Cookies for Christmas

I am just learning to love and appreciate traditions. It seems every year I like to try something new and my kids bring me back to, "can't we do what we did last year?" It seems to be a touchstone in their lives, a security. The whole world around them is changing but our family will stay safe and secure.

Here's one of our traditions, baking cookies. Yes it is a lot of work, especially those stupid frosting bags with the little tips. Whose idea was that? I think it's the cans next year! But the cookies are pretty and it's the fun of getting together. Riiighhhht.
Baking with the Dunhams
Chris is asking Alex to step aside so he can show her how the master does it. Princess Master?

Sam and Alex, with lovely pot hats!

Baking with the Rays

Nana Shepherd and Emma dipping Buckeyes
Gingerbread House
Lessons from big brother

21 Years Fly By

December 27, 1987 at 4 pm at the First Baptist Church of Scottsdale

Susan Ellen and Charles Derrick wed

It was the first time that I know of in our church history, that 2 families were joined. Two families that had grown up in the church.

Pastor Brouwer was amazing. Watching the video tonight, hearing his words again, the first thing that popped into my head was that his prayer was answered. And is still being answered. That we would serve God in all we do. That God would make us the wife/husband and mother/father He would want us to be. Ones that would give Him glory in all we do. I know we fall short of the mark, but it truly is our goal.

Mark Zeeman and Julia Winterberg (Hamilton) on the piano and organ gave us chills. Sacred, powerful music. Processing in to Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee, with a key change every verse, had everyone's hearts pounding!

My cousin Vicki singing Friends for Life and Julianne singing Community Song. Then they sang together: Savior Like a Shepherd Lead Us for our benediction/recessional.

My dad's final words in the video were, "the wedding was terrific and we expect the marriage to be even more so, but longer!"

And off to St. Bart's. I'm still hoping to go back there.

Father God, thank You for this man that I will spend the rest of my life with. You knew what You were doing when you brought us together. May we always keep you first, eachother second and these gifts from You third.

Our life poem: "Grow old with me, the best is yet to be. The last of life for which the first was made" Browning

Unplugged

I can't believe it!! This is the first time I have been able to log on to my blog since the 5th. But instead of getting frustrated, well I did that too, I looked at it like I was being unplugged, cut off, having a little break from the web. In a good way. Hopefully I got a little more done that I needed to and wasn't distracted to see what so and so was up to or to see who had left a comment. We will be getting high speed internet this weekend. They said that there has been a lot more demand in our area and when we moved up here, broadband was the only option.

So, I'll be back.....more to come
But here's a funny "12 Days of Christmas"... I love accapella, and this is from my dad's alma mater, Indiana University in Bloomington.

'Tis the Season

I know, where have I been? Well, I'm not going to go into the last 3 weeks with detail. I'll try to 'sum up' as Indigo Montoya would do. (Princess Bride for those of you out of touch!)

After arriving home, it's like we went into warp speed. Starting school up, back into choirs and worship team. Then I got sick and that went around and still is. Our immunes were down I suppose.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. Derrick is the king of brining a turkey!! So juicy.

My nephew Jake surprised our folks and flew in.

Derrick's aunt and uncle were here from South Carolina. It was a great time of talking and eating and playing games. Uncle Joe learned 4 Square. He's a good sport!

But I was sick that weekend and it was so hard to decorate like we traditionally do. But we did it.

Then we had 3 INCHES of rain!! As you know, in the desert, it turns into washes. The ground being too hard to soak it up. We have no curbs and lots of washes running through our development.

Add to that a broken water heater to replace and 2 roof leaks. Yippee.

Emma danced at the Veteran's Home, we saw Annie with lots of our friends in it, and then A Christmas Carol. Aah, culture!


Seeing my friend Pam who moved to Tennessee last summer, was a highlight for me. I have missed hanging out together until 2 in the morning. I sure hope she didn't get sick from me as she is touring with her Christmas Concert.

Lifelong friends of our family, the Olsons, my folks and us. (Next year Morelocks!)

Another highlight, which we do every year, is the Northern Arizona University Christmas Dinner/ Concert. We had to go on a Thursday this year but it was so phenomenal. I am always amazed at how they can do as well or better as the previous year. It is a wonderful mixture of sacred, jazzy, classical choral music. To see all those young people memorizing hours of music just blows me away. It's always beautiful way to start the HOLYdays.
The last song they sing is John Rutter's Candlelight Carol and the words are so powerful. But my favorite part is being reminded that GOD became MAN in the form of a tiny, helpless babe.

Find Him at Bethlehem laid in a manger
Christ our Redeember asleep in the hay
Godhead incarnate and hope of salvation
A child and his mother that first Christmas day.

There is peace at the cradle, and peace at the foot of Jesus. Don't stray from that Holy place.

If people insist on saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, gently remind them, yes these are "holy-days". That's where the word came from!
May you make your season HOLY.

Home Again

Goodbye beach... hello desert
What a joy to get home, safely.

As we were driving home, facing the beautiful clouds in the valley of the sun, we reminisced about past trips, and arriving home to broken AC, broken refrigerator, a shaved dog, getting pulled over for no tail lights, a block from home. But this time was so wonderful!

Aunt Dee had acid washed our tile, surprise, it's light! She planted my herbs, a gardenia bush, painted and repaired walls, removed wallpaper from a bathroom. What a month of work she had! We are so grateful for all she did. Then when we arrived home, yes, fresh homemade tollhouse cookies. Who could ask for more?

So great to be home. Now, to the plethera of laundry!

Sheri Rose

What fun that the girls and I could go hear my sister-in-law Sheri speak at Florence Avenue Church, near Fullerton. AND our friend Miriam and Emily could meet us there! They are having their Holiday Tea for 5 nights this week! And I could not believe the beautiful, elaborate table decorations. Each table had a theme, like a holiday, or Princess theme. Sheri Rose's ministry is called His Princess. And many women there had heard her speak when her newest book came out, Preparing Sons for the Other Woman. (see my post on Sept 27 called Sisters)
Check out her website.

But seeing my nephew Jacob was the best. He is now attending the Assemblies of God Master's training at the Dream Center in downtown LA. It's intense but Jake always knew he'd be bold about sharing his faith, just like his mom and dad. Love you Jake.

The Sun's Back

In some ways I feel like we just arrived today. Or my perspective changed.

Derrick's back. (and he took the kids shopping for groceries.) While he was gone all week he was worried about us not having food. How sad is that? His vacationing wife can't take care of the kids? Well, all was not lost, I actually went by a vacation menu plan. Not a lot of spices here and I didn't want to spend the money on them and bring them home. We made do. Deli meats, spaghetti, soups, salads, didn't even give in to Mac n Cheese.


The sun is out. And we are working on our sand sculpture. Derrick and Alex are usually the last men standing. I shoveled and bossed them around and gave them a vision. Sometimes they have their own and just smile and nod at me.

Tea Time. I'm sipping coffee on the beach. Last night at a book store,I found the coffee mug for me. But my kids said a coffee mug isn't worth $20. (they were in the process of convincing their dad they should have a variety of toys they had seen)

The mug read:
"Coffee and Dog Hair"
on the other side it said;
"I never leave home without them."

Somebody better get me that mug!

Condo Woes

Okay, Derrick is gone all week,

the hot water isn't working,
they're replacing the steps out front (noisily),
I have to do laundry
and it's SOO foggy.

But do I want to be home in 95degrees right now? Naahhh

Mickey's Fine

We hit Disneyland Friday. It was foggy and cool and EMPTY. Well, practically. Only thousands instead of tens of thousands of people. There were no waits on rides. Heaven!

And for the 2nd year in a row, our family got the randomly-handed-out FAST PASSES! What a fun thing. All the employees congratulate you all day and the other sorry chaps look on with envy. It's even more fun as the day goes on and it gets more crowded. No waits in lines.

Sadly, we missed out on the new Finding Nemo ride. No fast passes there, and over an hour wait. Same with Matterhorn.

Lizzy loved Thunder Mountain last year, and cried through the whole ride this year. And Miss First Born, has-to-know-what's-happening- every -second Alex, would not venture on to Space Mountain because it's in the dark!

Guess we had a big lesson in Pleasing Seven. It will never happen. Derrick started with the rule (really more of a guideline) that we all go on all the rides! Oh well, best intentions.

It was a fun day over all. Jack Sparrow still is a favorite and Haunted Mansion a la Tim Burton is an absolute disappointment. The Nightmare Before Christmas has taken it over.

I'm sure we'll still fork out the bucks, even so.

The Components of God's Call

I have really been enjoying Ravi Zacharias' book The Grand Weaver, How God Shapes Us through the Events of Our Lives.

Understanding and heeding God's call on our lives seems to be an unending question. It shouldn't be! Dr Zacharias gives 3 very clear ways to hear it.

1. A devout prayer life. Amen! Doesn't it all start with that? If I am to be His temple, then I need to do as God told Isaiah "My house will be called a house of prayer". 56:7. That is where God speaks.

2. Humility is the touchstone of serving God. Why do I think I need to be in a pulpit or on a stage to make a difference?

"A commonplace life, we say and we sigh
But why do we sigh as we say?
The commonplace sun in the commonplace sky
Makes up the commonplace day.
The moon and the stars are commonplace things,
And the flower that blooms and the bird that sings;
But dark were the world and sad our lot,
If the flowers failed and the sun shone not,
And God who studies each separate soul
Out of commonplace lives makes His beautiful whole.

3. And finally, seeking the counsel and guidance of godly men and women. I am SO grateful I have that. My prayer is that my children would seek that as well. I want other men and women to be there for them as we are. Godly people like our parents. What a heritage they have for our children. And you dear friends and teachers. To have your voice in our lives is a gift from God.




And Lord, You are the author of the call on my life. I know You have a plan in mind and I can rest assured that it is the BEST. Even when I can't see the future, I know YOU hold it.