TULIP

Saying Goodbye to Blogspot

2007-09-04T22:42:00.001-04:00

Dear friends,
My new blog has been in the making for the last couple of weeks, and it is time to switch over to Wordpress! I am still figuring out the Typeface coding and the Flickr pictures feed, but I hope to have a better grasp of it in the next month or so. One of my professors is a master website/blog HTML guy, so he should be able to help me. =)

Anyways, please visit www.emilyjacob.wordpress.com when you can. I will be using this blog between now and January as a place for Africa updates and pictures. The new blog is called T.U.L.I.P. And if you are wondering what the acronym is for, the explanation is in the "About" section.

Thanks for making a note of it! If you have any ideas/helpful tips for the new blog, please let me know!

Emily

Summer Food

2007-08-29T20:48:00.001-04:00

Italian Caprese Salad; Stuffed Green Peppers with Walnuts, Italian Rice, Fresh Swiss Chard, Majoram, and Basil, and Ground Turkey; Italian Bread Salad with Corn and Tomatoes; veggie stir fry, dakon radish, spicy sauteed shrimp with peanuts, grilled pineapple; homemade pizza (Trader Joe's Crust!!) with a variety of cheeses, spinach and pesto-basil sauce (Costco!!); me with our homegrown zucchini; blueberry walnut breakfast bread; zucchini poppeyseed bread with curry.

Summer cooking is my favorite because you can incorporate so many fresh ingredients into dishes, and all the while, they are simple to make and delicious to eat!

I didn't get around to making homemade bread, but perhaps I'll save that for the fall, as my Grandma just loaned me her breadmaker for a while.

However, I did enjoy piecing together these various breakfast, lunch and dinner courses. Try cooking without a recipe sometime--or dramatically altering it---it really is a blast.

We Beat the Hot Weather

2007-08-17T16:11:00.000-04:00

Del Mar Beach, San Diego, CA
Shank Home: Mom, Travis and Nora enjoying Swordfish kabobs and green rice
shopping in Target.
Camelback Spa, Phoenix, AZ
Mom at The Greene House Restaraunt, Scottsdale, AZ

Sipping a Margherita at Z-Tejas Restaraunt on our first night together
Gelato after Pedicures
Pacific Beach, CA
On one of our last evenings
Mom and I at Camelback Spa, Phoenix, AZ

Well, back home! The intense, August sun of Phoenix, Arizona beat down upon mother and daughters for multiple days, but kindred spirits never let the weather win. As Kathy Bates says in the movie, "Fried Green Tomatoes," TAA-WANN-DAA. So we did say to the 107 degree days. Ohh, yes. Mom, Nora and I had a wonderful time talking, eating, shopping, exercising, lounging by the pool and spa, taking a road-trip to San Diego for 3 days, visiting with dear friends and family, and most of all, laughing at each other. That is truly the best part. Like when Mom got confused with her Spanish accent and tried to pronounce "El Rancho" road, "El Ronn-cho" or "El Rawwwnnchoo." I'm not sure which spelling does it justice, but it was pretty hysterical; like when I get hyper over shopping, to the point of Mom and Nora needing to look me in the eye and say, "It's definitely TIME to go!"; or, like when Nora took on this cutesy, fake accent when she gave her "Super Foods" lecture to a group of Diabetics at the hospital where she works. Aww, she sounded so sweet---but where in the world did that come from??? And where do her strange pronunciations come from?

Besides making fun of each other, we also experienced wonderful fellowship. It truly is a blessing to be so united in our spirits and hearts, despite such different seasons of life---a mom whose primary years of child-raising are over, a young, married wife not quite ready to start her own family, and a Senior in college who has yet to jump into the full swing of love and marriage...we don't have much in common by way of To-Do's, but certainly, our Savior equally reigns over our hearts, lives and homes and is continually drawing us closer to Himself every day. And just like Elizabeth Prentiss penned her famous words, each one of us strive in our way to give, "More Love to Thee, O Christ."

On the way to Phoenix, I said to Mom, "When did we grow up? I mean, we are doing a Mother-Daughter trip, and we are all adults!" It is so incredible to me how time flies, and even these trips can all be over in the blink of an eye. Perhaps that's why it is so important to make these trips a priority in the first place: it isn't the grand, snazzy opportunities we had to go to San Diego, eat at a bunch of delicious restaraunts, or receive free day passes to the Camelback Spa, that we so fondly remember in the end (well, maybe the food and drink), but rather returning to the preciousness of living daily life together--quietly sitting together on the couch having our devotional times, making fruit smoothies for breakfast, serving each other by doing dishes, running up to the grocery store, switching over the laundry from the washer to the dryer, pretending we were spies with Rhondi and Becca Lauterbach when going to see The Bourne Ultimatum, curl up in bed and watch an evening show, and being able to read together in silence and not even care that no one is talking. Ironically enough, THESE are things I miss when thinking about Nora continuing to live in Arizona and Mom and I in Maryland. That is why I give thanks to God for providing the finances for this bountifully rich trip to take place!

Off to Arizona and San Diego

2007-07-31T15:21:00.000-04:00

In less than 24 hours, Mom and I will be in Phoenix to visit Nora. I can't wait to wake up, grab a large mug filled with steaming coffee, and take my Bible and journal outside to watch the gorgeous sunrises. What a blessing! We found this amazingly cheap flight, and 10 days of vacationing couldn't have come at a more opportune time. I have been working everyday in DC for the last 2 1/2 weeks, at Brodeur (the PR agency) and for Organize4hire. I have also been reading multiple Shakespeare plays on a weekly basis for my online summer course, and writing reports on characters like Henry V and Richard II. (yawn...) So, I am pretty much wiped out, and ready to relax and enjoy mother/daughter time. After we arrive on Wednesday, the three of us are taking a road-trip to San Diego, CA from Friday to Monday, where we will stay with our good friends, the Lauterbachs. Shopping, iced mochas, and beaches, here we come! Hopefully, we will catch a sunset like this one below...I can't wait for all the memories we will make over our ten-day trip!

Thank you to googleimages for these pictures. =)

AFRICA Jan. 3-25, 2008

2007-07-12T18:13:00.000-04:00

Today, at 4:45pm, I booked an airfare reservation that will take me to the unknown plains and hills of Uganda and Kenya, Africa in January, 2008. Lord willing, my prayer of three years is coming true! Through the initiative of my church’s singles ministry-- Covenant Life Church--I will be joining a team of 15-20 singles and married couples for 11 days to serve at a local orphanage in Kiburara, Uganda. Located right on the northern, upper edge of Lake Victoria, our team plans to connect with a church there who has developed relationships with Covenant Life’s sister church—ChristChurch—in Wales, UK. Led by one of our Singles Ministry pastors, Jim Winn, our team is looking forward to serving at an annual Christian conference in the local villages, as well as taking care of the orphans on campus.

From there, I will travel separately to join my Dad’s first cousins—Paul and Carolyn Koning—at Rift Valley Academy (RVA), a ministry of Africa Inland Mission International. RVA is a K–12 boarding school serving about 500 students whose families represent a wider range of mission organizations and nationalities. With the campus set in Kijabe, a small town about an hour’s drive northwest of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, it exists primarily to serve missionaries by providing a quality educational experience and a safe haven for their children. When I arrive, the Konings will have already been there for 5 months, so I will just jump into whatever they need me to do to serve! Hopefully, I will be using my experience in classical piano training to assist teachers from RVA’s music program. To learn about their mission trip, and where I will be staying, visit http://koningfamily.wordpress.com/.

Scriptures that keep coming to mind as I reflect on this exciting adventure:

1 Timothy 4:12 “Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.”

Matthew 19:14 “Jesus said, Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

Please be praying that God will already begin working to provide us with safety, health, financial provision, wisdom, and sacrifical joy! More details to come.

In Memory of Alivia

2007-07-09T07:30:00.001-04:00

"The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all...The Lord redeems the life of his servants"

--Psalm 34:18-19, 22

Our dear friends James and Emily Haughery have just lost their sweet, little girl this past weekend. Alivia had leukemia and put up quite a little battle against it, but the Lord took her home to be with Him! We are praying for them as they host the viewing today, and conduct the funeral tomorrow morning.

Go to http://www.aliviarachelhaughery32005.blogspot.com/ for more information...

I will be wearing my "Live Strong"-like bracelet today in memory of her. A bunch of us had bought them last year as a fundraiser for her!

funny stories from Michigan

2007-07-01T20:56:00.000-04:00

Mr. and Mrs. Brad and Jayne Jansen! (and my 2nd-cousin Payton tagging along)

we found this plaque in the Dutch store and thought it to be quite appropriate for me

the re-proposal at Grand Haven pier

Grand Haven

returning to my roots: a cute little Dutch store where old folks sit and drink coffee together and talk in their native tongue. =)

the jansen brothers: dennis, brian, and bruce

me water-skiing: it was awesome!

the sand dunes out on the lakes are gorgeous, as you can see

at the wedding

just got home from vacationing in Grand Rapids, Michigan with my parents and Brett. we drove up on Wednesday, and just got home tonight...so long drives on the 2 days, but definitely worth it! My cousin Brad got married on Friday night, so it was fun to see all my Jansen cousins, second-cousins, and uncles/aunts. We also visited my Dad's old college roomate from 30 years ago along with his wife and two younger girls, so that was pretty cool, too. we came home having experienced beautiful 75 degree weather, awesome landscapes, sore shoulders and legs from wakeboarding/water-skiing, and some pretty funny memories along the way.

Funny Memory #1:
scene: driving to MI. i am driving. brett and dad are in the back-seat.
action: brett yelps and jumps, making my parents think that i am a horrible driver and that i was about to hit another car. however, he promptly cries out, "There's a bug crawling up my pants!" We all start laughing and asking him what type of creature it is. A few moments later, he replies, "Oh, it was a raisin." Yes, that is correct. A raisin. We had had some carrot/apple/raisin muffins earlier that morning for breakfast, and one had slipped into the leather seat. =) So, throughout the rest of our trip, we would randomly cry out, "There's a raisin up my pants!"

Funny Memory #2:
Scene: early morning. i had just woken up, and desired a hot cup of Starbucks from the store that was just a few steps away from our Marriott Comfort Inn. My Mom had just gotten some a few minutes earlier, and so I assumed that it was open and she had no problem getting in.
Action: I walk over, pass the other stores' front doors on my right, and look for the Starbucks entrance. The only door I see is for a T-Mobile Wireless. Hmmm...definitely not it. I think to myself, 'I guess I'll just have to walk through the drive-through.' Yes, without a car. I march over to the drive-through, and stand at the little spot where you are supposed to talk into the speaker. I loudly say, "Hello?" No reply. So I walk around the corner to the pick-up window, where I see two cars ahead of me waiting for their drinks. Once they get them, I walk up to the lady at the drive-through window, with a car now behind me in line. She looks a bit puzzled. I am still tired and dazed and confused. I say, "Hi, mame...I wanted to know if I could get a cup of coffee, but I couldn't find your front-door so I thought that only your drive-through was open." She slowly grins, and politely says, "The front door is right around the corner, miss. Take a left, and then another left through the first door on your left. You can pick up your coffee there."
After-thought: Am I an idiot or what? Really, there is no defending myself for this one. My family got a huge kick out of it and I must say, I deserved their teasing and ridicule.

Funny Memory #3:
Scene: Grand Haven Public Beach and Pier.
Action: My Uncle Bruce and Aunt Barb got engaged out on this huge pier by Lake Michigan many years ago. They wanted (rather, HE wanted) to re-enact the scene of their engagement on Saturday by re-proposing to her. So, trudging along multiple family members and relatives, we all walked down to the end of the pier, and set up the scene. The funniest part about the whole situation is that Aunt Barb began to actually get a bit nervous. All of these people were watching, too =) But, it was very cute and we took pictures and everyone had a good time.

Don't vacations always have a way of bringing out the best and the worst of us?! =)

Patio Parties

2007-06-23T14:09:00.000-04:00

Dessert

The boys showing their best moves
Brayden

Our lovely little-set up under the deck!

Britt and I

Ready to play--Britt got her bean-bag in the hole at least 10 times!

_____________________________________________

Mom and I did the summer set-up for the patio underneath our deck a few weeks ago, with Target lights strung diagonally across the beams and cute, green flower slip covers over our white chairs. The long table used for co-op classes in the winter has now become our must-use tool for hosting dinner parties. Despite this month's humidity, we've been blessed with a few picture-perfect evenings in which it dropped down to a mild 60 degrees. Last weekend, our family hosted the Maresco's for dinner, which was a blast. We had spicy chicken with sweet coconut sauce, rice, hawaiian baked beans w/ pineapple, fruit salad, and regular house salad. For dessert, Mom made manderin orange panacotta (similar to creme brulee, but without eggs in it), topped off with a simple mango-lime sauce I pureed in the blender earlier that afternoon. Britt, my friend from Tucson who lives in MD during the summers, joined us as well. She dominated at CORN. (a yard game in which you try to toss bean-bags onton a slanted, wooden platform with holes in it that designates your points). She definitely had beginner's luck. =)

Then, the next evening, I decided to leave the set-up and host my own dinner for a few friends last-minute. Kate McMahon and I whipped up fruit salad, chicken pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes and pesto, grilled balsamic and herb chicken and iced tea, with ice-cream cones or gingerbread/whipped cream for dessert. Yumm! Then, we all played my favorite game ever--- Scrabble---till midnight. Fun stories, great friends, yummy food, good competition...what better way is there to end a Saturday evening?

Na and Beyond

2007-06-05T07:41:00.000-04:00

I attended the New Attitude Conference in Louisville, Kentucky over Memorial Day weekend a couple of weeks ago, and it was such a spiritual highlight for me. Every time I go (this was my 3rd Na), God exceeds my expectations. I was so busy finishing up the semester, that I really had no idea how God desired to speak to me. As I thrust myself into 4 crazy days of worship, teachings, fellowship, and late-nights, it soon became clear that He was after His glory, and my good. The theme for the conference was Discernment, and included very insightful messages by brilliant pastors and theologians. Go to http://www.newattitude.org/2007-liveblog/ for more details, free sermon downloads, music playlists, great quotes, helpful application questions, etc.

Charles Spurgeon, in his Morning & Evening meditations, said on May 31, "We trust Him, and sin dies; we love Him, and grace lives; we wait for Him, and grace is strengthened; we see Him as He is, and grace is perfected for ever." (Psalm 103, Evening)

This sums up my experience with the Lord at Na 07. As a church-kid, I know the truth, I can quote the truth, I believe the truth. But, have I applied the truth? I love Spurgeon's pro-active pull in this quote. They are verbs. Trust, Love, Wait, See. My prayer in the coming days is that the Lord will graciously help me to no longer be like the person who looks in the mirror, walks away, and forgets what He has seen (James 1:22-25). Rather, being humbled by the truth of God's word in regards to my sanctification process, I hope that the grace of Christ will strengthen me to say NO to the idols that lie within my heart(http://sgm.edgeboss.net/download/sgm/na/2007messages/a2270-04-51.mp3) and worship God for who He has revealed Himself to be--the one true, holy, perfect, righteous, loving, faithful, generous, and omniscient God.

What are you doing this Summer?

2007-05-14T14:43:00.000-04:00

white hem

no more long pants!

Well, school is over. Let the summer activities begin! I love summer because it is such a great opportunity to actually DO the things on those long-term To-Do lists that you enjoy doing, but otherwise seem like tasks if they are too rushed. Thus, 'lazy days' can become the most productive of them all. =)

Today, I began this trend by pulling out the sewing machine and transforming a pair of long, sky blue Abercrombie & Fitch pants that I bought back in 9th grade. Yes, I still have them! They were in such good condition, I simply couldn't get rid of them. However, I never really wore them anymore, so I decided to cut them into Bermuda shorts. For an hour of sewing, it really is worth the $20 I would have spent on a new pair!

Other plans for this summer:

*Cook dinner 1 night a week

*Learn how to bake homemade bread

*Finish reading the Bible (I have 1 Samuel through Nehemiah left!)

*Memorize Scripture on a weekly basis (Romans, Proverbs, James)

*Take advantage of working in DC by walking outside during lunch hour and getting acquainted with the area

*Try out new and original recipes for my homemade ice cream maker

*Host Firepit & S'mores nights with friends

*Make the most of my summer class, "Shakespeare: Power & Justice" by enjoying the reading and supplementing it with the corresponding movies: MacBeth, Hamlet, Romeo & Juliet...feel free to come over and watch it with me!

*Trips: New Attitude, Michigan, Arizona/San Diego

Jardin

2007-05-06T13:45:00.000-04:00

Here are some pictures from the side-yard Wisteria this year...it is so beautiful! Nora, enjoy =)

And a little story below...

I have never been much of a gardener. What's the use? The Jansens have Dad and Nora for that. =) Nonetheless, I decided to plant Wheatgrass two weeks ago, because supposedly the extracted juice has essential vitamin and minerals in it that is good for you...so, I am happy to say that I planted the Wheatgrass seeds, made sure they got plenty of sunlight and water, and lo and behold, the grass grew! (The Wheatgrass in this picture is a little floppy because it needs some more water, but don't worry, I'm on it!) This little experiment has boosted my confidence that perhaps I can grow other things, too. I wonder what I'll do next?

There is a River

2007-05-03T08:00:00.000-04:00

13 days till the long, 21-credit semester is over. God has been faithful, He is being faithful, and I know He will be faithful as I take multiple tests and write papers during the next two weeks. I don't think I have ever felt as weak as I have this Spring, yet there is this pure joy I am finding in the fact that God's power is being made perfect in my weakness. He is writing my story. As the author, He is even perfecting my faith! What a mystery. What a divine mercy. To be wholly refined in His blaze of fire is not easy, but it is so satisfying. I found Psalm 46 to be so comforting this morning.

"God is our refuge and strength,an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear...There is a river whose streams make GLAD the city of God,the holy place where the Most High dwells.God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day...Be still, and know that I am God;I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth.The Lord Almighty is with us;the God of Jacob is our fortress."

Spurgeon said of verse 4,
"Divine grace, like a smoothly flowing, fertilizing, full, and never-failing river, yields refreshment and consolation to believers. This is the river of the water of life...The streams...shall make glad the city of God, by assuring the citizens that Zion's Lord will unfailingly supply all their needs. The streams are clear, cool, fresh, abundant, and gladdening. In seasons of trial all-sufficient grace will be enable us to endure to the end."

Spring Days

2007-04-14T17:13:00.000-04:00

The Streets of Philly

Philly, Friday April 13
A yummy decaf cappachino before the King Tut Exhibit across the street at 10.

Ally, Elise, Casey and I in a life-size human heart! We all agreed it was the best field trip our mothers ever took us on, even at ages 19, 20 and 21 respectively.
Nora's Surprise Visit home for Godspell weekend...Mom was quite shocked.

Winter won't go away! I took this picture last Saturday morning right after it had snowed.

930 Club--Matt Kearney concert on Monday night!

Out on the Town...

2007-04-10T09:23:00.000-04:00

DINNER DATE WITH MY BROTHER:
One of the fun aspects of working in DC this semester has been discovering all the fun shops and restaraunts in the area. Last night, Peter treated me to a delicious meal at this Northern Italian Rest., where our friend Sung is a waiter. Treated like royalty, Sung gave each of us a complimentary drink--Peter, champagne, and me, a raspberry liquer with sparkling wine. I went with Sung's suggestions for most of my meal because he was so adament about how good these dishes were. And it WAS good. So good that I felt a little sick afterwards because of the intense richness of main course pasta dish. But hey, what's a great food experience without a little butter?! =)

antipasto
Imported Buffalo mozzarella with oven roasted tomatoes, fresh oregano
and an anchovy-garlic sauce

first-course
Olive and thyme flavored pappardelle with a local lamb ragu and Jerusalem artichokes

main course
Lake Como Valley's traditional ravioli of aged ricotta and raisins, with butter, sage
and Parmesan sauce

dessert
Spicy Dark Chocolate Gelati with Prato's almond biscotti

Peter and I finished off the evening's activities with the Matt Kearney concert at the 930 Club with a bunch of other friends from Covenant Life.

I'm so grateful for God's provision in bringing me fun activities that help keep my mind off the mountain-high To Do List I have for school projects. Only 4 more weeks to go!

When I am an Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple

2007-03-25T15:13:00.000-04:00

This title is in dedication to my Oma, Neeltje Jacoba Van Leeuwen Jansen, who passed away 6 years ago today, on March 25, 2001. It's funny--the spring flowers seem to have just popped up this past week, and when I saw the purple ones blooming, it made me think of this silly t-shirt that she used to wear. It was bright purple, and had "When I am an Old Woman, I Shall Wear Purple" written across the front in white lettering. It made all of us laugh, but she got such a kick out of it...

Oma, whose middle name Jacoba I have inherited, meant so much to me. She lived in my neighborhood for most of my life, which enriched my childhood memories immensely. Flowers were one of her favorite things--there was never a time that her garden wasn't blooming with some daffodil, pansy, or tulip. Tulips, of course, are a huge part of Holland culture, and when she came on the boat to America at age 12, it seems that she brought that love with her to California, then DC, then Silver Spring, then Gaithersburg. More than anything, I appreciated the testimony of her trust in the Lord while fighting colon cancer for 2 years. One of the last things she ever said to me was, "Emily, just trust the Lord." Her simple, yet profound statement has crossed my mind time and time again these last 6 years, as I have faced my own difficult trials.

I can imagine what she would have done on such a beautiful Spring day like this. She would wake up, go to church, socialize with all her Christian Reformed Church (CRC) members, come home, throw on a comfortable outfit, and tend to her garden. She might putz around the yard, pulling up a weed or two from her flowers beds. After that, she might have rested for a bit, soaking in the warm rays of sunshine on her back patio. If she wanted a snack, she would have poured herself a glass of cranberry juice mixed with ginger ale, and munched on some Leiden Dutch cheese and Wheat-Thins. If she called us to come over, I probably would have walked the quarter-mile, through the park that backed up to her house, and met her out in the back yard. If it got late, she would have asked me to stay for dinner, and we just might have even played a competitive game of Scrabble, cheating and all. Oh, yes. Picking your letters was never a one-time "once and done." We all reached in the bag for a 're-draw' at one point or another. =) Ahh, yes. Sweet memories...

I am thankful for her life, today. I am thankful for spring weather and pretty flowers. I am thankful for a silly T-shirt with that the ridiculous phrase written on it. Perhaps, when I myself am an old woman, I shall wear purple. =)

STARR Graham Crackers

2007-03-19T12:16:00.000-04:00

ok, so if you're like me, graham crackers and milk is still one of the best snacks there is to have. there's something about it that reminds me of my childhood and makes it sentimental. the crispy bite, the dipping into cold milk, the slight sweetness. ahh...but have you tried these?

i discovered this particular brand--STARR RIDGE-- at Balducchi's specialty grocery store last November when I had to make a last-minute stop for S'mores ingredients. They have now become my favorite. And even though they are quite expensive ($4 for an 8 oz. box), it is completely worth the splurge. They are cinnamon flavored, which makes them taste even more delicious. sometimes i take a little hunk of dark chocolate and add it on top...

try them sometime, on one of these last cold, March afternoons when all you want to do is curl up with a blanket, a good book, and a tasty little treat.

From Fear to Freedom: God's Daughter

2007-03-06T07:09:00.000-05:00

I ended my last discussion of this topic with the thought that we can approach God at his throne of grace. I would like to begin here again, for the Gospel is a ministry of grace, and the truth and knowledge we gain from the Word is only made possible through the grace of Jesus Christ--He has not only won our hearts, but our adoption and freedom in the family of God.

John 1:12-13 says: "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God--children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God."

I demand many rights on a daily basis, from other people and myself, but how often do I pray back THIS promise of God? Christ gave me the right to become a child of God. Note, He does not mean here that we were deserving of being saved; rather, He is speaking of a bold faith that is possible because Christ's righteousness has covered our sins.

One of the things that Miller spells out in her transformation from a legalistic, defensive, self-righteous Orphan is that she realized she needed to change the object of her trust. Self-righteousness hindered her from that holy boldness, because she could only see her failures and mistakes. Trusting herself was a disappointment, and led to an orphanhood of isolation from God and others. Thus, Condemnation became the one drop of ink that ruins a whole glass of water, for as she condemned herself, she also began to condemn others. Judging them was a natural to her as judging herself.

As the Lord led her through this process of seeing the depths of her self-righteousness, God's unconditional love became clear. Indeed, knowing that she was the worst sinner brought to a humble amazement at God's mercy and love. Even as trials came, God helped Miller to grow in her heart-knowledge of the tender, sovereign ways of the Father. The chains of Fear were slowly broken, and the beauty of God's glory led her down a new path of 'daughtership'.

Ephesians 1:5 says, "In LOVE he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves."

To know that I am God's daughter is an incredible truth that breaks through our slavery to ourselves. Quoting Miller, it builds my "assurance of God as Father through knowledge of the doctrine of the Cross."
It also allows us to rely on the Spirit of God for obedience and daily acknowledgment of the Lord's will for each moment. If I know that I am daughter, God calls me to forgive others and not revoke to defensiveness and judgment of them. A holy boldness stirs me to be faithful in prayer, because I know I have a heavenly Father above who is eager and willing to hear, and answer my requests; at the same time, this holy boldness does not demand from God the exact answer to my desires, but trusts in a "plan not to be feared". Lastly, my adoption into Christ's family of believers gives me the privilege of constant intercession with the Lord for forgiveness and cleansing when I do sin and 'fall short'.

Miller ends her book with none other than the brilliant Martin Luther:

"Say thou: "O Law, thou wouldest climb up into the kingdom of my conscience, and there reprove it of sin, and take from me the joy of my heart, which I have by faith in Christ, and drive me to desperation that I may be without hope, and utterly perish. Keep within thy bounds, and exercise thy power upon the flesh: for I am baptized, and by the gospel am called to the partaking of righteousness and everlasting life."

Isn't God's glorious grace to his daughters and sons-- displayed, revealed, and made complete at the Cross of Christ-- simply amazing?! Let us continually live in this unconditional love...for we are Joint-heirs with Christ if we have confessed our sins and believed in His finished work.

The Love of Jesus

2007-02-13T19:53:00.001-05:00

"My heart melts at the love of Jesus, my brother, bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh, married to me, dead for me, risen for me; He is mine and I am his; given to me as well as for me; I am never so much mine as when I am his, or so much lost to myself until lost in him; But my love is frost and cold, ice and snow; Let his love warm me, lighten my burden, be my heaven; May it be more revealed to me in all its influences that my love to him may be more fervent and glowing; Let the mighty tide of his everlasting love cover the rocks of my sin and care; Then let my spirit float above those things which had else wrecked my life. Make me fruitful by living to that love, my character becoming more beautiful every day. If traces of Christ's love-artistry be upon me, may he work on with his divine brush until the complete image be obtained and I be made a perfect copy of him."

Valley of Vision, "The Love of Jesus"

From Fear to Freedom: The Spiritual Orphan

2007-02-11T07:33:00.000-05:00

"Sometimes I wake up and I feel like...an orphan." Huh? You probably weren't expecting that one. We feel tired, grumpy, maybe even stressed for all that the day will entail. But, rarely do we consider the possibility of this word: Orphan. Usually, this is associated with a child who has lost both his or her parents. Well, continuing in the story from my last post, Miller's thesis is that on a spiritual level, we often act like that abandoned, lonely, perhaps afflicted child that says "Ohh, poor me."
Miller lists a number of outworkings of the orphan's mentality:

--"I am more sinned against than sinning."
--Intense self-analysis, guilt, anxiety
--'I help everyone else, but I don't seem to get any help in return.'
--Outward Performance, such as a devotion to duty
--"I don't get any help" (self-pity)
--refusing the Holy Spirit's promptings (Hebrews 3:12-13)
--"The humble-sufferer" who must deal with emotional pain by yourself
--Hopelessness

According to Miller, these evidences come from a heart that is easily self-condemned. Why does this happen? Essentially, it is because we have gotten the recipe for faith wrong. She says, "Presumptive self-confidence may look like faith, but it has a very different spiritual root (Jer 17:5-10). Faith and presumption look alike because qualities are characterized by confidence...presumption is a reliance on human moral abilities and religious accomplishments, on visible securities. It ultimately relies on human will power to serve God and people...a mix of presumption and faith produces a personal instability that surfaces in crises and major life transitions...presumptive faith...must have positive circumstances and feelings of success based on visible accomplishments." (Miller, 1994, p. 16).

Yesterday night, I acted like a spiritual orphan. My homework To-Do list didn't get accomplished, and I was disappointed. My presumptive faith was a devotion to duty, and I expected God to "bless" me according to my standard of what blessing would have looked like--everything checked off. Surprise!! Religious moralism is a religion of control, and not redemption (p. 33). It is the false hope of self-righteousness. It ignores and doubts the power of the Spirit to accomplish in me all that God wills. I was so surprised as I read this book how often Miller went back to the idea of righteousness in Christ. If I would simply humble myself before God and acknowledge my nothingness, my complete unrighteousness without Christ, I would be able to have real faith.

Here is the difference: The faith that sees God's love as unconditional lives in hope because Christ's righteousness for me was won on the Cross; the faith that expects God to tilt the universe in my favor as I keep his laws cannot believe that God desires to, and must bless (p. 33). The latter is the how the Pharisee lives, and the former is how a genuine CHILD of the heavenly FATHER lives.

The apostle Paul paints such clear pictures of being a child of God in the book of Romans:
"Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes." (10: 4)

And then in Hebrews, I find so much encouragement from this scripture: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us sin our time of need."

Where do I find righteousness? Christ. How can I approach a perfectly righteous God? Because Jesus was without sin. Where do I go this morning to find help for all the things I have to do today? The throne of grace.

From Fear to Freedom: The Story

2007-01-28T16:51:00.000-05:00

Romans 8: 12-17

"Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation--but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according ot the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship (adoption). And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory."

This scripture has become a precious gem of life to me this month. It has slowly begun to transform my entire view of the Christian life. It is reshaping my understanding of what it means to be a justified sinner. It is gradually releasing me from the bondage of lies I have believed about God, myself and others. Praise God--He is slowly drawing me out of a "slave" or "orphan" mentality and lifestyle, and drawing me into the loving presence of His kingdom! It is one thing to read of God's family; it is another thing to take ownership of that truth and realize that YOU are in fact that unworthy sinner who has been accepted into His holy family. Around Christmastime, I felt the Lord impress on my heart to study the topic of Legalism vs. Grace. While searching my Grandmother's bookshelf on Christmas day, I came across a book called "From Fear to Freedom: Living as Sons & Daughters of God" by Rose Marie Miller. Its questions on the back immediately caught my eye. It said: "Do you:

--hate feeling "out of control"?
--work hard at being a moral person?
--build emotional "walls" in your relationships?
--do what's expected of you but then resent it?
--feel overloaded with guilt because you just can't love others?"

Check. Check. Check. Check. Check.

I brought the book home with me, showed it to my Mom, told her how excited I was about reading it. Then, I found out that it was, in fact, a book my Mom had borrowed a while ago from Rondi Lauterbach, a close family friend. Rondi had loaned it to my Mom, who read it, loaned it to my Grandma, and forgotten to give it back to Rondi when they moved out to San Diego a couple years ago. All this time, it has been on my Grandma's shelf, and now it has made its way back to me. So, not only does the book itself have a special story, but it has also been an instrument of creating a new spiritual story in my life this past month. I have read many spiritual books in my lifetime, and I can say without a doubt that this book has become one of those life-changing instruments that God uses to dramatically open His children's eyes to the reality of the Gospel.

A month of in-depth study regarding the topics of legalism, grace, condemnation, fear, freedom in Christ, particularly within the book of Romans and Galations, has been precious. And I would like to share with you the truths that God has revealed to me because of His mercy, by His grace, and ultimately for His glory. For, it is His truth that sets us free!

To give you a taste of what is to come, here are few of the mental attitudes that an "orphan" has towards himself and God: (Miller, 1994).

--Life consciously or unconsciously is centered on personal autonomy and moral will power, with grace understood as God's maintaining your own strength--not as his transforming power.

--Faith is defined as trying harder to do and be better, with a view to establishing a good record leading to self-justification.

--Obedience is related to external, visible duties, with attitudes and deeper motivation virtually ignored

--"What people think" is represented as the real moral standard, based upon visible success and failure.

--An I-am-a-victim attitude is supported by coping strategies, wall-building, blame shifting, gossiping, and defending.

--All this is accompanied by intense feelings of aloneness, believing that no one understands and that one is trapped by circumstances.

I am looking forward to sharing with you all in the weeks to come! It is truly a miracle of grace when God reveals powerful truth that re-shapes and molds us closer towards His very heart.

(Click on the Title of this post to view the book on Amazon...)

simple january days

2007-01-18T07:57:00.000-05:00

Working: My new internship in DC has been a blessing--not only is it paid and worth 3 school credits, but I am enjoying meeting new people and learning PR skills that will serve me when I get out of school.

Music: leon fleisher's rendition of the Nocturne in D-Flat Major (Op. 27, No. 2) is amazing...I have been listening to it at work these past two weeks. even if you don't like classical music, just try listening to this mellow, peaceful music and you will be a convert.

Eating: Stella's bakery on rockville pike w/ Mom yesterday was so wonderful...we each got a decaf cap made w/ Illi espresso and then we split these 4, tiny treats: a pistachio biscotti, baklava, a sugar cookie, and an ameretto Italian almond cookie.

Reading: it is 800 pages, (I'm only around pg. 100!) set in the early 1800's in England, and involves sophisticated characters, magic, and the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars.

my well-loved Mazuno running shoes:
I have been enjoying cold, brisk walks outside, and warm, Fitness First classes inside!

Looking: A beautiful, mellow January sunset. I took this picture from the top of our roof...

Flower arranging: Lauren Lotinsky and I did this for the 10:31 youth banquet on january 13

Photography: winter berries, some alive & full, some dead & shriveled

Ollie Bollen-A Dutch Tradition

2007-01-08T18:44:00.000-05:00

father-daughter special time

the proud "fryers"

this was taken without the cinnamon-sugar, but don't worry, we didn't forget to put it on!

(sing to the tune of "America"):
"Oh, Fryer, oh Fryer, we love what you can do.
But we will pay, later this day, if we don't stop at two!"

well, computer problems hindered me from posting earlier this week on the fun we had over new years', but finally i can tell you about it.

"Ollie Bollen". essentially, this means "oil balls" in Dutch. they are airy doughnuts filled with raisins, currants, and little chunks of green apple, which you drop into the deep fat fryer and then shake in a brown lunch bag with cinnamon-sugar. this New Year's Day tradition started a long time ago when my Oma used to have all of her children and grandchildren over to her home. we would walk inside her back door to smell that greasy, but utterly appealing, aroma of the doughnuts being fried. i remember hearing the sizzle of the hot oil and rushing down the wooden steps to see my Oma standing over the old washer and dryer with her big apron on, metal tongs in hand. when the Ollie Bollen turned that perfectly, toasted brown, we set them onto brown grocery bags to cool; then, with very generous, enthusiastic shaking of the closed lunch bag, we coated them in the cinnamon sugar. to say the least, it was, and has remained, a wonderful Dutch family tradition that I cannot wait to share with my own family someday.

in those days, it wasn't really a big problem to pound down four or five. but, alas, it isn't very safe to do that anymore. thankfully, i was able to control myself a bit more this past week. i think my sister Nora's doughnuts turned out a bit better, (mine were too dense), but i dare say we had more fun. =) who knows? maybe we'll have to start Ollie Bollen contests in the years to come! As you can see, here are a few pictures from our time together. many thanks to all my friends who came over to support us in our frying adventure.

"The Twelve Joys of Christmas"

2006-12-31T13:47:00.000-05:00

Blues Alley in Georgetown--Hearing the Ahmad Jamal Trio

Nora's Coconut Macaroons

The Stocking Stuffers

Seeing my sister every day for just about 2 weeks

Admin. Team Christmas Party

From Left: Mary, Katie, Rachel, me, Christy, Elise

The fresh farm eggs that Nora brought with her on the plane!

Family Game Night: Nora and I got the giggles and lost it...

Fresh Lemon and Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta sent from my friend Brittany!

Traditional Christmas Eve Picture

Wet faces from a walk in the rain Amazing coffee that Travis and Nora ordered from their honeymoon location in Hawaii

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Prepare Him Room

2006-12-20T09:56:00.000-05:00

Christmastime is a time of 'preparing room'. Shopping, cookie-baking, special parties, holiday decorating, wrapping, thinking about years of Christmas memories, traveling to visit with family and friends...these are all ways we open up space in our budgets, our stomachs, our schedules, and our hearts. Some of us do it a bit earlier than most (I think Nora finished her Christmas shopping in October), and others wait until the last few days of holiday frenzy (the boys went out yesterday, lists in hand!) But whether you are a super-efficient Christmas expert, or a spontaneous last-minute spaz, it doesn't really matter. The holiday spirit comes upon you whether you are ready or not. I finally joined the bandwagon two days ago when I finished my school finals.

Our family has our own traditional sense of preparing room, too. We like to prepare room for Bing Crosby's rendition of "Chesnuts Roasting..." in our c.d. player; we make time to watch "White Christmas"; we enjoy special Dutch treats like streup waffle cookies and spiced, sugared pecans; and best of all, we listen to my Mom reading "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever" out loud while we all laugh until our sides hurt. This year has also been unique--in a literal sense, I 'prepared room' for Nora and Travis, who have come home from Arizona for 10 days to spend their 1st Christmas as a married couple with us. As I emptied shelves in my closet, cleaned, and switched over to the single bed in Brett's room, I smiled at the thought of how 'preparing room' at Christmas often takes joyful sacrifice as well. But this one is definitely worth it---it is SO good to have the family all together again!

Yet, how easy it is to forget to prepare room for the one person that really matters: Jesus Christ, the Son of God. When Joseph and Mary knocked on the door of the Inn, there was 'no room' and so the door was shut. Will I open the door of my heart yet, so that He may enter? Have I taken the time to consider why we sing "Let ev'ry heart prepare Him room"? Christmas can so quickly become focused on the presents, the food, the expectations, the wants, the needs, the costs, the worries...but Jesus has only asked for one thing. He has asked us to prepare room for Him in our hearts, so that He may enter it and give us LIFE.

In John 20: 19-26, Jesus says "Peace be with you!" three times. This is in response to the disciples locking up their doors because they were afraid of the Jews in the days following His death on the Cross. I love the fact that locked doors--whether physical or spiritual--does not stop the Prince of Peace from bringing good gifts to us. And the gifts He offers to us are priceless, of eternal value, and more satisfying than any 'thing' inside a wrapped box. Even when we doubt, like Thomas (vs. 25), Jesus declares peace to us and asks us to "stop doubting and believe." And then there is such a wonderful promise that He offers: "blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed".

Oftentimes, we do not know how He wants to meet us, or what we are preparing Him room to do in us, but we may rest assured that there is the blessing of PEACE as we make room for Him in every aspect of our life.

God Incarnate

2006-12-08T07:33:00.000-05:00

Immanuel, meaning "God with us" (Matthew 1:23)

Normal nazarene (Isaiah 53:2)

Christ, the Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25)

Anointed by the Spirit (Matthew 3:17)

Road of the redeemer to the Cross (Gal 3:13)

Night: born in Bethlehem (Luke 2:8)

and would die in Jerusalem (Luke 23:44)

Appeared and will appear again (Titus 2:13)

Treasured by Mary in her heart (Luke 2:19)

Eternal God (1 John 1)

"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him IMMANUEL--which means, "God with us"...

"He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him"...

"Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the CONSOLATION of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ"...

"At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased"...

"Christ REDEEMED US from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us...He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit"...

"And there were shepherds living out in the field nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at NIGHT"...

"It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour, for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed HIS LAST"...

"While we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good"...

"When they [the angels] had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary TREASURED up all these things and pondered them in her heart"...

"That which was FROM THE BEGINNING, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched--this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

'I write this to make your joy complete' as you celebrate the Christmas season this year!

A Cam Jansen Thanksgiving

2006-12-01T07:36:00.000-05:00

No, Cam is not a relative of mine. Cam Jansen is an amazing sleuth who has a photographic memory. When I was little, I read her books and wanted to be like her. She would look at a scene, close her eyes, go click with her memory, and save the photograph in her head. Then, she would be able to solve all these really cool mysteries, like the one of the "Missing Cookie" or of the "UFO".

The reason for a Cam Jansen Thanksgiving? Peter and I were taking pictures with my Dad's digital camera and there was a "sim" card error which resulted in losing all of the 50+ Thanksgiving shots I had taken throughout the day. To say the least, I was pretty upset. But, as we know, pictures are only pictures, and sometimes it's best to "remember" a special day in our head rather than on special paper. So, I decided to make a click like Cam into my own memory. Ok, so maybe a bit cheesy, but hey! Sometimes you do what you have to do.

I will remember my 21st birthday as not only being on the national day of giving thanks, but also because I got to share it with two other incredible women whose birthdays were also that week. As we each got to open a gift from my Grandma at the same time, it struck me that the three of us all have 2 things in common.

First, we share a passion for writing and books. My great-Aunt Maggie has been writing for years and is an aspiring author who has taught me much about what good writing really looks like. Louise Stark is a lady who has spent the holidays with my Mom's side of the family for over 15 years. She was my uncle's childhood librarian who passed on a love for reading to him. It was neat to think that whether words are merely on sheets of paper, or bound together and placed on shelves, we all have been affected by them in our 21 years, seventy-something years, or even 80+ years.

Secondly, we are all beneficiaries of my Grandma's generosity and thoughtful gift-giving. My great-Aunt Maggie loves leather jackets, so she received a brand new one that she will enjoy when she rides on the back of her son's motorcycle. Mrs. Stark, who is elderly and often in much pain, received a cozy, fleece wrap that will keep her warm and comfortable at her assisted living home. And I received a check from my Grandma that went towards getting my hair cut and highlighted. But the best part was not opening my gift; when these two women opened their gifts and my Grandma's smile revealed her delight in being the giver of these gifts, I quickly realized it was time to click something into my memory. The ooohhhs and ahhhs of Mrs. Stark, and the powerful silent smile of my Aunt Maggie, revealed to me that God has given my Grandma a gift of extending His love to others. Through her generosity, God's generosity is displayed; through her thoughtfulness, God's specific care for each individual can be considered. I thought to myself, How can I learn from my Grandma's example and be more like her in this new year of my life?

Thus, I decided that though I won't have 50 pictures of Thanksgiving day or even a few of my 21st birthday, this 1 mental picture is worth more than all of them. Even technological errors are sometimes a blessing in disguise, so if your camera or phone or computer or blackberry or iPod happens to break in the next few weeks, take a second to realize that there may be a really cool thing to learn in the midst of the inconvenience.

21

2006-11-23T07:07:00.000-05:00

21 years ago on this day, the Lord brought me into the world at 5:43am. Somehow it doesn't surprise me that I woke up this morning around 6. *Sigh*. I am still an early bird after all these years. Speaking of birds, Happy Thanksgiving! As thousands of turkeys will grace the center of tables today across the country, I am so thankful to God for all of His bounty. Glory be to Him, not only for food and clothing and a roof over my head, but for forgiveness of sins, daily grace, and His perfect, sovereign providence over my life. This past year, He has been good. He has also been good for the last 21 years. Surely, just as the Apostle Paul asked of the Corinthians, what do I have that I did not receive? The simple answer is nothing. The Gospel, which has transformed my life forever at the moment Jesus reached out to save me, is the only thing I can and should boast of. And what a privilege to say that for 21 years, mercy has chased me, guarded me, provided for me, and sanctified me. In my desire to grasp these amazing truths, I chose to personalize the following psalm in my journal this morning. I pray that it encourages your heart as well!

Psalm 65 (modified):

'I am filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple...
You care for me and water me;
The streams of God are filled with water to provide me with grain,
for that is how you prepare me.
You drench my furrows (faith deepened)
and level my ridges; (pride weakened)
You soften me with showers (surrender needed)
and bless my crops. (generosity undeserved)
YOU CROWN THE YEAR WITH YOUR BOUNTY,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of My desert overflow (your water into my dry heart)
My hills are clothed with gladness (your joy over difficult trials)
My meadows are covered with flocks

(The comforting flock of your people)
and My valleys are mantled with grain

(your all-satisfying love for my emptiness).'

Shifting Shadows

2006-11-12T17:23:00.000-05:00

As i reflect on the last two weekends, it amazes me how sharp the contrast of feelings is between them.

the first i shared with my family in pure joy: my sister Nora came into town for four days of laughter, shopping, memories, cooking, running, family time, fellowship, and rest. it was a time of reflection on God's grace in the last year as she has made new roots in Arizona. Her visit was a precious gift of God to me, because it reminded me of how faithful God is to work in our lives no matter how unfaithful or sinful we are. as we recounted grace, we encountered new grace. i cannot wait for her and Travis to come over Christmas break for 10 days!

the second i shared with the Smith family in sorrow and mourning: their little boy Chase went home to be with the Lord on Monday afternoon around 4 o'clock, and yesterday my family and i supported Jon and Jenni at his memorial service with our tears, prayers, worship to God, love and hugs. never in my life have i witnessed such a glorious display of faith and trust in God our Savior. Jon and Jenni Smith have become some of my greatest spiritual heroes. and perhaps Chase was not given the gift of living even one full day here on earth, but his death has given many the priceless gift of cherishing the hope of heaven for multiple days. (go to http://the-smith-family.blogspot.com/ for their blog)

Praise God, for His steadfast character endures forever!

James 1: 17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Whether our days are marked by changing joys or sorrows, let us draw near to the One who never has changed, is not changing, and never will change.

'Oh the Weather Outside is Fallish'

2006-10-22T13:58:00.000-04:00

Trials and Temptations

2006-10-06T17:48:00.000-04:00

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, once said to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:

"Consider it PURE JOY, my brothers, whenever you face trials of MANY KINDS, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must FINISH ITS WORK so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must BELIEVE and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind... Blessed is the man who perseveres UNDER TRIAL, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown
of life that God has promised to those who LOVE HIM."
~James 1:2-6, 12~

This wooden panel is of a house I saw in downtown Leesburg, VA last year. I like it because the wood is natural, rough, and raw. In a lot of ways, it reminds me of how God uses trials in our lives to 'sand us down' and smooth out our internal flaws and sharp edges. The past few months have been characterized by trials for many in my life and in the world. Yet, God is working skillfully as the craftman of the heart. And it is so cool to see what He is doing in His workshop.

My brother Peter's BMW was wrecked at Sugarloaf Mountain at the end of this summer. A true saint in our church--Kathy Bowers--went home to be with the Lord after battling cancer for a number of years. My Mom's back had a relapse two weeks ago because of the fickle weather and changing season. I dealt with a bad sinus infection for 2 weeks that laid me up for a while at the beginning of September. My sister Nora and brother-in-law Travis, who live in a ranch house owned by the Shanks, now have it up for sale and are praying for a new place to live. My younger brother's friend--Chris Maresco--badly broke his femur in a soccer game, had to have surgery, and spent close to a week in the hospital. Last weekend, a young guy named Ian Murphy from the Lord of Life Sovereign Grace church in Indiana, PA was in a horrible car accident that has left him in a coma; He miraculously opened his eyes the other day, despite severe skull injuries, a broken vertebrae, and fractured bones. Today, he is to undergo surgery for his knee and vertebral column.

Meanwhile, a dear little girl named Alivia Haughery continues to fight for life as she battles leukemia and her parents, James and Emily, work on a bone marrow fundraiser. Our dear friends, the Smiths, have approached the final month before their son Chase is born, who has a disease that will most likely cause him to die shortly after birth. In the world-- Amish children, shot and murdered. More American soldiers, killed in Iraq.

And little things count as trials, too: my friend's ankle that hurts, my left eye that keeps twitching, my Dad's nice bike that got stolen in August, my sister's physical adjustment to the Arizona climate, my battle over the same sins that I have been fighting for months...

Truly, trials of MANY KINDS. Isn't it amazing that our Sovereign God is aware of each one, cares intimately for every individual it affects, and wisely acts out His will in love?? This new fall season, perseverance has become impressed upon me in a unique way. Allowing God to finish His work within us is never a comfortable, relaxing thing; yet, as He sands me down more into the image of Christ, He promises the Crown of Life for those who stand the test! What hope the Gospel, the good news of the Cross, provides for us as believers!

But trials are REAL: they can be so bittersweet. Treading through them is tiring. They have a sneaky way of making me fear all sorts of things. My mind runs wild. My heart grows weary. My soul can even begin to despair, complain, and lose sight of the trustworthy Shepherd. Quite simply, they humble me, making me bow down low before an almighty Father and Lord in acknowledgment of my own frailty and lack of understanding. Yet, as I fight for joy, I pray that out of His abundant grace, He will equip me (and you!) to know that HIS grace is sufficient for me. For His power is made PERFECT in my weakness.

In the meantime, please continue to specifically pray for Ian Murphy, the Smith family, and the Haughery family!

Real Life Sci-Fi

2006-09-25T20:55:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday and Friday was quite an adventure. Being the poor college student that I am, I decided to participate in a NIH research schizophrenia study last Thursday and Friday. These people pretty much pay you a lot of money to be their guinea pigs. Don't worry, though--I was in the "healthy control group". Interviews, MRI's, neurological physical exam, cognitive analysis exercises, and an MEG didn't seem too bad for $360 over 2 morning/early afternoon sessions. And I had already prepared myself to stubbornly push through the blood draw that would take place early Thursday morning. You see, I absolutely hate needles and the sight of blood. Still worse is the fact that I have low-blood pressure, so I get really sick and light-headed every time I get shots. Well, I wasn't exactly prepared for the moment when the nurse walked in with NINE vials. I cleared my throat and asked her, "Excuse me, but are you going to be filling ALL of those?" "Sure, honey" she replied, "but it won't take too long...just sit back and relax". Relax? Yea, right. Sweat beads had already formed on my brow and I began muttering prayers under my breath. Then, they started asking me "the questions" to distract me. When I was 5, it was the ABC's. Now, it was about college.

I laid back, looked away, and hoped for the best. A second later, I felt the cold, wet touch of an anti-bacterial cloth in the inside corner of my arm and then, the prick of the needle. 2 minutes later, I had broken out in a cold sweat, was completely losing consciousness, and begging like a baby for them to finish. My stomach felt ill, I couldn't think, and the rush of blood from my head was simply awful. Stupid genetic study. 5 minutes later, they were forcing orange juice into me and trying to get my pulse up, which had dropped to below 90. (I'm not a medical person, but apparently 120-130 is normal.)

By the end of the day, I was exhausted. My left eye was twitching from concentrating so hard on all these cognitive computer tests I had to perform. I came home and told my Mom that "there is no place like home". Seriously! In fact, I ended up feeling somewhat like an idiot because the last thing I did on Day 1 was a math test, and I was brain fried at that point. I admit it--I couldn't answer this really simple question. Let me know if you can:

If a factory can produce 8 automobiles in 6 hours, how many automobiles can be manufactured in 30 minutes?

The next day, I also did a MEG test, which is short for a "magnetoencephalography". They hooked all these electrods on my head and face and basically stuck me underneath a life-size hair processer for an hour. The picture above should hopefully give you an idea of how ridiculous one can feel when you actually become the science project. Pretty incredible tools, though.

Well, I guess that's what you get when you sign up for a research study. At least the $360 will come in handy!

Sick

2006-09-11T20:07:00.000-04:00

i caught a whopper of a sinus cold on saturday. everything is fuzzy, and my head feels like it weighs 25 pounds. please pray that i would feel better.

Funny First Day of School

2006-08-31T17:05:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was exciting. And sometimes the best part about crazy days are that they usually happen when you least expect them to. If you'll take a moment to read this, I would love to tell you my story.
Yesterday was my first day as a Junior in college at the University of Maryland--Shady Grove Campus. Time to celebrate with a big mug of my favorite espresso Starbucks coffee, I thought. After a wonderful time with the Lord, I proceeded to do e-mail, make my lunch, and pack up my handy-dandy white North Face backpack, which I just so happen to love. By the time I was ready to leave, I was running a few minutes late. "Hmm..." I thought..."I think I'll go the back way." As I was driving, I began to feel extremely faint, because my coffee intake had been more than my body was used to. At the stoplight, I even had to put my head on the steering wheel b/c everything started to go fuzzy. (Oh Lord, help me! But I recovered).

Now, to continue the story...The back way to campus turned out to be the long way, but it was worth it because I saw this very humorous sight. This random guy, who was probably 6' 5" and weighed close to 300 lbs, was stomping along the side of the road. He had this huge white-blonde beard and long, straight blonde hair. (I named him Gandolas--a cross between Gandolf and Legolas--from Lord of the Rings). I laughed out loud at him. Good thing my windows were rolled up.
So, 3 minutes late to my first class, even though I power-walked from my car all the way upstairs and into a seat. Not good when you are trying to make a respectable impression on your teacher and classmates. But it turned out to not be so bad, cause 3 more people strolled in after me a few minutes later. "Haha---you were later than I was" (to be read in a sing-songy, taunting voice).

Then, I had my first break. Due to the amount of coffee I had drunk, I needed to use the restroom. Now, if you get to this part of the story and think it's gross that I am going into bathroom-humour, please excuse me. Our family is pretty open about this kind of stuff. I walked in, and was the only one in the bathroom. When the time came for me to flush the toilet, I slowly watched in horror as the water began to rise, but not go down. Then, it overflowed. I hadn't noticed that whoever used the toilet before me had clogged it up and not flushed it. Bad stall selection, for sure. Good thing nobody else was in there, right? I had to then go to the front desk and subtly tell them that "umm, just thought I'd let you know...there is a toilet overflowing in the bathroom." How embarressing.

Next came my second class, which lasted 3 hours right smack in the middle of lunch-time. They didn't give us time to eat anything, so I got starved, got hypoglycemic and then shaky and irritable. By the time I got to my car, I was scarfing down my chicken, salad, and fruit at a very fast rate, and I think people walking by thought I was a poor, starving child in a '91 Volvo station-wagon who hadn't eaten a normal meal in 3 days.

And last but not least, the end of the day brought an errand to Nordstrom Rack on Shady Grove road. After returning a pair of flip-flops, I went to my car to leave. While calling a friend about a particular matter, I put my key into the ignition. As I attempted to turn over the engine, it choked and would not start. Second time, same thing. "Are you kidding me?" I thought. My friend kindly started praying. At the end of the prayer, I looked down and promptly burst out laughing. The car wasn't in park. I had my foot on the break, and the gear was in D for drive. I simply had done the second and third step before the first step. I'm such an idiot.

On days like these, all I can do is laugh and thank God for the wonderful opportunities He gives me to bless His name and trust in Him with all my heart. Regardless of what happened, how can I complain? I had my awesome, white North Face backpack on my shoulders, a delicious green apple like all my other "First-Day-of School" snacks, a cool new waterbottle, and a wonderful friend of 8 years named Elise Mays, with whom I have taken classes since 7th grade and is also doing the COMM major with me. Yep. It was a great day.

Worthy 06 Youth Retreat

2006-08-27T20:44:00.000-04:00

The Scapegoats...

Christy, our Mother Hen, was probably off working somewhere...

6 Admin girls.
5 saved.
4 Admin boys.
3 floors to patrol at midnight.
3 healed, permanently and temporarily.
2 souls that passed each other in the night--Kathy Bowers and Sarah Faith Brewer
1 who is Worthy.

Bored, Nothing to Do

2006-08-18T22:10:00.000-04:00

Well, not really...just for a few minutes on the way to Bethany Beach while Brett and I were in the backseat fighting for leg-room. The title of this post is actually from a book that my brother used to read when he was little. It was all about two boys who got so bored, they decided to make an airplane from all the things in their mom's house and their dad's garage. And by the time they had finished the airplane, the house and yard looked like a tornedo has blown through the land in an afternoon. So, Brett and I couldn't really do anything that dramatic. We were kind of stuck in the car. But we had a camera. And scary things happen when you have a camera. It's fun to be silly. We did our version of Zoolander's "Blue-Ice", Austin Powers, Fishy Faces, Wassup, and my personal favorite, Booger Picking. Thank goodness there's no rules about acting mature when you are 20...uhh...

The Law vs. Grace

2006-08-04T06:40:00.000-04:00

Galations 5:1, 4-6 says: "It is FOR freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery...You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by FAITH we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

The past couple of months, God has revealed me in greater depths the meaning of true grace. Legalism is enslaving; grace is freeing. Legalism is rooted in performance; grace is rooted in justification. Legalism has no hope in it, because you will fail; grace has every hope in it, because Christ did not fail on the Cross. Allowing the Gospel to inform my thoughts, words, and actions hasn't been easy every day. But knowing that "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us" ( GAL 3:13) has filled me with faith in my sanctification, because I know that it is only through HIS spirit that I will receive the righteousness 'for which I hope'. And what are we called to do? We are called to have a heart of faith in God, which expresses itself through love. But then I got stuck on the word "love": how do I obey God according to His word, and allow something as simple as "love" to be the basis of my obedience to Him? God has shown me that it means loving HIM, being satisfied in Him, applying of all the "Love is..." from 1 Cor 13...and being SO motivated by His worthiness that we begin to think of holiness as happiness. We have heard a sweeter song at Calvary. Therefore, we love Christ SO much, that we will forsake every fleshly desire and indulgence in order that we might be "for the praise of His glory." Isn't it incredible that no matter how many times we sin, God's grace and forgiveness stands firm?! We ARE free. We ARE loved. We WILL change.

The Simple Things of Summer

2006-07-27T14:53:00.000-04:00

Day Trip to NYC with my Caregroup--July 8

Java Junction for iced-tea after the market with my Mom...
This little girl was at the market today...so precious...
The market has so much--corn, apples, peppers, wild honey, blackberries, tomatoes, apricots, peaches, plums..it is right in Old Town G'burg on Thursdays from 2 to 5pm
Lauren and I posing at Ikea...
Yes, only one hydrangea has bloomed, but i am proud of it!
The wild blackberries that I picked on my walk the other day

During the last few weeks, I have begun to see the benefits of simple summer days. Our family decided not to go on vacation this year for a variety of reasons, and I have been pleasantly surprised to find that there are so many great things you can do when the calender is not filled up (surprise, surprise!) Long times of reading my Bible, studying spanish, seeing movies like Superman and Lady in the Water late at night, reading Counte of Monte Cristo at the pool, organizing my room, and going to the weekly local market on Thursdays with my Mom have proved to be so relaxing. And then there have been other things: going to Ikea to help Lauren Minard, one of my closest friends, pick out house and wedding decorations, enjoying my one lonely pink hydrangea that my bush produced, (my Dad pruned it last winter and he wasn't supposed to!), getting iced tea at this cute little cafe called Java Junction in Old Towne Gaithersburg, (this was today's activity), making ginger granola, cooking for family dinner (the other night was Greek style pork gyros on toasted pita bread with cumin-lime yogurt sauce, arugala, and red onion), doing Pilates and Sports Conditioning classes at Fitness First, picking wild blackberries on early-morning walks in my neighborhood, and hanging out with my family and friends.

We have also been eating dinner out on our deck a lot as of late, and then we sit and talk for a while, which is usually pretty entertaining =) The other night my brother Peter was re-filling his water glass and had quite the little surprise: he took a huge gulp, and then started loudly choking and gagging because it was actually carbonated seltzer water with lemon, and he thought it was regular filter water! He then proceeded to blame it on me because I had made dinner that night...and following the usual ranting that the boys give me whenever I make something unusual (I have been known to come up with my own recipes), he went straight to "the chocolate chips". "Chocolate chips" is a term Peter and Brett use whenever they tease me about some weird dish that I make--they say, "What, are there chocolate chips in the salad tonight, Em?" I won't defend myself...but just to get the record straight, Brett was responsible for the seltzer water that night.
The second funny family time was a few nights ago when we were attempting to have family prayer. To make a long story short, we pretty much all took turns falling asleep when it wasn't our turn to pray, and only got through about a quarter of our prayer list...but hey, it was the spiritual bonding time that mattered, right? =)

Cheese, anyone?

2006-07-13T09:09:00.000-04:00

Did you know that Holland is the largest exporter of cheese in the world? In 1991 alone, the Dutch produced over 600 million kilos of cheese, which was sold to various Western European countries, as well as the U.S. and Japan. Kind of crazy, huh? But what amazes me the most is the selection--Gouda and Edam are two of Holland's specialties, and then there's Leyden (a dry, nutty cheese with cumin seeds in it that our family grew up eating), Leerdammer, Smoked Gouda, Friesian, and Kernhem to name a few. When I went online, one store had 700 cheeses to pick from...wow.
I would have to say, cheese is not just a delicacy to me; it's a staple of life. Cheddar, sharp or mild, pepper jack, monterray jack, brie, parrano, feta, ricotta, swiss, blue, boursin, gorgonzola, parmesan, Chevre, Gruyere, Camembert...the list goes on and on.
Yep. The variety is pretty much amazing.

I Scream for Ice-Cream

2006-07-04T10:00:00.000-04:00

Vanilla Ice-cream with chunks of Reese's peanut butter cups and dark chocolate

(Clockwise from top)
Pink Grapefruit sorbet, low-fat Peach frozen yogurt, and Coconut yogurt custard

My handy-dandy Cuisinart base!

Ever since I read "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" when I was 15, I have always wanted to make homemade ice-cream. For the last 5 years, I have been putting it off simply because I thought it would be really expensive to buy an ice-cream maker. Well, thanks to my sister's example, I decided to go onto Craig's List (craigslist.com) last week to hunt for one. Result: a Cuisinart professional maker for $12 from a guy who lives in Fairfax, VA but works in Gaithersburg. He dropped it off at our house late last week, and ever since then, I have been busy in the kitchen. My first results have been pretty good--most of the recipes include less than 4 ingredients, in 30 minutes it is ready, and the only thing you really have to think about is putting the ice-cream bowl in the freezer the night before to make sure it is completely frozen. Of course the Vanilla one with the heavy whipping cream and whole milk turned out the smoothest, richest, and generally the best =) All this to say, if you are ever out running errands and need a little ice-cream to cool down on a hot summer day, please feel free to stop by! Happy Fourth of July everyone!

God Moves

2006-07-03T09:24:00.000-04:00

As one of the songs we sang in church yesterday that reflects on God's sovereignty, I was personally blessed by one thought: God is smiling from above even when His providences seem to frown. Every providence, every detail, every event in my life is controlled by my loving Creator. Trials, difficulties, and 'the season of waiting' as a single are all hard at times, but I can trust that God never has a "slip-up"--what He withholds is for my good, and what He gives is to bless me. It is always His loving will at work for His glory and my good. As one of the dads said in Mexico when we got hit by the Roto virus, " This situation first passed through the heavens before it came down to us". This is so comforting to recall to mind. As a single, I can be encouraged that no matter what happens, it always is subjected to God's wise plan before He allows it to come to me. He will only give good gifts to His children. All my 'days of waiting' are perfectly planned out by a heavenly Father who knows all the details--the perfect time, the perfect person, the perfect story.

"God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm
Deep in His dark and hidden mine
With never failing skill
He fashions all His bright designs
And works His sovereign will

So God we trust in You
Oh God we trust in You

Oh fearful saints new courage take
The clouds which you now dread
Are big with mercy and will break
In blessings on your head
Judge not the Lord by feeble sense
But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face

So God we trust in You
Oh God we trust in You
When tears are great
And comforts few
We hope in mercies ever new
We trust in You

God’s purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower
Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain
God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain

So God we trust in You
Oh God we trust in You"

Summer Reading

2006-06-30T10:59:00.000-04:00

Every summer brings much excitement to me by way of book lists. I love to pick up a good story on a rainy day, by the pool, or at the beach, and enjoy the simplicity of literature over the TV. July is almost here, and I am just now on #2 and #3; nevertheless, the list can continue into the fall, so I'll probably end up taking my time and not doing my typical "5 books in a week at the beach" speed-reading. What's on your list?! Here's mine:

1. Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen (I just finished it--this has become one of my favorites!)
2. The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (a third of the way through...)
3. The Power of the Cross of Christ by Charles Spurgeon (on Chapter 4 in my quiet-times)
4. My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok--author of The Chosen; a national bestseller about a young Jewish boy who is an aspiring artist growing up in post-WWII Brooklyn, NY.
5. Knowledge of the Holy by AW Tozer
6. Spiritual Depression-Its Causes and Cure by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
7. A Call to Spiritual Reformation-Priorities from Paul and His Prayers by D.A. Carson
8. Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis--a re-read...it's incredible, really.
9. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini--a New York Times bestseller about two young boys who are friends in Afghanistan...
10. Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende--set in the 1850's, a story of an Chilean orphan who encounters the allure of the California gold rush as a young woman.
11. Hiroshima by John Hersey--a short set of stories from the Japanese people compiled by Hersey in an attempt to recount the memories of the August 6, 1945 bombing.
12. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller-a fictional story relating to the emerging new church of our day...

And last, but certainly not least (now don't laugh):

13. How to Be A Domestic Goddess-Baking and the Art of Comfort Food by Nigella Lawson. (This will be an interactive form of reading because I am going to use it to cook with on my designated Thursday night!)

Still More Pictures!

2006-06-28T20:11:00.000-04:00

More Pictures...

2006-06-28T19:14:00.000-04:00

Roto Recall

2006-06-28T16:39:00.000-04:00

Well, home at last. Ally, Elise and I were quite happy when we landed and very excited to see our family and friends...although our trip was incredible by way of memories, serving opportunities, and blessings and surprises along the way, we all agreed that home was sounding better than ever by the middle of the second week. For those of you who haven't heard yet, the Week 2 team got some sort of flu bug/Roto virus epidemic that hit our guys, girls, and parents randomly starting on Wednesday morning, June 21. I won't go into unnecessary details, but one thing's certain: it was not a pretty sight! Sending many to the hospital with 104 fevers, and others to the hotel in El Paso to rest and get re-hydrated, our admin. team had to actively think on our feet and trust God for His grace in each moment to do all that needed to be done. To make things worse, one of the girls had 2 very serious asthma attacks between Wednesday and Saturday that were very scary because her lungs were collapsing. Then, by Saturday morning, June 24, both of our pastors--Adam Malcom and Matt Maka--had come down with the Roto bug. We couldn't believe what was happening! Yet, as always, the Spirit of God provided sufficient strength and wisdom.

On a personal note, I learned so much on this trip both through spiritual and physical challenges. The theme verse that I felt became my prayer throughout the trip was Philippians 3:7-11:

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ...I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him...I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."

For sure, I felt like I learned how to share in Christ's sufferings...but what is so amazing to me is the fact that these truths became a reality to me--they are no longer solely Paul's words from scripture--they have become my own. I have experienced the reality of gaining Christ through losing myself for the glory of His kingdom. Not having enough time in the day to think about myself was freeing; hitting my pillow late at night, having exhausted myself for the Lord's service, was totally satisfying; and dying to my preferences and desires by putting others above myself brought a new joy to my heart. Praise God for His work!

Other memories:
1. Special Admin Dinner at Cattleman's Steakhouse--a Top 10 steak place in the country, at which I ate the best piece of flank steak I have ever had in my life.
2. The Rainbow Eclipse on Sunday morning June 25--like the promise from God to Noah of His covenant to His people even in the midst of trial...
3. Covenant Life church vs. Juarez church Soccer Game--We won 2-1! Go Sam and Julie!
4. MOW card games till midnight--who will ever forget the caramel on the face as the penalty?
5. Nora and Travis surprising me on Saturday after having driven 6 hours from Queen Creek, AZ to visit with me!
6. Taco Tote--an authentic, simple taco place which people either love or hate: I loved. The picture above is of all the fixings...
7. The adventures of cooking 3 meals a day for 70 people! Thanks to Tim Pyle for grilling bacon on 3 old charcoal grills for 4 hours. =)
8. Hiking up to the "Cross" in the mountains and spending time in prayer at 5:30 in the morning...the picture of the sunrise is the view from the top...
9. Cooking pasta for 2 1/2 hours with Elise and quoting Anne of Green Gables the entire time
10. Making fun of James Maresco for losing more water bottles than anyone the entire trip, and watching all the consequences he had to endure because of it!! (the push-ups)

Vamos a Mexico

2006-06-10T12:48:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to let you know that I'm off to Mexico for 2 weeks to serve in the Rancho 3m orphanage as an admin. team member under our CLC youth pastor Dave Brewer. Check out our general Mexico website for updates throughout the trip! It is: http://www.megustatacotote.blogspot.com

The Pure-Bred, The Norwiegan, and The Half-Breeds

2006-06-10T11:24:00.000-04:00

Well, it is now June 10, and I have finally had a quiet Saturday morning to figure out how to post pictures onto my blog...so finally, I can introduce you to my family (from left to right): Nora (25) and her husband Travis Shank, my Mom and Dad, Brett (15), Peter (23 in four days!) and me. This is our family beach picture from last August in Bethany Beach, Delaware. My Dad is a Dutch pure-bred...100% all the way. The proof lies in the fact that he loves cheese, cleanliness, California, choir, clipping things (like hedges and bushes), etc. He is a very meticulous person. On the other hand, my Mom is Norwiegen and just about a bit of every European country. Even though she has the white silvery hair that most Norweigens get by the time they are 30 years old, she is still very young at heart. We call her the Pilates Goddess. The rest of us kids are half-breeds: 50% Dutch and generally speaking, a mix of my parents in physical features and personalities. However, unlike my sibs, I proudly own my Oma's middle name: "Jacoba" (pronounced Yaa-ko-ba with the stress on the "a"). It is the female version of Jacob in Holland. Gosh, back to pronunciation! Dutch is a hard one. Oh, and just for the record, when Nora and Travis first started going out, we discovered that his Mom--Janis--had Dutch in her too! So we knew it was fate.

Cinco de Mayo? Not just a Mexican celebration.

2006-05-07T11:25:00.000-04:00

A few days ago, people celebrated Cinco de Mayo, which is the Mexican celebration that commemorates the victory of General Zaragoza's forces over the French at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862. With the help of the tenacious Southwest terrain and a stampede of cattle set off by local peasants, the Mexican troops stopped the French from invading their land.

Interestingly enough, my Dad (being the loyal Dutchman that he is) informed me a few days ago that the Mexicans aren't the only ones who celebrate May 5 as a people. The Dutch also take time on this day to celebrate the end of the German occupation in Holland after World War II in 1945. This holiday, aka Bevrijdingsdag, was declared a national holiday in 1990 and is celebrated all over Holland with street festivals.

Thanks to my Tante Nel, (Dutch for Aunt), I was able to make some small, humble attempt at the pronunciation of this word: ba-vri (swallow the "r")--dins-daa (clear throat sound)g. It was not very successful.

I Am In Love

2006-04-12T09:47:00.000-04:00

Well...not really. Just with a neighborhood. What makes this neighborhood so cool is that it is unlike all the other communities in the area, and it is unknown to many. This makes for a quiet, still area where the only thing you can hear is the sound of the birds singing. In fact, I predict that someday, this hole-in-the-wall community will become the next, "old-money" Kensington. On a practical level, the surrounding roads and areas have already been built into, so there could never be an ugly 10-story apartment building that suddenly got put right next to this neighborhood. But on a more sentimental note, every house is different, the trees stand old and tall, most of the "roads" are narrow, winding, grassy paths and there are more wrap-around porches than I can count. To say the least, I really would love to buy in there someday. I like to pick out in my mind the One I might buy and fix up someday, or raise my children in. But even more than that, I pray and thank God for such a picture of Himself as the God of details---every old brick chimney, every small little bud creeping out of the ground, every beam of sunshine streaming through the edges of the tree-tops. Sometimes, these things are more inspiring than the neighborhood as a whole.

Eat to Live, or Live to Eat?

2006-03-26T11:06:00.000-05:00

...That is the question. This week has been marked by really good food, and I'm becoming more and more convinced that I could easily eat my way through Europe or the U.S. some day, in search of the best restaraunts and markets. Nora and I had an entire Sister Day on Friday on which our entire agenda was centered around where we were going to eat. After a close to 2 hour hike in the San Tan mountains, we had acquired a large appetite and were ready to go. First stop--"My Florist Cafe" in downtown Phoenix. We shared Blackberry Sage tea, a fresh asparagus, artichoke, tomato, feta, argula, and romaine salad, and a small plate of assorted breads with sage butter to go with it. Yumm...next stop was a little bit further downtown to a place called Pane Bianco, an urban, chic restaraunt/bar where we shared a fresh toasted pita, fresh spinach tuna sandwich. The tuna had come from a local Washington guy who sells 10 unique twists to canned gourmet tuna...so good. The last stop was the Lux Coffee Bar, where we each got a small double-shot espresso with foamed cream and cinnamon on top and 1 small homemade caramel nougat that was incredibly chewy and sweet. We thought that we could have died and gone to heaven...isn't food amazing?

Visiting Sunny Arizona

2006-03-25T08:47:00.000-05:00

Visiting my sister Nora and her new husband Travis in the South-East corner of Arizona has inspired me this week to start my own blog. Not that I really have time, but hey, I like to write and comment on life. Why Dutch Days? My Dad is one of five siblings who are 1st born generation in the U.S. His parents, Tom and Cobie Jansen, both came to the states in their teens. Heritage is sort of a big thing for me, and as I am 50% "orange", I wanted to incorporate this aspect of my background into my blog. I hope to write something small about Holland, the Dutch, etc. whenever I can...hence, Dutch Days. Happy blogging everyone.