Spicy Magnolia

Lotsa Link Love

Y’all, I have so much to write about and pictures to share! For weeks I have kept a running list of things to blog about and/or links to share. For tonight, I’m gonna go with the random link love. There just might be a few nibbles of interest or encouragement here or there on which you can chew.

There are a number of items that fall under the category of “ordinary significance” that have deeply met my soul’s need for encouragement as it pertains to purpose, importance, and my fear of insignificance. It’s obviously a theme God wants to hone in on at the moment. First up is an excerpt from Lisa Broscious Beamer’s commencement address to Wheaton College, my alma mater. Lisa is most widely known for her book published after 9/11 called Let’s Roll! Ordinary People, Extraordinary Courage (I recommend it highly). Her husband, Todd, died heroically in the September 11 terrorist attacks.

In the latest of edition of Wheaton Magazine, an abridgement of Lisa’s speech was published. I loved the following:

We live in a world teeming with all sorts of opportunities, macro and micro, dramatic and subtle! He (God) asks that we wash the “least of these” in His love. That we proactively look in dark corners and behind closed doors for people who are wounded and abandoned. That we not be ignorant of His children who are poor and hungry. That we act as instruments to restore damaged relationships. That we be unusual in the value we place on each and every soul that He’s created. That we wake up the complacent as we radically care for neighbors and strangers alike. That we bring the Good News of peace and salvation to all layers of humanity.

So, as you wake up tomorrow, don’t be dismayed to find your life turn ordinary soon enough. When you realize that today is kind of similar to yesterday and a bit like tomorrow, ask yourself who is becoming whole again on your watch, what is being healed through your influence, how is God redeeming His creation by way of your life? Your good answers will surely be the mark of significance even in an ordinary life.

Good stuff, huh?

Also along the lines of “ordinary significance” is a post by Rod Dreher called “Steve Jobs or Coach Eric Taylor?” We all know who Steve Jobs is. But for those of you who don’t know who Coach Eric Taylor is, well, he has been a new-found love in my life, thanks to Mac and Julie who introduced me to Friday Night Lights, of which Coach Taylor is the lead character. It was a fabulous television series I devoured. Instilling courage and being an example of availability and trust to those in need, Coach Taylor’s character was a role-model for all of us ordinary folk, making him extraordinary. The post gives a great portrayal of how such lives can have a deep impact.

This post, “This is Your Daughter Speaking”, is incredibly moving and powerful for us parents who wonder if we’re actually making a difference in our children’s lives despite the amount of love, sweat, and tears we sacrifice. It’s a must-read post for any parent, regardless of the part of the journey of parenthood that you’re on, and I’ve bookmarked it (aka “pinned it”) on Pinterest <grin>.

Allrighty then, moving right along: Compassion Bloggers!! They have hit the ground running on another trip, this time to Ecuador. As I type, they are pouring out their hearts through the written word in posts that will be published tonight about their first day. You can follow their publications here. Pick a few to read throughout the week and leave a comment to encourage them. Also, if you’ve ever had an inkling to sponsor a Compassion child but haven’t yet, take a few minutes to read this post of Micha’s. It might just tip you over to that final decision. It’s a pretty amazing story.

This post isn’t going to be refined and polished. I have a number of other get-to items this evening, but my hankering to post at least something was so strong I couldn’t resist. And to give you a glimpse of content forthcoming:

Whatever you set forth to do tonight: dishes, reading, trying desperately to get a child to fall asleep, chillin’ in front of a good TV show, or homework, please know I think of you and wish I could reach through the screen to give you a hug. You are loved.

Simply trusting,

Worthwhile Watching

Hope y’all are having a great Fourth of July! Anyone planning to see an amazing fireworks display? All of ours were scrapped this year because of the horrible drought, but it’s not like we would camp out in the heat, endure the crowds, or stay up late to watch the dazzling color-fest tonight. Some years, yes. But not this one.

Instead, our highlights will be based around food: blueberry pancakes and eggs for breakfast, and some hefty burgers with chips and the tomato-watermelon salad with feta and toasted almonds for dinner. Other than that, it’s been a low-key day with rest and a few errands. I think I have a new store I need to better familiarize myself with: Kohl’s. It looks like a good one-stop shop.

There’s one thing I think is worthwhile to bring to your attention and ask you to watch for five minutes. My precious friend, Corrie, called me back in May to share an incredible story. It spurred the already twirling thoughts in my mind that were formulating this post. As a family, we stood with the Shireys rejoicing and giving many thanks to God, who clearly exhibited His power and His desire to show Himself strong, allowing 2.5 year old Guy to carry this treasured testimony in his heart for the rest of his life. Take a moment to hear all about it yourself. 

________________________________________________________

Thank you to those in centuries past and in our present age that have fought for, secured, and defended the freedoms we so liberally enjoy in The United States of America. May we continue to adhere to the spirit and intent of our Constitution, and know the One who gives us true and everlasting freedom.

“[The adoption of the Constitution] will demonstrate as visibly the finger of Providence as any possible event in the course of human affairs can ever designate it.”

--George Washington

Simply trusting,

 

A Little Link Love Here, A Little Link Love There

Good evening, dear Internet peeps! How was your day? 

After cooking for special events in April that left us with tons of of leftovers of the same food to eat for awhile and all our travels in May, I’m finally back into a routine of cooking. It feels good despite the bit of extra time and effort it takes, but savoring the flavorful gems of summer fruits and veggies is extra inspiration. Here are some great new recipes I’ve scoped out and made that were hits with me and the boys.

Peach Melba Shortbread Bars from Southern Living

Chicken and Tortellini Salad served with Bacon Parmesan Tassies from Southern Living

I haven’t made this yet, but it’s on our menu to be served with a large salad with lots of yummy fixin’s. My friend, Amy, made it for her son’s birthday party (minus the tomatoes), and it’s some of the best homemade mac & cheese I’ve ever had.

Y’all will have to peruse this post with some of my favorite summer recipes. I made the Steak & Pasta Salad tonight and have the ingredients for Gaga’s Fruit Compote. I know I’ll make the Colorful Black Bean Salad soon, too. 

I would be remiss if I didn’t promote one of Blue Bell’s newest ice cream flavors that is a hit in our household: Happy Tracks, which is a creamy vanilla ice cream loaded with chocolate-coated peanut butter cups and a dark chocolate fudge swirl. Dog-gone-dangerous! I am painfully aware that most of you in this country do not have Blue Bell. I send my condolences. 

Not sure why I started off with all the food links since I’m full from dinner and nothing sounds appetizing at the moment. Onward I move then to a new discovery:

Pinterest.

Oh, yes, I’ve jumped on that bandwagon. And it’s been so much fun and a great source to collect inspirational ideas ranging anywhere from recipes to arts and crafts to awesome gift ideas. Instead of keeping up with a vast number of bookmarks for your favorite websites, it’s a place where you can “pin” a website to a personally assigned “board”. For example, some of my board titles are:

• For the Love of the Nations (for ideas that promote awareness and appreciation of other cultures) 
• Food for the Foodie (duh!) 
• Sizzlin’ Summer Pastimes (I can’t collect enough creative ideas to do with Brennan this summer, especially in this heat) 
• A Cheerful Giver (gift ideas that either we can make or unique/creative purchased gifts)

This is what a couple of my boards look like at the moment (sorry the pictures aren’t very clear).

From the “Sparking Creativity” board I created, so far Brennan and I have made a rainbow card we sent to Mees. Sadly, she hasn’t received it yet! So this might have to be her proof.  

And yesterday, we had a great time painting some rocks that you can see was another idea I borrowed from Pinterest.

 

 

Another board:

One of our first summer activities that I tried for Brennan and our guests Alex and Evan, were homemade popsicles. But they were a catastrophic flop…and a bit embarrassing. So I’m hoping this website I pinned, or saved, on Pinterest will come in handy: 50+ recipes for homemade popsicles (picture top right hand corner).

If you’re on Pinterest, let me know, or if you’re interested in setting up an account, I have a few invites left that I can use.

Last but not least, I am so, so, so excited for my friend, Marla Taviano, who launched her eBook last night called The Husband’s Guide to Getting Lucky. Don’t run away from me too quickly! As a brand new momma, the very first book I read was Marla’s Changing Your World One Diaper at a Time. It came highly recommended by Amanda, and I’m so glad I read it. It was funny, light-hearted, insightful, very personable, and relatable. It was nothing short of encouraging as I was navigating through the unknown plains and valleys of motherhood. 

She’s also penned a book that I’ve had on my shelf for two years but want and need to read: Is That All He Thinks About? Her desire for healthy, godly, intimate, and FUN marriages is one of her passions, as is missions and the nations of the world, (particularly Cambodia)…yet another reason I love her! I had the privilege of meeting her in person a year and a half ago in Houston. I was the stalker, and she was the graciously receptive one that has been a source of encouragement ever since.

On a personal level without revealing too much or embarrassing my precious husband, as a newlywed, I had specific visions of what our intimate relationship would look like. And well, it wasn’t too long before discovering that life happens. Babies come. I’m carrying an extra fifteen pounds on my body and don’t feel s-e-x-y in the least! Hands off, dude <grin>! 

But on a very real level, it’s an area of our married relationship that is precious, God-given and requires effort and selflessness. And knowing Marla and her heart for marriages, this new book of hers (as well as Is That All He Thinks About?) would be valuable resources to delve into with discernment, sensitivity, prayer, and yes, a bit of a sense of humor. Because while I know Marla approaches this topic with the utmost respect and humility, there will be some fun, light-hearted moments to her writing as well! I mean, just take a look at the cover:

Marla is providing one giveaway copy of The Husband’s Guide to Getting Lucky to one of my readers! 

Here’s how to enter:

A) Leave a comment telling me one or more of the following: 

• A favorite summer activity, trip, or moment you’ve had so far. 
• A prayer request. 
• Something you hope to get out of reading Marla’s book.

OR 

B) Link to The Husband's Guide to Getting Lucky website from your Facebook, Twitter, or any social media you prefer and leave a comment letting me know you did. 

Only one entry per person (just choose option A or B). The winner will be selected at random. Giveaway will end at 12 p.m. on Sunday, June 19th and announced shortly thereafter. 

Love to each of you this evening! 

Simply trusting, 

 

 

Link Love…and a Question

Amazingly, I’ve been able to keep up my reading spurt this year. I figure I only have two more months until I take a probable hiatus. The only downfall, if it can really be considered one, is that the novels I’ve delved into are so good they keep me up too late at night. The latest one I read is likely familiar to most of you with its raving reviews and the upcoming movie release this summer. It’s called The Help. I particularly love the history woven throughout, and who wouldn’t agree that the Civil Rights Movement is one of the top most significant historical events/changes during the 20th century? It’s a humorous, thoughtful, and insightful piece of literature.

There is a new Compassion Bloggers team headed to the Philippines next week. If you read anything on the Internet next week, read some of their posts. You can follow along with them here. You might be familiar with some of the team members:  Tsh Oxenreider at The Simple Mom or Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky.

I still think it would be amazing to meet our two Compassion girls who live in Bangladesh. My friend, Tracy, has family in the Philippines and visited there with her hubby and two kiddos a couple of months ago. While there, she got to meet her Compassion child! What an opportunity in which to take advantage, a real treasure!

We have no idea what lies ahead with Brennan’s or Skittles’ education in the future, and I am certainly not one that sees herself made for homeschooling, but I appreciated reading Ann Voskamp’s post this morning. No matter what is in store for our kiddos, the heart and purpose behind what we ultimately desire their education to look like and result in was articulated very well: “It means that we pursue not a cultural definition of success but of true greatness for our kids: ‘having an unquenchable passion for God that manifests itself in an unwavering love and concern for others’ (Ted Kimmel, Raising Kids for True Greatness).”

In the winter, I participated in the Bloom Book Club through {in}courage when they read One Thousand Gifts. Last Sunday, they announced the new book selection starting up on June 5th: Kelly Minter’s The Fitting Room. I’ve been looking forward to starting up again with this online community, and you might want to also. Here are all the details you need.

And now a question for y’all. One of Brennan’s favorite books in the past couple of months has been The Berenstain Bears’ New Baby. He’s intrigued not just by the baby but also the new big boy bed that Brother Bear switches to from his little bed, something Brennan himself has done in the last couple of months. It’s a book we’re using as a resource to talk about his baby sister coming soon to help with the transition. What are other things you did in your families that were helpful and fun to aid in the adjustment period?

If any of you Central Texans are looking for a place to escape for a weekend, Matt and I HIGHLY recommend Rose-Hill Manor outside of Fredericksburg! We went there last weekend for a brief ‘babymoon’ while Brennan was love-spoiled by his Mees in San Antonio. Y’all, the scenery was breathtakingly peaceful and the food was GOURMET! Our friend, Courtney, recommended the place, and we would go back there in a heartbeat.

Oh, and how could I forget!? There are a few things recently that have triggered deep Texas pride in me. First, the rodeo. Second, strawberry picking underneath the expansive clear-blue sky. I still want to blog about both of those. Third, this music video/commercial that came out for the Superbowl sponsored by the best grocery store around, H.E.B. It won’t be new to many of you Texans, but if you want to know why I love Texas--why all Texans love Texas--this will give you a glimpse. And you’ll understand why I wanted to breed a family of Texans <grin>. That was just to get under Matt’s skin, but oh, there’s so much to love about Texas, that’s why Texas is home to me!

Simply trusting,

Thanksgiving Thanksgivings

I’m stealing this post idea from my friend, Jillie, who had a great, succinct way to summarize the Thanksgiving holiday <grin>. Short and sweet is what I’m goin’ for here, especially since I’m weeks behind posting this blog. To recap briefly, Brennan and I went down the Sunday before Thanksgiving to San Antonio to start the festivities early. Mac was in town for the TX A&M vs. Nebraska game, so we thought we’d hop in on the extra Mac time. Julie and Matt both joined us on Wednesday, making the celebration complete. Some things that I'm thankful for that week of Thanksgiving…

• Safe travels for all of us.  Those of you who have ventured onto I-35 during the holidays especially know to what I’m referring!
• A kind doctor at the urgent care facility and the antibiotics that cleared up Brennan’s ear infection.
• An aunt and uncle who play with and love their nephew, even when Brennan exhibits his dramatic side (which Mac and my Momma declare he got from me). I’m not disputing their claim.

• Dogs, four furry creatures that are Brennan’s entertainment.
• The excitement of Brennan saying Julie’s name for the first time! He still lists off everyone’s names to this day.
• Treasured time with Mac visiting my Daddy’s office and having lunch together. I even got to sneak a note on Daddy’s desk, which I always used to do as a little girl.
• A husband who relieves me of parental duties!
• A Momma who lavishly serves her family and knows how to make things beautiful.

• Our friends, Chris and Jill, who were offered a fabulous job! After 22 months, countless prayers, and hopes deferred, their (and our) longings were fulfilled!
• Celebrating my Momma’s birthday with a lunch date and an evening out, topping it off with some German chocolate cake. The best ever!

• A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. food! Not just the awesome Thanksgiving feast food, but also filet mignon, twice baked potatoes, eggplant parmesan, homemade chile con queso and guacamole. The whole shebang!
• Generous and creative parents. Not only did they treat us all week, they reserved a prime hotel room overlooking the River Walk where our family went to watch the River Parade and the lighting of the Christmas lights. We stocked up on Rudy’s bar-b-que and tons of treats, and we camped out in the room and the balcony watching the festivities.

• A getaway night! Between the two younger couples, Matt and I won a drawing to stay in the hotel room (without Brennan). We were given an amazing early anniversary present that night!
• The cold front that blew in, making it actually feel like the holidays.
• Texas A&M victories!
• A husband who was up for Christmas decorating putting up lights when we got home. (This picture was taken before Thanksgiving week and isn’t representative of our own decorating, but I love the picture and had to share.)

• A nearby park to release some toddler-boy energy.
• Our family. We have quirks just like any family, and with my dramatic, Type-A, still-learning-to-laugh-at-myself side, I know I bring to the table a lot more idiosyncrasies than the rest of the clan combined <grin>, but boy, we are blessed with the gift of each other and the joy of being together! They are a special bunch and we have a lot of fun.

Since it’s been a couple of weeks, I’m sure I’m forgetting some nuggets of thanksgiving, but I think I covered the highlights. And before I sign off, here are a few noteworthy links and updates:

• On Thanksgiving, a friend of mine started a “Thankful Project” where he is posting something that he is thankful for once a day for a whole year. I’ve broken my Twitter fast to simply post something I’m grateful for each day (that’s pretty much my extent of Twitter use these days). Why don’t you join in? Use the #thankfulproject on Twitter, or if you’re not on Twitter, go ahead and do the same thing on Facebook. My updates appear there, too.
• If you’re looking for something meaningful to do through Advent, it’s not too late! I highly recommend Ann Voskamp’s Jesse Tree Journey, a Jesus Advent Celebration. You can find it on her blog on the right-hand sidebar. It’s a free download of devotionals. We are using it as a family each night. After Brennan’s bath, he can pick out one of the illustrations from her book that we put into our Advent calendar and then we read and pray together through the devotional. It’s really good and offers a simple suggestion each day to help nail down the point of that day’s Truth.
• Another post of Ann Voskamp’s that has meant so much to me lately is her 10 Point Manifesto of Joyful Parenting. I printed it out and it is on our fridge. I can’t tell you how much these daily reminders mean to me, particularly the one about when a child’s behavior is most repulsive to me, that’s my signal to draw ever closer to that child. If you’re a momma who needs encouragement and some renewed joy as I have been lately, I highly recommend this post.
• Do little things seem big to you sometimes? They do me. And then all of a sudden, I feel enveloped in pain and start listening to it instead of Truth. This post by Lysa TerKuerst was a huge and timely encouragement to me, too.
• One more Ann Voskamp thing. Over a month ago I had the privilege of attending Relevant, a Christian blogging conference that Matt gave me tickets to for my birthday. It was incredible. And incredibly hard. Mrs. Voskamp was one of the keynote speakers and actually closed the event on a high note. A humbling and profound, very stirring note. I won’t say much about the conference, except to say that I hope my writing has changed, well, is changing at least. Not necessarily in its technique, although that’s always helpful and desired <grin>, but with its purpose, motive and intentionality. I have a long way to go and am crippled by weaknesses in writing that distract, are burdensome. When I get bogged down in those weaknesses, I go here. I need to go there. I want to go there. It centers me on Jesus and a longing for Him. So when you see me stray from this, and goodness knows that you’ll be able to tell, call me on it.
• For those of you who have known me since grade school, you know how much I loved doing science fair projects. Yes, I’m a nerd! Tonight I had the opportunity to volunteer to be a science fair judge for a local middle school. It was so cool! It was definitely harder than I expected but I hope to do it again. Just something noteworthy I don’t want to forget <grin>.

Hope y’all are finding time to savor the holidays and that they’re filled with hair-raising fun!

A Bunch of Good Stuff

The alarm blared a little too early this morning. At 3:50 a.m. Dazed and confused, all three of us somehow made it intact to the airport where I said, “See ya later,” to my loves. They jetted off to Canada this morning and should land in about an hour whereupon Brennan will receive the first of hopefully many stamps in his passport. Little did we know that we were supposed to pay an international tax for Brennan’s travel and it nearly jeopardized the boys’ final leg of the trip across the border. But I happen to think that blondie simply captured the hearts of the flight crew that they had no choice but to transport him to his final destination.

I mean, really. Who can resist this face?

 

Matt’s dad runs a school for children with learning disabilities in Canada. He’s commuted 20+ years to Canada from Virginia and this is the first time any of his kids have been able to see first-hand the school he’s directed with passion all these years. For Matt’s birthday and Christmas last year, my parents helped Matt with a ticket to visit his dad. And a few months ago, we thought it would be great to take advantage of Brennan flying free (well, aside from the international travel tax or whatever it is) and make the trip my boys’ first Daddy/son trip. Even at 4 a.m., “Da Da” was repeated over and over and over. I think he knew he was gonna get some good testosterone time. Everything is about “Da Da” these days. He’ll see a car that looks like Matt’s car and it spurs a number of “Da Da”s. He’ll walk into the closet and see Matt’s clothes and out comes the “Da Da”. I haven’t heard “Momma” in quite awhile unless coaxed out of him. That’s alright. My man child has a great man to look up to!

Speaking of clothes, I had some slight jealousy in me yesterday of Matt who will get to see Brennan wearing some of his new fall outfits for the first time this season along with his jacket, hat and mittens. Matt endured a 10 minute schpeal about all of the outfits: what socks go with what, what outfits were for what days, when to wear the tennies and when to wear the brown shoes. And as a courtesy, I even threw into Matt’s pile of clothes a nice shirt that I encouraged him to wear when Brennan wears his nice outfit as they meet Ed’s staff for the first time. I almost tied bows around each of the respective outfits so there was no chance taken in a pair of socks being paired with the wrong outfit. I know my hubby’s weaknesses. Matching is one of them, bless him. And I’m no fashionista!

What will I do while they’ve run off to Canada? Give some TLC to Molly who has surgery tomorrow. Plant my behind on the couch to rest and watch some movies. Maybe pick up the new Francine Rivers’ book, Her Daughter’s Dream. Start on my third round of antibiotics and new steroids to kick this lingering bronchitis (I’m on week #4) to the curb. Hopefully it’ll kick the sinus infection I’ve had the past week to the curb, too. I’m desperate to feel better, so if making sure I stay on the couch all weekend is part of the plan, then so be it. I’ll happily oblige! I’ll meet my momma for lunch on Saturday. And I have the honor of treating my friend, Courtney, to a nice lunch tomorrow in thanks for the many lunches she braves eating with me and Brennan at Chick-fil-A! As a woman who doesn’t have children, that says a lot about her character, people! I’m aiming for peace and quiet. That’s what my body and my soul need. If only I’d be brave enough to turn off the TV and sit in total silence.

Last week, I recorded a bit of Brennan and a new routine we’re working on. I’m no Julie Andrews, just warnin’ ya! And I’m not sure where all the facial expressions came from. Maybe he wants to be the next Jim Carrey.

 

I hope to catch you sometime this weekend, friends! And before I sign off, if you want some good, albeit challenging, reads, I highly recommend these:

J.R. Briggs wrote a post regarding the possible Quran burning a few weeks ago. If you’re tired of the whole topic, this is not the same old stuff! J.R. actually called Terry Jones and you need to read about it!

Lysa TerKuerst on marriage and parenting. This post gave me some great prayers to pray for Brennan. How counter-cultural is it to pray that he’d get caught when he makes wrong choices!? Good stuff! And this one made me reflect more on the cost of my choices.

What do you think of the American church? That topic can open up a can of worms. Kathy Escobar wrote a letter to the American church that is some great food for thought. And potentially, some powerful encouragement for transformation.

And this post over at Nothings and Notions from my Noodle broke it down in a way I could totally relate to wanting to live for the glory of God in our daily lives. My daily life that looks like cleaning peanut butter and honey off the booster chair every morning. My daily life that includes giving thanks for the family bathroom at the mall that offered some privacy where I could run to to discipline and instruct Brennan when he was having the FIT OF HIS LIFE yesterday. Yes, it was a great post to remind me I have ample opportunity to bring glory to God in my daily life that doesn’t necessarily mean me hopping on the next jet plane overseas. But I’d like that, too!

She’s Watching

Who do you say Jesus is?

An historical figure and that’s it? A good guy, but not for you? Someone who demands too much? A fake? Someone who made outrageous claims?

As I read Ann Voskamp’s post today entitled, “How to Make Your  Life an Endless Celebration” which I highly encourage you to read, I was reminded about the depth of sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for me. For all of us.

Everything about His life shows that He came with an attitude of a servant. From the way He was born, to the way He interacted with others, to the way He gave of Himself in death. A humble servant who considered His life worth nothing. He was a man who suffered physically, emotionally, and mentally. A man who took the weight of the world’s sins upon Himself to bring us, the ones who had fallen short, the ones who do wrong, the ones who spit in His face and reject Him, into right relationship with God. What could have possibly been His motivation to endure the cross other than love? He was stripped and beaten and cursed. For nothing? Oh, no. For everything. He came that we might have life. Abundant life. To know grace. To know forgiveness. To know freedom from our own sin and wretchedness that binds us so heavily at times. And because He considered Himself nothing, and became obedient to death, God exalted Him to the highest place, giving Him the name that is above every Name!

Yes, I believe that you, Jesus, are the Christ, the Son of the Living God, who came into the world to save us from death. I believe you died. And I believe you rose from the grave!  You are the Way. The Truth. The Life. And your way is that of a servant. Your way is love. Your way is forgiveness and goodness and mercy and redemption and reconciliation. Everything good comes from You. You are to be esteemed and glorified. You love those who hate you. You love even me, although I fail time and time again. You pursue us and long to draw us to Yourself. For You want all men to come to a knowledge of the Truth.

Believers in Jesus, we have been called to be servants as He was, to love as He loves, to give of ourselves so that others may see His glory and goodness, to see lives changed for eternity. Eternity.

So as I think about the proposed Quran burning in Florida on 9/11, I think of all the reasons why this is unnecessary and harmful. And hurtful. What good will come of it? What is the point? Vengeance? I think of the Christians across the globe who could be jeopardized, both their witness and literally their lives. And as been reported, what about our troops? It puts them in harm’s way, too. Very clearly in my mind, however, is a 13 year old girl who just purchased a goat for milk. She is a fantastic artist and loves to learn. She has short, dark hair and deep, dark eyes. Her name is Rubina. She lives half-way across the globe in Bangladesh, a predominately Muslim country, and we’ve been delighted to get to know her through Compassion.  As she hears word of something like a Quran burning in the United States, what is she likely to think as an impressionable young girl who, aside from our family, has a limited understanding of Americans (and thereby Christians) that she receives from the news or Hollywood? Let that question sink in a little bit and put some fear and trembling in all of us.

There’s a whole world of people out there beyond our American borders. Yes, our neighbors watch. And lest we be mistaken, young boys and girls like Rubina who live half-way across the globe watch, too. I want to show them Jesus. The Jesus who He says He is in His Word! The Jesus who could only do something as wonderful and amazing as what’s in Ann’s post! The Jesus they need. Who I need. The Jesus who loves them. Loves them!

 

Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Link Love

This weekend called for desperate measures, y’all. I’m just as tired about writing about our ongoing illnesses as you are reading about them. Matt went back to the doctor last night and after being on antibiotics for a week, he still has bronchitis that isn’t getting better. So they gave him some potent antibiotics that required a special photo ID verification at the pharmacy and hopefully we’ll send this nasty stuff to Timbuktu. Meanwhile, I’m worse off today than yesterday so my parents generously took Brennan for the weekend so we could rest and hopefully keep him from catching this stuff, too. They kindly provided us with dinner and while sympathetic, happily took our boy to their home, which will be much more fun and interactive for him. When he saw Pops, he gave him a big wave ‘hello’ and once in his arms, waved ‘goodbye’ to us. Yeah, I see how it is.

So here are a few things you should check out in the coming days as you sit in front of the television watching some football. FOOTBALL! When I think of football, I think of this picture.

It was taken a year ago.

We wore the same things today but didn’t snap a photo. I think you’ll thank me for that. The boy was just as cute, if not cuter, but I’d make your eyes sore.

Ok, for the things you should check out and consider:

• On the sidebar to the right, I’ve had the Compassion banner advertising the bloggers trip to Guatemala for quite awhile, and the time has finally come for the team to go! They leave next Wednesday the 8th. You can read about their trip and encourage them here. I am really excited for them and know they will be a tremendous blessing to their sponsor children. How cool is it that they can meet in person!? And without a doubt, the team will come back tremendously blessed, too. And changed. I highly encourage you to take the time to read their posts about this trip, to pray for the team, and to pray for the children in Guatemala who still need sponsors.

 

• Have you read or heard of the book Radical by David Platt? The subtitle is “Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream”. My friend, Marla, is putting together an online book club that will read through this book starting Tuesday the 7th. If you want to join us, do! It’s not too late. All you need is a book, and you can read more about the online discussion here. I’ve read the first chapter and interestingly enough, the parallels between A Voice in the Wind that I wrote about in my last post and Platt’s book are striking. The same sorts of things I wrestled with in Francine Rivers’ book of fiction are the ones that I already know I’ll be faced with in Radical. I see a theme. I’m not sure I like it. But I know it’s not a coincidence, and I want and need my heart and ears to be open to what the Lord wants to do, even if it’s got me squirming and grimacing and crying in my granola.

 

• A year before Spicy Magnolia was birthed, Matt and I were co-authors of a blog called Inkpots. I use the word “co-authors” loosely <grin>. It was hosted by a free blog service that is now closing and they provided a way for me to import the year’s worth of posts to Spicy Magnolia. If you want to peruse the archives, the dates range from April 2007-May 2008. On the left sidebar, you can scroll down to “Archives” and browse through some of the dates. What a year it was! Two of our siblings got married; Matt turned 30; I traveled to South Asia; my college roommate was killed in a car accident; I became a full-time puppy mommy; I had an unwelcomed friend named “Darth Vader”. What a mixed bag! One of the more interesting posts that people still talk about was “The Spree of All Sprees”. It was one of my favorites and you might like it, too <grin>.

Hope you have a nice Labor Day weekend!

 

Link Love

Ya’ll, starting tomorrow afternoon, I am baby-free until Friday! I’m not sure what I’m going to do with all of my “free time”! It will not surprise me if by Wednesday morning at 8:06 a.m., I am shedding a tear or two wallowing in sadness that I do not have my bestest little buddy with me.  I have a to-do list a mile long and hope to be productive like I’m bringin’ it back into style, but my heart already aches that I’ll be apart from Brennan this week. Once I deliver him to Pops and Meems tomorrow, I will not even be a second thought in his mind, however. He’ll be too busy getting spoiled, playing ball with Dapples, swimming, and running around like a wild man.

One thing I do plan on doing this week before the time passes is to post a blog about our trip to the farm with Chris, Jillie, Harrison and Haddie. In the meantime, here are a few links that have been particularly encouraging to me over the past week.

Living in the Reality of God’s Love by Lysa TerKuerst: Don’t we all, at some point(s) in our lives, if not the majority of it, question the depths of God’s love for us? But what if we lived, truly lived, in the assurance of His love? How different would our lives look if we processed our circumstances through the lens that “God loves me so much therefore I have to trust why He is allowing this to happen”?

For the Young Mother: Ministry, Guilt and Seasons of Life by Jani Ortlund: Wow! If you are a mother with kids still at home, read this! My heart as a mother is to be intentional with Brennan everyday, knowing that he is the most precious gift God has given to me and Matt to shape his little heart to hopefully one day be a strong man of God who will stand with courage and steadfastness, head-over-heels in love with Jesus. But let’s face it, I mess up big time, and I get tired, and a wretched little thing called ‘guilt’ sneaks in when there are times when being a mommy isn’t really at the top of the list of what I want to be doing. This was one of the most encouraging posts I’ve read about being a momma.

Sometimes I Feel So Overlooked by Lysa TerKuerst: Ever feel overlooked or insignificant? This post takes a look at some faithful followers of God in their everyday lives, even in the nitty-gritty and how they may have felt overlooked. But in reality, they were handpicked by God. And we can take heart, too; we are not overlooked!

Better You Than Me by Missy (a blog friend): If you’re young, old(er), rich, poor, downcast, joy-filled, feeling like an outcast, needing hope, a man, a woman, lonely, have 221 Facebook friends, a stay-at-home-momma, single, married, a CEO, educated, uneducated, you need to read this post. No matter what, you need to take five minutes to read this post. There is no denying that Jesus’ death on the cross was a true, historically proven event. But oh, that you would believe the depth of the love that drove Him to do it and the riches that we gain from His death and resurrection!

In closing, I mentioned that Brennan would be running around Pops and Meems’ home like a wild man. Here is a glimpse into what that might look like. However, I have a disclaimer: he’s not allowed to throw things other than small, soft balls in the house, but Daddy just let him roll with it for the cameras (I was not present) <grin>. Don’t worry, we’re not raising an uncontrollable wild man, just simply a wild man.

Wild Man from Meg @ Spicy Magnolia on Vimeo.

Rump-Sprung

There’s no place like home. And crawling into your own bed, or your own crib if you’re of that young age, is one of the most wonderful feelings in the world after traveling. Granted, we weren’t gone that long, just a weekend. Then again, it seems like it was forever! The west Texas highways belonged to us this weekend, spending a total of 22 hours on the paved roads in the middle of the desert. Rump-sprung doesn’t even begin to describe it. And before I write anything else, I want to send out a huge THANK YOU to those who emailed or left a comment with suggestions for how to travel with a toddler! They were so helpful and appreciated. The one thing I was sure to not leave home without was the computer for us to play Cars, Brennan’s favorite movie. And it goes without saying that the whole Cars cast are my new best friends!

The little guy did super and let us drag him around all weekend long, usually not going to bed before 10 p.m. both Friday and Saturday nights. But Sunday, he was totally wiped, and if we hadn’t had Cars for the road, all three of us would have had crocodile tears streaming down our cheeks. The one thing I didn’t have a chance to get before we left home was deodorant, so I used Matt’s Old Spice manly-man deodorant all weekend. I’m not sure if it worked or not. And if you happen to be one of the people I saw this weekend, just keep it under wraps if I stank to high-heaven. And the one thing I totally forgot to pack were some unmentionables, and I ended up having to wear the same pair of unmentionables for three days. I’m sure ya’ll really don’t want to know this. But after remembering everything else for the weekend, the two things I didn’t have were my own deodorant and clean undergarments! That’s the most imperfect combination to be faced with when being nervous seeing people you haven’t seen in years. So Cars was also an aid to distract from my stench that followed us across the great state of Texas.

While it was a hard and tiring weekend for Robert’s memorial service, it was a treat to also see so many special friends whom I grew up with. We also ate some of the best Mexican food on the planet and got to see Mac and Julie for well, a total of two hours. Brennan was spoiled by both Pops and Meems and his pseudo-grandparents, Ron and Tycha. We ate our fast-food quota for the next two months, and it was quite painful to put on a bathing suit this morning for Brennan’s first swim lesson at 9 a.m. The amount of chlorine in the pool was sure to kill off any remaining odor on my body though. It was an exciting way to start our week!

Last week we had some good buddies of ours, Oscar and Jacques, over for dinner who were also in town to be with Robert. I wanted to make something tantalizing for their taste buds, so I put together the following that ended up being a huge hit and I wanted to share the recipes with you all. A little background though first: There is a fabulous restaurant in Phoenix that I went to a number of years ago called El Charro. Unlike the mainstay restaurants that serve the basic French rolls or other kinds of bread along with the meal, they serve homemade, gooey sticky buns and they are AMAZING! So I thought I’d give it a whirl and serve sticky buns with the meal instead of normal rolls. The sweetness of the buns alongside the sauce that went with the main dish, Chile Shrimp, was the perfect tantalizing combination I was aiming for. I served it with a big salad with lots of fixins like red bell pepper, dried cranberries, green onions, cucumber, and avocado, topped with Brianna’s Red Blush vinaigrette. For dessert, I made a two-layered ice cream pie with Blue Bell mint chocolate chip and vanilla on top of a graham cracker crust. This menu is now on Matt’s list of favorites, and it’s like pulling teeth to try to get him to set apart a meal as a “favorite” because he tends to like everything. So it means he really, really liked it!

Here are the recipes for the very simple Overnight Sticky Buns and the Chile Shrimp, which you could probably make with chicken if you’re not a seafood person…I bet it’s just as tasty. Also, it’s not a very spicy sauce at all. I used a medium salsa which was just right, but you could make it spicier or milder depending on the salsa you choose.

Overnight Sticky Buns

24 oz. frozen dinner rolls (I use the Rhodes brand)

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1 4-ounce package butterscotch pudding mix (NOT INSTANT)

Grease a bundt pan. Place the dinner rolls in the pan, stacking and layering them. Mix the white sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over rolls. Sprinkle the nuts, brown sugar and dried pudding mix over the rolls. Slice the butter and arrange the pats on top. Cover with a dish towel and leave the rolls setting out overnight (if you’re going to make them for breakfast) or for at least 7 hours. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately take out of pan and revert onto a plate.

Be careful, they will be messy with the butter and sugar baking together! You might want to put foil underneath the bundt pan to help with clean up.

 

Chile Shrimp

(recipe courtesy of The Junior League of El Paso’s Seasoned with Sun cookbook)

Serves 4-6

1/2 cup butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

3 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. garlic powder or 1 fresh clove garlic, chopped

1 tsp. oregano

1 7-ounce can salsa

1 8-ounce box Velveeta cheese

2 8-ounce packages frozen shrimp, deveined and without tails

Combine butter, onion, bell pepper and celery and cook over low heat until the veggies are soft. Add salt, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, oregano and salsa; simmer 5 minutes. Before serving, melt cheese into mixture; add thawed and cleaned shrimp. Heat well.

The recipe calls for this to be served over rice for a lighter option, which I’m sure is great. I chose to serve it over fettuccine noodles, and it was so good, I probably will never end up trying the rice with it <grin>.

 

I didn’t even think about taking any pictures of the food that night, so you’ll just have to try it yourselves to see its colorful beauty and partake of its goodness. And to make sure I don’t turn into a big, burly man, I’ll make that necessary run to CVS for deodorant when Brennan wakes up from his nap. Now if only I could get that Rascal Flatts song, Life is a Highway, out of my mind and that numbness out of my bum <grin>!