Saturday, October 15, 2011
Sunday, June 26, 2011
learning from the lion
New summer goal: read the Chronicles of Narnia. Actually, I may have to reclassify that as a 2012 New Years Resolution or even just a bucket list bullet point. But I will read them all, eventually. I watched The Voyage of the Dawn Treader the other night and just loved it. What an awesome way to see God's truth displayed. The element of spiritual warfare and temptation was so interesting. The major conflict wasn't through blood, swordfights, and physical death but through human weakness and the lure of temptation. And temptation wasn't the same for everyone. The enemy used whatever was most destructive to each- scary thought. For Lucy it was her self-image, Edmund the lure of being powerful, and Caspian the desire to live in his father's footsteps. So where am I most vulnerable to attack from the enemy? That's one to pray on.
Anyway, so here is one my favorite scenes- when Eustace is "undragoned":
So I started scratching myself and my scales began coming off all over the place. And then I scratched a little deeper and, instead of just scales coming off here and there, my whole skin started peeling off beautifully, like it does after an illness, or as if I was a banana. In a minute or two I just stepped out of it. I could see it lying there beside me, looking rather nasty. It was a most lovely feeling. So I started to go down into the well for my bathe.
“But just as I was going to put my feet into the water I looked down and saw that they were all hard and rough and wrinkled and scaly just as they had been before. Oh, that's all right, said I, it only means I had another smaller suit on underneath the first one, and I'll have to get out of it too. So I scratched and tore again and this underskin peeled off beautifully and out I stepped and left it lying beside the other one and went down to the well for my bathe.
“Well, exactly the same thing happened again. And I thought to myself, oh dear, how ever many skins have I got to take off? For I was longing to bathe my leg. So I scratched away for the third time and got off a third skin, just like the two others, and stepped out of it. But as soon as I looked at myself in the water I knew it had been no good.
“Then the lion said - but I don't know if it spoke – ‘You will have to let me undress you.’ I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.
“The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off. You know - if you've ever picked the scab off a sore place. It hurts like billy-oh but it is such fun to see it coming away.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” said Edmund.
“Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off - just as I thought I'd done it myself the other three times, only they hadn't hurt - and there it was lying on the grass: only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobbly-looking than the others had been. And there was I as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been. Then he caught hold of me - I didn't like that much for I was very tender underneath now that I'd no skin on - and threw me into the water. It smarted like anything but only for a moment. After that it became perfectly delicious and as soon as I started swimming and splashing I found that all the pain had gone from my arm. And then I saw why. I'd turned into a boy again. You'd think me simply phoney if I told you how I felt about my own arms. I know they've no muscle and are pretty mouldy compared with Caspian's, but I was so glad to see them.
“After a bit the lion took me out and dressed me –“
“Dressed you. With his paws?”
“Well, I don't exactly remember that bit. But he did somehow or other: in new clothes - the same I've got on now, as a matter of fact. And then suddenly I was back here. Which is what makes me think it must have been a dream.”
“No. It wasn't a dream,” said Edmund.
“Why not?”
“Well, there are the clothes, for one thing. And you have been - well, un-dragoned, for another.”
“What do you think it was, then?” asked Eustace.
“I think you've seen Aslan,” said Edmund.
I love how, as hard as Eustace tried, he couldn't make the transformation on his own... he has to totally surrender. Flat on his back in fact. What a great reminder that surrender is daily choice too, not done once at salvation. Only Aslan could remove his dragon skin and make Eustace into a boy again. Just like only the Lord can strip away my pride and selfishness, bitterness and jealously so that I can live a life set apart for Him. There are some ugly things in my life. I can try and chisel away the bulk of them on my own but only with God's help can they be wiped clean... Oh and he'll redress me in his own righteousness? No doubt. What a sweet savior.
ps I would like to go here now please...
Anyway, so here is one my favorite scenes- when Eustace is "undragoned":
So I started scratching myself and my scales began coming off all over the place. And then I scratched a little deeper and, instead of just scales coming off here and there, my whole skin started peeling off beautifully, like it does after an illness, or as if I was a banana. In a minute or two I just stepped out of it. I could see it lying there beside me, looking rather nasty. It was a most lovely feeling. So I started to go down into the well for my bathe.
“But just as I was going to put my feet into the water I looked down and saw that they were all hard and rough and wrinkled and scaly just as they had been before. Oh, that's all right, said I, it only means I had another smaller suit on underneath the first one, and I'll have to get out of it too. So I scratched and tore again and this underskin peeled off beautifully and out I stepped and left it lying beside the other one and went down to the well for my bathe.
“Well, exactly the same thing happened again. And I thought to myself, oh dear, how ever many skins have I got to take off? For I was longing to bathe my leg. So I scratched away for the third time and got off a third skin, just like the two others, and stepped out of it. But as soon as I looked at myself in the water I knew it had been no good.
“Then the lion said - but I don't know if it spoke – ‘You will have to let me undress you.’ I was afraid of his claws, I can tell you, but I was pretty nearly desperate now. So I just lay flat down on my back to let him do it.
“The very first tear he made was so deep that I thought it had gone right into my heart. And when he began pulling the skin off, it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt. The only thing that made me able to bear it was just the pleasure of feeling the stuff peel off. You know - if you've ever picked the scab off a sore place. It hurts like billy-oh but it is such fun to see it coming away.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” said Edmund.
“Well, he peeled the beastly stuff right off - just as I thought I'd done it myself the other three times, only they hadn't hurt - and there it was lying on the grass: only ever so much thicker, and darker, and more knobbly-looking than the others had been. And there was I as smooth and soft as a peeled switch and smaller than I had been. Then he caught hold of me - I didn't like that much for I was very tender underneath now that I'd no skin on - and threw me into the water. It smarted like anything but only for a moment. After that it became perfectly delicious and as soon as I started swimming and splashing I found that all the pain had gone from my arm. And then I saw why. I'd turned into a boy again. You'd think me simply phoney if I told you how I felt about my own arms. I know they've no muscle and are pretty mouldy compared with Caspian's, but I was so glad to see them.
“After a bit the lion took me out and dressed me –“
“Dressed you. With his paws?”
“Well, I don't exactly remember that bit. But he did somehow or other: in new clothes - the same I've got on now, as a matter of fact. And then suddenly I was back here. Which is what makes me think it must have been a dream.”
“No. It wasn't a dream,” said Edmund.
“Why not?”
“Well, there are the clothes, for one thing. And you have been - well, un-dragoned, for another.”
“What do you think it was, then?” asked Eustace.
“I think you've seen Aslan,” said Edmund.
I love how, as hard as Eustace tried, he couldn't make the transformation on his own... he has to totally surrender. Flat on his back in fact. What a great reminder that surrender is daily choice too, not done once at salvation. Only Aslan could remove his dragon skin and make Eustace into a boy again. Just like only the Lord can strip away my pride and selfishness, bitterness and jealously so that I can live a life set apart for Him. There are some ugly things in my life. I can try and chisel away the bulk of them on my own but only with God's help can they be wiped clean... Oh and he'll redress me in his own righteousness? No doubt. What a sweet savior.
ps I would like to go here now please...
Saturday, May 21, 2011
a senior shindig
The evening began with plans for a family get together at the Newmans. And ended with a fun surprise 50th/16th birthday party for daddy and little Jensen. Everyone was supposed to dress up like old people and line the driveway with black balloons as my dad drove in. I think we saw half the church at Goodwill getting prepared. You never know what treasures you'll find there. We came home with a walker, clip-on earrings, a cosby sweater, and a fanny pack. perfect.
After lots of laughs and dinner, the group indulged in poop cake and Whit's frozen custard. Wait, poop cake? Oh yes... it was made in honor of Jensen life. Hilarious, and oh so believable.
Happy Birthday to my little brother and papa bear!!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
never say never
Not only did I just recently watch Justin Bieber's documentary with my sister and thus find inspiration for this title, but I also was fortunate enough to get a little shot at baking redemption with my beautiful friend Katie Grote. So our last adventure was pretty much a disaster. With Bakerella as our guide we decided to tackle some Red Velvet Cake Balls... we ended up with a red velvet snowman sculpture. BUT, thankfully the story doesn't end here and we were much more successful with Samoa Cookie Bars- a spin off the that caramelly (?), delightful, shortbread girlscout cookie that almost everyone loves (this really was a miracle though since we compromised with the directions the whole way). The caramel topping first was tackled first and thankfully we found a pan that heavy-bottomed enough. Without a candy thermometer (I mean who really keeps those laying around?) I was a little unsure of when it would have the right consistency. No worries though- Katie decided is was definitely "eyeball-able". And it was.
The shortbread crust had a rough start too- for sure didn't resemble "wet sand" but our way was probably better. Wise words from Katie upon a taste test: "I would say it like bread... but it's much... shorter". Well perfect, I'd say we were successful then.
It's a happy shortbread creation
One of the keys to baking is patience. Or so I hear. For those who aren't so patient, they make the quick freeze shelf in the freezer.
And voila, we have Samoa bars. Enjoyable. I just love the girls scouts.
http://bakingbites.com/2009/02/homemade-girl-scout-cookies-samoas-bars/
Friday, May 13, 2011
sweet home ohio.
It's a great year to be an Auburn Tiger. As thankful as I am have such a wonderful life on the Plains, it's great to come home for a breath of fresh air, a little family reunification, and no intermediate accounting homework. Here's the view I came home to... hello pretty Lebanon:
It's strange coming home from college and seeing how much things have changed. All the kids at church have doubled in size, the grocery store's been rearranged, stores have closed, remodeled or moved, new traffics lights installed(oops!), and all of a sudden your baby brother is as tall as you with his first truck. But some things never change. Little Lebanon has so many novelties calling my name- the library (where I finally got some books that didn't talk about bonds, inventory, or the national debt), Mom's Diner, Oh Suzanna, Manna Cupcake Cafe and of course Whit's Frozen Custard. And what better way to live nostalgically than with some sweet friends.
Kendle, I thought my hair was getting pretty long until I saw this picture. I've been humbled.
Miss Bella joining Beth and I on an custard/Tangled adventure. She wasn't quite so perky when we got out of the car... We probably should've eased her into the real world Beth
Mission Accomplished: mmhmm Mud Pie.
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