, as I begin 2012 with my teeth gritted against spasms and my head woozy with medicine, I get my first field trip of the year.

Lord, You are enough in the midst of this pain. You were with me last night; You did not forsake me, just as You promised. You are teaching, guiding, comforting, working all things for Your glory and my good.

You are God, The Enough.

Be satisfied in Christ alone,

Ginger

A Merry Christmas Post

2011-12-22T07:00:00.001-08:00

This week I really meant to post

how much I heart office supplies as Christmas decorations,

1.) Cut an index card in half. 2) Lightly stamp a red line down one side for a “notebook paper” effect 3) Round the corners and hole-punch; add a reinforcing sticker; 4) Ink the edges and stamp your message!

how two pots of soup and some flat bread make a Christmas gathering merry and bright—and easy (recipes coming next week),

and how all you need to decorate your table is a big jar of peppermints and a couple of candles.

Yesterday it poured rain

and looked exactly the same out the windows at 3:37 pm as it did at 8:37 am,

so instead of blogging, I

1) read a book cover to cover and

2) ate.

So, today, this is a post to just wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas.

May this be a year when He is more than a story, a baby, a passing acknowledgement.

This year, may Christ be all.

Be blessed,

Ginger

How to be an Awesome Aunt (and Cousins) in 12 Easy Steps!

2011-12-14T17:29:00.001-08:00

With my niece a college freshman this fall, we have a whole new excuse for crafty cuteness:

care packages!

An idea started rolling in our heads back in October:

a 12 Days of Christmas

box with gifts to open every day as her semester wound down with studying and exams.

Even though we started planning at Halloween, we got this package in the mail in the nick of time, right after Thanksgiving.

Remember that there are three ~~stubborn~~ highly-opinionated ~~drama queens~~ females in this house, so the contents of this box of awesomeness were hotly debated.

Hence no photos.

Here’s what we ~~finally~~ sent:

1st day of Christmas: a “pear” of feather earrings

2 Turtle-Doves--( Turtle candy and a Dove chocolate bar)

3 French Hens: a Chick-Fil-A gift card

4 Calling Birds—The birds called and left messages—4 short notes of encouragement

5th day—a scarf made of rings!

6 geese-a-laying—The geese left six yellow lemon cookies (“yolks”)

7 swans-a-swimming—bath supplies

8 maids a milking—a box of Milk Duds

9 Ladies Dancing—must have tired feet, so they left socks!

10 lords-a-leaping—from all the caffeine they had from a Starbucks gift card

11 pipers piping—pirouette cookies (shaped like pipes)

and finally, 12 drummers drumming—took their drums but left sticks of gum

Corny, I know, but she loved it! I hope this fuels your creativity. Who needs a little extra attention in your world? A friend, neighbor, student?

Be blessed today!

Ginger

Creating Christmas

2011-12-12T17:52:00.001-08:00

I had the best intentions of linking up with Aimee for her Christmas ‘scapes party—and I still might eventually!—but life interfered.

After four days of the third (!!) chest cold I’ve had in two months, I went back to school today and dove into the ultra-busy week before Christmas break.

You know the drill: concerts, tests, teacher gifts, secret Santa stuff, crock-pot meals if things are going as planned, grabbing a rotisserie chicken from the deli if they aren’t.

So tonight’s quick post features no tablescapes because the only scape on my tables are piles of books and tissue paper (no wrapped gifts yet) and the debris of daily life.

So how does one actually find peace in this season of peace and good-will?

My favorite Christmas devotional is Jesus, Be in my Christmas, by Sarah Hornsby. She writes,

“ Jesus explained the secret of entering: The gate is narrow; the gate is Jesus Himself, His body broken and His blood poured out for others….

In order to enter, I must rest form my own work. As Jesus enters me, He says peace to my heart—to all my struggles to understand, to do what is right, to belong.

As I come to others with this gift of aliveness, I say to them,

‘Peace. Because I have received I can give….. Peace to my house this Christmas. Peace to the houses I enter today and the lives I touch.

Jesus, be in my entering.”

What a precious gift that would be for those I love:

Peace to this house.

The peace of Christ lies in His authority over my life, my time, my words—even when all else conspires against it.

So for this evening,

I ignore the flotsam on the coffee table and the grumpy kids, and the undone tablescapes,

and I speak His peace.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Best Easy Christmas Gift Ever! (So far.)

2011-12-08T14:48:00.001-08:00

Of all my projects this year, this one made me the most ridiculously happy.

It’s easy and cute and cheap.

What else could you want?

This awesome no-sew t-shirt scarf was the featured gift in the Best Care Package Ever (so far), recently sent to my niece, who is smack in the middle of exams right now.

You need:

3 old t-shirts—the more basic, the better. No fancy-smancy rib-knit or fabric blends—use your worn-out sports t-shirts or the one from that vacation you took 10 years ago

scissors

Yep, that’s all.

I ~~stole~~ borrowed this idea from here; hurray for Blogland.

Grab your pile of old tees.

First, smooth out the first tee and cut off the bottom seam. Discard it.

Then just cut the shirt into strips about 3/4” wide. (You’re not cutting apart the side seams; you’re cutting rings.)

I got about 10-12 per shirt. You’ll need about 32-34 strips, depending on the length of your scarf.

Stretch each strip and watch it curl!

Here’s why rib knits and some blends won’t work: no curl!

Next, wrap each curled loop around your fingers,
forming a t-shirt coil. I liked mine in tight bundles, but I’ve seen these done with looser wraps for a whole different look.

Line up your bundles in the pattern you want (I used another scarf to gauge the length),

and tie them together with pieces cut from leftover strips.

Ta-da! Finished scarf!

When I first saw this project, my thought was “cute but useless.” Surprisingly, the scarf is actually quite heavy and might actually keep your neck warm!

Total cost: $2 for one shirt from the thrift store; the rest were unearthed from the depths of our dresser drawers.

See what I mean? Best ever! (Until next time.)

Be blessed,

Ginger

Linking up at Stuff and Nonsense. Since I can’t figure out the whole blog button thing, I’m not going to try this time!

Decking the Halls or All I Want for Christmas are My Thumbprints

2011-12-07T14:25:00.001-08:00

It started with this photo on Pinterest.

(image from Pinterest)

I have a feeling lots of stories are going to begin like that.

I loved the simplicity of the mantle and knew I had to find a easy, cheap way to copy it.

Of course, if the budget here at the ‘house allowed, red silk carnations would be perfect for creating these wreaths.

The budget did not allow, so I went with crumpled balls of red crepe paper.

Trial, error, and glue gun burns marked the first wreath.

I was not feeling the Christmas cheer.

By the next one, I’d gotten my mojo and a different, low-temp glue gun and even sang along to a few carols.

For each wreath you need:

a Styrofoam wreath form

a roll of red crepe paper

hot glue

Critical first step: wrap each wreath form in crepe paper. Do not skip to the wadded-up paper stage. Your fingerprints will thank you.

At this point, I was on a roll, so I totally forgot pictures. Bad blogger.

Now, cut the crepe paper into 2-3 inch pieces and scrunch them up. You need a blue-million of these, so just keep scrunching!

Start gluing, and gluing, and gluing—until you have a nice fluffy wreath.

(Excuse the weird lighting; it’s gloomy and rainy today.)

The green ornaments were Dollar-Tree discoveries from last year, and the white pottery pieces are thrifty finds.

Another Pinteresting project checked off!

Be blessed,

Ginger

Linking this up at Biblical Homemaking!

Midweek Mary Moment: Angels

2011-12-07T03:12:00.001-08:00

This makes me tap my toes,

sing praises,

and laugh

all at the same time.

Happy Wednesday!

Arise and Shine

2011-12-05T15:14:00.001-08:00

Outside the car window, the sky was inky black, the million stars like glitter that spilled across construction paper when we made crafts at school.

I admit to be a dreamy child,

and as I rested my head on the window and watched winter night go by, I longed for white Christmases and magic and something wonderful to happen.

Then something did.

People here would call it a bump in the road.

For flatlanders, it was a hill.

At any rate, it rose tall enough to block the fields beyond it from view, and that qualified it.

Cresting that hill, we could see grey fields stretched like long shadows in the headlights.

Then, in the blackness, there it was.

The tree.

An enormous cedar tree spanning nearly the width of a tiny yard, covered with those fat multicolored lights.

A Christmas tree,

surrounded by darkness

and shouting its message in the middle of nowhere.

It took my breath away.

All these years later, I remember that tree when I drive home from school each day.

On a mountainside (really a mountain, not a quasi-hill) near our home, someone lights a tall cross each Christmas.

A few houses near it have joined the party with lights strung from their rooftops,

but for the most part, it stands alone.

A startling beacon

surrounded by darkness

shouting its message in the middle of nowhere:

“The Light of the World has COME!”

Indeed He has.

And the darkness is not dark anymore.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Running

2011-11-29T14:11:00.001-08:00

Over the weekend, I had conversations with two moms,

young mothers,

each grappling with large issues of parenthood and purpose.

For vastly different reasons, my heart broke for both of them,

and I started thinking about this whole thing of moms and choices and callings,

and that made me think about some moms that played huge roles in this Advent season.

There’s Mary, the obvious one,

but there’s also the others found in Christ’s lineage--

Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba.

When you think about it,

this list has a liar, a prostitute, an idolater, an adulteress, and a good church girl.

That about covers it for people.

Chances are you and I are (or have been) somewhere on the list.

I could write a novel about those gals (a few folks already have), because their stories speak volumes about big ideas

like, for instance, motherhood and choices and callings.

Today I’ll keep it at this:

none of them got a bye on the hard decisions.

Not a single one of them earned a place in Heaven.

Some of them followed their desires and paid the consequences,

and some of them followed directions and ended up in the right place,

but all of them ran smack into their

Redeemer,

the true lover of their souls,

the One Who really knew the secret places of their hearts all along.

As moms who face choices and callings,

who sometimes run in the right direction

and sometimes don’t,

let’s stop hiding from—or in-- our hearts’ desires,

and just run into the Redeemer.

Be blessed,

Ginger

In Gratitude

2011-11-22T06:42:00.001-08:00

This is just to say

I am thankful for

you,

readers who have stuck with me through a busy year of sporadic posting;

it’s a pleasure to share

bits and pieces of life here with you.

May your heart be filled

with gratitude

towards the

God of all Peace

and His Only Son

Jesus Christ.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Pinteresting Projects

2011-11-16T14:28:00.001-08:00

On the Pinterest to-do list:

Neato cheap, easy teacher gifts:

Cool book page banner for the bibliophile-themed basement

Using a shoe bag as cabinet-door storage under sinks.

Well, duh. Why didn’t I think of that?

Things I’ve actually done from Pinterest: (Yes!)

Best scrapbook layout site ever, for the 45 seconds I’ve worked on my albums this fall:

Yummy food we’ve tried #1: Lemon Roasted Cabbage

Yummy Food we’ve tried #2: Oregano Feta Lemon Chicken

Yummy Food We’ve Tried #3, though we were hoping for amazing and just got basically good:

Whipped cream from coconut milk

Recipe I’m craving but haven’t tried:

Chocolate Cake

Coming next week:

my most favorite project from the Web ever! Can’t wait to show you!

Hope your week is productive and blessed!

Ginger

Welcome to the Casa de Amore

2011-11-09T17:53:00.001-08:00

One Sunday afternoon, Big Red and I took off on an old-fashioned “Sunday drive”. We had a destination in mind, but we purposely traveled every side road known to the mailman ( and a few that probably weren’t) along the way.

As we passed by a little neighborhood of houses with mowed grass and other usual indications of normal life, we noticed a hand-painted sign in front of one that read

“Welcome to the

Casa de Amore!”

Being the people we are, this got us (well, me anyway) tickled.

Was this some sweet, romantic gesture,

or just

“Love Shack”

in Española?

Hmm.

Well.

This morning I was considering all my best-laid bloggy plans; I had hoped to blog every day for Leah’s Living Thankful series this month, a plan quickly derailed by work, illness, and life in general.

Then I found something I had written on a slip of paper in my Bible that reminded me of our little field trip past the Casa de Amore.

In Psalm 27 (y’all know I like that one), David asked to "dwell in the house” of the Lord forever. He is asking for what, in the earthly sense, he is not allowed to have.

Only the priests could enter the Holy Place, and David is, in essence, asking for the privileges of the priests. Eventually, David gets this—in Heaven!

What David desired, I am offered in Christ. Full access, torn veil.

I am invited, not only as God’s guest but as His child through His grace—to be a kingdom of priest, serving and seeking Him in His presence.

He also says that my body is a temple—His dwelling place.

I am both priest and tabernacle.

Casa de Amore.

A house of Love,

because Christ loved me and gave Himself up for me,

and when He was glorified, the Spirit came.

This Thanksgiving, I want to be grateful all over again for the blood of Jesus that alone satisfies the Father.

I am thankful that He didn’t stop at atonement--

He gave me access,

tabernacles with me,

loves me from the inside out.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Scripture and a Snapshot: Early to Rise

2011-11-06T09:21:00.001-08:00

To begin the day in His presence--

how often I let something else jump ahead!

Lord, I want to earnestly seek You.

Your word promises You’ll be found.

Linking up at Scripture and a Snapshot

Be blessed,

Ginger

In which I Keep Promises, Melt Records, and Give Thanks

2011-11-03T14:29:00.001-07:00

Have you ever been behind in your social obligations, so you just threw one big party to get everyone at once?

Yes, well.

This post does sort of the same thing.

It multitasks, if you will.

I promised y’all a post explaining why we melt record albums around here.

Knowing you were dying to find out, here’s the scoop:

1. Visit your local thrift store and pay .25 for records with obscure titles. (Aside: I just noticed there is no cent sign on my computer! How have I missed that for years? Wonder what that says about inflation?)

2. Heat your oven to 200*.

3. Turn an oven-safe bowl upside down on a cookie sheet. Balance your record on top.

4. Place this odd arrangement into the oven for 8-10 minutes.

4 1/2. Meanwhile, read the record covers and see if you remember any of these songs from some episode of Captain Kangaroo.

5. Immediately after you remove it from the oven, use an oven mitt to flip the bowl over and arrange the flexible album inside it. You can shape your folds until you get the shape you want.

(Straight out of the oven.)

(Shaped to look like this.)

6. Ta-da!

We’ve used these as bread bowls for themed dinners, but they could also hold a plant or other items for the vintage music lover in your life.

This time, we used them here:

(Me, with eyes half-closed courtesy my hurried photographer-in-training. )

Welcome to Trunk-or-Treat, our church’s October outreach.

Check out our 50’s diner trunk, complete with cotton ball “ice cream” sundaes and glass bottles of Coke.

I’m a pretty convincing as a teenager, don’t you think?

That leads me to the thankful part of this post.

I’m joining my buddy Leah for 30 days of Thanksgiving. I’ll catch up in a few days, but for now I’ll say I am blessed beyond measure by my church.

It’s been a rocky season for us lately for a lot of reasons, but I am trusting the Lord for His Spirit to convict, lead, heal, and guide His people.

These families are my peeps-in-Christ.

(Very large dogs that starred in another trunk. We became peeps.)

I’ve prayed, laughed, cried, and worshipped with them over the last 6 years, and I love them.

May we always be His peculiar people.

Be blessed,

Ginger

On the Journey Home

2011-10-29T16:17:00.001-07:00

As I travel into the unknown,

I don’t have to be troubled

or afraid,

because Jesus is both with me and ahead of me,

making preparations.

(Jesus, preparing for my homecoming! What a thought that is!)

He is THE WAY

for me to get to where He is.

Be blessed today.

Linking up at Scripture and a Snapshot.

Ginger

Signage and Verb-age

2011-10-25T14:02:00.001-07:00

Verbs for the week:

1. Yawned: all day! My nemesis insomnia was back yesterday.

2. Waited: 2 hours in the doctor’s office with sick DD#1. She’s still my baby, even if she is only an inch shorter than I am.

3. Melted: record albums into bowls. Why, you may ask? What, you don’t do that at your house? The answer will come later this week!

4. Devoured: Pumpkin spice latte cupcakes! Oh. my.

5. Weighed: two pounds more this week. Grr. See #4.

6. Studied: Feast of Tabernacles. Ladies’ Gathering coming up in November at our church.

7. Overwhelmed: See #6.

8. Pinned:

this

this:

and this:

That about covers it.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Making Sad Vegetables Happy

2011-10-18T15:48:00.001-07:00

Sometimes I have a refrigerator full of sad vegetables:

wilting cabbage, limp onions, tired turnips.

I know how they feel.

What’s one to do?

Preheat the oven to 425*.

Chop ‘em up in big chunks.

Drizzle a little olive oil.

Sprinkle with some sea salt.

Squeeze on the juice from a geriatric lemon. (Fresh ones are fine, too, but remember our goal is cleaning out the vegetable bin.)

Top with some fresh herbs, and roast away for about 45 minutes.

Look at all that crispy, fragrant goodness. This elevates frozen green beans and okra to new heights of culinary excellence as well.

Happy vegetables.

(Blurry picture. It was a quick photo session; hungry family was waiting.)

Be blessed today!

Ginger

Of Mousse and Men

2011-10-12T18:41:00.001-07:00

Before seeing Courageous this weekend, I sat through the trailer for the remake of Footloose.

I might be the only 40ish woman in America who did not see the original back in the ‘80’s.

(photo from here)

For the record, I never saw The Breakfast Club either.

What can I say, I grew up 30 miles from the nearest movie theater, and my parents still watched Lawrence Welk on the weekends.

All this 80’s revival going on has gotten me thinking about growing up and growing old.

Lately, I’ve been hearing some 80’s music in the grocery store.

Browsing the bakery aisle, I’ll catch myself humming along with Huey Lewis and the News or John Cougar Mellancamp.

Back in the day, my friends and I were die-hard Air Supply fans.

(from here)

“I’m All Out of Love” belted out with appropriate teenage angst will bring a tear to the eye.

The perfect man would be Australian or maybe British.

(image here)

Those were the days of Remington Steele, after all.

(BTW, I had a fedora just like hers, because Stephanie Zimbalist was, like, cool. Totally.)

For you young folks among us, here’s how it works:

after you’ve been out of high school a few years, the songs you listened to your senior year end up on late-night TV as a two-disc collection (or in my case, two cassettes) for $19.95

plus shipping and handling.

It’s the first sure sign that you’re OUT.

The world has moved on.

Then, around the time your kids are teenagers,

you’ll start hearing all those songs on the classic rock station.

Then you’re retro.

Another word for that is OLD.

Now all we’re missing is a true 80’s fashion revival.

Though I’m surrounded by leggings and tunics and shirts that droop over one shoulder at the middle school, I’m still waiting for the return of

(image here)

big hair.

My senior year, I stuck 27 hot rollers and half a can of mousse in my hair every. single. morning.

Instead of forehead burns from the flat-iron, we sported ear blisters.

On second thought, maybe youth is overrated.

Be blessed!

Ginger

Scripture and a Snapshot: Living Water

2011-10-08T17:15:00.001-07:00

This morning, I spent some time reading a commentary on the punctuation in John 7.

That’s the sort of thing English teachers do when they are speaking in a few weeks.

Long story short, now I have one more reason to be amazed at the richness of His promises.

Me, a channel for Living Water.

Me, a conduit of the Holy Spirit.

LORD, how amazing that You would pour Yourself on and in and through Your children, those who have received the atoning work of Your blood!

To be refreshed by You, to refresh others in You--

this is our privilege as Your beloved.

Linking up at Scripture and a Snapshot.

Be blessed,

Ginger

5 Minute Friday: Ordinary

2011-10-07T16:31:00.001-07:00

With apologies to VeggieTales, this is the part of the post where I tell you that I am participating in Five Minute Fridays over at Gypsy Mama. Today’s topic: Ordinary.

Go.

What is it about “ordinary” that scares me?

I am even pondering how to make a post about ordinariness extraordinary,

how to wow you with wisdom and insight that will convince you to love your ordinary life,

celebrate your ordinary blessings,

revel in the revealed gifts of children, husband, laundry, work, food.

Ordinariness scares me because of good old-fashioned pride, most likely, but also because of something more latent within me.

My heart wonders, What if this is all I am? A parent, a teacher, a homemaker,

a butcher, a baker, a candlestick maker.

In my ordinary day, I am offered a glimpse of that which is truly extraordinary.

A God Who loves me, makes me significant, if only by His willingness to touch my world.

Stop.

Didn’t really finish that, did I?

I won’t cheat; I’ll stop and wish you the best of ordinary weekends.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Because I Needed Something Else to Do

2011-10-04T14:34:00.001-07:00

Finally!

A solution for creative, overwhelmed, recovering perfectionists who collect ideas like a kid collects pebbles!

Yes, it’s Pinterest! I’ve succumbed! I’m addicted! I confess!

One day, one day, I will put some of these cool ideas into practice.

I will. I will. I will.

Like these:

Figs stuffed with goat cheese and drizzled with warm honey

Nutella Cupcakes—what’s not to love?

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia—because all food can’t be chocolate.

Believe it or not, I have boards that are not food related!

This neato couch-thingy ~~may~~ will end up on my porch one day:

How about this on my back steps?

Or these?

My “Things to Do” board has about 872 pins, which might be a tad ambitious for someone who can barely manage two blog posts in a week.

However, I saved this for last: the ONE Pinterest project I have actually done!

YESS!!

This:

looks like this in my freezer:

and this:

There it is, folks: proof that Pinterest projects can be done!

Perhaps this gives you hope.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Victory

2011-10-01T19:35:00.001-07:00

A sinus infection took me down for the count this week and thwarted my best-laid bloggy plans.

Next week, I’ll make it up to you with a giveaway,

but for today I’ve got something better.

Jesus’s blood IS my victory.

Be blessed,

Ginger

A Walk in the Woods

2011-09-27T17:04:00.001-07:00

Sunday afternoon

I took a walk with my sweetie

and snapped a few pictures.

These little yellow flowers make me smile.

The last of the Queen Anne’s lace, my very favorite wildflower; these had been mowed down when I drove past this spot today:

This barn begs to be photographed. I obliged.

My second-favorite wildflower, goldenrod:

After this summer’s drought, a bubbling stream encourages us:

Tiny wild asters:

I love watching summer transition to fall.

Shaking off the weariness of August, the woods are refreshed in gold and red and purple.

Thanks for walking along with us!

Be blessed,

Ginger

Scripture and a Snapshot: Walk this Way

2011-09-25T16:12:00.001-07:00

All the way my Savior leads me,

even when

I can’t see around the bend in the road.

Linking up here.

Be blessed today,

Ginger

The Errant Blogger: Fill in the Blank Friday

2011-09-23T15:19:00.001-07:00

New week’s resolution (yes, new weeks can begin on Friday):

blog every day this week.

Really.

Not kidding.

Pinky-promise.

Since the Errant Blogger is also an English teacher, she felt a tad guilty about requiring papers from moaning middle schoolers while avoiding the written word herself.

She’s conscientious like that.

However, since it is Friday, I’m cheating a little by participating in Fill in the Blank Fridays.

Consider it a writing warm-up for grown-ups.

1. The best thing I did all week was pray with a friend.
2. Bible study and coffee first thing in the morning make me super happy.

3. Pets should be low maintenance (like cats) but not smelly (like birds) or boring ( like fish) .

4. Knowing Christ has redeemed me is the best thing about my life.

5. With the cooler weather I am looking forward to everything! I love the pumpkin waffles, the leaves, the chilly temperatures, the frost, the cozy sweaters….

6. Something that's on my "wish list" right now is a macro lens (highly unrealistic) and a sugar bowl (quite possible, though dull). .

7. This weekend I am going to start planning our fall Ladies’ Gathering, help a friend, do laundry, and ~~grade papers~~ nap.

What’s going on over at your house?

Be blessed,

Ginger

Because It’s Still Amazing

2011-09-15T17:25:00.001-07:00

I’m pleased to announce

a momentous event here at the ‘house:

the imminent arrival of

autumn.

Last weekend I celebrated the breath of crisp (okay, maybe that’s an overstatement—crisper, perhaps) air with a new mantel.

Ingredients for a simple mantel with a touch of fallishness:

two old cabinet doors with glass removed

two formerly ugly candlesticks painted with the perennially popular Oil Rubbed Bronze

a few small pumpkins and green apple gourds (Aren’t those cool?)

a bit of burlap and some scrapbook letters

Ta-da!

Time for cooler temperatures and bright blue skies.

Can’t wait.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Hitting the Pause Button

2011-09-12T18:13:00.001-07:00

I live my life surrounded by teens and pre-teens.

A disproportionate number are female.

With all the estrogen in the air around me on a daily basis,

you’d think that I’d start absorbing some of it by osmosis.

Theoretically, that should make me hormonally-balanced, shouldn’t it?

If only life were fair.

Instead, here I am, forty-something and in the throes of menopause.

Or its more accurate title: brain-o-pause.

As the calendar pages turn, my brain cells seem to dissolve like so much Alka-Seltzer.

Brilliant blog posts, grocery lists, my reason for coming into a room—all of them fizzle away seconds after taking shape.

Break out the ginko biloba.

Or whatever that memory-enhancing stuff is.

I forget.

Is it just me, or are names less memorable than they used to be?

That’s why leagues of (old) genteel Southern women refer to everyone as “Honey”, “Sugar”, or “Darlin’.”

Y’all thought we were just nice.

No, Sugar, it’s just that we’ve forgotten who you are.

Was there a point to this post?

Now I remember—or I’m going with this one, whether it was my original intent or not.

Lately, I’ve been humming a song I picked up somewhere.

(And, no, Honey, I don’t remember where I heard it or who sings it.)

It goes like this:

“I am not forgotten;

I am not forgotten;

He knows my name.”

Forgetful or just plain selfish, I’ve neglected some things I should have done over the past few months.

This little song reminds me that Christ is faithful even when I am faithless.

When I forget, He remembers,

and when I’m feeling frazzled and foggy,

He gently reminds me of my real identity.

Time to pause and remember that.

Be blessed,

Ginger

The Symphony

2011-09-02T18:02:00.001-07:00

One morning this week, I had a front-row seat at the symphony.

We’ve had, as my father called it, a “dry drought” for several weeks, with blazing sunshine and temperatures that turn cars into Easy-bake ovens.

Leaves are turning, not from approaching autumn, but from plain old dehydration.

Something about this new school year has left me feeling a lot like those trees.

Exhausted, somehow, and dry.

Sunday I knelt at my church’s alter and begged God to refresh me, to pour His presence out on me like rain on dry land.

Thursday morning, I asked Him again

to use me,

to let me experience His favor,

to fill my mouth with His words once more.

I went to the porch with a cup of coffee, sat in my trusty rocker, and breathed the last of my prayer across the predawn darkness:

“Lord, please send us rain.”

Then I heard it.

A rustling like dry leaves in the wind building across the ridge like applause when the curtain rises.

Rain.

Sheets of it, singing on the roof, quenching thirsty ground,

soaking weary hearts,

refreshing dry spirits.

It was music.

It was art.

Heaven’s instruments and my praises playing harmony.

I don’t know when or how exactly God will fulfill my heart’s cry,

but I know He heard it,

and answered it

with a resounding symphony of raindrops.

That one sweet storm didn’t break the heat; by afternoon we were back to baking.

But I know,

I know,

more rain is coming.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Scripture and a Snapshot: Do I See what You See?

2011-08-20T19:20:00.001-07:00

I want to see myself as Christ sees me,

eyes that see His love,

eyes that see His truth.

Then

I want to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT,

like look around me with

eyes that reflect His love,

eyes that convey His truth.

Linking up at Scripture and a Snapshot

Be blessed,

Ginger

Ten Things on a Tuesday

2011-08-16T14:51:00.001-07:00

1. Unbelievably, it is only Tuesday. I feel like we’ve been in school for weeks rather than days.

2. I have worked out on the elliptical twice this week (doctor’s suggestion) with minimal ankle pain. Yay!

3. Three more weeks of Breaking Free; we’re in the nuts and bolts part—the doing-the-thing part—where it gets real. Pray hard.

4. I heart gardens with fresh vegetables. Okra, butter beans, and tomatoes on the menu tonight.

5. I double-heart signs of maturity in my kids. Hold on, weary mama. God is faithful.

6. Yes, I know that tomorrow I may have to take that one back. Just not the last part.

7. Good news: low humidity.

8. Bad news: no rain in forecast

9. Basement renovations coming along nicely! Hint: it’s orange. I like it.

10. Make that nine things; the pork chops are burning!

Be blessed,

Ginger

On a Thursday

2011-08-11T04:43:00.001-07:00

After a thousand petty annoyances that have made this week a tough one, the LORD has shown up in a situation near to my heart.

I want to share it with you, because someone needs to hear that God is still in the miracle-working, radical-healing business.

My sweet, sweet friend, who calls herself my “arm-holder-upper” (like Aaron and Hur were for Moses) when I’m speaking, has struggled all summer with her husband’s cancer diagnosis.

Long story short: a mass the size of a basketball (you read that correctly), 1st round of chemo while in still in ICU, last round of chemo leaving him weak and severely anemic. Told last week that more chemo would kill him, and surgery on the remaining cancer poised enormous, unacceptable risks.

They traveled half-way across the country this week to meet with the nationally-recognized specialist for his type of cancer.

The verdict after all the tests:

(drum-roll, please)

what his doctors thought was cancer was

scar tissue

from the tumor.

He can consider himself cured.

The LORD be praised!

His wonders have.not.ceased.

Take that one to the spiritual bank, girlfriend.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Stay Tuned

2011-08-09T03:53:00.001-07:00

Regularly scheduled programming

will return in a few days.

“One-Legged Woman Crafts, Part II” will be back soon with the Big Table Reveal.

Crafting has been delayed by the start of

(Picture from pinterest, which is keeping me waaay too entertained lately.)

school.

Be blessed,

Ginger

One-Legged Woman Does Crafts: Part 1

2011-08-04T15:19:00.001-07:00

Because I

a) have been basically useless at my house for a month, and

b) am about to go back to school,

I decided it was high time for me to figure out how to get something done.

Projects are multiplying around here like rabbits, especially since we are in the midst of a basement renovation.

Anyway, here's my small contribution to home improvement.

I found some frames at the thrift store:

I threw away the tacky seventies artwork, but two frames had these lovely old-fashioned botanical prints. They got to stay.

Notice my high-tech tools for removing old nails from the backs of the frames.

My trusty assistants set up this foot-friendly painting area in the shade.

Where it was still 90 degrees.

The feet you see belong to this creature (Persie),

and this one (Pepsi, World’s Homeliest Dog, who wouldn’t stand still for a picture).

I have big plans for that table as well. Tune in next week for the Big Reveal.

Some left-over paint,

some sanding action,

and ta-da! new artwork!

The last two frames became these ridiculously easy memo boards.

I cleaned off my crowded refrigerator and mounted them on front with magnets.

Big Red, hater of all clutter, wept with gratitude.

Not really, but close.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ll admit that the pictures, grocery list, etc. are on the sides of the fridge now, but at least they’re neat.

One project down!

Be blessed!

Ginger

Celebrate

2011-08-01T09:02:00.001-07:00

This Southern gal hates August.

It has nothing, nothing, nothing to redeem it

except

today,

because on this day, 15 years ago,

I became a mama.

Other than Jesus,

no single person has changed my life more than this kid.

She’s rocked my world.

I’ll keep her.

In honor of her,

we are eating Pioneer Woman breakfast burritos for ~~lunch~~ brunch (if you’re the birthday girl and sleep the morning away),

followed by Bonefish Grille for supper,

AND Mitford Cookbook Orange Marmalade Cake

with homemade gelato for dessert.

I’m using my Weight Watchers points for the ~~week~~ month.

Oh, the things we endure for our children.

Happy Birthday, DD#1!

Be blessed,

Ginger

Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Day

2011-07-27T12:16:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was a bad day.

It started poorly.

The first thing—and I do mean the first thing I did after coming into the kitchen was stump my broken toe.

Um, yes, it hurt very much, thank you.

I sat on the couch and cried, resolving to not leave the safety of that refuge the entire day.

Then I made a critical bad decision.

Instead of hobbling across the room to get my Bible and Bible study, I picked up the laptop. I mean, my quiet time could wait, couldn’t it? I had all day to meet with God, and how much trouble could a one-footed woman stuck on a couch cause anyway?

Don’t answer that.

I read along, ignoring the clear pull in my heart to get in the Word, when someone knocked on my door.

Y’all, I live in the Middle of Nowhere, USA.

No one ever knocks on my door.

There stood two lovely ladies who need Jesus.

I know Jesus, and I know they don’t know Jesus, and I’ve just been given a silver platter invitation to tell them about Jesus, and

I bailed.

In my head I know that I need to always be prepared with a ready answer for what I believe.

I know that the Word says not to worry about what I’m going to say.

But I worried anyway.

I stood there and thought, “My foot hurts, my house is filthy, I’ll stumble around and mess this whole thing up.”

Like I could mess God up.

Hello, right there is one of the major reasons why perfectionism is a huge obstacle to abundant life in Christ.

It makes me think that it’s all about me.

It’s not all about my performance; it’s ALL ABOUT JESUS.

It’s also not just about information. Maybe, in thirty minutes around my kitchen table, I might have offered those sweet ladies the right information about Christ.

Only He could offer them transformation, which happens at and way beyond the moment we first believe.

I’ve asked and received forgiveness for my failure, and I wait for the power of Christ to continue its transforming work in me. The more I know Him and rest in Him, the more I will risk for Him, and I’ll await His Words instead of fearing the weakness of my own.

Be blessed today,

Ginger

Stick a Fork in Me and Call Me Done

2011-07-25T18:12:00.001-07:00

(image from ikea.com)

Y’all, I’m here to tell you that this foot thing is wearing me out.

Done, over it, finished.

Though, I admit, after talking to someone today with a ridiculously awful ankle injury that makes mine look like a day at the park, I quit whining and repented.

The orthopedist has cleared me to let the pain dictate my activity level.

So far the pain is dictating a gracious little activity, leaving me even less of any significance to report in Blogland.

Except perhaps that a nutella s’more is a culinary wonder.

And it has only 4 Weight Watchers points.

Actually, I did hobble into my kitchen this morning to prepare super-healthy, really-yummy (I promise) Oat Bran Muffins.

After putting them in the oven, I sat down to my Beth Moore Bible study homework and neglected to set the timer.

Regrettably, these muffins were a tad overdone, but if I liked them ~~burnt~~ toasty, I’m confident they’re good properly baked.

On-One-Foot Oat Bran Muffins

(So easy you can make them while standing on one foot!)

(adapted from somewhere in Blogville that I can’t remember; if it’s you, these are delicious! Thanks so much!)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup oat bran

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla

2 T. oil

1 1/4 cup skim milk

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 berries, raisins, or chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400*. In a medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk egg, honey, vanilla, oil, and milk. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix in almonds and berries. (Blackberries were fabulous.) Bake for 16-20 minutes, NOT 25.3 minutes while you read Isaiah. Take them out on time, top with a little butter, and then read Isaiah.

Be blessed!

Ginger

Linked up at Tasty Tuesday!

Jail Break

2011-07-20T06:16:00.001-07:00

Thanks to these,

DD#1 and I met my sister and niece

in a nearby town for a small adventure.

They’re visiting for a few days to ~~relieve the servants~~ help out.

While they explored the shops,

I spent a lot of time here, people-watching.

I did hip-hop into one store with *hallelujah* a chair! where I took in some gorgeous eye-candy.

Seriously, I’ll take one of everything, please.

Next door is the cutest jewelry store ever-- arranged by color.

The greens are my favorites.

I bought myself a little bling.

Later, we ate a fabulous chocolate chip cookie from the cutey-patootie Sweet Shop Bakery.

(Photo credit: my niece; my armpits had completely given up by this point.)

I’m off to the orthopedist later this week for a second evaluation. Pray for mobility!

Be blessed,

Ginger

What to Do When You’re Stuck

2011-07-16T10:01:00.001-07:00

1. Join Weight Watchers so you won’t eat constantly while you can’t exercise.

2. Find a new favorite blogger and realize you’re from the same hometown.

3. Feel slightly homesick.

4. Remember that it is 999* degrees in your hometown with approximately 177,659 gnats.

5. View unfinished projects. Decide you don’t really like the white chair as much as you thought you would.

(Ignore clutter in this picture.)

6. Shop for fabric online because new cushions might restore your chair’s mojo.

(Which one do you like best?)

7. Lament again that Mom’s sewing lessons didn’t really take.

8. Sigh heavily.

9. Listen to ~~slave laborers~~ daughters whine about helping their poor, invalid mother.

10. Offer heartfelt prayers of gratitude for them anyway.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Change of Plans

2011-07-14T09:13:00.001-07:00

Remember this?

It’s now this:

Yep. Party’s over.

After two weeks of hobbling, I finally had it checked.

Big-time foot sprain with ankle involvement.

Three weeks minimum off the foot.

Occasional crutches or zippy cart thingy at the grocery store.

Better be good or be in a world of hurt once school starts.

Thank heaven for ~~slave labor~~ teens who know their way around the kitchen and laundry.

I’m sure that in here somewhere are profound lessons about resting.

In the meantime, I’m trying to figure out how Big Red is going to manage his projects and mine—like 22,000 snap-beans that need to be canned.

Um. I’ll get back to you.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Waiting

2011-07-10T04:59:00.001-07:00

In one of the Esther videos, Beth Moore reminds us that

we can wait on a person or an event,

and we will be exhausted.

we can wait on the Lord,

and our strength will be renewed.

The waiting in this verse stands out to me.

Our God is worth the wait.

Be blessed today.

Ginger

Linking up at Scripture and a Snapshot

Folly Beach Love

2011-07-02T07:04:00.001-07:00

For the first time in several years, our family spent a few days at the beach.

In our house live:

one red-head

one ghostly pale-face

two beach bums,

so going to the beach doesn’t quite have the same ring to some of us that it does for others.

Until this year.

Because this year, we discovered some secrets to beach love.

1. Washer and dryer.

No sand in sheets.

No ~~sand~~ dirty laundry piles at home.

2. Separate bedrooms

No hormonal teens forced to share half a hotel room.

No parents forced to share half a hotel room with hormonal teens.

The catch? (‘Cause we know there has to be one.)

Our affordable condo was located on the wrong side of a super-scary bridge.

(No picture because I was too busy mentally gripping before-mentioned teens who would have died of embarrassment if their mom had touched them on the super-scary bridge.)

Once we crossed over, here’s some things we loved:

Gentle waves:

Cool pier:

Love at the beach:

Beach read. The next person to check this out of our library will have authentic Folly Beach sand between the pages.

Beach toes —and beach broken toe (which meant I hobbled across super-scary bridge in a moon boot.)

Secret to pale-face beach love: beach umbrella. Some strong ocean breezes nearly sent this umbrella and me soaring to Maine like Mary Poppins.

Beach food. Jack’s Cosmic Dogs=retro-cool restaurant.

Sadly, I neglected to take pictures at the ice-cream shop where we stopped nightly.

I was too busy licking peach ice cream from a waffle cone. Yum.

This week we’re anticipating some July 4th fun with family before summer and school planning start to overlap.

Hope your summer is going great!

Be blessed,

Ginger

Five Minute Friday: Wonder

2011-06-24T07:02:00.001-07:00

I’m linking up today at Gypsy Mama for Five-Minute Friday, writing for 5 minutes off-the-cuff about the assigned topic.

(Sounds like the sort of thing an English teacher would like, doesn’t it?)

Today’s prompt: Wonder

Go.

Wonder, wonderful.

Wonderful is a word we throw around a lot: wonderful meal, wonderful day, wonderful life.

What it really means is wonder full, full of wonders.

So I can say, God, You are wonderful, full of wonders, and really mean it.

Full of wonders. Full of miracles. Full of strength.

Full of everything I am not, full of thoughts that are not mine.

In Him is fullness of joy.

His wonders never cease;

they spill over the rim of His presence, splashing me with awe,

with questions,

with satisfaction.

His complexity makes me wonder at Him,

wonder at myself

and my smallness,

makes me wonder why I would ever presume to know more than He does.

I wonder why I don’t instantly, confidently trust Him.

Lord, open my eyes to Your wonder.

Stop. Time’s up.

Be blessed today.

Ginger

Salsa—Take Two

2011-06-23T14:26:00.001-07:00

Remember yesterday when I mentioned my first-ever batch of homemade salsa?

Umm.

Not so great.

Okay, but not great.

Note assessment given by Big Red, HOT pepper-and-salsa connoisseur.

On to Batch #2.

Vinegar amounts and cooking times adjusted.

Yum.

Much better!

Easy-Peasy Salsa

7-8 cups chopped ripe tomatoes

3 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped cilantro

1 cup (adjust as desired) chopped jalapeños

1/4 cup vinegar

2-3 tablespoons lime juice

3 tsps. salt

Mix and bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes.

Have your clean canning jars and lids simmering in hot water (not boiling) in a LARGE pot. Wash and dry the bands, but don’t put them in water.

When the salsa is ready, remove the jars from water and fill to 1/2 of top with salsa. Wipe the rims with a clean cloth before putting on the lid. Don’t over-tighten the band.

Now place the jars back in the hot water, making sure they are covered by an inch or so of water. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil and process jars for 35 minutes.

Your canning jars may have slightly different directions, so check their website and the instructions that come with them. The canning part wasn’t hard once I got myself organized.

What’s cooking at your house?

Be blessed.

Ginger

Lists

2011-06-21T16:07:00.001-07:00

To-Do Today

1. Grocery

2. Laundry

3. First ever batch of homemade salsa

Beach Trip Menu

1. Low-Country Boil

2. Aunt Millie’s Pancakes

3. Bagels for a beach-side breakfast picnic

4. Shrimp salad

Tonight’s menu

1. Hot dogs

2. chips and salsa

3. Oreos

Beach reading list

1. On Folly Beach by Karen White

2. Chopping Spree by Dianne Motts Davidson

3. A Rose from the Dead by Kate Collins

Lessons this week in Beth Moore’s Breaking Free that messed with me

1. Day 1 Unbelief

2. Day 2 Pride

3. Day 3 Idolatry

4. Day 4 Prayerlessness

5. Haven’t gotten to day 5 yet; expecting same outcome

Spotted in the clouds while day-dreaming

1. walrus on a rock

2. rubber ducky

3. Abe Lincoln’s profile

Be blessed today!

Ginger

The View From Friday

2011-06-17T10:13:00.001-07:00

Rambling run-down of our week:

1. Today is DD#2’s birthday. Twelve years old. Twelve.

No more babies at my house.

Sniff.

She had ~~brownies~~ triple-chocolate muffins for breakfast.

‘Cause it’s her birthday.

2. We are having a yard-sale tomorrow.

After spending the night in our spider-infested, unfinished basement,

we knew it was time to do something.

Getting rid of the Barbie dollhouse collecting dust in the corner (see #1)

is a good place to start.

3. Praying it doesn’t rain tomorrow.

4. Monday: super-productive basement cleanout.

Tuesday: complete waste of a day

Wednesday: slightly more useful than Tuesday

Thursday: got lots done; wonderful time at Bible study

Today: lay on couch and read mystery. Roused to busyness by need for birthday cake.

5. Wondering if Pilates burns enough calories to make up for said birthday cake plus ~~brownies~~ muffins.

Be blessed this weekend!

Ginger

I’m so Blue

2011-06-14T07:21:00.001-07:00

Summer is in full swing around our house;

Big Red and I are knee-deep in projects,

and the DDs are offering a barrage of new goodies for us to try.

So far, fruit salsas get a two-thumbs up.

First there was the mango-kiwi-onion-bell pepper-lime juice one.

Yum.

The next one featured blueberries, one of my favorite summer treats.

Skeptics became converts when I took

blueberry salsa to Thursday night Bible study.

Be brave.

Blueberry Salsa

(from Southern Living)

2 cups coarsely chopped fresh blueberries

1 cup whole fresh blueberries

1/4 cup lemon juice

3 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

2 seeded and minced jalapeno peppers ( I omitted these for the Thursday night crowd because I didn’t want to injure anyone; adjust amounts to suit your taste)

1/3 cup diced red bell pepper (or yellow or orange or green—if you leave out the green jalapeno)

1/2 kosher salt

Toss together and serve with tortilla or pita chips

Guilt-free, unique, and delicious!

Be blessed!

Ginger

Linking up here and here.

Those Who Seek You

2011-06-12T15:32:00.001-07:00

This rocker

has rocked a million miles while I think

and pray.

I love the “never” in this verse.

It speaks of the steady, unbroken rhythm

of His heartbeat.

NEVER forsaken, NEVER.

There, I shouted it,

loud enough to join the song

of the rocks and the trees.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Linking up at Scripture and a Snapshot

On Repeat

2011-06-07T16:01:00.001-07:00

Let Summer Begin!

2011-06-02T14:11:00.001-07:00

Post-planning has ended,

temperatures have soared to sizzling,

Ladies’ Bible Study starts tonight,

and I’ve broken out the spray-paint for the first project.

Let summer begin.

On the docket over the next few weeks:

brown wicker transforms to creamy white;

blue bathroom becomes green with bead board wainscoting;

produce gets “put by”;

beach reads read…at the beach;

new delectable recipes sampled, like mango salsa awesomeness made by DD#1`;

~~stunning,~~ ~~inspiring~~ posts written.

Plus naps.

And lemonade.

What’s your summer plan?

Be blessed,

Ginger

Scripture and a Snapshot: The Story of this Blog

2011-05-29T15:13:00.001-07:00

Once upon a time,

there was a teacher-turned-stay-at-home-mommy-turned-teacher-turned stay-at-home-mommy

(who’s now a teacher again—but that’s not important to this story.)

After a while, this teacher/SAHM/whatever decides to jump into the fray at Blogger.

She searches her brain for a catchy title.

Fresh out.

So she searches her soul this time, looking for the lens through which she’ll view the world,

and it will view her.

What’s the one thing, the one thing

that she’d tell the world,

that would make her words matter at all?

“One thing I ask of the Lord,

this is what I seek,

simply to dwell in the house of the Lord

all my days,

and to gaze upon His beauty and to seek Him in His temple.”

Psalm 27:4

Over a year into blogging, this person found the little button on Blogger called “stats.”

(Not techie or particularly curious, this person, apparently.)

She discovered people actually do read her blog, even if they are mostly silent.

They seem to read the posts

where pain and life and God intersect.

Messy life+Jesus=God’s Glory

She will never understand how that works.

She will never have 2346 followers and 27 comments,

but maybe, just maybe,

Christ will guide her fingers on the keys,

and someone will seek and dwell and gaze

at the feet of her Beautiful Savior.

Be blessed today,

Ginger

Linking up here.

May is the new December

2011-05-24T17:00:00.001-07:00

If you live in the South,

chances are that school is winding down

for the year.

Can I get an “Amen!”

and “Thank You, Lord!”

from the choir?

Tomorrow begins final exams here,

and, in addition to giving tests in my class,

I’ve helped DD#1 study for the big ones (math and science).

I now know more than I wanted about DNA, polypeptides, and ribosomes.

Moving on.

May rivals the holiday season for busyness

in the lives of teachers and students,

with concerts, award-ceremonies, and graduations

filling every day of the calendar.

In the last two weeks,

I’ve driven 800 miles

back and forth to events.

8-stinkin’ hundred miles.

Not kidding.

While I’m fighting exhaustion,

fast-food overload,

and a never-ending allergy season,

I’m still grateful for all this school year has represented.

Sometimes, God gives us a do-over,

and this was mine.

Maybe it’s being the parent of a teen,

or being older,

or just grace,

but I liked this bunch of 7th graders--

despite their grammatical gaffs.

(Now I want them to go away

before they morph into snarky 8th graders.)

On the home front,

I’ve watched one of my own lovelies

learn some difficult lessons

and emerge the better for them,

with courage and purpose she doesn’t recognize.

Yet.

(I’m still believing God.)

Packing away my red pen for the year,

Ginger

Scripture and a Snapshot: In the End

2011-05-15T17:21:00.001-07:00

A former pastor used to say,

“God’s will is what I would choose

if I had all the facts.”

One day,

in the light of His face,

all the things I don’t understand

will make sense

(or they just won’t be important at all).

In the end,

whatever we have seen darkly here

will be illuminated by His glory.

We will say,

“Yes, Lord.

You are faithful, just, merciful,

righteous.

Power to the Mamas

2011-05-08T04:29:00.001-07:00

If you’ve visited the greeting card aisle this week like most of us have,

you’ve discovered that writing about motherhood is a lesson in cliché.

Finding a sapless Mother’s Day card is,

well,

one in a million,

like finding a needle in the haystack,

like—you get the idea.

For those of us who are moms,

we have an equally difficult task in describing what we do.

Motherhood has changed me,

challenged me,

rewarded me,

driven me to the feet of Jesus

like nothing else in my whole world.

My kids are the most

intelligent, funny, beautiful, loving, creative, stubborn,

and infinitely interesting people

that I know.

It is a privilege to be their mama.

I want them to be crazy about Jesus

and know He’s crazy about them.

Unashamedly, I ask God to pour Himself out on them,

for them to be filled to overflowing with His Spirit.

Unashamedly, I pray that for myself,

for His power in and through my mothering.

Amen.

Happy Mother’s Day to you, cliché or not.

Be blessed,

Ginger

In a Desert

2011-05-02T18:32:00.001-07:00

Usually I am not one at a loss for words.

Lately, I’ve run out.

These days, I feel like a desert-dweller.

I’ve cried out to God until I’m hoarse, and my spirit seems shriveled.

(Image found here)

Desert seasons originate from lots of different places.

Some of them God appoints for us.

Some we extend unnecessarily by our disobedience.

This one, I think, is a waiting season, one God sees and speaks into softly.

A friend praying for me yesterday used those words, “desert season,” and I marveled at His goodness to give her the very phrase that I was sensing.

Another friend inadvertently gave me my memory verse for early May:

Psalm 119:71-72

It was good for me to be afflicted,

so that I might learn Your decrees.

The law from Your mouth is more precious to me

than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.

I have no plans to hang out in my desert for long,

put up a pup-tent,

hang pictures.

While I’m praying for a short season, I know it will have been good for me to be here.

He will call me out of it with lots to say,

and He will have been worth it.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Get Movin’

2011-04-28T16:43:00.001-07:00

A few days ago, Beth Moore posed a question about motivations.

I’m still chewing on the serious side of that issue, but, in the meantime, here are a few things that motivate me:

1. Motivation to teach my teens to cook:

chocolate snack cake, created on the spur of the moment by DD#1, and topped with PW’s maple icing. Yum.

2. Motivation to do 30 Day Shred:

see #1.

3. Motivation to be prepared for class:

my principal’s ~~over-~~confidence in my classroom assignment next year

4. Motivation to clean house:

Hum….still working on that one.

5. Motivation for dreaming of summer vacation:

7th graders

6. Motivation to fix the basement:

spending the night with the spiders while tornado warnings blared on the radio

7. Motivation to encourage Big Red’s gardening obsession:

tender, fresh organic lettuce picked from our yard

8. Motivation to buy stock in Lowe’s:

Big Red’s gardening obsession

9. Motivation to not be motivated by perfectionism:

Galatians 5:1--It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

10. Motivation to pick the right motivation:

Ephesians 4:1--As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.

Be blessed,

Ginger

When Easter Hasn’t Come Yet

2011-04-25T15:18:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, we had a beautiful day:

glorious warm temperatures, blooming snapdragons,

and (my favorite) tiny, green flower-promises on the hydrangea.

At church, we heard the Word in song,

felt and watched the Holy Spirit move,

rejoiced in the Hope of Easter-- Christ, our Risen Redeemer.

A beautiful day.

A difficult day.

Though Easter dawned, the concerns that have shaped my prayers for months didn’t vanish like the grey clouds.

If anything, they seemed magnified when juxtaposed with joy.

It occurred to me this weekend that Saturday was the worst day for the disciples.

The trauma was over,

but they were no doubt shell-shocked, numb with fear and grief.

They didn’t know the end of the story.

I tend to minimize their suffering because I know the end of the story.

I don’t think God minimized it.

The God Who orchestrated all for His perfect will

saw their pain, their disappointment, their unbelief.

He loved them, silently.

And He loved them, loudly,

because He was finishing the work that would bring Sunday.

Maybe you are like me, and you are still waiting on your “Easter”, the hope reborn, the promise fulfilled.

Will you join me in believing Him for it?

Some days we believe tenuously, others tenaciously, but always—I pray-- faithfully.

Please, Lord, let me be found faithful in the waiting.

Easter’s coming.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Scripture and a Snapshot: Time for a Change

2011-04-17T04:16:00.001-07:00

For several months now, I’ve been wrestling with change.

Usually when people say that, they are thinking of changing circumstances—jobs, marriages, births.

This time, it’s heart-change.

I don’t know about you, but many times I find need for new perspective, new attitude, new thinking.

Most of the time, however, I can see the need for these things in other people.

Isn’t that the way it is? I know you need to change, but I am reluctant to examine myself.

A while back, I knew the Lord gave me permission to ask Him for something HUGE,

something life-altering,

for someone else.

Wouldn’t you know it?

He’s started the process by changing me.

I’m a slow learner; I have a feeling this is taking a long time because my perspective, my heart,

has been slow to alter course.

His timing is perfect; His promise is sure.

When I took a picture the other day of our heart-shaped rock collection,

I saw the parallel with this verse.

Now that bowl of stones reminds me of the process for which I am praying

and believing.

To God be the glory.

Ginger

Linked at Scripture and a Snapshot

Midweek Motto

2011-04-12T17:49:00.001-07:00

Money can’t buy

happiness,

but

it can buy

(Image from tinywhitedaisies)

CHOCOLATE,

which is kind of

the same thing.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Springifying

2011-04-10T17:31:00.001-07:00

Hi!

I am back to my ~~regular,~~ ~~semi regular~~ sporadic posting schedule since spring break has ended.

The highlight:

one gazillion tulips

at the entrance of the Biltmore House.

Pink.

Orange.

Yellow.

I want Big Red to be a groundskeeper there when he retires from teaching.

I could just wander around and take pictures.

The bad news:

no pictures of said tulips.

Not one.

Sad.

So sad.

Instead, I give you photos of my housecleaning projects.

You get what you pay for on this blog.

Anyway.

Lately, I’ve been drawn to all the lovely,

clean, simple styles

like the ones featured here:

White paint is calling my name, and I’ve got Big Red’s go-ahead on some lightening-and-brightening.

In the meantime,

I’m trying to simplify and declutter around here.

(Ummm….is there anyone else out there who wonders where the real-life stuff

goes in the magazine-worthy homes we admire?

Where’s the bottle of ketchup?

Or the mail?

Or the coupons she forgot to take to the store?)

I digress.

Here’s what I did accomplish.

Springifying this table…

A nest of pale eggs in a soup tureen…

My favorite tiny white pitchers….

The word of the season (and more white pitchers) on the mantel….

DD#2 and I have collected heart-shaped rocks for a few years now. They rest in my mama’s biscuit bowl on top of the coffee table.

Notice I did not photograph any mail or condiments.

Lots of projects are swirling in my head,

most of which will not be tackled

until June.

Off to collect my head for tomorrow

and finish the last chapters

of one of my spring-break reads.

What’s spring bringing to your house?

Be blessed,

Ginger

Scripture and a Snapshot

2011-04-03T13:10:00.001-07:00

I love this verse.

It came up this morning in Sunday School,

and fell like sweet rain on my worry-weary heart.

I LOVE that He does not forget

or forsake

anything He has made.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Linking up today a Scripture and a Snapshot.

Glorious Day

2011-03-29T16:35:00.001-07:00

The pianist knew one speed: fast.

She knew one volume: loud.

Loud benefited one member

of that tiny country church.

Miss Rae was about a hundred years old

(at least she seemed so to me, a child still in the single digits),

and deaf as a doorknob.

That didn’t stop her.

As the pianist pounded away at selections from the Baptist Hymnal,

Miss Rae could hear just enough to pick out the words

but not the tune.

In a voice I’m not sure was ever melodious,

she warbled along at top volume

about two measures behind the rest of us.

“Living He loved me;

Dying He saved me;

Buried, He carried my sins far away.

Rising, He justified freely forever;

One day He’s coming

Oh, glorious day!”

Every hymn was an off-key round, with Miss Rae taking up the rear.

Stifling giggles or (later) rolling our eyes,

my sister and I made fun of her

unmercifully

(at home, and in private, of course; our mother would have killed us otherwise).

When Casting Crowns recorded their new arrangement of this old song,

Miss Rae’s face (and voice)

returned unbidden to my memory.

I hadn’t thought of her in years.

Now, looking back,

I see sunlight streaming through windows

of that little church and hear her singing

and realize

how infinitely tender

those inharmonious songs

were to her Savior.

How precious

was her unashamed praise!

It was a sweet, sweet sound in His ears.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Maybe It’s Just Me…

2011-03-23T15:06:00.001-07:00

There comes a point in every 7th grade teacher’s year

when her students turn into

mini-8th graders.

(Like, right about now.)

This means, among other things, that they get

boring.

BOR-ing.

Every amazing teaching idea,

project,

or joke

falls flat as yesterday’s pancakes.

One day they are interesting people interested in interesting things (well, some of them),

and the next,

yawn.

This year I have noticed a strange phenomenon.

As I’ve racked my brain for ways to turn

lessons on sentence structure

into something more exciting than the cafeteria’s menu,

I’ve evolved into the

World’s Most Boring Blogger.

I’ve got nothing.

Zip.

Zero.

Nada.

When I get home,

I do laundry,

cook supper,

and navigate (usually unsuccessfully)

dark waters of teenage drama.

That,

and read cozy mysteries.

(Some of you secretly watch Oprah;

I read light-weight novels.

Pick your fluff.)

Alas, right now I have no stunning posts

on any of these subjects.

All the deep stuff

isn’t for public consumption

right now.

So, for today,

the most exciting news here

is whatever is exciting

over there

where you are.

What’s happening at your place this week?

Be blessed,

Ginger

Marching On

2011-03-17T15:45:00.001-07:00

It’s March,

and here,

in an unusual meteorological twist,

the weather is lovely and truly spring-like.

This month,

I’ve turned another year older,

(belated birthday giveaway coming soon)

given my porch rocker its first workout of the year,

and eaten my fill

of PW’s Chocolate Cake.

With all this spring fever and chocolate,

I should be sharing

in the spirit of renewal and hope

budding out all around.

March never makes me feel like that.

Instead, I confess

the crud,

too little exercise and too little sleep,

and a host of other things, large and small,

have made March feel like Mile 13 of a marathon.

My Father is speaking to me:

Hold fast.

Run strong.

So I keep running.

How’s your race this week?

Be blessed,

Ginger

She Speaks…and coughs

2011-03-11T07:31:00.001-08:00

I just realized that today is the last day to submit an entry for a scholarship to attend She Speaks.

Speaking (and breathing, if you read yesterday’s post) is close to my heart today, because I am speaking at my church tonight.

I didn’t start out to be a speaker.

I was just a Sunday School teacher who loved words and the Word.

About six years ago, I realized something.

I loved God, but I didn’t really trust Him.

He prompted me to pray a dangerous prayer,

one I will never regret praying, though it has taken me on the wild ride of my life.

I asked, “Lord, will You teach me to trust You?”

I imagine Him smiling….

then roaring.

He isn’t a tame Lion.

What has followed has twisted and turned and hurt.

A lot.

Yet, today I can say

I trust Him.

I trust Him.

One day, a few years ago, a friend sat at my kitchen table and asked me if I ever wanted to write a book.

“No,” I hesitated, “I don’t think so…but, I don’t know, I might want to speak.”

She grabbed my hand.

“When it comes, and it will come, don’t pull back from it.”

A few months later, I stood in front of a sweet group of young moms and told a story on myself that I never wanted to tell.

Then I watched Him take my most spectacular failures

and bring Himself glory.

This post is not particularly eloquent.

Sometimes I am not.

Tonight He wants me to speak about some things that are so new,

so raw,

in me

that I will need tissues

for more than just my allergies.

I dread it-

and I am eager for it-

all at the same time

because I trust Him,

and I want to see His glory.

Be blessed today,

Ginger

I Need a Few Daisies…and Prayers

2011-03-10T15:19:00.001-08:00

(Image: tinywhitedaises)

On this grey day,

I am struggling with

the upper-respiratory crud,

and I am speaking tomorrow night

at our Ladies’ Weekend.

I need a strong voice.

Oxygen would be nice, too.

Seriously,

the worship leader,

another speaker,

and the event coordinator

have all fought

some sort of yuck

this week.

I believe the Lord

has a Word for the women gathering this weekend!

Would you join me in praying for us?

Thanks!

Be blessed,

Ginger

If You’re Looking for Me…

2011-03-06T17:19:00.001-08:00

I think

I’ll move into

this little green cottage

any day now.

(image from tinywhitedaisies)

Be blessed,

Ginger

This Week

2011-03-04T15:32:00.001-08:00

This week I have:

gotten drenched in a mammoth downpour
basked in mild sunshine
gotten blown to bits by howling wind
shivered
run three miles
skipped two workouts
cried while praying every day
gotten bad news
gotten good news
received a kind compliment
laughed with a friend
listened to my child sing in a concert
eaten too much sugar and too few veggies
slept too little
watched gorgeous sunrises
pondered God’s Word
chose to believe it, one day at a time

What’s your week been like?

Be blessed,

Ginger

On a Tuesday

2011-03-01T15:27:00.001-08:00

Outside my window: the first of the daffodils!

Frustrating me: my fancy-smancy camera, because I can’t figure out how to get crisp, lovely pictures of my daffodils with it

Looking forward to: speaking at our spring Ladies’ Gathering in a few weeks

Making me long for May: kids with too-early spring fever and the stack of ungraded papers on my desk

Heavy on my heart: my little town and its teachers and business people, who have yet to experience any form of “economic recovery”

Speaking peace to my heart: God’s faithful promises spoken through His word (hanging out in Joshua 1-3 lately)

Formerly in my empty bowl: nutella and strawberries—mmmmm…..

Memorizing: 2 Corinthians 5:17

2 Corinthians 5:17 (New International Version)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Be blessed,

Ginger

Friday Afternoon…

2011-02-25T16:49:00.001-08:00

This

this

Bliss

Ahhh….

Happy Weekend.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Work With Me Here, People

2011-02-23T14:42:00.001-08:00

I’m going to share a song

that I hope

will make you smile.

Keep an open mind,

and picture a whole bunch of ladies of all ages

raising their hands

and jumping right in there.

We keep threatening to break out

with this song

in the 11:00 service,

which isn’t at all stodgy

but might not quite be ready for this!

Be Blessed,

Ginger

Thinking Ahead

2011-02-19T06:27:00.001-08:00

Ironically, this week of migraines and sinus infections featured some lovely weather in these parts.

(Valentine yellow mums from Big Red, bearer of good cheer.)

Spring fever has hit weeks too early.

Do not be fooled!

Winter is not done!

Mark my words: on my birthday (mid-March)

and spring break (early April),

we’ll be freezing.

Trust me.

I know these things.

My one concession to the weather:

a spring fever project.

Realistically, this is a summer project;

I will never get to it

before June.

Nevertheless, I am collecting ideas.

I need yours!

This little table sat in my mother’s kitchen for 57 years.

(Disclaimer: this table is usually loaded with mail, books, groceries, etc.)

It was a wedding gift.

We ate all our meals around it until I was in middle school when Mama got to remodel the kitchen.

A recycler before recycling was cool, Mama then used it in the den to hold pictures and her ever-present flower bouquets.

Whenever she comes to visit me, she likes to eat at the little table.

Alas, this table needs a face lift.

(I found some inspiration online, but now I’ve lost it. GRRR… I hate it when that happens.)

Red legs, white top?

Yellow?

Distressed white?

Something fun stenciled on top?

Keep those ideas coming!

Happy Weekend.

Be blessed,

Ginger

I Will Blog Again

2011-02-15T16:39:00.001-08:00

. . .when I am not fighting

my semi-annual migraine,

and I will tell you about

Siesta Memory verse #4,

and yellow flowers for Valentine’s,

and I will ask you questions

about kitchen tables

and growing carrots.

Be blessed,

ginger

Patience

2011-02-10T12:36:00.001-08:00

A light snowfall,

just enough render our steep roads hazardous,

has kept us out of school today.

Mounds of laundry

and a major tub scouring

have gotten me in the mood for spring projects.

Painting cabinets!

Whitewashing my brown wicker chairs!

Slipcovering my sofa!

(Except that I don’t sew. Scratch that one.)

(All photos here)

Tell me,

is anyone else

dreaming of spring?

Be blessed,

Ginger

From the Teacher’s Desk: When the Rubber Hits the Road

2011-02-08T16:35:00.001-08:00

I haven’t done a post from the Teacher’s Desk lately because, um, I’ve been busy teaching.

Today’s topic is strictly personal

and probably won’t offer any great advice

for helping your child this school year.

Instead, today I just want to ask you to pray

for the many school systems like ours,

where huge budget cuts

are forcing uncomfortable choices

with far-reaching ramifications for students and teachers.

Last week, my mother sent me a card

with a list of scriptures,

words of hope, peace, and security in the sovereignty of God.

Bottom line:

men can manipulate their little hearts out

and not thwart the plan of the Lord.

Tonight, I chose not to attend an open board meeting

where all the changes were being discussed.

I came home to my teacup

and simmering pot of chicken chili

and decided I’d just discuss things

with my Father.

Psalm 37:23-24

²³ The LORD makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
²⁴ though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

Be blessed,

Ginger

Siesta Memory Verse #3

2011-02-02T17:33:00.001-08:00

^{Proverbs 15:1}

(image found here)

A gentle answer turns away wrath,
but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Menopausal Mom.

Teenager.

Pre-teen.

Any questions?

Be blessed,

Ginger

In Which I am Whiney

2011-01-31T15:01:00.001-08:00

It is Monday.

It has been Monday--

all. day. long.

(Pictures are from Victoria…)

I was late for work,

and I hate being late.

(and are of places I’d rather be…)

It’s raining and turning cold again.

(…than here feeling grumpy.)

I am tired of teenagers,

and repeating myself

(and even those two are redundant),

and unknowns,

and people who don’t know grammar writing practice test booklets.

Are you tired of me whining yet?

I am, so I promise to stop.

What’s happening at your place? Was your Monday

Mondayish

or Fridayish,

or somewhere between?

Be blessed (and I know I am, even though I’m grouchy at the moment),

Ginger