First it was a blank page then ....

a picture thought for today!








A blank page
Saturday, June 19, 2010

Outside my window... it is a bit overcast but the tempature reads 59 degrees

I am thinking... about what reading I will do

I am thankful for... Aaron, Alisa, Chris, Megan, Ken, Ginny, Mike, Denise, Tim and Nancy.

From the learning rooms... history and Art

From the kitchen... I am mixing up a yummy smoothie with greens

I am wearing... my black exercise pants and a peach top and soon to add a yellow bandana

I am creating... nothing at the moment other than my thoughts to what I may do with my day

I am going... to Sigh Yoga and then to Starbucks with friends

I am reading... blogs this morning and then will move to finishing up Job

I am hoping... to find some capris sometime this week since my lipgloss was in the wash and got on my 2 pairs that I wear right now

I am hearing... the clock tick in my computer room

Around the house... I will be doing laundry

One of my favorite things... is reading what I want to read not what I have to read

A few plans for the rest of the week: haven't really thought that far except that I will get to my art class this week on the right day and the right time
hopefully :-)

What to do when you arrive at the art institute for class one week early?

picture of homemade organic strawberry gluten free pie in the making

June 17, 2010 afternoon pages

You may not have even thought of this question, or even have the answer to the question, but can I just say, because that is excatly what transpired in my life today, I wanted an answer to my question.

With great anticipation and excitement I drove to the MIA (Minneapolis Institure of Art) not to be mistaken for the MOA (Mall of America)... yes, I drove to the Minneapolis Insitute of Art, on the wrong day and wrong time, but everything happens for a reason .... right?

And yes, I did fully intend on taking an art class today, only to find out that I arrived at the class a week early. Now I am a person who likes to be early but I usually do not show up a week early. I left where the class was to take place on a quest to answer my question.

So I made a phone call or two and found instead of spending time with others I would check out the play at the children's theater only to find out it was sold-out!

Now, I wondered how many times that happens on a weekday morning at the theater? Another good question, I did not have the answer to, but no problem, since it was a sunny Mpls day and most of the past few days on record maybe 16 or so have been rainy I thought it's a perfect day to go to the farmer's market.

Since unlike my husband and children I am a novice when it comes to plants and food grown by farmers I deceided to learn some more today ... I learned about home grown organic strawberries.

Now, so you do not think that I know nothing, I want you to know, that I did know that strawberries in the grocery store can be quite large. So of course, I wondered why the strawberries grown on a MN farm were quite small. I found out they were grown on an organic farm and of course organic means no added stuff to make strawberries large!

Q: So to answer the question what to do when you arrive at the art institute a week early and it's sunny out and you have never made a homemade strawberry pie, better yet a homemade strawberry gluten free pie?

A: Go to the farmer's market, buy organic strawberries, come home and make homemade strawberry gluten free pie!

School's Out! Reading, Writing, and Art are In!

June 16, 2010 Morning Pages

I am so excited to share that school is out and therefore my mornings will be filled with reading, writing and art ... most likely, more reading, than writing and art yet, I do have concrete plans for the later two.

I have already started a new book on my kindle. As I was scrolling my kindle and scoping out some books I found a book of interest. What I love about my kindle is that I can download any book and sample it before I decide to buy the book for cheap ... this book $9.99. The book A Young People's History of the World by Howard Zinn.

I find that I have a deficit in knowing history, but I know there are many ways to learn history. One of these ways, of course, is by reading. In the past, I have had a tendency, to read authors I am familiar with. This particular author I did not know, he was not recommended, yet I found myself drawn to him. I even asked my husband (a history major some years ago) if he had heard of Howard Zinn.

I learned that Zinn, through this book, choose to use some unlikely voices, to teach about history, and some of these voices, include children. I also learned, by reading the sample of the book, that Zinn would choose to tell the truth of history through his eyes and knowledge. Of intrest to me, Zinn's truth may not be in the current history books our children are reading.

A quote to close my blog with today ....

"In learning you will teach and in teaching you will learn"

What I have not yet learned, I believe I will be unable to teach. Therefore, I am looking forward to the lazy days of summer ... to be learning, through the disciplines of reading, writing and art!

Graduation .... most important part .... Family

Can I just say what an amazing weekend ... it really does not get much better than this ....

Just a few highlights for now ....

1. an evening of practice for just Terry and I (Friday)



2. family



3. a good night's rest and another drive to Crown College (Saturday)



4. family



5. a morning of celebration (BS in Education Studies)



6. family



7. a reception at Crown College



8. family



9. an open house with amazing fun, food, and fellowship



10. family



11. a kindle, a gift of books yea!



12. family



13. a good night's rest with Carrie, Annika, Eden, and Ashley (I did not hear anything after going to bed at 11:30) until ....



14. mother's day breakfast 6 am (Sunday)



15. family



16. mother's day choir with 3 girls and and Eden in tow



17. family



18. a Sunday afternoon nap



19. family



20. Chipotle and game night at Kelley's

Oh and did I say family?

May Update

I am not really sure what happened to April except that it seemed to fly by and because of this or for whatever other reason I did not follow through with my intention of blogging monthly at the very least and completely blew it! I did not blog in April ... please forgive me ... my faithful readers .... you know who you are ....

So now it is officially the 7th of May as the clock in our living room just struck midnight. I am having a night where I am unable to sleep because of burning pain in my face due to a head injury which occurred on April 15.

I am somewhat excited and yet apprehensive for the next couple of days as I practice for graduation tomorrow night and then graduate on Saturday with a party to follow and then celebrate Mother's Day on Sunday with all 5 kids.

The excitement comes from the completion of an intention for 2010 ... graduate in May with my BS in Educational Studies (a bit of a change due to the fact that I did not do my student teaching and instead took 12 additional credits, hence Educational Studies rather that Elementary ED).

The apprehension comes from the burning sensation in my face and the somewhat unsteadiness in my balance due to my injury.

All in all though it should be a great weekend of celebration ... graduation, mother's day, all my kids, (minus my son-in-law, Jacob who is unable to be with us in MN this time around) grand kids, family and friends .... it will be a weekend to remember ... more to come ....

Inviting you to celebrate Easter

KSTP TV - Minneapolis and St. Paul - Church shares Easter message with graffiti

Enjoy this Easter message from myself and our community of friends at New Hope Church. I love that I know the artist and I believe he did an amazing job in bringing the message of Easter to all those who drive-by. May you prepare your hearts this Holy Week for the Resurrection of Christ.

Yep, I still Love Sundays

OK it is the last day in February and with trying to stay on track with my intentions I will post today and that will actually make it 2 posts for February. I have been journaling weekly and I have more often then not been drinking the smoothie 5 days a week. I am on track with graduation in May. In fact, I presented an art project yesterday for my art course and the presentation went extremely well. I was excited to get all the positive feedback both from my professor and classmates. I actually have the kids at EB Kidstop and EB elementary and NHC prayer team to thank as it was their drawings that I presented in class yesterday. I find I am loving art and especially enjoying teaching art to the kids and want to go on to take more art courses ... in fact, I have, as intended, registered for a course with the Maple Grove Community Education (on track for that Life Long Learning intention). It is a watercolor landscape class and Terry will be taking the class with me. I'm thrilled to be doing this with him as he has a lot of art knowledge. I have enjoyed times of having Terry read though Proverbs at the dinner table with me many evenings. As for the walking let's just say I'm slacking there with the exception of all the miles I put on at work each day running with and after kids. Fnances ... well I don't always remember to pray before spending, but I have a written account of all money being spent, which should in the long run prove to be a good tool for setting a spending plan with Terry. I plan on writing down one more month of spending and then give an account and set up a plan. Bible reading is on track and as for EX 2:2 I have been tyring to read 5 pages a day but have slipped a bit this week due to the completion of my art project. Prayer day-aways ... tried to reserve Pastor Dave' s cabin for Saturday March 6th but it is not available. I may just look at Saturday March 13th more to come on that ... and lesson plans for Kidstop they are all done for the next 2 weeks Yea! Whew I have written and now I am off to read .... In His Arms, B.

Intentions 2010

January 2010 has come and gone and now February is upon me ....

After much thought and prayer I have narrowed down some categories and intentions for 2010 and they are the following:

Intention: to have something in mind; a design; a plan

Spiritual Intentions

• Finish reading through the Bible in a year " all scripture is God-breathed, useful for training, reproofing, ...."
• Four intentional day-aways (24-48 hours) of retreat, refresh, re vie, renew through prayer
• Bible reading most days aloud with my husband Terry
• Continue to "be" a disciple and know fellowship through Ex 2:2, Real Women, HopeWatchers

Intellectual Intentions

• Graduate in May with a BS in Elementary Education
• Take a class through Maple Grove Community Education
• Always be one week ahead with Kidstop lesson plans
• Read good books often
• Continue to "be" a lifelong learner seeking wisdom from the Lord as "anyone who lacks wisdom can ask of God ..."

Emotional Intentions

• Blogging monthly
• Journaling weekly
• Continue to share my heart with the Lord and with family and friends "a friend loves at all times ...."

Physical Intentions

• Walk 1-2 mile 5 days per week
• Smoothie for breakfast 5 days per week
• Continue to be conscious of my "body being a temple of the Holy Spirit"

Financial Intentions

• Give much to many " give generously ...."
• Keep track (written down) all spending
• Hope for a spending plan written down together with Terry
• Continue to prayer before spending and know that all I have belongs to the Lord.

Most of these intentions, goals are measurable. It is my prayer and hope for 2010 that I will be able to look back monthly to these intentions and know that I am staying on track. I publish these with the intention of having others hold me accountable for personal growth because of these intentions.

Always remaining in His arms, B.

Forgotten God by Francis Chan

January 30, 2010
early morning pages

I find it interesting to read what I have written years ago. As I look back on past journals I am amazed at what the Holy Spirit has done in my life.

In reflection of the post "Journals Past; Pictures Present" regarding my prayer for the Holy Spirit to fall afresh on my kids each day. Because of my learning from Forgotten God today I pray differently.

I pray that the Spirit of God would dwell in Terry, Lisa, Matt, Carrie, Jacob, Adam, Renee, Kelley, Josh and Ashley.
It is my hope that there will be a huge difference in their lives daily because of the Spirit of the living God within them.

My knowledge of the Holy Spirit is greater now than in the past.
My prayer is different now than in the past.

"We need the Holy Spirit in order to live faithfully. But we also need one another as we work out our faith." Chan

Family, I need you as i work out my faith and thanks for needing me!
In His Arms, B.

New Year 2010

Yep its true it is a new year and as of yet I have not set completely my intentions for 2010 ... having said this I am thinking and in prayer about what I want to accomplish in 2010. One reason for having not written thus far into the new year is because one intention would be to graduate in May and this is my excuse for not taking the time as of yet to write and publish intentions for 2010. My written work is school work, EX 2:2, and Real Women which is comsuming most of my present "extra" time in the day. So .... keep visiting my blog and you shall see that by the end of January 2010 I shall have my intentions for the new year posted.