Hallo Autumn!

My apologies for the late welcome of Autumn. I was occupied on the first day of Autumn....busy with browsing in a tiny bookstore in a tiny town in Massachusetts. Then walking through a corn field. Then picking apples from an apple orchard. So, here's my overdue welcome to Autumn! It sure feels like that in Massachusetts and I loved every minute of the weather that I had on my trip.

I am still catching up from being away, but I thought I would post a few photos as appetizers until I can sit down and organize.  Can you guess where any of these photos are from? (answers are below)

Locations:
1.Fairhaven, MA- they have 2 new wind turbines in the town
2. Boston Public Library is behind me
3. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
4. Providence, RI
5. Cliff Walk in Newport, RI
6. The Breakers Mansion in Newport, RI

Apart from You

Simple blessings born each morning
with the rising of the sun.
Greet it with a thankfulness,
we are here because of One.

We are loved without deserving
and no deserving could we do,
as we follow You no matter what,
there is no apart from You.

The glowing sun now departing,
in a fading ombré sky.
Wonder and thankfulness merge,
Fear and worry need not apply

3 Years Later

3 years later.

The loss of my Dad is a part of me and always will be. The sadness strikes me still at unpredictable moments. I suspect that will always happen. But it's not just about my loss. It is also about you because chances are you knew my Dad, and you have stories and memories about him. And you miss him in your own way.

Don't ever lose those stories. Share them.
Don't tuck them away, but remember them with others, and laugh.

I love to remember my Dad. Share stories with me, for I want to hear about your impressions and thoughts. It may be hard sometimes, to remember, because it brings back that sweeping feeling of loss and sadness, but when I think about how my Dad is in heaven, I know he is okay, and I will see him again one day.

There are many stories I could tell just from the travel we did as a family. I love that my parents took our whole family on many trips! With four kids in tow, I honestly don't know how they did it. But we went to some amazing places (Georgia, the Carolinas, New York, Pennsylvania, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Washington, Canada, New Hampshire, Massachusetts), and I will never forget these trips. Since I am such a lover of travel, these memories are especially poignant to me.

One little thing about my Dad that I will always remember is how whenever we went to a museum or monument or anything that has exhibits and things to read, Dad would read every sign, every posting, every story, everything. It was normal for him to always lag behind the group, engrossed in learning about whatever he was reading. As young kids, we always had to tug him along, and my Mom would have to go back to get him because he would be in a different room. And now, I think of this every single time I am in a museum or exhibit. And you know what? I find myself reading all the signs, all the postings......

Victoria, Canada

Hiking to our favorite tree in North Carolina

One of our many camping trips in North Carolina or Georgia with the Remo Family

A family trip out west. We drove all over the place!

The last trip with Dad- July 2009. Evidence of him finding something to read no matter where, even at the highest point to drive to in Yosemite, overlooking his favorite site, Half Dome.

So Small

A fleeting moment where I catch a glimpse
of what lies under the surface,
emerging in a colorful hue soon
I see the glory bloom this afternoon,
slowing down so not to miss,
like the sun gently reaching down to kiss
color into the scene, casting light so serene
Caught off guard by the goodness, I mean,
to fall upon me like a sweet, cool rain
sets my heart aglow again and again.
Reminders of love, from such a small thing
Thankfulness rises in me as an offering.

All Set!

I said goodbye to Summer in a recent post, and now we are well into September! And it is almost time to say hello to Autumn, officially. So, my natural inclination is to think about the transition into Autumn. Since this wonderful season does not arrive in Florida anytime soon enough, I am going to have to get out of the state to get a little taste of it. Good thing I found some affordable prices on air fare for a little getaway.

This week I will be flying to Providence, RI to stay with a friend of the family in Fairhaven, Massachusetts. Pardon my absence if for several days I do not post anything, since I won't have access to my trusty laptop. But I will have lots of good things to write about and share! Stay tuned!

Extracts from Autumn

Here in Florida there is little to see that actually looks Autumny (new word!). We don't get the changing colors of leaves and the amazing glowing hue they create when the sun's rays hit them just right as it sets. We don't have the apple orchards and pumpkin patches. Okay, maybe there are a few. The leaves that do fall take forever to actually fall, when a a chill actually comes along a northern wind.

So looking around, nothing in Florida really screams AUTUMN! Therefore, the solution at the present time is to bring Autumn to life by other means. Scents. Clothes. Colors. Foods. For example, I suddenly have the hankering for pumpkin and cinnamon everything. Pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin seeds (roasted and salted), cinnamon sprinkled on my coffee. Then comes the urge to cook more. I pull out some of my favourite cool weather recipes like onion thyme soup and black bean & corn quinoa. Then it will feel more like Autumn around here!

Then I buy this hand soap by Method (their products are great) that smells like vanilla chai, which has spices like clove, allspice, and cinnamon so it smells quintessentially Autumn. And that smell makes me want to drink coffee all day and take long walks out on a perfect chilly day, with leaves crunching under my boots.

I know I am a bit crazy about Autumn. I can't help it. It is the start of cool seasons and these are the days I live for in Florida.

So Autumn, leaves, and the colors of this time of year are extracted into my everyday, and people like me get excited at the possibility of the weather they represent.

Tea Time with Kings

Make a cup of tea and pick up your Bible to read 2 Kings. The best quiet time I have is when I make a cup of tea or coffee and sit in a cozy spot to read my Bible, and then grab my pen to write in my journal. I recently reached the end of 2 Kings doing this very thing. It has been so interesting, with little stories along the way that make me ponder, like when Isaiah gives a sign to Hezekiah that the Lord's promise is true. Isaiah asks if he would like a shadow nearby to go forward ten steps or backward ten steps. Hezekiah answers that it would be easy to make the shadow go forward, so make it go backward. Isaiah called to the Lord, and the shadow moved back ten steps.

Never have I heard that little passage before, probably because it doesn't contain anything we don't already know. But it is another one of those defy-nature signs from God in which He shows that He created the world and He can make anything happen. Moving shadows or making the sun stand still for a day. No big deal for God. Yet for us, it defies the laws of nature that we are currently restricted to. Increasingly interesting is the fact that this book is historically accurate and completely true. And it's all inspired by God. These things really happened. Nothing has ever proved otherwise.

The Bible has become even dearer to me in the past couple years than it ever has been. Perhaps as time goes on, it will become even more dear. I suspect that to be true. The writings grip my attention more. The authors have become familiar, like friends, and I am reading their journal. The stories have taken root in my own life, relating what happened then to what I may be going through now.

Orders Enough to Start With

My Mom and I started a mother-daughter book club, reading a couple of classics neither of us has ever read. First we read The Princess and the Goblin, which I wrote a little about here. Now we are reading The Princess and Curdie. Both are by George MacDonald, a writer from northern Scotland who lived from 1824-1905. They are children's stories, but many aspects of the writing can be appreciated by an adult. There is something so wonderful about children's stories, and how truth about love is made evident through story and fantasy. It is not just for children. We are all children at heart, with much to learn.

Even if you never read this book or know about this imaginative writing, here are some if quotes that, even if you know nothing about the story, contain little life lessons in just a few sentences. I see this type of lesson-within-the-story greatly influenced the writings of C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien, and Madeleine L'Engle. I love how the morals are weaved through the story and lessons learned through the characters' trials.

"Horrible!" said Irene.
"Horrible indeed; but we must not try to get rid of horrible things by refusing to look at them, and saying they are not there." (pg.157)

"You say you didn't mean any harm: did you mean any good, Curdie?"
"No," answered Curdie.
"Remember, then, that whoever does not mean good is always in danger of harm." (pg.25)

"You must not be like a dull servant that needs to be told again and again before he will understand. You have orders enough to start with, and you will find, as you go on, and as you need to know, what you have to do. But I warn you that perhaps it will not look the least like what you may have been fancying I should require of you." (pg.78-79)

Interpreter & Problem Solver

I spent some time with an amazing guy, Daniel, this weekend. Daniel in the Bible, that is. A young, smart guy who loved God and followed Him no matter what. I definitely think Daniel deserves his own book in the Bible. Good thing he has one!

If Daniel had a resume, he could write that he was an interpreter and problem solver.
The Book of Daniel is so interesting. As a child you learn about Daniel and the lion's den, but that is not the only story that occurs in his life, and they are all such good reminders to never give up and never give in. I know I need to pay attention, so I spent some time reflecting on this.

Daniel and his friends are wise young men. They are taken as slaves from their home in Judah when King Nebuchadnezzar comes from Babylon and besieges it, taking many of the young & skillful people back to Babylon. The plan is to turn them into Babylonians so they don't resist their ways. They are taught the literature and language of the Chaldeans. Their names are even changed to Babylonian names: Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Young, wise, and followers of God, these four friends do not give in to living the king's ways. Instead of going against their beliefs to eat the king's food, Daniel asks for a vegan diet and says if after a short time they are not as strong or stronger than the others, they will go back to the king's diet. They are as strong, if not stronger. Problem solved. Then Daniel interprets King Nebuchadnezzar's dream, which no other person could do, and quickly rises in ranks and is favored by the king.

However, when it comes down to power and greatness, the king gave himself all credit to creating such a vast kingdom of Babylon. So much so, that and he set up a huge golden statue and commanded all people to bow down and worship it, or they would be cast into a fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego would not bow down to the golden statue and the king was beside himself in anger. He ordered the furnace to be seven times hotter, and commanded his guards to tie them up and throw them in. The guards are killed by the intense heat as they throw them in, but suddenly the king sees the three friends walking around in the furnace, unbound, accompanied by an unknown fourth figure. They are called to come out of the furnace and not a thread is burnt on their cloaks. King Nebuchadnezzar immediately begins to praise the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego saying that anyone who does not worship God will be torn limb from limb.

Even if the worst had happened, as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said, they would not serve or worship the golden statue. They were ready to perish, if need be, before they would go against God. And along the way, they showed how to do the right thing, all the time. 
As I continue to read the Book of Daniel, these stories encourage me.
Don't give up. Don't give in.
God will take care of us when we are obedient.
Problem solved.

Prayerful/ Mindful

Goal for the week:

Be more prayerful
and in my prayers, more focused

Be more mindful
and in my mind be more thankful and appreciative

I feel so foolish for not always being cheerful and glad in my daily activities. Sure some days are dull or are full of things that try to bring me down. But I have the choice as to how I react to each thing that comes along. Specifically the stressful office. I keep reminding myself to bring my true self to the office each day, and take the opportunities God presents to me to shine a light for Him.

I am reading the book of Daniel now, and Daniel is such a good reminder, story after story, to stay strong in faith and don't give up or give in. Even when you are in an environment not conducive to your beliefs. Even when you are asked to do things that do not go along with your faith. With integrity and respect, Daniel consistently remained faithful to God while not upsetting the Babylonians who held him captive. More on those amazing stories in a future post. But if you haven't read Daniel, be sure to bookmark that short book to read.

What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me?
Psalm 116.12

Happy Monday!

The Best Smell

Faber sniffed the book. "Do you know that books smell like nutmeg or some spice from a foreign land? I loved to smell them when I was a boy. Lord, there were a lot of lovely books once, before we let them go."
-Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

Confession. I love the smell of books. It is the best smell to me. Old books. New books. I do not discriminate, though, I do have an affectionate spot for old books because I wonder where it has been and who read it, and who left some ink marks in it. Old books have such a pleasing smell that hinges on a spice mixed with paper. Somehow, as the book ages, the scent gets better, just don't let moisture in.

I have always loved the smell, even when I was younger and didn't fully realize my passion for books. I would eagerly accompany Mom to Wal-Mart (the old school version) with hopes that I could pick out a new Baby Sitters Club or Nancy Drew book from their shelves of choices. Approaching the book aisle, I would automatically locate my favourite authors and read the spines of each to find one that was new or that I hadn't read yet. Then I would flip through the pages, letting the scent of fresh paper, binding, and ink drift to me. And I would carry it around like a prized treasure worth a fortune. To me, books were always worth a fortune. Not because they were expensive, but because they held a world of imagination and wonder. Of stories. Of new words to learn. Or new places to read about. Of characters to get to know.

I could go on and on about this topic. But suffice it to say, books have the best smell to me.

So, what is the best smell to you? Everyone has something, I think, that provokes utter happiness. Is it books? Is it a certain food? A certain scent in nature? Or something else entirely? I know people who have some quirky favourite smells, so it can be anything.

Teach me Your paths

Wandering on the Isle of Skye, Scotland

Make me know your ways, O Lord;
teach me your paths.
Lead me in your truth and teach me,
for you are the God of my salvation;
for you I wait all the day long.

Psalm 25.4-5

I don't deserve God's love, but He gives it freely. When I stop to think about how I really do not deserve this to happen, it quickly brings about a sudden appreciation of every little thing. My whole perspective changes.

When I am stuck in an attitude that I deserve a certain something, everything becomes an expectation, which only leads to disappointment. It is so interesting how quickly we all build up certain expectations about the people in our lives, or a work situation, or your plans for the day. We wake up and almost automatically begin to piece together our expectations for the day. Upon pondering inwardly, I find that when I am most frustrated, I have the most expectations set. My own expectations. Meaning, perhaps, that I am trying to retain control (that I never had) which is something not in line with God's plans for me.

Quiet time and Bible reading. That's the best way for me to combat this rush of thoughts. When I set my mind on the Word of God first thing in the morning, my day goes a lot better. And that is simply because I chose to give God several minutes in the morning to speak to me through His Word. So this is what I am trying to do more of. 

Goodbye Summer!

August is long gone now. Good bye Summer! September tends to prompt the Autumn season for me. Perhaps because it is when, in some places around the country, the weather begins to cool down. I hear rumors from afar that there is such a thing as 60 degrees (dare I say 50 degrees?), and I start to dream about when that temperature will get here, all the way south.

I don't think Summer gets the memo in Florida that September means it's time to transition to the Autumn season. Lately, though, this Florida sky has been pretty dreamy. It's trying to trick me into thinking I like this season. Dang, pretty sky. You make me appreciate God's beautiful creation, even in the heat that I do not enjoy. So, in my continued effort to appreciate everything that I am given, I am cultivating this attitude of sky-appreciation.

Perhaps I can hope that a wisp of cool air might become misplaced for a moment, maybe get lost in the sky highway and take the wrong exit down to Florida. One can hope, I say. I am one and I know a few others who hope with me.

No Status Quo!

"I hate a Roman named Status Quo!" he said to me, "Stuff your eyes with wonder," he said, "live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. Ask no guarantees, ask for no security, there never was such an animal. And if there were, it would be related to the great sloth which hangs upside down in a tree all day every day, sleeping its life away."
-Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

I have never been one to follow the crowd or to just do something because everyone else is. Perhaps that has made me devoid of certain experiences. Perhaps that has caused me to be viewed as a little strange. (That girl likes the cold weather? Why is she living here in the humidity of Florida? Weird, they think.) I can just read other people's thoughts sometimes when I talk about my love for books and reading. I see the looks people give me when I say I love to wear layers and scarves. These Floridians look at their flip flops and shorts and tell me I am crazy.
Maybe I am.
Or maybe I know a little bit of what fantastic wonder there is out in there in the world. In other places.  Perhaps I have had a small taste of that which is different, and I love it. And I want more of it.

Same with my love of books and learning. I've had a taste of it and I want more of it. This was exactly the fear that drove the futuristic world (which turns out to be our present day) in Fahrenheit 451 to ban books. The government decided that the best thing for everyone is for their decisions to be made for them, by the government. They have huge wall-sized TVs and countless reality shows (sound familiar?) that everyone watches all day, and the characters in the shows become their 'family'. The only thing they are allowed to read is their scripts for these shows. People drive 90-100 mph (remember, this was written in 1950) and don't slow down to notice the grass or the flowers. They made billboard signs 200 feet across so when people drive 100 mph they can read them. When the main character, Montag, starts noticing the little things, he tells his wife that there is dew on the grass if you look closely, and she thinks he has gone crazy.

Such an interesting perspective of our world about this "futuristic" day Ray Bradbury writes about. Sadly, many aspects of his predictions are present today. The norms and values have shifted since the 1950s and those of us not born in that era don't really know how strange this day has become in many ways.

Odds and Ends from August

Sunday morning in Gainesville last weekend. Coffee made by my french press and peaches (c/o Jason). Not pictured: my yogurt parfait.

Leaving church one night after volunteering at the bookstore, this guy just came running after my car! I must have been in his jogging path. Of course, it's no surprise, as Lake Morton is famous for the swans and ducks.

I have been baking lots of these sweet potato fries. They are just the Ian's frozen brand found in the organic section at my Publix. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for some yummy goodness!

I got a real live postcard in the mail from my friend Zoe! She was in Cape Cod on holiday, which sounded quite lovely. Gosh, I love getting real mail. Can we go back in time to when we all mailed real letters?

What could be better than a few new books and the most delicious gelato combination ever? Banana and chocolate is my number one favourite.

I always enjoy a stop by my old college. Florida Southern just won the "most beautiful college campus" designation again. Pictured from left- right is the Carter, Walridge Hawkins Seminar Building, Annie Pfeiffer Chapel, and the Water Dome.

My mom and I stamped doilies for table decorations this weekend. We had a family meet and greet dinner for the newly engaged Tyler (my little bro) and Patience. I think I may have to create some more with these stamps. It was fun.