Kites!

On Monday of Spring Break, we gathered with family and friends in the field behind our church for some kite flying.  The wind came and went, but allowed for a bit of sky gazing. Half the fun was trying to get them off the ground.  (I may have lost some weight that day. Wink, wink!)

Emma and Bella opted for roller blading.

Ivy blew a million bubbles before joining us with the kites.

The Bradford pear trees were so lovely, I could not help but snap some pix.

Cherith, my great niece.

My niece, Tamrynn

My mom and great nephew Connor

Great nephew Holden.

My friend Elisabeth and her three boys came along, too.

Cherith and Ivy, born one day apart say, "We're done."

Unleavened Bread

I am taking a break from my Spring Break tour to write about unleavened bread...since it is Passover week.  I made it for my first graders in Sunday School a couple of weeks ago as we talked about the last week Jesus spent here on earth.
The recipe I used came from the internet and involved three ingredients:
1 cup wheat flour
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup water
(Some recipes called for white flour and honey. I highly recommend the honey.)  Mine was not very yummy:(

Knead 5 minutes.

Roll out to 1/8" thickness.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes on greased cookie sheet.

I cut some into strips and left some to tear apart as they likely did back then. It isn't supposed to be tasty, and is supposed to be eaten with bitter herbs, but I left the herbs at home.
Passover first occurred when the Israelites were in Egypt and the LORD brought the plagues upon Pharoah and his people.  God spared the first borns of the Israelites by having them sacrifice a lamb and place its blood over the outside door so that the angel of death would 'pass over' their houses, thereby sparing the first borns inside. (See Exodus 12 for a full review)
Sometimes things come to light in my head late in life.  (I am just glad there is still a bulb in there at all.) God planned for Jesus to die during Passover week all along. The timing is what I did not know. There is no other time during the year when the death of Jesus would have more meaning. The Jews had celebrated Passover for years. Their Messiah had come as the Passover was taking place.
He was the sacrificial Lamb whose blood would be shed that they and all who believe might be delivered - from slavery to sin.  Redeemer, Deliverer, and Savior had come!
We sat in the floor of my classroom that Sunday and drank grape juice and shared the unleavened bread.  Most of the class gave a thumbs down on the taste. (Let them be thankful I left the bitter herbs at home!) But I have some gluten free children who absolutely loved it. I did get their parents' permission to give it to them. One dad said I could give it to his son Noah if I also explained its meaning so that he could give him a dissertation on it when they got home...so I studied.
It is still true today.  This truth is eternal.  Jesus Christ, Son of God, born of a virgin came to redeem us from a life of bondage in sin.  Praise His holy name!  He is risen just as He said.
Mark 16:5-7  And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.  And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you." 

No Appendicitis, No Strawberries, and Simon!

Ahhh! Spring Break.  We were fortunate enough to have four of our grandchildren for three days during this week of mayhem for those taking a break from the books.  If I wrote all we did in one post, you grow weary of reading, so I am 'breaking' it up into readable pieces.
Tuesday morning, we woke with a plan.  We would head out to Froberg's to pick strawberries and afterwards linger for a picnic on the grounds of our favorite farmers' market.  Little did we know the adventure that lay ahead.
(Let me say right here that Luke had been ill the weekend before, leading to a trip to the ER with symptoms suspiciously akin to appendicitis.  Though the doctor felt fairly sure it was not, it was recommended a close eye be kept on him.)
Because our car would not accommodate the six of us, Tommy followed me in another and Luke hitched a ride with him.  I was low on gasoline, so we all pulled over for a pit stop.  My phone rang.
Shannon (mother of the kids): The doctor just called and said to have Luke hop up and down on each leg.  If there is pain, then we will need further tests.
Me: Really? Is this a medical test? (It made me wonder if Granny Clampett was the doctor.)
I made all of the kids line up against the car and jump up and down on one leg, then the other.
Me: Anyone hurting?
Since the reply was an 'all clear,' I happily reported to Shannon that none of her kids had appendicitis and she was pleased to hear it.

We had not gone far at all when a man in overalls who Bella named Mr. Demandy Pants stopped us. He told us the road ahead was being worked on and that we would have to make several detours to reach our destination.  Fine.  We can do that.

Undaunted, we decided to make up a song as we often do.  We sang about eating all the strawberries we picked before the cashier could weigh them. thereby avoiding payment. (It was just a song, okay?)
Froberg's was now in sight along with a mile-long line to get in. There would not be a strawberry left in the whole field for us to pick and eat, much less pay for.  We abandoned our plan immediately, made a u-turn, and headed for the feed store just down the road abit, hoping for a glimpse at spring's newborn chicks and ducks.

Ivy takes a peek at baby ducks.

Driving aimlessly down Highway 6, we came upon a roadside picnic table that was probably there the day I was born.  Not much to look at, but perfect for us.
We spread the table and ate as if it were our last meal.  I challenged the kids to pick flowers and look for unusual things. (This is what we always do while in the wild.)

Luke spotted a green lizard.  I quickly emptied a tupperware container and the catch was on. Success was sweet to the kids, but not so much for "Simon" who begged for his freedom.  I could see the remains of our picnic stuck to the lid as they poked holes in the top with my keys and made big plans for raising him at home.

Drama ensued as I advised them to let Simon stay in his habitat here in the wild, among flowers and picnic crumbs.  After much pleading, they reluctantly agreed to set him free, and Simon showed his gratitude over and over again.
He first hopped onto Luke's arm instead of hurrying away.

Then he gave Bella and Emma both little hugs and kisses.

What a sweet ending to our picnic!  The kids were so happy, even though Bella cried most of the way to our next destination....which will be in another post.
Just a reminder to me and to you I hope - that the best laid plans only lead to the bestest plans. There is always an adventure lurking around the next corner, or down the street.  You only have to look for it! Happy Spring!

Old Town (Vintage) Spring

I spent one Saturday with my friends, Lola and Judy at Old Town Spring's vintage market.  The weather was beautiful - just right for meandering through the crowd that also had a hankering for the past.  Enjoy the pictures!

I Will Be A Sieve and I Will Be As Judah

The Lord has been teaching trying to teach me some heavy lessons and my learning curve has been rather...well, let's just say the curve is flattened out.  There is no curve, there is no learning.

In the past two weeks I have had to relive some tragic and destructive memories from twenty-six years ago, then relive it again as I grade the papers from those in prison and 'see, hear, read' their nightmares, and watch family members hurt and be hurt by each other.  This message of pain is unrelenting.  It will not stop.  I have taken it all in and allowed it to grow bitterness, anger, and resentment, and let's not forget my favorite companion, Self Pity.  

I finally came to a point of hopelessness and helplessness and today I told Tommy that I was done with the bad dreams that overcame me each night and with living this way. (Last night I dreamed I was in prison and could not find my uniform - aftermath from the stories I heard in yesterday's visit.)

I had been swallowing trash for days and days. It just stayed inside me, festering and growing to the point of poison.  As I lay in bed this morning, I realized I was holding on to the pain and suffering of others all the while growing my own.  A picture of a sieve came to mind.  I googled it.
A sieve, or sifter, is a device for separating wanted elements from unwanted material or for characterizing the particle size distribution of a sample, typically using a woven screen such as a mesh or net or metal. The word "sift" derives from "sieve".

I mixed a mexican meatloaf this morning for the crock pot and had to rinse the beans. 

So yes, perfect metaphor...only my sieve was clogged.  Jesus takes our trash, washes it, and what is left in the sieve is clean. Washed.  I forgot I was clean and washed.  I just forgot.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11  Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 
And so I will be a sieve, and not hold on to the garbage of others. It will sift through me and filter out, so that I can pray for them without reliving the pain all the time.  I will not judge a person by the trials they are under.  Trials will come for us all.
This morning in my reading of Hosea..(yes, still there), I read my next study passage and in it was a picture of me.
Hosea 12:3-6  In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor. He met God at Bethel, and there God spoke with us - the LORD, the God of hosts, the LORD is his memorial name: "So you, by the help of your God, return, hold fast to love and justice, and wait continually for your God." 
I will try to do just that.
Yesterday was our last small group meeting at the prison.  Next week this study will end and we will be all together.  I want to give you some quotes from our time together.
Me: How was your week?
R: Every day above ground is a good day.
T: This body is just a temporary shelter.
Me: I have loved being in here with y'all and getting to know you.  I know I look like the middle of an Oreo cookie in here. (They are all African American.)
V: No, Miss June. You are a treasure.
T: God sent you to us.
And with that I cried and was so thankful to be the one in that room that day.
May the Lord be glorified in our most difficult times, in our most difficult places, and may we realize that we are made clean by His blood.

I did not mean to make this about me, except, yes, this is about me.  Maybe you as well.