"....Your children shall be like olive plants all around your table." Psalm 128:3

Monday, July 20, 2015

Randomness

Just some random thoughts.....

Ian, our 16 yr-old, is 2 hours north of us working on the summer staff at a Christian camp for a few weeks. It's a familiar territory. We have been to the camp many times and Ian goes to the winter youth conferences there every January. Also, our oldest daughter worked there on summer staff when she was 17.  He is in his element up there: he is on the maintenance crew (he loves working with his hands!) and making new friends. But oh, how I miss him! He and I have such good conversations - everything from politics to theology, so I miss our chats. I miss his being in the kitchen and reaching things on high shelves for me, as I am vertically challenged.  ;) I miss his presence at the table when we eat and in the evenings when we have family devotions. I miss his chauffeuring me around on errand days. He will be coming home this Saturday, but he will be here for just 2 weeks, then he will head back to the camp to serve 2 more weeks in August. After that, he will be home for good and my separation anxiety will go away.  ;)

Our school books for next year are slowly trickling in. The arrival of new school books always makes me eager to begin the new school year. And in my eagerness and excitement to begin our new year of AO, I am wondering if we should begin lessons earlier than our original start date.  Of course, we can't start until Ian is home. But it's ok to daydream isn't it? ;)

One of Ian's books for next year is Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee by Dee Brown. I had heard of this book, but never read it. And since I usually try to pre-read most of the children's books before they read them, I started with this one. I read the first two chapters before hubby saw it lying on the coffee table and asked whose book it was. I told him it was Ian's book for next year. I gave him a short summary of what I had read so far, and he decided to read it, too. He read to chapter 2 and caught up with me. At his suggestion, we are reading it together every evening. I read; he listens, then we discuss it. I love it! But back to the book...it is very sad...very, very sad. I am dumbfounded - and angered - at the way the Americans Indians were treated by the white men. I knew they were mistreated, but I had no idea it was to the degree described in this book.  I can hardly believe what I am reading, and sometimes, afterwards, we just sit there and try to take in what I just read. As much as I love spending time with my hubby this way, it is not an easy read.  But I do hope that our reading together is the beginning of a new tradition with us. Maybe next time we'll read a more joyful book. I am open for suggestions for our next read, friends.  :)

Speaking of books, hubby and I went to our local used bookstore recently. Last time we were there, they had very little to pick from. But their inventory has really grown. Have a look at the gems I found.  :)
 Needless to say, we plan on going again soon.

Natty and Mimi are making a quilted wall hanging for their room. They picked out the material and cut the squares with my mom's square cutter and mat. Now they are ready to sew it together. The question is...what kind of pattern to arrange the squares in. Their goal is to finish it before school starts. Hopefully this winter, we will be doing more quilting, possibly making a twin-size quilt. Hubby and the boys will be making bookshelves, so our fall/winter handicrafts are all lined up. 

Remember Banty, our Bantam hen? Well, she's done it again. She has hatched 6 chicks. Adorable, aren't they? But we don't need more Bantams! Hopefully, we can find a good home for them.


What do you do when life inundates you with daylilies? You eat them for lunch, of course! (With egg salad in this photo.)  :)

 Hope you all have a wonderful week!





10 comments:

  1. Wonderful set of books you found!

    We read something in a devotional book recently about 1000 Indians being poisoned so the white man could take over the land on which they wanted to strike it rich during the California gold rush. I hadn't read this particular story before and we were all very shocked and dismayed that such atrocities went unpunished. It is so terribly sad and hard not to feel ashamed.

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  2. Hubby and I said the same thing - it's hard not to feel ashamed. Thanks for visiting today. :)

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  3. What a great opportunity for your son, although I understand the missing-them part a bit. I never pictured you as vertically challenged (me too). And what a great stack of books and how nice to read a book together with your husband. There have been a few books I have read-a-loud where my voice was cracking and I had to fight the tears. We have it so soft and it's always so amazing to hear of what others have gone through, whether it be for God, freedom, or just plain existence.

    Quilts & Bookshelves = Great Practical Projects, yeah for you guys!!

    And I love that you & I both posted about the over-population of banties. Sweet Babies!

    Eating daylillies?? Really? What do they taste like? Do they have any special health benefits? It makes a pretty presentation, that's for sure.

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    1. I am vertically challenged, Jane - 5"3". But I feel even shorter next to Ian, who is 6"1". :)
      There have been moments when I have to struggle to stay composed during the reading of this book. Seems as if I cry at the drop of a hat ever since my Dad passed.
      If you ever run out of Banties, let me know. I have plenty. ;)
      And about the daylilies...here's an old post with all the info...http://oliveplantsallaroundmytable.blogspot.com/2013/06/eating-daylilies.html
      Love to you! :)

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  4. That's quite the stack of books you found! It is certainly shameful how our government has behaved at different times; sin leaves such an ugly stain, doesn't it? Praise God for those who work to undo such wrongs through missions!

    I am dding a bit of fall lesson planning today while the weather is cool. Always nice to catch up with you, Lisa. :)

    xo

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    1. Hi there, Lisa! I agree - our gov't did/does little to to be proud of. Hubby and I just recently heard of a revival taking place amongst the American Indians out west. PTL!
      Happy school planning! :)

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  5. Wow! Interesting. I've not heard of eating daylilies before. Beautiful looking lunch!

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    1. Daylilies definitely add variety to the typical lunch menu. ;)
      Thanks for stopping by for a visit.

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  6. That's a hard book to read, I agree. Yea! for Banty ~ well done!
    I've eaten a variety of foods, but not daylilies yet. :-)
    Enjoy your weekend! ♥

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, Anne. Hope you're having a lovely Lord's Day. :)
      Love to you!

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