Sunday, May 25, 2008

You might have a great church if... follow-up

I told you about Cam Reed. Well, he lost his battle on the 20th... his 83rd birthday. (can you believe that!?)

At church we left 150 chairs set up for his funeral, since it's tomorrow afternoon. I'm really not sure that will be enough.

I am very sure, however, that I want people to say the same when I die... I'm not sure 150 chairs will be enough.

2pm Tuesday at Cedar Ridge Christian Church

Saturday, May 24, 2008

State Fair Potato Salad

This is possibly the best ever potato salad... Yummy! 5 gold stars!! Actually, it was probably a blue ribbon...


State Fair Potato Salad
"Drizzling sweet pickle juice over the warm potatoes is the secret to this delicious salad."




  • 3 1/2 pounds red-skinned potatoes, washed, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
  • 1/3 cup juices from jar of sweet pickles

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • 2 T Dijon mustard
  • 2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 5 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, chopped
  • 1 cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup chopped sweet pickles (Vlassic no sugar added baby gherkins)

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender, 10-20 minutes.  Drain.  Drizzle pickle juice over warm potatoes and stir (this might be my favorite part of the whole recipe).  Cool to room temp.  I place the pot in the sink with salted ice water to speed this process.



While the potatoes are cooking and cooling, chop the celery, hard-boiled eggs, and pickles.  Put these in the large bowl you'll serve in. 

In medium bowl, whisk together mayo, buttermilk, mustard, sugar and pepper.  Add potatoes and sauce to chopped goodies and stir well.  Chill.    

Enjoy!

Thursday, May 22, 2008

drowning

I drift off to sleep... and fall under the surface.

I try to make my limbs move, but they refuse. Tired from the struggle I suppose. I scream at them and my lungs fill with cool water. I realize I'm not gaining speed toward the air, only drifting backward. A calm comes over me and I stop trying to fight. I float carefully down, no bottom in sight. The light continues to dim and I seem to stop moving.

Weightless.

I need air. Somehow, after a sputtering it's as though I took a breath - but realize there's no air in sight and I feel my lungs panic.

WAKE UP!

I yell to myself - no sound being produced.

WAKE UP! YOU'RE DREAMING! WAKE UP!

I peel my eyes open, barely- scanning the room only long enough to verify that indeed I was not submerged in a watery grave. But they are too heavy to maintain my view. I drift back to sleep, and back into the water. I gasp for breath again and manage to wake enough to roll over.

The dream was gone. Thankfully.

---

It wasn't exactly a nightmare, but it certainly wasn't pleasant either.

Is this an indication of my current life? That I feel like I'm drowning and trying to fight, but not succeeding? Trying to breathe, but getting a mouthful of water? Finding peace only by letting go?

Is it sad, or scary, or ok?

What am I letting go of? And who's hanging on in my stead? Am I handing it to God, or just... letting go?

Monday, May 5, 2008

rotflmao

Why you ask?

Well, it all started last week, when my little brother got unlimited text messaging.

We'd been chatting and then he sent me this picture:















Yes, he's taking classes to become an EMT or the like. (He's still deciding. Shut up.)

Our following conversation has me chuckling to this day so I knew it was blog worthy!

Me: Did you really show up to class in a wife beater? Tell me no... tell me you took your other shirt off 'cause it was getting in the way of the bandaging. Please. (I'm the master of 160 characters...)

Ben: Sure, we'll go with that. (did I mention he's the youngest of 4 and placation is his specialty?)

Ben: No, even better. I'm so hot, girls ripped the other shirt off. And I was injured in the process. lol :)

Me: rotflmao

Me: Maybe you should consider stand-up.
(previous conversation... sorry, you'll have to believe me it was funny)

Ben: "rotflmao" What????? (yes, there were 5 question marks)

Me: rollin' on the floor laughing my ass off... get with the times kid! haha


I just taught my little brother tech jargon. Does that make me cool or is it a sad indication that I spend a little too much time on the keyboard?

Either way, it's fun. He feels thousands of miles closer, even if it is just text.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

You might have a great church if...

You might have a great church if... The man who wins the annual "Well Done Good and Faithful Servant" service award is this man:



He's nearly 83 years old. He helps in the infant's room every week (even when he doesn't feel well). He grew up in church serving along side his Mom. When asked what he wanted to tell his family and his church he said he wants everyone to trust the Lord and serve others. And he's dying of leukemia. You heard me. About 4 weeks ago he was given 2 weeks- 4 months by the doctors.

When he's interviewed for church, he closes by looking straight into the camera and saying, "My name is Cam Reed, I'm almost 83 and I have leukemia. What's your problem?"

As if to (lovingly) say: I still serve the Lord and make a difference in the life of as many people as I possibly can, in the place I think the Lord has called me to serve... I've overcome immense barriers to do so and you're going to sit there telling me about how tired you are at the end of the day and that you might miss knowing who got voted off the island, who can't dance, or who won... and you think that's a viable excuse for not putting yourself out there? Ha! I'm dying. I don't care what you think. This is important. Are you listening?

And there's hardly a dry eye in the house because he's impacted that many people.

That's influence. (I know it is because the bulletin requests for volunteers have been pulled, there were a lot of people new to service volunteering after worship... guess I wasn't the only one listening.)

We should all be so blessed.


And prayers, love, and hugs go out to Cam & Thelma, and their family! We all love you so much!

Friday, May 2, 2008

We're okay...

If April showers bring May flowers... What do May showers bring?


Tornadoes.


But not to our neighborhood. Just rain and flowers here. Thanks for worrying though.