Digging Deep.....

Ok - here are five things that made me happy today:

1.) Eating at Seven on Heaven.

2.) Cairo trying to play with the rope and the ball at the same time, while wiggling his butt and smiling. (Yes, my dog smiles.....)

3.) Jen is here!

4.) Homemade ice cream

5.) All my books (even the "heretical" ones) are finally on the shelves in the living room. Who cares what anybody thinks anyway???

Winter promise

I saw a sun dog this morning! It was absolutely beautiful. The colors were gorgeous. A winter rainbow on either side of the rising sun. I wanted to pull off to the side of the road and just stare at it - but I had to go to work. And, of course, I didn't have my camera.
God makes the coolest things!

Simple Pleasures.......

I came home from work kinda crabby yesterday, and really tired. HOWEVER - I came home to these two darlings who made me feel better - snuggly, playful, giggle inducing Emma and Cairo.
Life is good when you're only about 3 feet off the floor...... ;)















All photos taken by Carissa Gerber

Three Weeks......

23 days til I can eat breakfast on my deck.
23 days til I can read a book in the sun.
23 days til I can take an early morning walk on the prairie path with Cai.
23 days til I can sleep as long as I want.
23 days til I can shop in the middle of a weekday.
23 days til I can stay up as late as I want.
23 days til I can take day trips and road trips.
23 days til I can be lazy if I want.
23 days til I can go to the movies in the middle of the day.
23 days til I can go garage sale-ing.
23 days til I can un-bury the counters and carpets in my house.
23 days til I can go to Chicago, the museums, the zoo.
23 days til I can play with friends when THEY are free.

23 days til school is out for the summer......

i thank you god

i thank You God for most this amazing
day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees
and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything
which is natural which is infinite which is yes

(i who have died am alive again today,
and this is the sun's birthday; this is the birth
day of life and of love and wings: and of the gay
great happening illimitably earth)

how should tasting touching hearing seeing
breathing any-lifted from the no
of all nothing-human merely being
doubt unimaginable You?

(now the ears of my ears awake and
now the eyes of my eyes are opened)

e. e. cummings

"What do you mean he don't eat no meat?"

"Dolmades are delicate parcels made from grape leaves (also known as vine leaves) stuffed with long-grain rice, toasted pine nuts, fresh herbs and seasonings. Dolmades can be served as part of a meze platter or salad plate, eaten as finger food or simply enjoyed as a tasty snack."

Yum, Yum, Yum. I love Dolmades. And I got to have them last week while we were in Florida. Every time we go to Tampa we drive to Tarpon Springs to eat at Mr. Souvlaki's. It wouldn't be a vacation without it. They have the most heavenly and authentic Greek food on the planet. Well, maybe that's an exaggeration, but it's soooooooooo good.

We can never decide on just one thing. No, we order way too much and cart it all home with us in doggy bags to enjoy later. Their Feta plate is a given. We always get it. Always. (2 huge slices/hunks of Feta smothered under Kalamata Olives, chick peas, Peppers, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Beats and Anchovies.) We often order their Calamari. We always order a separate side of Tzatziki. YUM! What to choose, what to choose - Gyros, souvlaki, greek meat loaf, pastitsio? Flaming cheese? Greek chowmein? Spanakopita (Greek Spinach Pie)? I finally just got the souvlaki. Instead of my usual Gyros. In addition to the feta plate and the dolmades of course. The chicken was so tender and juicy....

Ya know, my stomach is growling just thinking about all that food. Somehow today's PB&J sandwich just isn't gonna do it for me..... I'm hungry for Greek. Anybody?

Maria Portokalos: Ian, are you hungry?

Ian Miller: Uh no, I already ate.

Maria Portokalos: Okay, I make you something.

Finally!

Spring break is here. And even as nice as it is here I am ready to leave Illinois for the Sunshine State. Carissa and I fly out this evening, and hope for wonderful, sunny weather in Florida to cheer our spirits and heal our winter bound souls.
Looking forward to R & R, sea breezes and sunshine. Oh, and heavenly Greek food at Mr. Souvlaki's in Tarpon Springs........
Books and IPod packed.
We're off!

I love this critter.....

SNOW DAY!! Snow Day!! SNOW DAY!! sNow daY!! snow day!! SNOW DAY!! SNOW DAY!! Snow Day!! SNOW DAY!! sNow daY!! snow day!! SNOW DAY!! SNOW DAY!! Snow Day!! SNOW DAY!! sNow daY !! snow day!! SNOW DAY!! :) :)




SNOW DAY!! Snow Day!! SNOW DAY!! sNow daY !! snow day!! SNOW DAY!! SNOW DAY!! Snow Day!! SNOW DAY!! sNow daY !! snow day!! SNOW DAY!! SNOW DAY!! Snow Day!! SNOW DAY!! sNow daY !! snow day!! SNOW DAY!! :) :)

Life is good....

There's nothing better in life than taking a cat nap curled up in a comfy chair in the sun with a dog on the floor at your feet and another cuddled up in your lap sleeping. :)

Just what the doctor ordered.....

What an absolutely gorgeous early fall day. Bright sun. Cool breeze. Feathery clouds. I love this time of year. I took the entire day off for a doctor’s appointment - and I am so glad I did! I went to Caribou with my book this morning and sat and read and enjoyed a Mint Condition. After I left there I felt complete freedom. I didn't have to hurry - there was no stress. I was calm, content, filled with joy and peace and happiness. Driving with the window down, the breeze in my hair and great tunes on the radio. This day stretches out expectantly before me with an endless array of possibilities! I can do whatever I want. No expectations. What a wonderful gift. If I had this opportunity every day would I still cherish it? Or take it for granted and waste it? Would it still be special? Joyful? Would I still take (and revel in) time alone with God? I'm so happy today. So totally, totally happy. Smiling. Joyful. Patient - I didn't even care when somebody cut me off in traffic. I just smiled and let them in. What a wonderful, wonderful gift today has been. I think I'll go for a walk..... :)

girls nite in...

So, after a "dinner" of eggs, bacon, pancakes, milk and OJ, the girls and I settled down for a girls nite in. It was nice. I don't think we've all been home with nothing to do on the same night for months. We snuggled in jammies and blankets, did our nails and watched Shopgirl on DVD. It was fun - and relaxing. Even the doggies settled in and napped.
Why don't we make time to do this more often? Of course, I guess if we did it would become normal and boring...

They call me mellow yellow.....

These are in my garden. They made me feel better today just seeing their sunny yellow faces. I thought I would share them with you in hopes that they might brighten up your day as well!

You can't camouflage that!

Today I was sitting in my driveway waiting for my daughter to finally drag herself out of the house so we could go to work/school. I was absentmindedly staring out the car window at the neighbor's front yard and his two trees. And as I stared in the early morning light at the monochromatic tree limbs I suddenly realized right there, slightly right of center was a brilliant red cardinal. It just popped. Wow. Of course my eye was drawn right to it, and I could hardly tear my eyes away from its beauty. And it occurred to me that that is part of what being a Christ follower is all about. In this world of monochromatic sameness, of mind numbing cardboard cutout lives, we are to be brilliantly unique. A beacon. The bright spot. The unexpected thing that catches the eyes of the world and makes them want to watch us to see the beauty of Christ. To be good, and beautiful, and startling in our lives so they can hardly tear their eyes away from the love of God. Big shoes to fill, eh? But yet so simple....

The heavens declare.....

This is what I saw when I stepped outside this morning........

Best dressed? ...and the winner is....

This is what the sky outside my window looks like this morning. It makes me smile! The sun is bright and sparkles off the limbs of every tree, and everything is fresh and clean and quiet. The trees are dressed in their finest winter attire and here and there a bird calls gently. I know soon I will here the thrum of the neighbor's snowblower and the scrape of many shovels. But for now, in the silence it is peaceful and the presence of God is near. What a wonderful gift on an otherwise routine Saturday morning....

I woke up this morning, and for the first time in months I felt joyful. There was a song literally playing in my head -

Shout to the Lord, all the earth
Let us sing. Power and majesty, praise to the king.
Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
At the sound of your name
I sing for joy at the work of your hands
Forever I'll love you, forever I'll stand
Nothing compares to the promise I have in you

-and I did feel like shouting - or a least singing and praising God. Wow. I have really missed this. That doesn't mean all the difficulties are gone - just that I'm beginning to find my way through them.

Edit: And then, I fell. Hard.

Parental Joy

This morning I was sitting in the choir room before the church service. We were running though a couple of songs to warm up and do some last minute fine-tuning. Since I have been sick (bronchitis, laryngitis) I have not been able to practice. Even in this warm up I was not singing, I had to save all of my voice for the service. I was sitting observing and the song that was being sung was absolutely beautiful. Gorgeous harmonies, a simple but haunting melody...and as I listened I suddenly realized that not only was my husband in choir with me, so were two of my children. And they were contributing to this lovely song with joy and grace, tenderness and passion. Their voices were instruments lifting praise and adoration to their God. And I had to catch my breath and blink away a tear. I was so very, very proud to be their mom, and to have the privilege of participating in this act of worship and celebration with them. They have beautiful voices, and they were using them for God, and though I can't truly find the words to describe it, it was a very touching, special moment. A God moment. A sweet reminder of the joy our Father must take in us when we willingly and joyfully participate with him in his plan for all creation, when we celebrate his love, and when we spend time in his presence. I am truly blessed.

postcards from God....

I took Cairo for a walk this morning. The beauty was almost more than I could bear. Trees dressed in vermilion, crimson and goldenrod stretched towards the brilliant blue sky. No clouds in sight. A gentle breeze ruffled the leaves, spinning them toward the gravel path I was walking on. Birds skittered and sang, squirrels hopped, yellow jackets buzzed and the dog tripped lazily along beside me. No signs of frost anywhere – it’s too warm. What a perfect fall day! Truly a gift from God to encourage a hurting heart. A brilliant, breath-taking string-around-the-finger prompt that he made the world and everything in it. A reminder that he is here now, surrounding me with his love, inviting me to share in his goodness. That he gives and takes as he sees fit, and the taking is not done to hurt me, but to drawn me closer. That he is in control of everything. Everything. I just need to trust. And listen for his voice calling out to me as I become still before him. And wait. I have not been doing so well at waiting, and listening. Today’s gift of beauty is my postcard from God inviting me back into his presence to rest and commune with him.

Renewal

Rain. It has been such a precious commodity this summer. Now it is raining and I am satisfied. Ironically, not because we need it so badly, no, but because the rhythm of the rain is soothing and calming. I love rain in the summer as long as it isn't a daily occurrence.
I love the gentle whisper of the rain on the roof. I love the sweet breath of the breeze. My soul dances to the muted rumble of thunder in the distance. It's exciting to see a dusty and faded landscape become crystal clear and bright again. To smell the heady, invigorating scent of a freshly washed earth. It lulls me to laziness. To daydream, to think, to pray, to curl up with a good book. I am comforted. I love the rain in the summer.