Inscription of Hope

I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining.
And I believe in love
even when there’s no one there.
And I believe in God
even when God is silent.
I believe through any trial
there is always a way.
But sometimes in this suffering
and hopeless despair
My heart cries for shelter
to know someone’s there.
But a voice rises within me saying,
‘hold on my child
I’ll give you strength, I’ll give you hope
Just stay a little while.’
I believe in the sun
even when it is not shining.
And I believe in love
even when there’s no one there.
And I believe in God
even when God is silent.
I believe through any trial
there is always a way.
May there someday be sunshine,
May there someday be happiness,
May there someday be love,
May there someday be peace.

Have I ever mentioned that fact that

I love

CHOCOLATE! 
Well, I do...

Thoughts from James Otis (Johnny Tremain)

"For what will we fight?"         

"To free Boston from these infernal redcoats and…"          "No," said Otis. "Boy, give me more punch. That's not enough reason for going into a war. Did any occupied city ever have better treatment than we've had from the British? Has one rebellious newspaper been stopped—one treasonable speech? Where are the firing squads, the jails jammed with political prisoners? What about the gallows for you, Sam Adams, and you John Hancock? It has never been set up. I hate those infernal British troops spread all over my town as much as you do. Can't move these days without stepping over a soldier. But we are not going off into civil war merely to get them out of Boston. Why are we going to fight? Why, why?          

There was an embarrassed silence. Sam Adams was the acknowledged ringleader. It was for him to speak now.          

"We will fight for the rights of Americans. England cannot take our money away by taxes."          

"No, no. For something more important than the pocketbooks of our American citizens."          

Rab said, "For the rights of Englishmen—everywhere."          

"Why stop with Englishmen?" Otis was warming up. He had a wide mouth, crooked and generous. He settled back in his chair and then he began to talk. It was such a talk as Johnny had never heard before. The words surged up through the big body, flowed out of the broad mouth. He never raised his voice, and he went on and on……..

"…For men and women and children all over the world," he said. "You were right, you tall, dark boy, for even as we shoot down the British soldiers we are fighting for rights such as they will be enjoying a hundred years from now…."            

"We are lucky men," he murmured, "for we have a cause worth dying for. This honor is not given to every generation."              

"It is all so much simpler than you think," he said. He lifted his hands and pushed against the rafters. "We give all we have, lives, property, safety, skills…we fight, we die, for one simple thing. Only that a man can stand up."  

"Hundreds would die, but not the thing they died for. 'A man can stand up…'"

Life Update

So as of this last Wednesday I am officially a full time college student again. Not at UWP but with College Plus. And I'm not getting a music degree. It's kinda a long-short story. The long story is that I have been trying to finish my music degree for years and pretty much running into lots of brick walls. Which resulted in my getting pretty bruised and discouraged about the whole thing. Ready to forget it all. Except, I'm not the kind of person who does that. So, I spent many hours online looking for a way to do it online. I found a few things but I didn't feel comfortable about them. Then one day in the middle of church a thought dropped in my head. "Why not change your major?" Honestly, it startled me. And then I thought, why not. I wasn't sure what I would change it to. The thought was somewhat foreign. I got home and started looking at different majors, the only thing that was sticking out was computers. But Computer Science involves a lot of math; calculus, trigonometry, etc. EEEK!!!! And well.. computer programming with an emphasis would take me at least 4 year of full-time schooling and requires something ridiculous like 150 credits!!! So... I'm getting off track... I decided to check into College Plus. Mom said that they would look at my transcript and tell me if it was possible to finish music. I figured I might as well try and while I was waiting for my transcript I talked to mom about the computer thing. I had found out that I could do Computer Information Systems(CIS) which is less math but still computer related. Which is more like software programming and networking and such. She was totally ok with it and so was everyone else. It just made since. I felt really good about it because for me it was practically like doing a 180 in my career path. But I was comfortable with it right from the start, I'm been able to switch gears with very little thought. Granted I still catch myself checking out music options but it's habit. Besides with the current economy situation computers is a smarter field to go into than music. Everyone knows that the arts get cut first...

I talked to a lady College Plus and everything seemed great, made sense and seemed possible. I could double major in CIS and Music, but at this point I'm not sure about that, it might just be more work and not really necessary. She said that the credits I already have would all transfer over and I could be done in 2 years easily. It will cost a LOT LESS that a state college. So I enrolled. I am currently working my way through 1 book, 2 audio-books, and a DVD that you are required to do before starting. Audio books aren't my forte but I'm persevering. Then I'm diving into a History course that Debi already has the stuff for. So hopefully in 18 to 24 months tops I will have a degree!! It won't be hanging over my head anymore!!!

So, that's that. Hope it all makes sense...

Do or Don't

Our Bible Study group has been reading through Do Hard Things.   Granted the study is mostly adults, there is actually only one of us who is still technically a "teen".  But we're reading it anyway, and applying it to life as an adult.  An Adult Rebellion Against Low Expectations :-)  I was working through the chapter for this week when I ran across this passage:

Lindsey is a "good girl" who seemingly never does anything wrong.  She won't watch R-rated movies, wears a promise ring her dad gave her on her thirteenth birthday, and won't even date (or "court," as she puts it) until she's ready to get married.  It doesn't make her highly popular among some of her peers, but she cares more about what the adults in her life think.  And they praise her constantly - usually while they bemoan all the "bad stuff" other teens today are involved in.

She loves it when she gets compliments for being such a "wonderful girl," but when Lindsey is honest, she knows she's become exceptional for what she doesn't do. She doesn't attend wild parties, cause trouble, or want a tattoo. But what does she do? Is the Christian life all about avoiding "bad stuff" or is it about doing "good, hard stuff" for God?  Deep down Lindsey knows the answer, but she's already praised for being such a godly girl. Isn't that enough?

The words jumped off the page and smacked me over the head.  I can completely relate.  I know the feeling all to well.  So here's the thoughts.. Are you (and me) known for the things we do or the things we don't do? And what kind of things can you or we do to change that? I'm going to leave you with one thing.  Just a little encouragement for all of us.

The Music Stopped

For those who are unaware: At all military base theaters, the National Anthem is played before the movie begins.

This is written by a Chaplain in Iraq :

I recently attended a showing of 'Superman 3' here at LSA Anaconda. We have a large auditorium we use for movies, as well as memorial ser vices and other large gatherings.
As is the custom at all military bases, we stood to attention when the National Anthem began before the main feature. All was going well until three-quarters of the way through The National Anthem, the music stopped.

Now, what would happen if this occurred with 1,000 18-22 year-olds back in the States? I imagine there would be hoots, catcalls, laughter, a few rude comments, and everyone would sit down and yell for the movie to begin. Of course, that is, if they had stood for
the National Anthem in the first place.

Here in Iraq , 1,000 Soldiers continued to stand at attention, eyes fixed forward. The
music started again and the Soldiers continued to quietly stand at attention. But again, at the same point, the music stopped. What would you expect 1,000 Soldiers standing at attention to do?? Frankly, I expected some laughter, and everyone would eventually sit down and wait for the movie to start.

But No!!... You could have heard a pin drop, while every Soldier continued to stand at attention. Suddenly, there was a lone voice from the front of the auditorium, then a
dozen voices, and soon the room was filled with the voices of a thousand soldiers, finishing where the recording left off: "And the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air, gave proof through the night that our flag was still there. Oh, say does that Star Spangled Banner yet wave, o'er the land of the free, and the home of the brave."

It was the most inspiring moment I have had in Iraq and I wanted you to know what kind of Soldiers are serving you. Remember them as they fight for us!

Pass this along as a reminder to others to be ever in prayer for all our soldiers serving us here at home and abroad. Many have already paid the ultimate price.

Written by Chaplain Jim Higgins
LSA Anaconda is at the Ballad Airport in Iraq , north of Baghdad

I know a blog isn't a blog if you never update....

Let me just say this past weekend was one of the best Thanksgivings ever.

I love and am very thankful for these people (and the ones that aren't in the picture)

Hey everyone!!! I know it's been forever since I updated, bad me.... anyone life has been good, normal. Got a new computer about a month ago.  I'm LOVING it! It's so nice to be able to do something without the computer freezing up every 10 minutes.

Susie, Debi, Lydia and I went to Tyson and Shannon's for 3 days the last weekend in October.  Which was lovely and reminds me that I have an unfinished email for Tyson in my drafts box...  Of course on the way home we had a little car trouble because I hit a huge raccoon on the way to David and Kristi's.  Which wasn't fun, but thankfully the car isn't damaged.  Then on the way home mom called and informed us that Rebecca and Stephanie had H1N1.  Which resulted in my moving to Mom and Dad's house for a week to avoid getting the flu.  The result was successful, for the most part.  I came down with a REALLY nasty cold instead.  It lasted 2 weeks followed by a sinus infection which gave me monster headaches for a week and I took lots of nap which was odd.  But taking it easy was a nice break.

Since then I've done a concert and am currently up to my ears in music for the University's Christmas concert in 2 weeks.  Otherwise life is pretty normal.  Debi and Lyd are coming to pick me up.  We are going shopping... See you all later.

Sorry I didn't forget

These are my new dishes!!!!! Steph and I found them at Goodwill.  I think I paid $15 for this stack.  8 dinner plates, 8 salad plates and 3 bowls.  I'm hoping to find more someday... Ebay maybe?

Cause I'm in the mood for a quiz....

So..... I bought something at Goodwill the other day... any guesses???

Recent Projects

I'm afraid I've haven't had much time to sew the last year.  Recently I was able to squeak out a few projects.  It felt good to be at my sewing machine again.

I made new curtains for the bathroom.

Bad lighting, sorry....

A few years ago I promised Luke a quilt of his own.  I FINALLY got around to making it.  I finished it at 2 a.m. the day of his 8th birthday.

I think he likes it :)

Just a couple song that have been bouncing around in my head

No embedding for the last two. Sorry.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGleoK9oevA


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GO67xEESp1M

This is a good one too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGleoK9oevA

Wickedness is always wickedness, but folly is not always folly.  It depends upon the character of thos who handle it.

~Jane Austen


Thoughts?

Boston pictures part 1

You can see more pictures here. If you have facebook. I will try and post some of those pictures here. They are on a different computer at the moment... These are in a random order... and I'm tired so they are staying that way...

Inside Faneuil hall

The Town Hall Meeting Hall and marketplace. More on that in the next post

Sarah "sleeping" in a hammock. Upstairs in the museum at Boston Harbor they had a hands on display about life onboard a ship in the 1800. (USS Constitution home port is Boston)

This was in the workroom onboard the USS Cassin-Young. It's a retired vessel in the harbor for people to tour. It says. U.S. Government Philosophy If it ain't broke fix it till it is.

We visited the Longfellow Museum. The house was closed for the day but the gardens were lovely. And I LOVED the house! I've always wanted to live in a house that looked like this. I like shutters and wrap-around porches :)

Luke coming up from the barracks. The one we were in slept.... 50 guys... I think.... something like that.... The USS Cassin-Young has quite a story to tell. It just barely survived many battles and saved the lives of 120 people when the USS Princeton was sinking during WW2 battle.

Sarah is cooking dinner for all the men on the ship. Look a stove just her size...

THE USS Constitution. The oldest floating vessel in the world still in in service. The HMS Victory which is in permanant drydock is the oldest still commissioned, in service whatever the term is, vessl. As far as I can tell the Constitution never leaves Boston Harbor. They are currently in the 2nd of a 3 year restoration project.

This picture is the one hanging in the front of the meeting hall in Faneuil Hall

Bunker Hill monument - 294 steps to the top, and not very well ventilated. I highly suggest not doing it when you are hungry, dehydrated and chasing a 7 year old. You will feel like collapsing and your legs will feel like wet noodles for an hour afterwards.

Us in front of the Longfellow House (told you they weren't in order... I love this house!)

LOOK!!!!!

We really wanted to go inside, but there wasn't time, we only drove through Harvard and MIT. Instead we looked longingly out the window.

The Art of Classical Music

Classical music is a lost art.  A form of entertainment that our generation has labeled old fashioned and in some cases boring.  It's not upbeat and compelling enough for high action entertainment.  Well, I must admit it took me awhile to appreciate it myself.  You see except for the standard pieces that everyone knows and recognizes, classical music is not understood or appreciated.  You know how people say that coffee is an acquired taste, well... classical music is like that.  Not necessarily acquired but definitely something that once you understand and know what to look for you appreciate it more.

Let me tell you a story.  When I was a little girl I didn't know what classical music was.  My Dad has liking for it so I would hear it occasionally.  Otherwise I was clueless.  When I started playing the violin I understood that it was the music that violinists played.  I figured I should like it, but other than the fun opening to Beethoven's Fifth Symphony and the Hallelujah Chorus, I cared little for it.  I played the violin for about 10 years before I really began to enjoy it.  I had a violin teacher that was really helping me to see the fun in classical music when we moved to a different state.  Not being exposed to that information made me lethargic.  A couple years later I started taking lessons at the local college.  It was then that the world of classical music began to unfold.  Classical music, to me, is best looked at as a giant, wordless, storybook.  If you are willing to listen and use your imagination you will be able to find, in music, a variety of stories.                   




One of my favorite pieces is Dvorak's New World Symphony.  It's called New World Symphony because he wrote it when visiting a Czech Village in Northern Iowa.  But the symphony isn't about Iowa. It's a piece heavily seeped and influenced by Czech Folk Music.  If you listen to the piece you can follow the story of a peasant man who leaves home to fight for his country.  It follows his tearful goodbye to his wife and children, his journey through the countryside passing a wedding, a funeral, and the distant thundering of cannons as he nears the army camp.  It ends as a battle rages and the man thinks of his family and ultimately gives his life for his country.  You didn't know that, did you?  I didn't either.  After it was explained to me that way it made sense, I understood the piece.  When I listen to Dvorak's New World it's like there is a TV in my brain and I can see it all unfolding.  A couple years ago we played a piece in orchestra and I swear there was a western part in it.  It sounded just like Cowboys and Indians.  A couple months ago I brought home a CD of Andre Rieu's Strass Gala.  I put it in and the next thing I knew Luke and Sarah were galloping around the house.  They thought the music sounded like horses.

Once you allow yourself to imagine and fill in the lack of words with a story of your own, classical music becomes a whole new world of entertainment.  A world where you can site back, relax, shut your eyes and allow the music to tell the story.  No reading required.

I love my peeps!

Praising His Name

Our annual children's camp was last week and on the second to last day I found myself sitting behind one of the cabins.  Just me and nature.  We were having a a scavenger hunt and I was one of the "clue-holders".  The children had to find me.  Well, considering the fact that I was going to camp and am always quite busy I, of course, didn't bring along any busy work.  I wasn't expecting to have down time.  So I grabbed my Bible, notebook, cell phone, an Austen book that one of my sisters had brought, a chair, and some bug spray and I took off to my assigned cabin hiding spot.  I sent a few texts, and wasn't really in an Austen mood so I picked up my notebook and started paging through it. It contains a conglomeration of poems, paragraphs from books, notes from church, songs, and random scribblings and thoughts.  Lots of thoughts were running through my head when I turned the page and my eyes fell on these words.

I worship you with singing
I worship you with all of my heart
I worship you I cannot be silent
Lord I will praise your name

For you alone are more than worthy
You are great and you dwell in my praise
I lift you up that you receive glory
I worship you in this place

You see, one of my jobs at camp is choir.  I spend a couple hours every morning teaching the children songs in 2 part harmony, tricks to reading music, and I hope a love for music and a desire to serve and worship God when they sing.  After I read the words it was mostly all I could think about between groups.  You see, that is the cry of my heart, to love God so much to let him be such a part of my life that I cannot be silent.  That everything that I do would praise and worship his name.

Good news!

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That's makes perfect sense... right?? I don't know what happened there....

Here is what it is supposed to say...

Good news!! I got an internship!!! YAY!!!! It's with one of the children's choirs in town.  Next spring, one night a week for 2 hours.  Not a big deal, but it's still and internship. *squeal*

Sliced Steak with Deconstructed Guacamole - Katie Style, a.k.a with many substitutions or omissions(*) - serves 4


2c. Chicken Stock (*water)
4-5 T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1 c. White Rice (*whatever rice is in the house)
4 Scallions chopped (*none)
1 (15oz) can of black beans - drained
1 T. Hot Sauce (*none-see mustard)
1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
2 T. Grainy Mustard (*my brother picked out a spicy grainy mustard and we used it for the mustard and hot sauce, it was really quite good.)
1 1/2 T. grill seasoning (*Spike, or other various spices)
1 3/4 to 2 lbs. Skirt Steak (*checked is less expensive and I actually have it in the freezer all the time, steak not so much :-) )
4 (1-inch thick) slices of red onions
2 jalapeno peppers - halved and seeded (the store was out of Jalapeno peppers so I picked up some Anaheim peppers, they're good, but I think Jalapeno would be better if you like spicy.)
Salt
Pepper
2 avocados
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes - halved (*grape)
4 limes halved (*1)
Cilantro

Bring chicken stock and 1 T. EVOO to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in rice, boil, cover, reduce heat and cook for about 12 minutes over low to medium heat. Stir in scallions and black beans, cover and cook for 6 minutes.

Heat oudoor grill to medium-high. (*we don't have a grill so I did all of the following in 2 skillets) In a shallow dish combine hot sauce, Worcestershire, mustard, 3 T. EVOO and grill seasoning.  Coat the steak and marinate for 10 minutes.  Stick a toothpick through the side of each onion to keep the rings together. (*or throw them in the skillet) Brush the oinons and jalapeno with a little EVOO and season with salt and pepper.  Place the meat, onions, and jalapeno on the grill. Cook the meat for 5 to 6 minutes on each side.  After you turn the meat, onions, and jalapeno, halve and pit the avacado.  Place the avacados on the grill for 3 to 4 minutes to char and mark. Remove the meat, onions, jalapeno, and avacado to a platter.  Let the meat rest for a few minutes, tented with a foil, to settle the juices. (*I cooked everything up in the skillet, didn't tent anything and didn't char the avacados, they were a little overipe, and I didn't want to ruin them.)

To serve thinly slice the steak on an angle. (*I sliced the chicken before I cooked it, you could do it either way.) Divide the steak slices among 4 plates. Serve with an avocado half, a thick slice of onion, a jalapeno half, a sprinkle of cilantro, and a few halved tomatoes. Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the vegetables and meat. Serve black bans and rice alongside. 

*I think my favorite part was the chicken.  The marinade was really excellent!!  The original (pre Katie-style) recipe was from a Rachel Ray cookbook.  I copied it out months ago.  With fresh produce back on the market and in garden's everywhere.  This would be an easy and fast summer meal.  And now just for fun, a few pictures :)

Cake pictures, boy am I glad this is over!

Sorry they are blurry, the lighting was terrible and Mom and Dad needed Steph's camera. So we didn't have a flash.

The bride and groom were 30 minutes late in arriving. It was melting fast!! It was totally crazy!!! I am never doing one like this again!!

For those of you who don't know what this is. It's a 5-tier ice cream cake.....

Remember Our Heros

I now this probably seems a week late to you.  But it's perfect timing for me.  You see right now just a few blocks away stands the Vietnam Moving Wall. A half-size replica of the Vietnam Memorial Wall that stands in Washington D.C.  There are 58,228 names inscribed on the wall.  58,228 men and women who died or are POW and MIA's of Vietnam.  Men and women who weren't just soldiers, but were civilians, were brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers.  I heard a story last night about a man who was a financial officer in Vietnam, he died when the "accounting office" was attacked.  He wasn't on the front lines, he was a office worker, who gathered the staff and fought back, giving his life for his country and for our freedom.  It's not just about the soldiers, it's about the civilians too. I was looking at a quiz a few days ago, and one of the questions was what is most important to you.  The options were things like education, security, adventure, love, freedom, etc.  My answer, my freedom, because it is important.  Where would we be without freedom?  Where would we be without the men and women that fight, have fought, and have given their lives for our country and the freedom they have helped secure for other countries?  It doesn't matter what you think about war or the current state of politics.  All that matters is that we honor and remember them.
Did you know that out of all of those names there are only 8 women.  I looked them up, most of them were nurses, nurses who died helping hurt men. One of the woman's story really struck me, First Lieutenant Sarah Lane.  She was a nurse, who died when a rocket struck the hospital.  She was 25 years old.   After her death the hospital she worked at in Denver renamed the recovery room she worked in after her.  She was only 25.  Anyway... standing at the wall, walking past all the names really humbles you....  Makes you think.... The main thing I came away thinking, never forgot, never... remember those that have fallen, remember those that still fight.  Honor the veterans, respect and pray for those that stand up for freedom and put their lives on the line for our country.  Remember.

*knock knock*

Anybody there?

My favorite place

The Trying of your Faith Worketh Patience

I was sitting in the sanctuary at one of the local churches.  One of my baby sisters was graduating. (The local homeschool group has a graduation ceremony every year).  I was listening to the speaker and trying to not be distracted by the squirming little brother in the seat next to me when my ears pricked up.

"Patience produces answers, answers confidence, and confidence a faith in God which nothing can move." Wow! Patience produces answers... there's a thought.... If we "waited patiently of the Lord, and He inclined unto me and heard my cry." (Psalms 40:1) Patience produces answers.  Now, I know from personal experience that patience doesn't always produce the answer we want.  But it does produce answers. God given answers.

And now I am sitting here.... staring at what I just wrote...acutely aware of my own failings. Very aware that even today I had a terrible lack of patience.  Rarely a day goes by that I don't that I don't ask God for an answer.  Every day I fall short of patience, everyday.  But the more I think about it.  I realized that even though I've been waiting over 10 years for some answers.  I'll wait a lifetime for others.  Even though I think that the waiting has been long enough and learned my lesson,God still has a lot for me to learn and isn't finished with me yet.

And you know what.  It's not just a straight line: patience-answers-confidence-faith.  It's actually a circle.  A circle that begins with faith, faith to be patience and wait on God for the answers, answers that will bring the confidence that will strengthen your faith enough to be patient and wait for the next answer.

"...If ye have the faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." ~ Matthew 17:20
and
"Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.  If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.  But let him ask in faith nothing wavering:..." ~ James 1:3-6a

Can it possibly be May? It's been unusually cold this Spring.

Symphony Picture

Me during the last symphony concert of the school year.  I swiped if off the University's website ;)

I took a few pictures while I was coming home...

Remember my joy last week coming home from violin lessons.

Check out this week!!

(my apologizes, it was raining a little, I was driving, and it's a camera phone)

 

  

It was HUGE!! I don't know if you can see or not but there is a 2nd rainbow off to the left.  It's faint. You could see it better in person.

I took this one while stopped at a stop sign.  Don't worry, I didn't try to do this one while moving!