Philippians 3:13-14

OK, I'm back.... What a month, and what a paradigm shift in my life once again.  A new direction and a new beginning have been set into motion.  Nearly nonstop are my workdays now as I move forward toward new goals (joy, contentment, peace...) that have become clarified after a difficult time of wondering and waiting.  Stopping only long enough to have a meal, an outing with a friend, and some sleep, I press on toward the goal (Phil. 3:14).  Sometimes, as tonight, I will  indulge in an evening glass of wine and a heating pad. :)

Digging through thirty years of stuff in a house makes for some interesting discoveries.  One long-neglected cupboard revealed well-hidden relics of the past: 

Others testify to my tendency to hide my early-shopped Christmas gifts so well that I either forget about them or can't find them when Christmas rolls around.  Yes, I found a box of brand new (a few years ago, that is) gifts.  I am not telling what they are, because I plan to hide them again for Christmas 2012!

The best part is coming across the occasional treasures from Jamie's and Derek's childhood.  Their gradeschool art folders gave me the perfect decorations for Easter this year.  

Happy Easter - the celebration of New Life!

"and He died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.   ...Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature;

the old things passed away;

behold, new things have come." 

2 Cor. 5:15, 17

Precious Moments

In Jamie's youth, Enesco's "Precious Moments" collectibles were all the rage.  Sweet child figurines depicting life scenarios under encouraging or scriptural titles, Jamie's collection was featured in our family room display cabinet for many years.  It seemed everyone had them - they were the go-to gift for girls or families to commemorate a special occasion or just to convey a positive message, such as:

"You Are the End of My Rainbow"

"Dreams Really Do Come True"

"I Can't Spell Success Without You"

"Sowing the Seeds of Love"

"Who's Gonna Fill Your Shoes?"

"You're the Sweetest Cookie in the Batch"

"You Have Touched So Many Hearts"

I found the box where they have been packed away and went through them recently, bringing back precious memories of times in her life and in ours.  It was a reminder of the precious moments that God provides for us each day, and those that await us in the future.  If we pay attention, they are captured in our minds and in our hearts. Thankfully, some are preserved in pictures, too.  :) 

Stepping on the bubbles, pop, pop, pop!



Carter meets Grandpa Keith, finally!

Carter is all smiles meeting new friends at church



No words... just a melty Grandma heart :)

Moments come and go quickly.

Watch for the precious ones, and put them into your own collection.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above..." 
James 1:17 

"Hands On"

This is the name of a new Educational Supply Store in town.  Unlike traditional stores where items are all shelved until purchased, this one offers sample toys and games for a child's hands-on activity while Mom and Dad are browsing.  Reading about things, seeing pictures of them in catalogs, hearing about them, or even looking at toys on a shelf doesn't compare with actually being able to touch and play with them, making this a wonderfully shopper-friendly place for parents and children.

We tried it out last weekend when Jamie, Chris, Kendall and Carter were in town for a visit. 



Hands-on the flowers outside, too!

Of course, the same applies to children and grandchildren.  There's nothing that compares to "hands on" time with them, and we loved every minute of those 3 days!

Snack Time

Jamie has been inspiring me with her new recipe ideas, and so I have tried a few lately.  Intrigued by one from her Pinterest board that uses cinnamon rolls as a piecrust, I "invented" this variation.  Skeptical about its simplicity, I was surprised that it was actually a success! 

Try it out sometime, and enjoy...

CINNAMON APPLE MINI-PIES
2 cans cinnamon rolls (8 rolls each)
4 cups diced, peeled apples (Granny Smith)
6 Tbsp. flour
3/4 c. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Press each cinnamon roll evenly into a greased muffin tin cup to form a crust.

Mix dry ingredients and stir into apples.  Place a heaping spoonful into each crust.

Streusel topping:
3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 Tbsp. margarine

Mix together dry ingredients, then cut in margarine until forming coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping over each pie.

Place into 400 degree oven and bake 15-17 minutes.

Remove pies from muffin pan right away. (Otherwise, the juices will cool forming a "glue" to the pan and you will have to chisel them out, which isn't pretty.)

Top with ice cream or whipped cream if you like while hot, or let cool for finger-food snacks.

Enjoy for breakfast, with afternoon tea, or as after-dinner dessert.
Better yet, all of the above! (they are small...)

A Valentine Wish

This is the mystery and miracle about hearts that I have learned: They can be empty, and full - at the same time! For Valentine's Day, I wish you a heart full of love and gratitude to the One who first loved you.

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God."

"We love because He first loved us."

1 John 4:7, 19

Super Sunday

For our 49er fans, football season ended a couple of weeks ago, downgrading the Super Bowl into the So What Bowl.  So, if we don't watch it for the game, do we tune in for the first-run million-dollar commercials, or for the "spectacular halftime extravaganza?"  It seems that lately, those once-super audience draws have become similarly ho-hum, having certainly declined from the wholesome standards that used to make this final football game family-friendly entertainment.  "Ah, the good-old days..."

Speaking of "back in the day," did you know that Up With People is the only entity that has performed in FOUR Super Bowl halftimes?  Keith and I participated in one of them as UWP Alumni in 1980 (Rams/Steelers) at the Rose Bowl.  Yes, I am obviously biased, but those were some fun musical extravaganzas, always well-received by the audiences, if not by David Letterman and other wise guys, er, comedians. 

For some Super Bowl trivia, here is a list of the TOP TEN Super Bowl Halftime Shows, as reported by The Washington Times.  How many do you remember?

10.  The Rolling Stones, Super Bowl XL -  2006

9.  Up With People, XVI - 1982

8.  Motown Review, XXXII, 1998

7.  Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, XLII - 2008

6.  Paul McCartney, XXXIX - 2005

5.   Bruce Springstein, XLIII - 2009

4.  Diana Ross, XXX - 1996

3.  Michael Jackson, XXVII - 1993

2.  Prince, XLI - 2007

You will find that the "top ten" list varies depending on the source, but there is consensus on the one at the top of the list.  Following the 9/11 tragedy, this group brought a truly spectacular halftime performance that may never be rivaled. 

#1.  U2, XXXVI - 2002

The band U2 delivered an emotional tribute to America and the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.  The Irish rockers opened with their hit “Beautiful Day.” As the first song wound down, a giant screen scrolled the names of victims in the attacks as Bono sang “Where the Streets Have No Name.”  The crowd roared as Bono pulled back his jacket lapel to reveal an American flag.

Derek always proclaimed that U2 was the #1 Super Group of all time.  We Beatles fans may disagree, but we will concede them the honor of #1 Super Bowl Group! 

Whether or not you tune in to the Super game, Super commercials or Super halftime, here's wishing you a Super Sunday!

When Time Flies

The days, weeks, and months are creeping along since we last spent time with Jamie, Chris, and our two adorable grandchildren.  At that time, for me, Carter was (almost) 2 days old.  Grandpa Keith hasn't met him yet. Watching Kendall and Carter grow and change in pictures and videos is always a delight, but also feels somewhat like a loss as those once-in-a-lifetime moments come and go across the miles, without our participation. 

Big sister kisses, baby brother love

2-month-old Carter smiles!

We have definitely gained a new compassion for all grandparents who must endure this unfortunate lot in life.  No local diversions keep our thoughts far from what is most on our hearts - our children, our grandchildren - all so far away.  The times we can be together are the most cherished and joyful ones for us during the year, and we always look forward to them with the greatest anticipation!  Then, time flies as we soak up the precious moments.

And so, the countdown is on again:  Eight-plus weeks down, and five more to go.  If each "together moment" could last as long as the apart ones do, wouldn't that be an extra special blessing!  NOW is when we wish time would fly, not then!  Tick.........tock.  

"Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 

~ 1 Corinthians 13:7

An Eternal DRoP

"Your loved one's life mattered -- no matter how long or how brief it was. Their life was like a drop that plopped into the lake of your life and made a huge impact. The ripples will keep moving out in concentric circles for eternity. In fact, nothing is the same thanks to that beautiful eternal drop. Your lake has been transformed."

~ Transcending Loss:  Understanding the lifelong impact of grief

I saw this posted online recently, an uplifting thought.  The ripple-effect of one life on another is something we tend to grasp greater awareness of as time and life go on. And, no, it doesn't end when earthly life ends.  There are many qualities and lovable quirks about Derek that have come into sharper focus now that he's not here, that make me appreciate them even more.  Thankfully, nothing is the same, because he "dropped in" for 31 years.  I know that those ripples will continue to transform "our lake," as we attempt to move with them in a positive direction - toward peace, renewed joy, and the solid ground of their final resolution.  What better way to honor and continue celebrating the impact of his life on us?  His initials - DRP - remind me of that beautiful, eternal DRoP into our lives that he was, still is, and will always be. 

With Derek's e-mail address in mind, I penned a little New Year's poem for him, along with the encouragement I know he would wish for us.

To U2DDog:

Never forgotten as another year starts,

Always with us in our minds, in our hearts.

"Walk On, with faith, hope and love," you say -

Where the Streets Have No Name, It's a Beautiful Day!

Kicking off the New Year

With a long weekend opportunity, Keith and I dusted off the RV for the first time in months and headed to the hills along with co-camper friends Mark and Valerie.  At an elevation above the fog, we had spectacular sunny weather every day and a nice location to say goodbye to 2011 and ring in 2012. 

None of us had explored this area of the state, and so while Keith settled in to watch an all-important 49er game, the rest of us drove a "scenic loop" into the Sierras - an area between Yosemite to the north and Kings Canyon to the south.  We didn't find the marker, but came within a mile of the exact geographical center of California!

Redinger Overlook

As we climbed in elevation, we noticed the temperature also climbing... to an unexpected warmth of mid-70's!  No need for as much as a sweater on New Year's weekend in the Sierras??!!  A nice surprise!  An interesting cabin, the oldest in the county dating to pre-Civil War, was one stop along the way.  Newspapers that had been added to the walls for insulation dated back to the 1930's, providing clips of history to peruse. 

 
At Mile High Vista, the view with granite domes and layers of mountain peaks was similar to that of nearby Yosemite National Park. 

Despite the clear roads and weather, we found the upper end of the loop already closed for the season (usually snowed in by now) and so had to turn around.  Taking a brief side trip down to Mammoth Pool Reservoir, the GPS navigated us right into the lake!  Or so it appeared. ;)

Pinochle and scrabble games entertained us on New Year's Eve while we waited for Dick Clark to countdown the ball drop, and at the nearby casino-hotel the party was on with spot-on celebrity impersonators and employees dressed in Hollywood era glam.

Mae West, Marilyn Monroe, and the Marx Bros, complete with honking horn!

When the moment arrived, we toasted the New Year, somewhat surprised we had actually been able to stay awake until midnight.  And so, the year was officially kicked off, along with our first camping outing, and another SF 49er WIN!  On to 2012 and may it bring us all many unexpected blessings, new joys, and much love.