SNOW DAY

a snow day poem

little flurries flurrying around
they dance and twirl without a sound
they gently fall and meet the ground 
beauty and grace in them abounds
in following the one who calls them down

My 2010 Soundtrack

Here is a list of my favorite songs from 2010 and some of the lyrics that inspire/move me:

Unwinding Cable Car: Anberlin
This is the correlation of salvation and love
Don't drop your arms, I'll guard your heart
With quiet words I'll lead you in...

You're so brilliant, don't soon forget
You're so brilliant, grace marked your heart

None But Jesus: Hillsong United
All my delight is in you, Lord
All of my hope, all of my strength

Save Me: JJ Heller
Living
Am I really living
Or am I just existing
Hiding away

Danger
The world is full of danger
But if I never try to go outside
My heart will waste away

All I Need: JJ Heller

Ready and Waiting to Fall: MAE
It's never been more perfect being alive
I've never felt more satisfied

Looks Like Love: Needtobreathe
Our hearts can only shake
When there's risk that they could break
That's a chance that I will take

So, I wont run when it looks like love
I won't hide beneath the fear
Of how my past has come undone

Awake My Soul: Mumford and Sons
Where you invest your love, you invest your life

Sigh No More: Mumford and Sons
Love it will not betray you,
dismay or enslave you,
It will set you free
Be more like the man you were made to be.
There is a design,
An alignment to cry,
Of my heart to see,
The beauty of love as it was made to be

Long Journey: Sarah Jarosz
I have just begun
A long journey that will run
The length and width of summer time
And the cool fall air will guide me home
Yea the cool fall air will blow me home

You'll be miles away
I want to go, but I wanna stay
The music beggin' me to go
But your love can guide me home
Yea your love can guide me home

Healing is in Your Hands
Our present, our future,
our past is in Your hands
We're covered by Your blood

This is Home: Switchfoot
Created for a place I've never known

How He Loves: David Crowder
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,

The Call: Regina Spektor
It started out as a feeling
Which then grew into a hope
Which then turned into a quiet thought
Which then turned into a quiet word
And then that word grew louder and louder
'Til it was a battle cry

I'll come back
When you call me
No need to say goodbye

Guacamole

aguacate y tomate
córtalos y bate, bate
echa sal y limón
y ají por tío Juan

a seed

In the lonely
something grows
you the only
one who knows
down deep
are hidden things
a seed once dead
to life then springs

Poem for a missed friend

All alone
there's no one home
but the dog and I
the crazy cat
some books to read
a cup of tea
dear sweet friend
why did you leave?

canta alma mia

Mi alma canta
aun que no sabe que decir
una música dulce
sin palabras para oír

Canción de suspiros
de anhelos y de soñar
notas como lluvia
cayendo al llorar

¿Por qué alma mía
cantas tantas tristezas?
¿No sabes que pronto
llega tu esperanza?

Canta, alma, fuerte,
ya sabes las palabras
mil voces te ha dado
el Señor de maravillas

Levanta, alma, canta
grita con júbilo
al Rey glorioso canta,
Él te rescató

wishful thinking

I ordered a guitar stand. I am hoping that leaving the guitar propped up in the corner of the room will inspire me to practice more. You know, since it is so hard to get it out of the case every time. Who wants to do that?

Hello, Charlotte

This past Sunday was a beautiful, spring like day in the Queen City.
Thank you, Lord, for reminders that it is not always winter.
The sun will shine again.
The trees and earth will burst forth with blooms.
There is life yet to come.

Every day on my drive home the skyline greets me with a different view.  Sometimes the setting sun shines off the buildings, seeming to light everything on fire.  Other times there are dark clouds behind the buildings that make them look closer and bigger than ever.  Sometimes I smile as I see the city, almost as if we are greeting each other after a long day.  Hello, Charlotte, good to see you!

the literary cat

Riley cat inspired a first attempt at a homophonic poem.


Riley is a literary cat,
the kind that likes tall tales.
He can write one out in a jiff
with his right paw and tail.

The stories that he likes to tell
are at least ten stories high,
of mice that sing and dogs that dance
And birds that cannot fly.

Once he penned while in his pen
eight poems while eating steak.
With much at stake, he penned four more
to pay for the steak he ate.

to be continued....

Celebrating 2010

I am so thankful for God's kindness and favor in 2010. Here are some things that I am thankful for in no particular order...



Weddings and time with friends you have known forever!

Sharing the Gospel in Peruvian schools.

Running the Race, keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,
the author and perfecter of our faith.

Books that bring life and health

Students that make me laugh, daily!

Celebrating 30 years of life with friends in NYC.

Seeing God's work in the hearts of
Our students at SLCA who raised over 15,000$ to
send to Double Harvest ministries in Haiti to bring relief after the earthquake.

My sweet niece and nephew!

Charlotte: my home!

Mia the dog: She is a great running buddy.

There is no time...

I have often been intrigued by the words we heard from a wise island man.

My friends and I were in a rush to arrive to a tiny island called Little Cay located off the Atlantic coast of Honduras. We were all very excited and felt a bit like movie stars as we talked of “our own private island,” which was probably no larger than a football field.

The ferry was not been running that day due to weather concerns, and Andrew was not one to wait around, especially because we had only rented the island for a couple of days. He went in search of a private boat that would take us from la Ceiba on the mainland to Utila, an island town just about 8 miles off the coast. From there, the owner of Little Cay would come to transport us to our island.

After an hour of searching, Andrew found a Cuban gentlemen, obviously worn by years at sea, to take us across. At first Andrew’s great idea seemed like a fun adventure. But after we left the security of the bay, the waves tossed our little ship all over and at times threatened to fill the entire boat with sea water. Our adventure had ceased to be fun and began to be frightening. Our captain did not seemed phased by the wind or the waves. The six of us, however, were hunched down in the boat, trying to keep the salt water out of our eyes, wondering if we would ever see blue sky again.

We finally made it to Utila, a set of washed up, weary travelers. We draped our clothes all over the dock, hoping they would dry in the sun that had finally reappeared. Two cell phones and one camera were rendered useless after encountering too much salt water.

Then, after an hour or two of waiting, mostly impatiently, on the dock. We saw our host coming to meet us in a boat. We were very eager to finally arrive to Little Cay. Our host seemed to notice our hurry. He greeted us, helped us load our things onto his long boat, and took us to the island.

At some point during our twenty minute excursion, he uttered the words that often come back to me in moments of hurry or impatience. Those moments when the future can’t get here soon enough. The moments when I rush from thing to thing, not even aware of myself or those around me.

“There is no time, only life,” he said.

That is how the island felt once we finally arrived. No time. No watches. No hurry. Just us friends, sharing life and food and conversation. Sometimes sitting together, other times walking around the island alone. We snorkeled. We laid in the sun. We tried to open coconuts. We buried our toes in the sand. We watched the hermit crabs that invaded the island each night. We saw the tall palm trees bent by the sea wind. We saw sunsets and sunrises. We enjoyed. We lived.

There is no time, only life.

3. Break 2:00 for a half marathon Attempt #1

Attempt # 1 to break two hours at Kiawah Island half marathon. Time: 2:05:44--A five minute improvement from last year, but still 5+ minutes away. It didn't quite happen this time, but at least we all had a fun time training and spending the weekend with good friends.

21. Visit Memaw in VA

This year Memaw hired a photographer to take family pictures :)

20. Visit Grandmom Wertz in VA

I had a great visit with my Grandmother over Thanksgiving weekend. She makes the best toast!! I am not sure if it the bread or the toaster or the fact that she makes it, Gramma's toast is by far the best toast I have ever eaten!

14.5 Thanksgiving Turkey

Recipe number 5 out of 12. This Thanksgiving I made my first turkey, thanks to a yummy Cuban style recipe from my stepmom!

Whole Garlic Cluster
1/2 bottle mojo criollo
2 tsp salt
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
black pepper

1. Blend ingredients
2. Clean turkey, puncture, pour 2/3 mixture over turkey and into punctures
3. Use the remaining 1/3 mixture inside the turkey
4. Sprinkle black pepper
5. Cover turkey with foil, put in fridge for 24 hours
6. cook turkey
7. Eat :)

A Poem for Two Squirrels

Two squirrels were racing
across the street
The drivers were driving
they failed to see
that one squirrel was lucky
and one was not
the first went zoom
the second kersplot!

The bucket

My mom and I were talking about being busy and trying to do too much. She responded with some very wise words, "you can't put ten gallons of water in a five gallon bucket!" She is right.

Thanks, mom, for inspiring a poem :)

The Bucket
A five gallon bucket
is all that I am
though I shove and I push
trying always to cram
more and more in my life
than can actually fit
til the bucket's too full
and starting to split

A small trickle begins
just droplets at first
til the bucket is bulging
and ready to burst
at the seams though it seems
it can hold it all in
but this bucket is made
for five gallons not ten.

The Train

Another train has come and gone,
another train has passed.
Fear kept me from getting on,
fear tells me it was the last.

2. Break 25 minutes for a 5K-Attempt #3

Attempt #3 to accomplish goal #2- 26:24 @ the HFFA Fall Harvest Race. Forty seconds better than last time. We are getting closer :)

Righteous One

You hold the nations in your hands
Kings and kingdoms obey your command
Alone your kingdom stands
Held firm by your strong hand.

Bow down and kiss the son,
You are the only righteous one
Every tribe and tongue
is your possession

Oh, do you hear the mountains sing?
Praises resound across the sea.
What great news they bring
of our strong God and King!

He rides the ancient skies above
His voice like thunder shouting of
His heart for His beloved
Redeemed with His own blood!

2. Break 25 minutes for a 5k- Attempt #2

Attempt #2. Trying to run a 5k in under 25 minutes. Today's time 27:04 at the Lung Strong 5k in Cornelius- fifty seconds faster than the last race, but still not quite there. On the way, though.....gotta keep working! I am thankful that I able to run and breathe and be alive!

Overflowing

My cup overflows
with your mercy and grace.
My heart's longing fulfilled,
by seeing your face.

Rest lies in letting go...

Chasing wind,
grasping sand,
another dream
slips through my hand.

Letting go,
heart surrendered,
God's promises
then come unhindered.

Open hands,
heart at rest,
what God ordains-
His very best!

14.4 Chicken Noodle Soup

Recipe #4 out of 12 on the list of 30 THINGS TO DO THIS YEAR.

This recipe was a group effort from my housemates and I! Deb cut the veggies and Gloria added the extra spices until it was the right kind of zesty! This was my favorite recipe so far :)

Chicken Noodle Soup from Williams and Sonoma: Family Cooking-Creating Traditions in the Kitchen

The Recipe- we added garlic, onion powder, lots of salt and pepper and basil!

Cutting up the veggies!

Nothing like a side of grilled cheese dipped in ketchup!
Yummy!

14.3 Black Bean Pasta

This is recipe #3 out of 12 on my list of 30 THINGS TO DO THIS YEAR.

It is high time that some of the lonely, often overlooked ingredients in the cupboard get used, so I went to allrecipes and typed in "pasta," "black beans," and "tomato sauce." The result: Black Bean Pasta

It was an ok recipe, a little spicy because of the red pepper flakes, but not very flavorful. I had to add some cheese and salt, which can somewhat improve almost anything.

As usual, trying to cook usually teaches me what not to do: DO NOT PUT THE BURNER ON TOO HIGH, unless you want pasta sauce all over your favorite hoodie, on the floor, and on the side of the refrigerator.

More Minne-my-Sota

Downtown Minneapolis

HWY. 90 between LaCrosse, and Austin, Minnesota (home of SPAM!)

Prairies and Bluffs

1. Visit a New State, dontcha know?

Number one on my list of THIRTY THINGS TO DO THIS YEAR is to visit a new state. God opened the door and provided for me to go to not one new state, but TWO!

This past Saturday my best friend from Charlotte got married in Houston, Minnesota, a small town of 1,000 people located in the heart of Minnesota Bluff Country. "What is a bluff?" you may ask! From what I can tell, it is something that looks like a mountain, but isn't- it is just bluffing (wah-wah-waaaaah). The bluffs were beautiful, completely covered with trees at the peak of their fall colors.

The wedding party and family stayed in La Crosse, Wisconsin, right across the mighty Mississippi river that divides the two states. Unfortunately, I was not able to purchase any cheese!

Minneapolis, Minnesota
from Native American word "mni" meaning water
and greek "polis," city

Prairies and Bluffs on the route from La Crosse to Houston.

Small town Houston

The wedding cake

My sweet Friend, Melissa (Halstensgard) Meyer!

Some things I enjoyed about Minnesota:
1. The Accent! Bag sounds like baig, gopher like golfer, no like nol!
2. My favorite new phrases

• Uff-da! (Exclamation)
  
• You betcha (You bet/of course)
• Hot dish (Casserole)
• Oh yah (Yes)
• Pop (soda)
  
• Ya, sure
• Oh boy, oh dear, goodness gracious

3. Eating Grampa Halstensgard's Swedish pancakes! It was sweet watching Mel's grampa make pancakes- He was bent over the bowl, whipping up the batter while flour filled the air and was caught in the beams of sun coming through the window. Gramma walked by the plate of pancakes and asked if they were for sale. The family had a contest to see who could eat the most pancakes.

• 4 eggs
• 1 cup of flour
• 1 cup of whole milk
• 1 cup of whipping cream
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• pinch of salt

4. The beautiful landscape
5. Being with my friend and her family!
6. The people were "Minnesota Nice"

Fly Like an Eagle!

Our SLCA Cross Country Eagles soared at McAlpine Creek Park today! This was the kind of day that a coach dreams of- almost half the team ran a personal best. Congratulations, Eagles!

Book # 35: Boundaries

Book: Boundaries
Author: Dr. Henry Cloud, Dr. John Townsend
Acquired: Jumped in my cart while I was browsing the books at Salvation Army.

The subheading of this book says it all, "When to say YES, When to say NO to take control of your life."

I would like to buy a dozen copies of this book to hand out to all my friends. I don't know about you, but I have a hard time saying no in this performance-driven, you-are-what-you-produce culture. What if I don't seem spiritual? What if I miss out on something? What if I hurt someone's feelings?

I feel too busy...I think I read somewhere that busyness is a sign of an empty heart....I tried to find it, but found something else:

“We often say we’re busy, but what does this term mean? We just say it without thinking because it’s an easy response and it sounds good. It sounds better to say that we’ve been keeping busy than to say we’re doing nothing, right? . . . Beneath this cultural pressure lies a more poignant and sobering truth: busyness is a sign of vanity. We find our worth through our busyness." - Intervarsity Website

I feel sad for my students. They are the busiest people I know. They fly from one activity to another, filling up their college resumes, yet leaving their hearts behind.

It comes down to this: "Our lives are our responsibility...A helpful way to understand setting limits is that our lives are a gift from God. Just as a store manager takes good care of a shop for the owner, we are to do the same with our souls."

Do you have trouble saying "NO"? NO, to the co-worker who constantly needs you to rescue them from their lack of responsibility? NO, to the friend who only calls to dump all her problems on you and never asks how you are doing? NO, to yourself when you keep wanting to keep hitting the snooze button every morning? NO, to the people in your church who want you to teach Sunday School even though you are already greeting and helping with the Women's Retreat?

READ THIS BOOK!

2. Break 25 minutes for a 5k- Attempt #1

To celebrate 30 years of life, I have a list of 30 things I would like to accomplish this year. Very high on that list is running a 5k in less than 25 minutes. Last fall I ran the HFFA 5k in 25:25, just 25 seconds away!

This morning, however, was not quite so close. It was a slow 27:52 at the Hit the Brixx 5k.

Oh well!

At least three good things came out of this morning:
1. I learned what NOT to do: NO coffee before a run. NO dairy products for breakfast. NO staying up to late the night before. NO waiting til the last minute to hydrate. NO benadryl. NO running while you are sick.

2. I got to eat free Brixx Pizza AFTER the race. YUM!

3. Standing in front of me at the start line was a very inspirational woman. She was wearing a bright blue San Diego marathon technical tee, a bright blue hat to match her shirt, neon green socks, and silver earrings. Her name was Harriette and she was 87 years old! When I asked Harriette about the San Diego marathon her son answered saying that she had won her age group 12 years in a row and had raised more money for Team in Training than anyone else.

I found her name in the results and then asked Mr. Google to help me learn more about this incredible lady - stalker-ish, I know.

Article in Run, Theoden, Run
Article at Runnersworld.com

I hope that I can still run and enjoy life when I am Harriette's age, and perhaps by then I will have broken that 25 minute goal!

Next attempt: Lung Strong 5k in Cornelius on Oct. 16!

14.2 Made from scratch Pizza Dough

Item # 14 on the list of 30 things to do this year: Cook using a recipe....once a month.

I haven't been too consistent on this one, so let's just modify the goal to cook 12 new things from a cookbook! This weekend my niece Cheyenne helped me make homemade PIZZA!! So many questions came up:
- does a teaspoon of sea salt equal a teaspoon of regular salt??!! Not sure, but the pizza dough was way too salty!!
- how do you measure yeast? It says on the back of the packet that one packet equals 2 1/4 teaspoon....but I only needed 1 1/2 of a teaspoon....so I used a teaspoon, but it took the whole packet to fill it up?!
- are there any special rules for using wheat flour?

Cheyenne didn't complain, though, so I am content!

18. Have my niece over for a weekend

My niece Cheyenne came and spent the weekend with me! YAY! We watched the SLCA Eagles win in football, took the dog for a jog, went to the park, made homemade pizza and went to church. Fun weekend! Hats off to my sister who works hard being a mom every day!!

Urban Cowboy

Anyone see anything out of the ordinary in this picture?

The other day I looked out my window to see 8 neighborhood guys ride by on their...horses?

Shepherd King

What a sweet sound to hear the Shepherd call!
Hear and obey, rend him our all.
His loving staff will correct a wondering heart, should it misstep

Shepherd King
Your hand gently leads
Your sheep hear your voice
and following it rejoice

What a sweet sound to hear the Shepherd call.
The only one who can restore our hearts.
Who leads us where the still waters run to give us rest

Shepherd King
Your hand gently leads
We don't know the way,
still we trust your heart

Life in a Boat

So what do you do
When life is not what you hoped,
And you find yourself alone
Out in the ocean in a boat?

What do you say
To the sky up above
As you scan the horizon
Looking for the one you love?

What do you feel
When no one answers back
When it seems like your fault,
Your navigation's just off track?

What do you think
When the waters are too deep,
Do you grab a life vest,
Or just let yourself sink?

El pajarito

Un poema
Por Trish

¡Suéltame ya, quiero volar!

No en mi mente, sino en mi corazón.
Quiero ser libre y sin inhibición.
Libre para ser y desear,
Libre para vivir y amar sin dudar.

Pero un pájaro libre no puede volar
Si lleva adentro una jaula.
¿Quién tiene las llaves para soltar
el pajarito que quiere cantar?


-- Post From My iPhone

Book # 34 Shepherding a Child's Heart- Tedd Tripp

"There is another problem. If you address only behavior in your children, you never get to the cross of Christ. It is impossible to get from preoccupation with behavior to the Gospel. The Gospel is not a message about doing things. It is a message about being a new creature. It speaks to people as broken, fallen sinners who are in need of a new heart. God had given his Son to make us new creatures. God does open-heart surgery, not a face-lift. He produces change from the inside out. He rejects the man who fasts twice a week and accepts the sinner who cries for mercy." - Tedd Tripp


-- Post From My iPhone

Linares

Saturday I had the joy of being with my friend Julie as she fulfilled an item on her list of 101 things to do in the next 1001 days. We ate at an authentic Mexican Restaurant on Central Ave! I barely knew the this part of Charlotte existed. All of the signs were in Spanish. The ones that weren't were in Thai or Korean or Vietnamese. It was a fun cultural outing! Oh....and the food was DELICIOUS!

Goodbye

Dear Summer,

Thank you for many sunny days, poolside fun with friends, relaxing mornings to read to my heart's content, too much coffee, sweaty runs, blooming crape myrtles, and evening walk with my dogs. They say I have to go back to school tomorrow. I will miss you!

So long, farewell, Auf wiedersehen, good night,
T


-- Post From My iPhone