Stories

I have been thinking a lot about stories lately. Mostly of the personal kind. I think I heard someone say that this postmodern era is defined by stories and post modern people really identify with things told in a narrative fashion. I really don't think it is something only common with postmodernism. It is common with all humanity across all cultures and all time. That is why there is folk tales in all cultures, bedtime stories we tell our children, libraries full of books, and people watching the 11:00 news. We want to hear stories. We want to know other peoples stories.
My mom died June 30. For the past few years I have been trying to figure out her story. On her death certificate the cause of death was stated as kidney failure. It's never that simple. I would say the cause of death was alcohol, but it is not that simple either. She died a long painful death and a short peaceful one. I think there was a part of her that was dying since she was a teenager. Dying for attention, dying to be a star, dying for meaning to her life. She once told me she started getting drunk when she was 16. I think the last time was a few months ago when she almost got evicted from her assisted living home.
I was reading The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis this past week to my family. In chapter 11 Aslan revealed himself to Shasta and Shasta begins asking questions about himself and things that have happened in his life. Aslan answers him. When Shasta begins asking questions about his travelling companion Aravis, Aslan replies; "Child,..... I am telling you your story, not hers. I tell no one any story but their own."
This resonated in me about my mom's story. I will never fully know her story. I know some of her story, mostly the parts that have affected my own story. But I will not know her own story. The one God wrote for her.
I believe that she is in Heaven, dying no longer, fully alive and worshiping our King. While she was living I struggled with whether or not she was saved. Conversations before her death lead me to believe that she knew Jesus as her savior. I struggle with answers to questions about her addictions and why she continued in them even though they brought so much pain. Was the pain of sobriety so much worse? I won't ever have that answer because it is not my story.
I have come to realise that loving Jesus and living the story that He is writing for me is all that I can do. I can appreciate, grieve with, laugh with others stories, but I can not know them or live them.
I will miss my mom. I will miss the times we had together and the times we didn't
have because of her drinking. But I have the hope of seeing her again. Fully healed of pain and worshiping Christ forever.

Frugal Summer Entertaining

It is always fun to get together with friends and family in the summer. It doesn't have to cost a lot to host a BBQ at your home. Our main menu is pretty simple and usually consists of potato salad (inexpensive if made at home, homemade baked or slow cooked beans, and hot dogs and or hamburgers. I usually make the salad and beans the day before if I can. I let guests bring a dish if they offer, such as fruit or chips. Lemonade is an inexpensive beverage. An even healthier option is just to add lemon or limes to ice water. It looks really pretty in a glass carafe. For dessert my favorite is strawberry shortcake. If you pick your own strawberries and make your own shortcake it isn't too expensive. Popsicles are a fun alternative. Have the kids make their own from juice. For cute and reusable summer dinner ware check JoAnne Fabrics if you have one in your area. They often mark things way down around the 4th of July.
If you don't want to host at home, why not invite other families to a nearby park? Maybe for a dessert potluck instead of a full meal.
There are many ways to show hospitality with out wearing ourselves out or costing a lot. I have been shown the best hospitality by people who don't have a lot of material things but do have a lot of love. The important part is hospitality and fellowship.
Check out more Frugal Friday ideas here.

Some Pictures of Our Garden

My wonderful sister-in-law let me use her camera to get some beginning of summer pictures of our garden. Hopefully I will take some end of summer pictures with my own digital camera. Anyways... here are some photos

Our vegetable garden (Square Foot method)

Our flower garden in the front of the house. We removed the all the grass in front last year to cut back on mowing. It's strange, but both my husband and I would rather weed by hand than mow the a lawn.

Another Good Reason to Keep Your Home Chemically Free

I was getting ready yesterday and came very close to actually spraying my hair with Oust! I usually don't keep such strong deodorizers in the home, but when I had "all day sickness" the certain smell of certain things (namely certain shoes and slippers) made me take some radical action. I Ousted it! So then a couple of weeks ago I was in a certain skit that required Aqua Net. I don't think I have used aerosol hairspray since the '80's (for good reason...if you saw the picture I linked to). Well now both cans of household chemicals reside in my bathroom (appropriate place). When I needed a little coif control yesterday I grabbed what I thought was the Aqua Net and thankfully my eyesight hasn't deteriorated anymore than it already has, realized right before applying pressure to said canister that it was the Oust! I guess it wasn't that severe of a problem, my hair would have smelled about the same as with the Aqua Net. I guess really I just thought it would be fun to blog about and give me an excuse to link to my beautiful Vanna-esque picture. Thanks for indulging me here.

Thank You

If any one that might come across this blog either serves/has served in the military or has close family that serves/has served, I want to say a deep thank you. Thank you for allowing God to use you in this way.

How to Boil Eggs

Randomness will always prevail (in as much as my blog posts go).

I have the secret to great boiled eggs. You probably do too. But in case you don't, I would like to share this secret. My family and I were blessed when I was given this information by a dear friend. No more green, rubbery centers for our boiled eggs. I think this is definite Titus 2 knowledge.

Put eggs in pot and cover with water. Add a little salt to help keep shells from cracking. Bring to boil. When water boils, turn off burner and cover with lid. Set timer for 20 minutes. When timers goes off, remove eggs from heat and rinse with cold water. Voila! As near as perfect boiled egg as you can get.

Now I shall go and make egg salad sandwiches for all (all of my family that is).

Yummy Blogs

My husband is out tonight. The kids are tucked in. I haven't been on the computer lately, so I pulled up a chocolate bar and went in search for beautiful blogs. I found some alright and would like to share with anyone who might visit here. This first blog is a beautiful one, if you like flowers, which I do. The author is in England and there is something so romantic about English Gardens. I nannied for a short (shorter than planned) time in England and I like to visit posy to get inspiration and reminisce a little. When I see her photos, it really makes me hope I get a digital camera soon. She is a great photographer.
Watch out if you are on a diet and do not proceed to next blog: cupcakeblog. Y-U-M-M-Y! I think this will be my new summer project. Baking and tasting new cupcake creations. Wow!

30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge For Wives

Take a look at this. I think Nancy Leigh DeMoss is a very wise woman and she has put out a step by step example of how to encourage our husbands (I generally need step by step examples for most things). I originally found the link at Reflections of a Princess blog.

http://www.reviveourhearts.com/pdf/30DayChallenge.pdf

Spring Fever

A dear friend asked if I decided not to blog anymore because I haven't posted in a while. It may seem that way, especially considering the content of my last post. The truth is in the spring it is harder for me to want to be in front of the computer. Most of my extra energy is in the garden and playing outside with the children. I really wish I had a digital camera because I would like to share some pictures and keep a photo journal of sorts of my growing garden. Anyone heard of any good, cheap digital cameras?
We are also looking at ways to cut our budget back a bit more for a while to catch up in some other financial areas and canceling the Internet may be an option. Anyone blog with free dial-up connection? How's that for you?
So, I may or may not blog very much this summer. We will just have to see how it goes. Now....I am off to go weed the garden.

Old Conversations Of Blogging

I ran across this post (scroll down to May 3, 2005 "Blogging about Blogging") from two years ago by Spunky Homeschooler (who is no longer blogging). For those of us new to blogging this is new stuff to consider. Those that have been blogging for a while may have already come across this. I like to ponder information and opinions and both her post and comments and this post by R.C. Sproul that she references have important ideas to consider.