confession:

I'm having trouble getting through the prophets. I started reading the Bible straight through about a year ago. And if I had stayed on track, I'd be in Revelation within the next two weeks. But instead, I am stuck in Jeremiah. (I know...I'm not even that far into the prophets! And, Sara, I am so sorry this is your favorite prophet and I can't seem to get started... )

Something happened to my enthusiasm when the story stopped. Obviously I know it's all story, but I liked it earlier when their were people's lives we were following with a plot line and suspenseful moments like, "will they make it across that red sea?!!" But now the story parts are less common and the writing is mostly a frustrated plea by a poor guy who is desperate to call God's people to turn from their wicked ways.

Again, I get that this is a HUGE part of the big story, but I am starting to wish that I would have read the Bible in chronological order (found here). This way these poor prophets would be crying out while I already have a vivid picture of the wayward people in my head. Like the pictures I had while reading 1st and 2nd Kings...

I hope this is all being understood. I'm not actually complaining about the prophets, I'm just confessing that I've lost steam. And it bums me out, because I am the only one who is losing when I avoid this good book. I mean that. I once heard that you have to make sure that you have a way for God to speak to you each day. It could be through prayer or scripture or a sermon or devotional book. But for me, the Bible seems to be the best way I "hear" God.

So it frustrates me that I can't seem to kick this dry spell. Then I read this:
I'm humbled after reading this, because a) this quote is saying a whole lot and b) it is obvious that I am basing my Bible reading on my own interest and mood. As if "squeezing it in" is going to do the trick.

The good news is that I know what's coming up in this book, and I know that the messiah these prophets hint at, and the wonders he will do are still to come at the climax of this book, when a baby comes to save the world.

Until then, I'm pressing on. And I'm writing that so I feel accountable to do so.

simple, personal scrapbooks

My mom lives far from her five grandchildren. My brother lives in Seattle, my sister in Kalispell, Montana and Mom and Dad live in Minnesota. But they do lots of traveling to stay in their lives and for every trip she takes to Seattle or Montana and for every time the grandkids come to Minnesota, she makes an individual special book to give to each grandchild.

Mom will go through all of her pictures and make each grandchild a simple scrapbook filled with pictures from their time together. It's a commitment to pick the pictures and to get them all developed. But the whole concept is simple...and because she's been so consistent, every grandchild has dozens and dozens of these personal books on their bookshelves, filled with pictures of themselves having special moments with the cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents who they don't get to see super often.

For me, this is memory keeping at its best. The kids adore these special books, and all the while our long distance family is frequently reinforced as they see the pictures of all of us loving each other well.

So the scrapbooking lesson: keep it simple and keep it consistent. Well done, Mom.

And now...be sure to check out Mom's blog today and see her AMAZING flower on Annika's Frenchy Bag. So stinkin cute.

the snow has melted

...which means summer is really on its way. I know it's still a few months off, but when you work in camp ministry, there is a whole lot that needs to get done before summer can start and truth-be-told, I think I was finding a bit of comfort in the blanket of white that told me it's still the dead of winter.

But after a few sunny days and now a lot of rain, the stuff is almost gone and summer is definitely on its way. Deep breath.

Our summer staff applications are due next Friday, but we already have 75 applications in. This is really exciting and I am confident we will have a solid staff. I spent last week and much of this week interviewing each applicant over the phone and I am encouraged.

I ask each applicant to tell me about their family and faith-life growing up. And I ask them whose faith they look up to and how have they challenged how you live out your own faith.

I love these questions, because more often than not, I hear of faithful, loving families that have chosen to raise their child in the church. I hear about Grandma's who are always praying for their grandkids and how much of an impact their faithfulness has had on the faith development of the college student I am talking to. I hear about a parent who brought the kids to church every Sunday and Wednesday for 18 years while the other parent stayed at home.

I hear about faithful Sunday school teachers, pastors and youth directors. But more often than not, the person's faith they look up to is right within their own family.

In Deuteronomy chapter 6 we are commanded, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commands that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."

I have left these conversations thankful that God sets us up in families and that these families are our primary mission field. I am left filled with hope after hearing these applicants tell their faith stories and so grateful for the generations before them who have remained faithful to the call of Christ in going therefore and passing on the faith to their kids and grandkids.

a few things...

(picture from Ali Edwards)
I had high hopes of posting a tutorial today on how to make the fabric flower pots. But this weekend I got sucked into the type case project. And what a project it is. I found my type case at a garage sale last summer for fifteen bucks. Not too bad. But the squares I have to work with are very tiny, and all of the boxes are different sizes. So I spent a portion of yesterday sawing out the wooden dividers between certain squares to make bigger picture holders.

And then I spent the evening resizing favorite pictures in photoshop to fit all of the new sized squares and rectangles I need to fill.

Clearly, this would be better with pictures. I'll post those later.

At any rate, if you're chomping on the bit to make your fabric flowers (and based on emails I got this weekend, I believe many of you are), the picture tutorial I found on Donna's site is here. And then I just used the thickest wire in Michael's jewelery section and used a pliers to cut the wire and bend it around the fabric. Again, pictures would help. I'll work on that...

Until then, enjoy all of the crafty flower goodness out there!
-I saw this on Blue Cricket Design and have a dream of making a big one to pin on my frenchy bag using all of the leftover fabrics.
-And I think a few of these would be adorable standing in a bucket together.
-And I still want to make the tissue paper pom poms. I really need an event to make all of these festive things for!

Clearly, it must be spring time. I'm dying for flowers to pop up...

hot tub time machine.

My sister and her family went to a hotel swimming pool for a few hours to try to beat the Montana winter they are living through. She and her husband and their 4 1/2 year old and 2 1/2 year old were all in the hot tub and were talking about the movie with the hot tub that travels through time with people.

So the question was asked, "If you could be anywhere with anyone, where would you go and with who?"

Annika called me to report that Mara didn't even inhale before she blurted out, "Aunt Becca. McDonald's."

Have I mentioned I love that 4 1/2 year old with my whole heart? And I love that she chose McDonald's as our final destination, because a) we're simple people like that b) I still order happy meals and often save my girl toys for her and c) I would meet this girl at McDonald's any day. You can take all the tropical destination in the world, I'm going to McDonald's with my niece.

Then it was Sonna's turn, who replied, "Grandma Margaret. Old McDonald's Farm."

(I don't know when I will stop laughing out loud at this story.)