Currently Reading

At our recent Pastor's and Wives Regional Retreat in Phoenix a couple of weeks ago, we listened to a message from Mark Dever's wife, Connie.

It was titled: Juxtaposition: Being Closely Connected for the Glory of God

The message was insightful, candid, and encouraging. (Where was this 10 years ago when we just started and I was struggling to figure it all out?!) The book isn't just for newbies, it looks like it will be useful for re-envisioning and encouraging wives who've been in the ministry for a while, too. Even after just reading a few chapters and working through the first session of the study guide, I've found areas in which to be encouraged as well as challenged and convicted. Looking forward to spending more time in this and gaining fresh vision for the special calling of being "married to a shepherd."

After a bit of searching on the web, I found her audio message and discovered that she co-wrote a study guide to a book called: One With a Shepherd: The Tears and Triumphs of a Ministry Marriage by Mary Somerville.

You can find the audio, outline from the message and the study guide here.

This is what I see on my walks in the morning:

Taking time to enjoy beauty on a gorgeous October Morning!

Contemplating the need for Poetry in Life

"Mundaneness is, I believe, part of the curse of Genesis 3. The earth no longer yields its bounty without toilsome labor and much frustration. Our routines make us more efficient, as we attempt to scratch out some form of survival in this cursed environment, but those same routines can make us more like cogs in a machine less like humans. Life becomes a series of tasks, with few uninterrupted moments to pause, to reflect, to appreciate. Verse is a common-grace gift that enables us, through the fog of images and sounds, to again see ourselves and others as bearers of the image of God. When the poet stares at that which the rest of us merely glance at, he invites us to take a longer look along with him. It is precisely this longer look that is necessary to cultivate a sensibility for the significant."

~ T.David Gordon

Poetry

Poetry needs to be heard not just read. Found a great site that has poetry readings. The guy has a beautiful British accent. I'm convinced that everything sounds wonderful with this accent - he could make a grocery list sound romantic!!

Classic Poetry Read Aloud

Movie: Bright Star

Saw this movie tonight with Ron: Bright Star. It's about John Keats, the English poet.

It was a great movie - especially fun because we're studying Romanticism in our poetry class with Paige.

A sample of his poetry:

Bright Star

Bright star, would I were stedfast as thou art--
Not in lone splendour hung aloft the night
And watching, with eternal lids apart,
Like nature's patient, sleepless Eremite,
The moving waters at their priestlike task
Of pure ablution round earth's human shores,
Or gazing on the new soft-fallen mask
Of snow upon the mountains and the moors--
No--yet still stedfast, still unchangeable,
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever--or else swoon to death.

John Keats

California Reception

Reception

We are having an Open House Reception

to celebrate Zach and Andrea's marriage
with our California friends and church family.

Lynn and Terri's Home
Saturday, October 24th
4-6 PM




Grateful for...

autumn rituals

cool fall weather
warm sweaters
jeans and sweatshirts
long drives in the country
birch leaves sparkling and dancing in the sun
fields of orange pumpkins growing on spindly vines
quiet mountains
fluffy, white clouds
tall pine trees
homemade apple pie
hand-pressed apple cider
annual family traditions
thoughtful husband
laughing together
enjoying each other’s company
fat, orange pumpkins
knobby, yellow gourds
bundles of corn stalks
searching for the “perfect” pumpkin
hot coco
kettle corn
caramel apples
sitting by the fireplace
puzzles on a cold, lazy night

Celebrating: Autumn

Beautiful fall day. Took a spontaneous trip to Oak Glen to spend the day in the country. Enjoyed fresh mountain air, meandered in the apple orchards and pumpkin patches, visited some ostrich, peacock and goats, bought a huge apple pie and a jug of apple cider. Good times.

What I'm Thinking About

"a loving life must be nurtured with quiet and reflection...

so, i tell myself, take a deep breath and slow things down.

be committed to the nurturing and the loving, not the rushing and arriving.

i'm so busy i have to sit still and meditate in the evening candlelight.

so busy i must write out my gratitude and my prayers.

so busy i require poetry and moongazing.

we are more than machines.

we are soul and we are spirit.

we become the thing we nurture and hold to our breasts.

oh dear heart,

hold goodness and stillness.

hold beauty and tenderness.

hold kindness and love.

be at rest."

~ From: A Study in Brown

Happy Anniversary to Me!

This is one of my favorite things to listen to. Wait, wait... Don't Tell Me is an NPR radio news, quiz game show that's very funny.

Ron got us tickets to go see a live show while they are here in Pasadena. Fun!