100 Words: Analysis

This is the last day of my challenge. I missed 5 days, double posted at least twice, and did extra long posts to make up missed days. But my challenge was to write more often and I am definitely pleased with the result. I learned some things along the way too.

1. When I write a lot, I have a lot of stuff that isn't really great, but things that I am really proud of come more often than when I don't write at all or write very little.

2. When I write every day, it feels like I actually have something to say, like my thoughts might matter to more than myself and my immediate sphere of influence.

3. I have something to think about all day long. I often begin planning a post in the morning as I think about things, so that by the time I sit down and write, I have already worked out a lot of what I am going to say.

4. I have lots of ideas for future posts and series and reviews. Now I have to figure out if I want to start organizing posts more, like Mommy Monday, YouTube Tuesday, Story Wednesday, Thoughts Thursday, Five Photo Friday, et cetera. But there is part of me that likes the informal, write what I am thinking about style too.

5. I have also thought about expanding my readership and if I really want to do that and how I could do that and how to encourage commenting and how to interact with readers and such.

So what did you think of the 100 Words Challenge? Did you do it? Did you like it? What would you like to see more of on this blog (Dad, I don't know what else to call it; any suggestions?)? I would really appreciate hearing what you thought of this challenge and this blog, or if you think about it at all.  Thanks.

100 Words: Story Continued

(encounter from previous post)

The SF ahead of him must be taking his time because Gonzalo could see him and watch his patrol. He flew with a swagger - perhaps more confidence than a particular way of moving - it was obvious to anyone who saw him that he wouldn't let anything get in his way. Gonzalo wondered how well he was actually watching the Binugs when one of them picked up a stone and took aim at the SF. With a swift dive and kick, the SF knocked the stone out of the Binug's hand and backed off, signaling that he wasn't going take trouble, but didn't want to cause it either.

Gonzalo blinked and shook his head. The SF was back in position. Had something just happened? What was it? He cautiously reached out with his mind to the Binug who was standing glaring at them, but there was a confused silence. Then came a shock to his own mind and he found himself briefly staring into the face of the SF ahead of him who had turned around for a moment. Gonzalo flinched and looked away, scanning the area as he had done millions of times before, falling back into his patrol mode. He would think more and try to remember once he was back in his pod. Mind Control was nothing new to him, but he had never seen it used like that by a SF.

Update instead of 100 Words

So it has been a little hard the past few days to write. I feel like I ran out of things to say, but I have also been rather busy. Yesterday my grandmother spent the day with us. It was very nice and she only got really confused for a little bit. I made it a baking day, so there was always some thing for her to do, whether it was chop up some walnuts or refill the flour container. She was so pleasant and we had fragments of conversations as she tried to remember things and I told her about the boys.

Malcolm was a little worried by her, until she fed him her cookie. Then he wanted her all the time and even fussed when she and my dad left. Eamon warmed to her too, except he was very disappointed that we didn't get to walk to the park because she was there (and because it rained).

Today we went to the library program down the road. Eamon hasn't liked this in the past because there are so many people, but this time, he did really well. Although he wanted me nearby, he was ok if I wasn't holding on to him and he even walked to the reading circle by himself. He loves making things, as long as his hands don't get too messy, so he enjoyed using the glue stick today. He wore his fire hat and fire boots which got lots of comments, and even an invitation to visit a firehouse.

He is still not very good at independent play, but he is getting better. He wants very much to read and write, and thinks he can, so we have started "school" where we practice coloring in the lines and learning to write the letter E. He tries to do it by himself, but he prefers if I hold on to his hand and help him. Again "the I want help until I can do it right" trait is showing itself. He recognizes quite a few letters. Today he asked for an a, so I wrote a capital A and told him what it was, but he said, "No, Mommy, that isn't in my name." Then I wrote a lower case a and that satisfied him.

The other day I caught Eamon reading to Malcolm. It didn't last long, but it was very sweet to hear his little voice saying the nursery rhymes and see Malcolm listening.

Malcolm is growing and growing. When he gets enough sleep, he is a very pleasant and happy little boy. I have been enjoying whenever I sit on the floor, he gets a book and crawls into my lap. There are two books that whenever he finds them, he will come to me and ask to read them. Today he started begging to be held. He gets up on his knees and reaches up while making "pity me" faces and whimpers. It is incredibly hard to resist his requests, though he seems to want it most while I am making supper. Thomas and I were talking about how Malcolm doesn't have one thing that he just loves, but has lots of things he likes. He likes music - especially vocal music; he likes cars and trucks and trains; he likes books about animals and nursery rhymes; he likes destroying things - ripping paper, pulling apart books, getting things out (and sometimes putting them back); and he enjoys talking with and smiling at people.

He also likes being a big boy. He refuses to eat baby food now, and is quite determined to eat whatever we are eating. So last night he had enchiladas and tonight he had pizza. He still nurses approximately every 6 hours, but is drinking water and getting most of his nutrients from "grown-up food." He has four teeth and two more so close to breaking through. I saw nubs for two more today, so we take whatever breaks from teething to get a good night's sleep. They seem to sometimes give him so much pain he just cries and can't sleep unless we give him ibuprofen.

So that is our update for now. I know it is too long for my challenge, but I can't seem to give a good update in just 100 words, so I am altering the rules, because I made them.

100 Words: Rest

It all started a week ago when Eamon threw a fit at breakfast Sunday morning and we realized he had a fever. We had thought Malcolm's crying just teething and fatigue, but so we checked him and found that he too had a fever. When I got the fever on Wednesday I realized why they were so miserable. Nothing in particular hurt, but everything was awful. So we had a week of tears, trials, and tempers.

It was a rough week. Many days Eamon would tell me, "Mommy, I'm having a bad day," and "Mommy, take care of me." Malcolm wanted to be held pretty much all the time, especially when Eamon was being held. Fortunately, both boys did take really good naps, so I was able to sleep in the afternoon too.

But on top of the illness, there are plenty of things that unsettle my heart. From disobedience and defiance, to planning and re-planning, to compassionate worries and concerns. Today I needed rest. And God is providing it in little bits and pieces. We had an outside service and picnic which was so pleasant. We got to talk with some of our friends and Eamon got to play with their girls and has been talking about them all evening. Eamon enjoyed the "excavator park" but didn't throw a fit when we had to leave. I got the dishes done while Thomas read to me. I got to learn and research a bit about amazing animals tonight. And now I am going to read a play before I go to bed.

Rest is not just lack of activity, or an activity that I enjoy, but it seems to me to be an attitude or state of being. I want to take it with me into this next week and see how much I get done while I am resting.

100 Words: Immanuel

As I lay on the couch with a sick child on me, I started to sing. The song that first came to mind was:

Immanuel,
Immanuel,
His Name is called
Immanuel,
God with us,
Revealed in us,
His Name is called,
Immanuel

The middle two lines stuck in my head and replayed themselves for the next few days. God with us, God revealed in us. There is the heart of the Incarnation, the Resurrection, Pentecost, and the entirety of the Gospel.

God is with us. He is not far away. He is not aloof. He is not dead. God is with us. He relates to us. He speaks with us, comforts us, and understands what it is like to go through the things we experience. But he also strengthens and encourages and makes us better - more like Him - so he can be revealed in us.

God is revealed in us. What a scary and beautiful thought. It is scary because I can be such a bad reflector. But what a beautiful thought because that doesn't matter to him. He will shine through shattered pottery and broken vessels. He will speak through stammering lips and stuttering tongues. He will be seen in hurting and confidence. And he will take those broken things and make them whole and new and lovely.

He is Immanuel - God with us, revealed in us.

100 Words: Teaser 4

Every 5 minutes another SF began the hour long patrol, then a 30 minute on-call in the overlook, in case there were any flare-ups and the patrolmen needed back-up, then another patrol. This sort of patrol tended to be very tedious and usually turned into a SF competition of who was more intimidating by their presence, and who would get fooled our out witted by the Binugs or the other SF's. Gonzalo grit his teeth as he began his round; he tended not to be intimidating, but he usually saw through tricks and could get a sense something was going on before anything broke out. He was a good SF and usually earned the respect of his peers.

(There is a early confrontation with a Binug, but I haven't figured it out yet)

By the third patrol, he could sense the Binugs were getting restless. Nothing had happened yet, but there was tension in the air. All the SF's could feel it and were just waiting for all hell to break loose. The SF's were beginning to talk over their headsets; they knew they would have to work together to quell any uprising, and the competition sense was gone.

"A Skeeter just broke our defense line. It looks like he was chasing an Arial!" The patrolling SF had a tinge of panic in his voice. A disruption like that was all the Binugs would need to start a fight.

100 Words: Feverish Thoughts

(Wednesday's Post)

I had a dream about finding a thermometer that we have been missing since our trip to Maine. I can't remember which bag I put it in and haven't unpacked it yet. But I also can't remember where I found it in the dream. I just know that when I woke up only to realize that I hadn't really found the thermometer, I was a little disappointed.

Eamon pulled apart a toy vacuum cleaner that we have. The bottom half is his lawn mower. The top half is his "Slyfotter" (Fly swatter) and the little balls inside are the "germs." (He is not allowed to play with the fly swatters because of the germs on them.) We had to persuade him only to swat flies that landed on cushions for fear of broken glass, walls, brothers, etc.

When I was at the Library with the boys, the Librarian commented that it looked like I could use 5 hands. I immediately thought, "What if for every child, the mother grew another arm?" It would revolutionize fashion, but as Thomas pointed out, consider the musical implications. "This piece of music was written for organ, played by a mother of 6 (8 hands)."

Oh, and by the way, my fever is gone now and although I still have an occasional sore throat, I am feeling much better.

100 Words: Fever

I don't like reading things about people being sick. It makes me start to overanalyze all my symptoms and worry about what I might have or might get. We really weren't that sick though, so I will tell you that we just had stuffy noses with a fever. This morning, I thought we are all done being sick, when I started feeling drained, only to realize I too have a fever. I guess it makes sense, when sick little boys sleep on you, give you kisses, stick their fingers in your mouth, sneeze all over your computer, etc.

So now I am curled up on the couch with my computer, drained but not wanting to go to sleep, warm and cold at the same time, and slightly fuzzy in the head. But I will post my 100 Words, and post one from yesterday because I will. And if they don't make sense and are a little rambly, I am sorry, but they make perfect sense to me right now.

Was that 100 words. I think so. I am done now.

100 Words: Teenage Brain

I have been thinking about this video for several days now. It is called The Teenage Brain Explained. He does talk about "hormones" but he explains that there is a lot more going on in the brain that hormones causing this stage called the Teenage Years.

What I found most interested was the fact that the brain does not finish developing until the mid-twentys. The last part of the brain to develop is the pre-frontal cortex, the rational/decision making part of the brain. Before it is fully developed, reactions, rather than being guided by rational thinking, are guided by gut emotions. That combined with a few other things that the prefrontal cortex does, like emotion recognition on the faces of other people, is often what I find to be most difficult to deal with in teenagers and early twenties.

Pardon me for sounding old, I feel it regularly, but I don't mean to be patronizing. I found it incredibly helpful to think that the teenager who just flounced out of my rehearsal probably is under some sort of misunderstanding, rather than me having done something horribly offensive. I can then analyze triggers for that individual and help them respond with more beneficial actions. Similiarly, when a teenager is acting like everything is stupid, they probably don't see the long term benefit of what I am explaining. Giving them a short term goal with an immediate reward might motivate them better, while I show them the long term benefits also.

I am not saying that we should cater to their whims or emotions, but realizing that they don't have the tools to respond differently does help my attitude in dealing with them. I am not saying high school and college students should not write rational papers, but that they need to be taught a lot of the basics of reasoning, beyond gut emotion. And they need to be shown what to do with that gut emotion. As he points out at the end of the video, "There is a lot of awesome energy floating around out there."

100 Words: Lines

I see your pictures on Facebook
Showing your children, your life
The food you cook, the books you read
A life not unlike mine.
Like parallel lines we live
Never intersecting but existing at the same time

Or was your life tangent to mine
Touching my life for a moment
Then moving on forever
Getting further away from our meeting point
With each day that passes?

I'm glad for the person you are now
So much stronger, more confident, more you
Have we grown so different that
Like two rays starting at the same point,
We are going in very different directions?

But could it be, perhaps
We might be meridians
Which met once and for a while seemed close
Will grow close, and even meet again,
Though for the moment we are far apart?

100 Words: Teaser 3

"How did a Pre-Cog like you end up on the Security Force?" Gonzalo wasn't quite ready to run off to his construction site shift.
"Well, my mom and dad were both Security Force Members back in the day, and you know what the SF thinks about Pre-Cogs, so I never said much about it. Besides, its not like I'm a real Pre-Cog. I don't see things, just get vague feelings."
"Well, your vague feelings have been right quite a few times."
"I wish they weren't though. Sometimes I would rather not know when bad things are going to happen." Kylie looked away. "Then I wouldn't worry so much."
Gonzalo glanced around to make people weren't watching, and quickly squeezed her hand. "It's ok. What did you feel about today?"
"Not much; just that we won't be bouldering and you could be in danger."
"No clue on what kind of danger?"
"None. But to be honest, I get that feeling about you a lot."
"Well, you know me, I'm a dangerous guy. Always taking risks and doing stupid stuff."
Kylie smiled. "You are the most cautious person I know. If I'm a Pre-Cog, you are a Telpy. You know stuff without being told. But I will agree that you are a dangerous guy. And if I hang out with you anymore, I will get in trouble... for being late." She was at the door to The Pathway that took people all over the city. "See you later, hopefully!"
"Bye, Kylie. Thanks for the heads up."

Gonzalo headed for the exit from the Hub that led down to the surface. At the Security Post, he and his fellow shift workers received his special flight suit that would allow him to patrol in a non-gravity area by flying or bounding around. At this sight, a huge apartment complex was being built. The construction workers were all Binugs. Their huge rhinoceros like faces stuck out of their suction suits that held them to the ground or whatever else the wanted to stick to. They were ugly and temperamental. The Central Government liked their strength for physical labors like construction, but didn't trust their tempers and always made sure there was plenty of Security Force around to quell any  disruptions quickly.

100 Words: VBS

If I learned one thing from Vacation Bible School it is that I am not ready to go back to work. I hardly got anything done other than VBS lesson plans and cuddling boys. If I had to do that every day, I can only imagine how overwhelmed I would be all the time with everything that I have to do.

The boys are also not ready. Although they did fine in the nursery, and Eamon enjoyed it more and more throughout the week, the haven't slept well and kept waking in the night just wanting to make sure Mommy was near. It didn't help that Malcolm had a bad case of heat rash starting the week, as well as getting 3 teeth. I have either spent portions of the night not in bed, or with them in bed with me. I don't think any of us could handle that for long.

But as I was thinking about it tonight, I would miss them. They are already growing up so fast and they change so quickly that I wouldn't have time to get to know them and listen to them, cuddle them, read to them, look at them, watch them. I like having the time to devote so much time to them. With all the pressures of housework and things, I enjoy being able to put that aside to spend time with the boys.

So VBS was a really good experience. I love teaching and it gave me the opportunity to use those "muscles" again. And it showed me how good I have it now. It let me have a perspective check and helped me cherish these moments I have now.

Not 100 Words: VBS Week

I wrote a sketch for puppets on Tuesday. I have been doing lesson plans every night. Those 600+ words will have to do for this week, although I hope to be able to write tomorrow since I won't have anymore lesson plans to do.

Here is the sketch: "Do I have to Eat That?"

Narrator: In the third year of the Reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzer king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand. The king Nebuchadnezzer ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility—young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the kings palace. Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were renamed Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

(Enter Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and Daniel)

Shad: I really miss home.

Mesh: Me too. We were rich, had everything we needed, had slaves to serve us.

Abed: Now we are the slaves. And far away from our homes,

Shad: And our families,

Mesh: And our stuff,

Abed: And everything we once knew

Daniel: Except God. He is here with us.

Shad, Mesh, Abed: Except God.

(Enter Official)

Official: Here is your food, meat and wine, just offered to the pagan gods. Eat it and get their strength and favor.

Daniel: Excuse me sir, but we would rather not eat food that has been offered to other gods.

Official: Hmm, but if you don’t eat the food the king has ordered for you, I will lose my job.

Shad: Maybe we could eat something else?

Mesh: Maybe some vegetables?

Abed: And drink some water?

Official: But you won’t be as strong as the other young men from Israel. And I might lose my head.

Daniel: Please, can you give us a test? For ten days, let us eat nothing but vegetables and drink only water. 

Abed: At the end of ten days, compare our appearance and health with the other young men

Mesh: The ones who eat and drink the food offered to the other gods 

Shad: And then decide what would be better for us, based on what you see.

Official: Alright, for ten days.

(Exit Official)

Abed: Ooh vegetables! and water! Good thing I like those things.

Mesh: But what matters more is that we are obeying God.

Shad: What would we have done if he didn’t let us?

Daniel: God will always provide a way for his people to obey him.

Abed: Sometimes it means asking, like we did.

Mesh: And sometimes it means facing death.

Shad: Like maybe a fiery furnace,

Daniel: Or a lions’ den. I’m glad it was so easy this time. I wonder what God is teaching us?

(Enter Official)

Official: Role Call! Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego. (They enter as they are called, and stand at attention.) Ten days are up. Let me look at you. Wow. You look healthier than the other young men. Better nourished! Stronger! I’m impressed. That means you don’t have to eat the choice food and wine, but can have all the vegetables that you desire.

Narrator: At the end of their training time, God had blessed them. When King Nebuchadnezzer talked with them, he found none equal to Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, so they entered the kings service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

And they did learn an important lesson because later Shadrach, Meshach, and Abenego did have to choose between obeying God and being put in a fiery furnace or disobeying God to obey the king. And Daniel had to choose between obeying God and being thrown to the lions or disobeying God and worshipping the king. But God always protected them and provided a way for them to obey Him.

100 Words: Be prepared

We have our morning routine down. It takes two hours to get out of the door, usually with a little time to read a book or two before breakfast.

So I planned for two hours to get out of the house this morning. We left a half-hour late. What happened? Well...

Little things really. I got myself ready, except for my hair. I had to make lunch for everybody, instead of just Thomas. Eamon dumped the puppets I had out for VBS all over the floor. Then dumped out all the little trinkets and craft stars that also happened to be in the box. Then he got into the incense and tried to wash his Silky in the bathroom sink. Then Malcolm woke up and when I changed his diaper, he peed all over my outfit and the floor. So I needed to clean him and the floor, and then change my clothes again.

I left 15 minutes after the time I had hoped to arrive at the church. I got there just in time to drop off the boys in nursery, and got things ready while my class was at "Base Camp"/music and skit time.

My opening activity was on being prepared. Oh, the irony.

100 Words: Germany!

I called it four years ago. After watching Germany play in the 2010 World Cup, I guessed they would win this one. They had, and still have a good balance of youth and experience. They had, and still have excellent teamwork and technical skills. But I think what made me call it was the look on their faces after they won the third place game in 2010. What I remember is a look, not of depression or frustration, but of fierce determination on so many of their faces.

I must confess, when they crashed out of the Euros, I had my doubts. And there are plenty of players on the team that I am not particularly fond of. Neuer, Gotze, Lahm, Schweinsteiger... they all seem to have huge egos that they don't even try to hide under a facade of dignity or honor. On the other hand there are other players I really admire, especially Khedira and Klose. So I wasn't really cheering for them or against them, just watching to see how they would do.

And they exceeded my expectations. The game against the US showed us what we could do, and our loss by one goal seemed not so bad compared to the Brazil-Germany game. (As a side not, Klinsman has been credited as starting the trend that fueled Germanys rise to dominance, and now he is the US coach. My personal opinion is that he has and will continue to great things for US soccer.) The final was a tedious game, but it was all worth it when Gotze finally put the ball in the back of the net with a beautiful goal.

I don't have a call for the next World Cup. I didn't get to watch as many games this time, so I didn't get any vibes. But I am glad they only come around every four years. I don't think I want to watch so many penalty shootouts so close together for a while.

100 Words: Time Flies

"Friday's Post"

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like bananas...

One month from now Malcolm will be one year old. As I cleaned the house, I saw that I still have unpacking and organizing to do. It made me think how fast this year has gone by. Eamon came in August, September and October were taken up with getting settled with a new baby and packing up our house. November and December were unpacking and getting settled in a new house. January and February we were recovering from Alice's death. In March, I started thinking about summer plans and ruled out gardening this year in April. May, we went back to GA. June we went to Maine, and now it is July again. Where did the time go?

Recently the days have flown by too. I feel that I am always busy but never get anything done. And my list of things to do just gets longer. Maybe I am just getting old, or maybe I see more things to do, or maybe I am biting off more than I can chew, but time is flying by.

Sometime soon I need to stop and relax, think, recover, and plan, but not until I finish....

100 Words: Ears

Tonight my ears are tired.

I drove a car that doesn't have air conditioning for 4 hours today. It was too hot to keep the windows shut for long, so I drove mostly backroads. When the windows were shut, I kept the fan on high. It is warm inside our house that we have the fans running in four windows. There is no where I can go without hearing that white noise whirr.

And my ears are tired.

The long for sweet silence. Or for song of peepers and cicadas. Or of wind in the trees. Or the ocean.

I am beginning to hear things in the rush of the fans. Is that a baby cry? A dog howl? Is Eamon talking? Did you call me?

My ears are tired.

100 Words: Teaser 2

The Hub was the main terminal that connected the outside planet with a network of tunnels and roads which led all over the city. Inside and anything that connected directly to the network had Earth Gravity, but the planet itself had a very low gravitational pull. 

He joined the line of his co-workers entering the Hub, nodding and signaling to some that he had previously worked with. The shifts and teams were always being mixed up so he rarely worked with the same people back to back, but it did allow everyone to recognize everyone else on the security force. Even so, there were groups that enjoyed working together more often. Kylie, Redbo, and Tif were discussing their days' assignments, and motioned to a place they held in the food line for him. "Hey, Gonzalo, where are you off to today?"

"I'm down at the hotel construction. A whole day of anti-gravity. I'll be glad to get back to the Hub at break."

"Me too. I'm over at the Waterworks today. You want to run down to the gym before next meal?" Tif was strong and a fast runner, and always ready to challenge anyone to keep up with her.

Gonzalo grinned, knowing he would be beat again, but he said, "Sure, maybe this time we should work on bouldering."

That caught Redbo's interest. "If you go bouldering, I might join you too."

"Fine, let's meet at the YAS Street Gym. They have the best rocks. You in Kylie?"

Kylie jumped as if she had been thinking of something else. "Sure, if we all make it back from our assignments."

"Are you being all morbid again, Kylie? Come on, we all have simple assignments today. No one is cause trouble." Tif laughed off Kylie's warning, grabbed her food packet and said over her shoulder, "See you at the Rocks!"

Redbo laughed, took his food, and followed her.

Kylie turned to Gonzalo. "Be careful today, Zalo."

100 Words: Camper Discipline 2

To say that I have it all together when it comes to discipline would be a stretch, if not a downright lie. However, I have a God who is great at making disciples, which is what camper discipline is all about. You see, God created us for relationships - a relationship with him, and relationships with others. And  from the moment we are born, we are in places where relationships are important.

Of course our relationships with people are as different as the people we are in relationships with. I am Mom, Wife, Sister, Daughter, Sister-in-law, Daughter-in-law, Friend, Neighbor, Person who lives down the street, Person who shops here, Church Member, Teacher, Counselor, Person who I bounce ideas off, et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. And within those, my relationships are different. I relate differently with my brother's wife than I do my husbands sister, though I am sister-in-law to both. And I my relationship with each of my sons is different.

Having said that, there is a similarities in all of them. I want to show Christ in all my relationships. The love that he has shown me defines how I define every other relationship. So I will show love to my sons as Christ shows love to me, even if the practical expression is different for each of them.

So Camper Discipline, and all relationships, is about getting to know each person so that I can show them Christ's love in a way they can understand.

And I hope others will do the same for me, because I need to be reminded of God's love too.

100 Words: Recipe: Chicken BLT Salad

This isn't really a 100 Words post, but I don't have time to share this recipe and write another 100 words and work on everything else I need to and get to bed on time. So this will have to suffice.

I was inspired by this recipe from Betty Crocker, but altered it significantly. All measurements are approximate. I didn't use any measuring cups.

Cook 1 1/2 cup orzo according to the box. Drain and cool.
While orzo is cooking mix:
    1 avacado
    1 tomato
    1 cup cooked and chopped chicken
    3/4 cup sour cream
    8 slices of cooked bacon, crumbled
    1/2 packet powered ranch dressing mix

Stir in cooled orzo and 2 cups ripped up lettuce.

Either serve immediately, or chill for later. Feeds Thomas, Eamon, and I with a lunch portion leftover.

100 Words: Camper Discipline 1

I am working on my Camper Discipline session again. Each year I do this, I feel like I know less and less about discipline and relationships and communication. I know my inadequacy, especially as I speak to my own kids in frustration. I think, how can I be the right person for this job - both of speaking on Camper Discipline as well as being a mom.

But I also love doing this session. I love focusing on what it means to make disciples. I am thankful for the reminders of heart issues. I enjoy sharing it with these girls and remembering what it was like being in their place.

I never felt like a good counselor. Just like I don't really feel like a good mom or a good teacher or a good director. But it is exciting to see how God doesn't only use "the best" to make really great things happen.

100: Sunset

I watched the sun go down tonight without seeing the sun at all. Our living room windows face the blank siding of our neighbor's house. When we sat down for evening prayers, Eamon said the shadows of the trees looked like a T-rex. As we read and prayed, I watched the shadow of the roof slowly creep up the wall. There was still a glimmer at the top of the window as we finished, but I stayed there until it was completely gone.

If I let my imagination go, I could feel the earth move. It makes me wonder if we really know what it means to be still at all?

But maybe I just wonder that because I usually have two little boys crawling all over me...

100 Words: Water Words

Streams of thought
Flow through
Dreams of words
Soothing, calming,
Liquid words

Rushing, tumbling
Stumbling over each other
Pouring down
Filling up
Liquid words

Slow repetition
Flowing reflections
Casting shadows and
Bouncing light
Liquid words

100 Words: Escape

Some days I just want to run away. It isn't that I don't love my family or even this time of life. But the thought of one more sticky hand grabbing my face, one more whine, one more hitting episode, one more fighting sleep, etc will do me in. I feel that I can't take it anymore. This usually happens when I haven't gotten enough sleep, and neither have my children.

But I haven't run away yet. Something keeps me here; something keeps me from locking myself in the bathroom until Thomas comes home; something keeps me on the border of sanity while feeling the world falling apart around me.

That something is Love. My love for my boys lets them give me slobbery kisses and hold onto my face with their little grubby hands, and even kiss them back and wipe the dirt away. And love reminds me that there is something bigger going on than what I can see and understand.

But it is not really my love that keeps me from running away. My boys love me and don't know how else to show it than wanting to be with me every second of the day. And wanting my complete and undivided attention is the only way they know how to say how important I am to them. And my husband comes home and helps with the boys every day so I can have a few moments without them

And over and under and around and through all that love is God's Love. I can accept other peoples love because of his love. I can give love because I am loved. And in that love, I can find rest.

Oh the deep deep love of Jesus,
Vaster, broader than the sea
Rolling as a might ocean
In its fullness over me...

O the deep, deep love of Jesus, 
Love of every love the best!
’Tis an ocean full of blessing, 
’Tis a haven giving rest!

So I won't run away anytime soon; but if I do run away, I am taking everyone with me, because I love you too much to leave you behind.

100 Words: Teaser

He kept his eyes closed, hanging on to the fragments of sleep, but the alarm buzzed through his brain. He reached for the wall, groping around for the handle. When he found it he opened his eyes to stare at the computer screen flashing his work schedule and where he was to report to that day. He had half an hour to grab a bite to eat and get over to the new construction site that he was to patrol.

Zipping up his uniform, he typed a few strokes and his bubble cleared as his computer went to sleep. He was still in awe of this view. The city spread out all around him and he hung in one of the grape like government issued sleep-pod clusters. In these gravity free, sound proof sleep-pods the security force of the city rested. He watched other pods turn from the foggy green to clear as his shift was waking up and getting ready to leave for work. Turning the hatch, he pushed himself free and floated out. The hatch clicked shut behind him as he continued to float toward the hub.

100 Words: Tim Howard

The country is talking about Tim Howard tonight; why shouldn't I? He played an amazing game. One of the commentators I was listening to said something like, "The rest of the team need to pull themselves together and make all those saves worth something." It got me thinking about goalkeepers.

I have a soft spot for goal keepers. Some of my favorite players are goalies. They have a unique strength, not just physical but emotional and psychological. Their efforts cannot win the game, they can only keep the team from loosing. And if the team does loose, they are often seen to be at least somewhat to blame. But each game they leave behind every other game they have played and play the game at hand. They have to be in the moment at every moment. They have unique abilities (to use their hands) but they are so reliant on the rest of the team; yet at the same time, the rest of the team relies on them.

Tim Howard is a great goalkeeper. And he inspires me because of that. He also has Tourette's Syndrome, and he has dealt with a lot of criticism because of it; but hasn't let those who have second guessed and criticized him get under his skin. And that inspires me. A while back, I read a quote from him. “I’m not perfect; I’m far from it and that is the reason I do need Jesus. I try to live it. … I stumble, as many people do, but always in the belief that I’m loved and that I’m meaningful.” And that greatly encourages me.

So, thank you, Tim Howard for your great game, your attitude, and your example.