Quote

It is difficult to know at what moment love begins; it is less difficult to know that it has begun.
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Another Glorious Day

to the north-east

to the south-east

Ben is running around in a T-shirt and shorts. He just went outside and came back in saying, "It's cold out there!" Not really, just when you are wearing a T-shirt and shorts. :-) It is actually a beautiful, glorious day, a day that makes it almost painful to study inside. Maybe I will take my stack of books out to the patio... That sounds like a very good idea!
Now, I wonder how much I can get done before we leave for the CEF After School program ...... ?

Ways

And all the trees of the field will know that I am the LORD; I bring down the high tree, exalt the low tree, dry up the green tree, and make the dry tree flourish. I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will perform it.
- Ezekiel 17:24

Yet you say, "The way of the LORD is not right." Hear now, O house of Israel! Is my way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?
- Ezekiel 18:25

His ways are not our ways. Would I wish to cause a green tree to dry up? I don't know, and I rather doubt it, but the LORD is sovereign and omniscient, and His ways are higher than ours. The LORD knows things I do not, and comprehends things I cannot dream of (actually they were His idea in the first place). He sees the past, present, and the future, and He rules supreme as Judge over it all.
His plans for our lives are good, full of hope even if they seem dark. The LORD does work all things out for the good for those who love Him.
King David often questioned the "whys of God's ways", but he never said that the LORD's way was wrong. Do I dare do otherwise, especially when Israel was rebuked for that attitude?

Sunset shining on the Sierra

Sunset shining on the Sierra, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

Yesterday's sunset was stunning - if you looked east. The sky was almost completely clouded over to the west.

Quote For Today

"Tell me, what is impossible with God?"
-Facing the Giants

Daniel's Girl?

Ben: "Daniel, do you got a girl?"
Daniel: "No, but you would probably be the first one to know about it!"
Ben: "What kinda girl do ya want?
Julia: "One that can cook!"
Dad: "One that can fix broken heads."
Daniel has yet to answer ....

How Blessed Are You?

Has God blessed you? If you have the sight to read this, He has. If you have a computer to read this on, He has. If you know Him, He has.

Share the well, share with your brother
Share the well my friend
It takes a deeper well to love one another
Share the well my friend

Do you think the water knows
Flowing down the mountain thaw
Finally to find repose
For any soul who cares to draw
Some kindred keepers of this Earth
On their way to join the flow
Are cast aside and left to thirst
Tell me now it is not so

Share the well, share with your brother
Share the well my friend
It takes a deeper well to love one another
Share the well my friend

All God's creatures share the water hole
The blessed day the monsoon comes
And in His image we are woven
Every likeness every one
From Kashmir to Karala
Under every banyan tree
Mothers for their children cry
With empty jar and bended knee

Share the well, share with your brother
Share the well my friend
It takes a deeper well to love one another
Share the well my friend

You know I've heard good people say
There's nothing I can do
That's half a world away
Well maybe you've got money
Maybe you've got time
Maybe you've got the Living Well
That ain't ever running dry

Share the well, share with your brother
Share the well my friend
It takes a deeper well to love one another
Share the well my friend

-Caedmon's Call
"Share The Well"

Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,
storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.
O, Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, ...
- 1Timothy 6:17-20


This afternoon our church's college group had a planning session regarding World Vision's Thirty Hour Famine , which the youth group is going to participate in. Our church has done it for the past few years; this year the college group is heading it up.

Did you know that 852 million people worldwide are malnourished, 153 million being under the age of 5? Or, did you know that the price tag for providing food, clean water and basic health care each year for the world is equal to what the U.S. spends on ice cream annually ($20 billion)?
Did you know that 8% of the world owns a car? Are you one of them? Did you know that the U.S. (6% of the world) consumes 40% of the world's products?

Now that you know, how are you going to steward the wealth with which God has blessed you?
Will you help build a well? Will you lead others to The Living Well?

Daddy & His Girl

The Love of God

The world does not bid you to sing, but God does. Song is the sign of an unburdened heart; then sing your songs of love unbidden, ever rising higher and higher into a fuller concept of the greatest, grandest fact on the stage of time - God is love.
But words and emotions pass, precious as their influence may be for the time, so when the duller moments come and the mind comes to require something more certain and sure to consider than the memory of mere emotions and stirring sentiments, consider this revelation - the eternal fact that God is love, not, God is loving. God and love are synonymous. Love is not an attribute of God, it is God; whatever God is, love is. If your concept of love does not agree with justice, judgment, purity and holiness, then your idea of love is wrong. It is not love you conceive of in your mind ... .
-Oswald Chambers The Love of God, chp 1

Where's your daddy?

Yup.
Dad is on a business trip in the grand ol' republic of Texas, where everything is bigger, including the delays. :-)
He was supposed to be on a plane heading home right now, but other things happened (not flight related, this time).
We are really looking forward to seeing him again ....... maybe on Saturday? Hope so!
Until then he is enjoying eating some of his meals at Chick Fil-A, a restaurant unknown to California. I wonder if the sandwiches are bigger in Texas than in the other states ..... hmmmmm.

Beauty

P2210162i, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

Beauty overwhelms us, enchants us, fascinates us, and calls us.

- fr. andrew greeley

Growing

A while back Daddy prayed a blessing on us during our family time. He asked that God would "grow my(Dad's) children up in Your love".
Today I am in need of that blessing more than ever. In my head I know that genuine love is an ever-giving, ever-serving .... well, not emotion, I guess "focus" is a better word. As a person "grows up" in love, as Daddy put it, they desire nothing more than to pour themselves out for the other, even if they get nothing in return.
In reality, though, I am somewhere between genuine love and the self-serving variety.
I have seen people who love genuinely, with abandon and joy, and it is beautiful. Their lives resemble a drink offering, poured out for the joy of others. And mine? Ummm ....... sometimes. But God is nowhere near being finished with my heart yet, and with Him everything is possible.

Loving God - His gift and our response

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind"
- Matthew 22:37

"Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men"
-Matthew 4:19

The ideas of loving God, being a disciple, "serving" God, making disciples, and loving each other are intrinsically linked. You must love Christ to follow Him, and, if you truly love Him, you cannot help but point others to your Love.
If you love Him there will be nothing too great for Him to ask of you, nothing too far below or high above for you to attempt for His glory. Loving brings with it an intense desire to be with Him, even if it is at your expense, and to revel in His love.

Some people point to the Great Commission as the main thing Christians should be focused on, as the one thing they must do - I disagree. The way I see it, if you must focus on only one thing in your life, let it be the loving of the Saviour. Everything else in life will sort itself out if you place Him first.

The "second commandment" - Love your neighbor as yourself - naturally falls into place as you delight yourself in the Lord. Even if you were not inclined by nature to be merciful and tender, a knowledge of the heart of God compels you to at least show compassion. He knew each and every one us from before creation, every hair on our heads is numbered, and every single one of us was made to love. His heart calls to ours, ours, by His grace, respond, and out of this flows a holy love for those around us.
It must. "The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love" (1 John 4:8) and "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another" (1 John 4:11) for who can truly love if they are apart from the only true Love of the world? And who can have Love in them and not let it show?

It is not an easy thing to love with abandon. Loving freely has been a continual struggle ever since Eden. There is a Being in this world who would like nothing better than for you to lose sight of the God who said, "I have loved you with an everlasting love" (Jer. 31:3). Satan cannot stand to see Christ glorified and adored, and though he cannot keep God from loving us, he can toss distractions in our paths. That is not to say that every time you miss the alarm in the morning and lose your designated quiet time, Satan has engineered it. But it is true that if we are distracted and busy we often fail to make time for the one thing of importance, loving and delighting in God.

President's Day Weekend

Pictures, for all of you who have been suspecting that "something" was going on ..........



John came to visit! He flew in to CA (from IN - did you know that it is cold back there? who'd have thought ... ) middle of Friday, and Dad and he finally arrived here at about 10:30pm (due to some delays with Dad's flight schedule), just in time for a very late dinner.
It was wonderful to see John again, after about 8 months ........ a lot can happen in 8 months (yes, Abby, I know that that was an understatement).


Saturday was a quiet, fun, sun filled day. It started with a belated Valentine breakfast (waffles) and there was much giving and receiving of gifts. (no pics)
John gave me a great big, white teddy bear and a very large red mug with hearts on it. The mug holds about 16 oz of coffee ... enough to get me through the morning!

After a while we decided to take a walk, original, I know. It was really more along the lines of "adventuring" .........
We hiked up the hill behind the house, got a bit sunburned, saw a glimpse of the Sierra Nevada through the haze, Ben ended up with blisters on his feet (he called them ........ oh, I can't remember what he called them ............ but it was really funny), and we all had a great time. (once again, no pics)



Grandpa and Grandma came over for dinner, and Grandma let me know that she thinks John is a "very fine young man". Well, so do I.







We ended the day by watching Facing the Giants, a movie that Daniel got for Christmas. (no pics)







Sunday started with church (of course). On our way home it started to rain. We spent the afternoon walking around Grant's Grove (about an hour's drive away), looking at giant Sequoias, playing in the snow and rain and goofing off.






We ended up wet and tired, and enjoyed a glorious sunset on the way down the mountain.


John is now on his way home, back to freezing Indiana. He is already missed - Ben is a bit forlorn that he no longer has anyone to show his new frog to. :-) However, Ben is not the only one who misses him ........ I do too!


Mom made a web-album of some of the pictures from this weekend:

2007-02-18 President's Day Weekend

Enjoy!

Living Life - to the fullest and joyful-est

• Sing
• Smile at strangers (they usually smile back)
• Keep learning, keep reading
• Notice kindness
• Eat ice cream (or chocolate, or cheesecake ....... you get the idea)
• Hope
• Notice beauty
• Count your blessings
• Be thankful
• Go adventuring
  
• Dance
• Laugh
• Love
• Love some more
• XOXOXO

I found this on a website and edited it a bit. I decided to post it so I wouldn't forget - joy is always the best option. There is absolutely no reason to be a grump, none. Being sad or sorrowful, yes, but not a grouch. And who could be a grouch if they made a practice of singing, smiling at strangers and eating chocolate? Hmmmm?

A Knight In Shining Armor and His Lady Fair

The Accolade, by Edmund Blair Leighton

night time kisses

Do not kiss your children so they will kiss you back but so they will kiss their children, and their children’s children.
- Noah benShea, Poet, philosopher and author of Jacob the Baker, Jacob’s Journey and Remember This My Children.

The way earthly parents treat each other and their children teaches their children how to view God, their heavenly Father. Older siblings (and I mean much older) have the same opportunity as their parents: do those who trust you see an unconditional, "I love you whether or not you deserve it, whether or not you want me to" kind of love? Do we kiss each other good night, even after a day that seems to have been filled with nothing but bickering? Or do we silently drift off, hoping that tomorrow will be better?

A Night Out

My brother Daniel took me to a Valentine banquet last night. There was a benefit auction, and Daniel won the high bid on a dessert (which he shared). He made me feel honored to be with him, and was a perfect gentleman! :-)
Thank you for taking me out, Daniel. I had a great time.

doin' nuthin'

"I'd rather do nuthin' with you than sumpin' with anybody else."
- beaver cleaver
leave it to beaver, episode "beaver gets lonely"

Three Sisters

~ ~ ~

The three of us spent a few hours together in our room this afternoon - and messed around with a camera!


I realized over again how precious it is to spend time with Anna and Julia, my sisters. Anna is truly my best friend, and Julia is climbing up the list. There is nothing in the world that can compare to the relationship sisters share.

Anna and I were busy studying all afternoon, and Julia walked in and out periodically. "Studying" probably isn't really the right term, we actually just used it as an excuse to spend a few hours together (something we don't get to do too often, as our school schedules are completely opposite)! I think Julia felt a bit left out - she would run in when she heard us laugh, wondering "what's so funny? What are you doing? What are you two talking about?". I love having her as a sister, but after ten - nearly eleven - years it is still an effort to include her in our spontaneous times of sistership. She wants to be part of everything, but there are some things Anna and I share that Julia cannot. And she feels it.
Nothing should be getting in the way of her feeling our love, nothing. It is imperative that we seek out her heart, together and individually. She is tender and priceless, and we must make time for her and include her.
After all, sisterhood is a gift from God. It is an incredible relationship that teaches us how to relate to other girls, other women, and the rest of the world. We can share things with each other that we can't share with anyone else simply because they don't share our history, they were not there to see us as we grew up (Anna knows more about me than anyone else, even Dad and Mom. There are a few things they know that she doesn't, but she knows more). Friends have not seen us in our small failures and triumphs, all they see are the big things or the ones we allow them to see. Of all the people on earth, sisters know us for who we are, not for who they think we are.
Of course, sisters are also available to help us get out of trouble (and into it!). . . . :-D

French Sourdough

French Sourdough, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

French Sourdough Bread, a well loved favorite:
It is light, acidic, and goes wonderfully with cold butter ................... This recipe may seem time consuming and labor-intensive, but it is well worth it!

Start with the starter:

Sourdough Starter
3/4 Tbs yeast
2 cups warm water
3 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbs sugar
In a 4-quart container (it really does need to be this big) dissolve yeast in water (110-115*); let stand 5 minutes.
Add flour and sugar. By hand, stir until blended. The mixture will be thick, but don't worry, any remaining lumps will dissolve during the fermentation process. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or foil. Let stand in a warm place for 5 days, stirring 2 or 3 times each day. The starter will "rise and fall" during the fermentation period (the reason for the big container); it becomes thinner as it stands. A temperature of 80-85* is best for the sour flavor of the starter to develop, an ideal place for it being on the counter next to your range.
When the starter is developed, it is bubbly and may have a yellow liquid layer on top; stir it into the starter before using.
The starter may be used at this point or stored in the refrigerator to use later. If refrigerated, the starter should come to room temperature before being used.

Dough
1 Tbs yeast
1 cup warm water
3 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sourdough starter, room temp.
1 Tbs sugar
2 tsp salt
cornmeal
Oven 400*
Dissolve yeast, sugar and salt in water (110-115*); let stand 5 minutes. Add 2 cups flour and starter. By hand, stir until smooth. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a firm dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5-8 minutes. Cover and let rise at room temperature until doubled, 1 - 1 1/2 hours.
Punch down dough and divide into 2 parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll or pat each half to a 12x5" rectangle. Starting with the longer side, roll up tightly, pressing dough into the roll with each turn (this prevents air pockets inside). Pinch edges and ends to seal. Place on a greased cookie sheet that has been sprinkled with cornmeal; cover and let rise until double, 45-60 minutes.

With a very sharp knife make 2 or 3 diagonal slashes across the loaves. Spray or brush with cold water and bake 20-35 minutes, until golden brown. Spraying or brushing loaves with water during baking makes a crisper crust.

To replenish starter: 3 parts flour to 2 parts water and 1 teaspoon of sugar (i. e. 1 1/2 cups flour & 1 cup water). Use a glass or plastic container with a well-fitting lid to store in the refrigerator. Stir in about 1 tsp of sugar to keep it active if the starter is not used every week.

* this recipe requires some forethought, as the starter must be made about a week ahead. Two to three weeks ahead makes for a better "sour" flavor, but you will need to "feed" the starter maintain a good ph (if the starter is too acidic the bread will not rise properly).

Another Dawn

P2080027, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth;
Sing praises to the Lord.
To Him who rides upon the highest heavens, which are from ancient times;
Behold, He speaks forth with His voice, a mighty voice.
Ascribe strength to God;
His majesty is over Israel,
and His strength is in the skies.
O God, Thou art awesome from Thy sanctuary.
The God of Israel Himself
gives strength and power to the people.
Blessed be God!
- psalm 68:32-35

Lilies of the Field

P1280038a, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

or driveway ....

Spring (thinks it) Is Here!

P1280039a, originally uploaded by Lizi Beth.

Dawn

I saw the dawn this morning - not the sunrise, that hasn't happened yet. I saw the dawn.
And I couldn't find my camera! So, I remembered.
It was purply dark all around, except for the low eastern horizon, which was a lighter redish-purple. The light gradually grew, making the east change color to red, then orange. It was the most intense orange I have ever seen, vibrant and almost pulsating.
The Sierra was blue-black against the orange, and the world was misty.
I will remember.


The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until the full day.
-Proverbs 4:18



*I finally found an old camera after the best part had faded ........... now all I need to do is find the cable to download the pictures.

Quote of the Day

jubilant voice: "I don't have a boyfriend - I have a great girlfriend!"
- Abby Diedrich

A Hero's Funeral

Freedom is not free.

End of Week Four

I really don't want to go to school anymore. Nope. I'm through. Thanks, but no thanks.
But wait! I can't quit now! I am already at the end of my fourth week (has it been that long?!)! So what do I do? I really don't want to be here. Spring is starting to happen, my life is getting busier, and I just don't feel like it.

There's a quote from somewhere that goes, "Don't do what you like, like what you do."
Like Math 101? You have got to be kidding! Um, no. Not kidding. Very serious (and tired) actually.

This must be where I ask God to step in and give me His joy, His enthusiasm, zest, passion, and above all, His wisdom. 'Cause mine (regarding school) is gone.
Acknowledge my weakness and come to Him for strength. So simple, yet so easy to overlook.
Have you ever noticed that it is only when you acknowledge your weakness that you are helped/made strong? Funny how that works ..........