Tag Archives: gods girlies

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I heard the news the moment we arrived!  We reached South Fork a day early.  We were trying to find accommodations for the night, with no luck.  Pretty much every hotel and lodge in the small town was full.

Walt Disney is filming "The Lone Ranger" in nearby Creede.  The crew and cast are being housed in the area.  This news meant that Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, stars in the film, were somewhere in my vicinity.  For those of you who need a reminder, Johnny Depp is the despicable yet endearing pirate in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. He will play the part of Tonto in "The Lone Ranger".

I knew at once that I had to tell everybody (making for a facebook post and a couple of texts).

I had to make plans too.

When are we going to Creede (the actual filming site)?

What am I going to wear when we go?

What would I say if I ran into Johnny on the streets there?

These questions filled my mind.  And that made me a little excited.

We didn't get to meet Johnny Depp or any other cast members. We did however get to walk the streets they walked.  We ate at a little cafe and heard stories from the locals about the filming.  We stalked the edge of the film set with cameras to the irritation of a security guard.

I am proud to say that we did get pictures of some of the props.  We got so close as to know some great secrets.  The train cars moved on a trailer rather than tracks. Wind in the movie is made by rather large fans and not nature. And the rocks in the train cars are NOT REAL!  And as I read online sources, I was reminded that Johnny Depp is human- he's really human.

Honestly, it was fun getting up close though not personal.  I enjoyed the pursuit of fame and power.  Over six million dollars was spent during the three weeks filming at Creede.  But I'm pretty sure the train scene will have lost some of its magic with me having seen the props; knowing the tricks.

I remember going to a Christian concert several years ago and getting to meet the one of the singers backstage.  Granted the guy was exhausted, but he was borderline cranky as we approached him from the end of the line.

 The guy was much more pleasant from a distance.

I guess that's the reality with people and even nature.  I sit here typing now thinking how Colorado is not quite as heavenly as I remember it.  My nose is dreadfully dry and stuffy.  My skin is cracked and dry. And the soles of our feet are black as soot from mountain dirt.

Even the rich and famous and the most glorious places disappoint.

Yet we chase.

I believe this chase occurs because God has placed a desire in us to pursue that which is greater.  The pursuits of the fleshly nature just never quite meet our expectations.

Just think.

What if we paid more attention to the urging of the spirit.

What if lay our heads down at night reveling in the day spent with the Almighty.

What if we woke with anticipation knowing that He who is indescribable will be walking by our side.

What if we even got up close and personal.  And we realized that He doesn't disappoint.

What if we allowed ourselves to be   .....starstruck.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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If you ever see me eating M&Ms you can be certain that they melt in my mouth AND in my hands.  -That's because I've microwaved them for as long as I can remember.  Before you start thinking that I'm crazy, know that I'm not the only one who does this. My siblings do it too.  And our children microwave their M&Ms.  My mom even has a stack of small microwavable bowls and a large container stocked with M&Ms at all times.

The origin of intentionally melting our M&Ms is quite simple. For years, my Dad drove eighty or more miles everyday from our small town to his workplace in Arlington.  He worked long hours and then had a long drive home.  I remember being excited along with my brother and sisters when we would hear his truck driving down the dirt road returning home.  We were doubly excited when, many times Dad would get out of his truck and then pat his shirt pockets.  That signal let us know that he had stopped on the way home to get M&Ms for each of us.  Having stayed in his pocket for the trip, the M&Ms were always melted to perfection.

My Dad

Having tasted my M&Ms that way, I have abandoned eating them any other way.  I mean, I may have tossed a few of the unmelted candies in my mouth if they were offered to me or if I see a bowl of them at a party.  But I hold no affection for them.

The candies I love are reminiscent of my father's love. They represent a father who, though busy and tired, took the time to make his children feel special and loved. They bring back time spent with my father. I am thankful my children and my nieces and nephews have experienced the thrill of seeing Papa pat his pocket.

We live over three- hundred miles away from my Dad now. My Dad is still the hardest working man I know.  We look forward to finding time between demanding schedules and distance to spend time together. Even over geographical distance, M&Ms are still eaten melted at the Burden house. I don't remember who started microwaving the M&Ms. Like many other things, my siblings and I would probably each assume lone credit.  But I think we would agree on one thing. The melted M&Ms serve as a reminder that our lives have been blessed having been warmed by our father's heart.

You must know Dad.

Through your provision,

through your sacrifice,

through your love,

and simply through your presence,

you have colored my world and warmed my heart.

 

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We had a God's Girlies gathering yesterday.  I think I can speak for everybody when I say it was fun. 

Banana Extravaganza 

The Bunch

The girls went to three different stations.

The girls made "Banana Boats".  They were easy and delicious-two of my favorite cooking words. I'll post the recipe soon.

We made Go Banana Cookbooks with banana inspired recipes.

Last but not least, we had devotion time and a game of Bananagrams

They learned that once in their maturing state, bananas grow up as they sense the sun. Likewise as we sense the "son" we are called to grow up as well, allowing things that once held weight in our lives to be replaced with the things of God - the fruit of the Spirit.

For the full devotion, go the search box and type in "grow up".  It should pull up the devotion "Grow Up. Be the Better Banana".

There was even a little backyard time left.

Good times.

Good Friends.

All because of a Good God!

Thanks to all the moms.  Thank you for coming.  Thank you for your help.  I continue to be certain that these investments in our girl's lives are invaluable.

Excited to announce-God's Girlies T-shirts to come! Check out our facebook page.

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Devotion for GG's Banana Extravaganza

 

Now that I've got your attention, this title isn't meant to be rude.

It's simply good advice.  We all want to grow up.  And we want to grow up well.  -Believe it or not bananas give us some great advice on just how to do that.

Most of you know the answer, but I'm going to ask the question anyway-just to get you thinking.

How do bananas grow? -Up from the stem or do they hang Down?

I specialized in Biology in college and didn't know bananas could grow up until I saw them with my own eyes on our Kenya trip.  How did I miss that?  Maybe because it seems logical that such a heavy fruit would grow down hanging from a branch or stem.

Bananas do indeed grow up, but they don't start that way.  Baby bananas actually grow down like most other fruits and vegetables. Gravity pulls them toward the ground just as it pulls you back down when you jump.

Here are some vocabulary words to keep you smart this summer.

Geotropism-the way an organism grows in reaction to gravity

Positive Geotropism-  organisms that grow downward ex. the way roots grow

Negative Geotropism-  organisms that grow upward ex. stems

Bananas display negative geotropism.  The more they encounter sunlight, the more they gravitate toward it.  This the reason bananas are curved..  In their small state, they grow toward the ground as gravity would have.  But as the bananas start to mature they start to sense the sun more and more. Referred to as fingers, the bananas curve from their starting place on the stem upward toward the sun.

You, my dear have spent time as a baby banana. 

As a baby banana some interesting things have gravity in our life. Gravity is defined as importance.  In Science you may have learned that gravity means weight.

Lets think of some weighty or important things in the life of you- as a baby banana.

Your clothes?

Others opinion of you?

TV and other entertainment?

What else?

As we mature, these things shouldn't hold so much importance.  Especially after we've sensed the sun.  The sun in our lives should be Jesus.  There would be no life without him.  It's also him who sees to it that we grow. As we reach for "the son" we begin to grow away from the old things that used to have gravity.

Just as the growing banana stretches to the sky leaving the ground behind, those things we once found weighty and important shouldn't matter so much anymore.

Grow up. Grow beautiful.

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Against such things there is no law. -Galatians 5:22-23

Discussion Questions:

1.Which way does a banana grow?

2. How are you like a baby banana?

3. What does a banana sense that helps it to grow?

4.How can you be more like a mature (or grown) banana?

Just for fun.

Banana bunches are referred to as hands and single bananas are referred to as fingers.  Fingers are much better combined to make a hand.  Likewise friendships and other healthy relationships are like bananas.  They come in bunches and grow together.

Also, a banana like any fruit stops growing and soon loses its beauty when disconnected from the branch or stem (think of a mushy brown-spotted banana). Likewise, our beauty and growth comes from staying connected to Jesus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I couldn't sleep last night so I did what I tell my children to do when they can't sleep.  I tell them to talk to God.  So that's what I did.  This is what I said.

Slept in until 7:30 this morning.

Had nowhere to rush to.

Thankful for the little things.

It was Jason's day off today.

We ate at Willy Burger and went to the movies.

Thankful for the little things.

The kids gathered around me in the kitchen.

We made chocolate-covered banana pops.

Thankful for the little things.

Rylie lost-  and I do mean "lost" her tooth.

This resulted in a fun letter to the toothfairy.

Thankful for the little things.

We had fried bologna sandwiches and baked kale for supper.

A quite mismatched meal, but no one complained.

Thankful for the little things.

I talked with two of my old students through facebook

-One I taught in first and second grade, the other I taught in Sunday School.

Thankful for the little things.

I am sitting in the hallway writing late this night as to not disturb.

My family is safe and healthy  around me.

Thankful for the little things.

There really are no little things when it comes to you God

Only

small vision,

small recognition, and

small understanding

Rather than seeing bits and pieces of who you are and what you do,

Grant me single focus, opening my eyes to your splendor. 

Thankful.

 

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We are about to depart on a journey of a thousand miles. It is literally 1,062 miles from our driveway to our destination in Colorado. I'm bracing myself for this trip. Being in the car with the family for as many hours as it takes to make this trek can turn into a toxic situation. The kids get bored and whiney, I get tired and cranky, and Kristi gets caught in the crossfire. Over the years we have learned a few relationship preserving techniques for arriving at our destination with our sanity intact.

Reading a Book Together

Vacation travel has much improved with iPods and installed DVD players. Many miles are spent in peace and semi-silence while the kids are engrossed in a movie they have already seen or by listening to music.  Sometimes this is a welcome break if there has been bickering.  But we have found that a reading a book aloud captures our children's attention just as well.  I usually read to the family while Jason is driving, and everybody else listens.  The kids take a couple of turns reading, too.  I feel they learn and are even stretched as they get involved in a plot they might not have chosen had they only been reading for their own pleasure. I have been shocked at how well they listen; from Hayden who is fifteen to Rylie who is six.  The teacher in me also stops ever so often to check for understanding, to make predictions or just to discuss what we think about what just happened in the story.

Some of our reads have included The Bridge to Terabithia, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and The Great Gilly Hopkins. 

Travel Dehydration

I'm goal oriented when it comes to traveling. For some odd reason I find great satisfaction in getting to the end of a trip as quickly as possible. This is more true for the return trip than it is for our departure.  A few years ago I started a practice while on the road that has served to feed my sick desire to arrive ahead of schedule. I call it travel dehydration. Stopping to use the bathroom adds unwanted hours to an already long trip. I've found that when the sodas and juices and water are limited, the only time we have to stop is for gas and food.  The fewer times we have to stop, the faster we get to our goal.

Good Snacks

Jason is the only fan of travel dehydration. The trip coming home is shorter in hours, but the dehydration suffered causes irritability, then finally resignation resulting in sleep. Thankfully he doesn't enforce this cruel practice while traveling to our Colorado destination.  I'm also thankful that he gladly drives both ways. I like to have an ice-chest full of drinks and little snacks.  Whoever gets the back seat to themself, also has the duty of serving as snack attendant. I for one tend to get cranky on an empty stomach.  The snacks nourish and help the time to pass too.   I keep a small trash bag so that we can clean as we go.  Sometimes that works. 

Breaking Up the Trip

One thing that Kristi and I look forward to on these long trips is the great food we will find along the way.  Since we have made this trip to Colorado together over 17 times, we have become familiar with the best eating spots.  But even when we are going places we have never been before, I find it worthwhile to research and plan out our culinary experiences ahead of time. Anticipating great food helps us to break our trip into manageable sized pieces.

Knowing that a 24 oz. ribeye awaits me at the Big Texan in Amarillo helps me stay focused on my westward destination. I'm already anticipating a cup of perfectly made espresso in Rotan, NM at Enchanted Grounds. We have even timed our arrival in Colorado to coincide with the all you can eat stark night at our resort. These stops along the way make the entire vacation seem a little more spectacular.

 

What travel techniques help you survive in the car on vacation?

What are your best memories of being on the road?

How do you pass the time with the kids?

 

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We took a day trip to Stuart Beach in Galveston on Friday.  It was a glorious day.  We had some old friends come along with us.  We had the ice-chest packed with snacks, a couple of umbrellas and lounge chairs, and seven smiling kids.

The water has always brought out my cautious side.  I could simply stick my toes in the water and be a satisfied beach girl.  The kids though, can hardly wait to get in the water-and that scares me! These are some of the precautions I took.

Armed with two cans of sunscreen I generously sprayed the children down.

Knowing that the current carries the kids down shore, I pointed out some red-painted posts, and further down, two rescue boards to serve as boundaries. I told them to start at the posts and to get out and come back if the current took them as far as the rescue boards.

"Pay attention to where you are", I told them, "and stay together".

As irony would have it, in no time the rescue boards were removed along with the boundary I had given. So I supplied a substitute boundary; a colorful umbrella.

No matter, because my children, like most children, inched farther from the shore as the day wore on, visible boundaries or not.  I ended up in the water to help Rylie "the best surfer eva"(as she says).  I tip-toed through deepening waters to help her catch a good wave.  As the current strengthened we turned around to head back, but only in time to be assaulted by a wave.  As I tried to help Rylie, she thrashed, making it harder for both of us to keep our heads above water.

As a parent, I avoid unsafe situations. It's just easier that way.  If it were'nt for Jason I might not ever take my kids to the beach.  I feel certain the kids will tell stories to their spouses and kids about things I wouldn't let them do out of fear. Out of all the things I didn't let Hayden do, He broke his arm twice, once needing surgery.  The first break was during prayer meeting.  He was hanging from a low limb with his feet twenty-four inches from the ground.  The second break occured as he and I were swinging right beside each other (right before prayer meeting). No, avoidance and even prayer doesn't guarantee safety.

Boundaries are also established  for safety. - "Don't go past the ...... -Be back by.......-DO NOT....." But boundaries don't guarantee safety either. Boundaries can easily be ignored or removed.  Even if your children give heed to those boundaries, there is an ever-rolling current that carries them away from the safe arms of the shore.

Don't we all feel safer just being next to our children? As I held on to the black twine rope on Rylie's surfboard I felt more confident.  In arm's length, that's where I best like to have my children.  But it took one wave to render me powerless.  What an awful feeling.

We can't safeguard our children or ourselves. In all honesty, we have less control than we'd like in a great number of matters.  Our children's choices. The way other people drive.  Outside influences. Sickness. Disease. Death. I felt small and helpless; tossed in the depths of those waters with Rylie.  I feel powerless when I'm in the car with Hayden driving along a road with deep ditches on both sides.  I am seemingly useless when Hallie faces a problem that I don't have the answer to.

Let's not forget the unseen hand that holds both the waves and us. "Even the wind and the waves obey him"-Matthew 8:27 

There's no promise that we won't be blasted by the wind or tossed by the waves.

 We are not safe.

But take heart.....,

We are rescued.

 

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

 Wandering from the fold of God;

 He, to rescue me from danger,

 Interposed His precious blood;

 How His kindness yet pursues me

 Mortal tongue can never tell,

 Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me

 I cannot proclaim it well.

 

O to grace how great a debtor

 Daily I’m constrained to be!

 Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,

 Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

 Prone to leave the God I love;

 Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

 Seal it for Thy courts above.

-Hymn -Come Thou Fount

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One of my best friends is coming with her family to visit tomorrow.  I can hardly wait.  I sent her a message Monday night reminding her to bring her walking shoes.  We used to walk most every day.  We walked over four miles the day before Rylie was born-on August 31-IN THE HEAT!

I'm really surprised that I developed such a love for walking.  My friend, Tammy and I walked despite some  discouraging events.  We had to change our route numerous times. We would cross paths with stray dogs which would become our entourage making for a host of barking as we passed dog-occupied houses. I was bit pretty badly by a dog at one point. Not all shady characters were dogs either.  One time when I wasn't able to walk with Tammy, a lady brought out her shotgun saying that her chickens were dying as a result of our dog posse.  Another time she stood at the side of the road with a bullwhip.  There was also the time that Tammy fell.  I've probably blocked other crazy moments out of my mind.

Why did I love walking so? I've gotten out of the habit of walking now, but I clearly remember.  There was something therapeutic about walking.  It was good for our health, but maybe even better for our souls.  We would talk about our kids and give movie reviews.  We talked about spiritual matters too.  Our walking time, dogs and crazy people aside, made for uninterrupted minutes.  And because we walked most every day, we were able to get into some deep conversations; soul matters.

I miss those walks.  I have walked now and then with Jason or alone.  But my walk is so infrequent, that deep conversation isn't easily reached (I'm probably panting too heavily).

There are times my walk with God is infrequent.

I am so busy after all.  Every minute is met by distraction.  He is with me, but without my recognition of his presence it's as if he's not. I know there are soul matters he wants us to talk  about if only I'd be present.

There are times my walk with God is brief.

How can my relationship with God go deeper by giving him so little of my time?  A short prayer every morning or at night is notable, but I want to walk with him on a never-ending journey. Most days Tammy and I took our long walks we ended up calling each other and talking more. Or we would even go get groceries together; thus still walking together.

I feel sure that if I had been walking alone, dog bitten or with the sun beating down on me in the heat of August, my walking would have been arduous -if I continued to walk at all.  But there's something about having someone there to keep you going; someone who with you "can laugh at the chaos to come".

I'm looking forward to walking with Tammy this week. But in thinking about the joys of walking with a friend, through both cool breeze and terror, I have decided to reconsider my most important walk.

Yes Lord, walking in in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desires of our hearts.  My soul yearns for you in the night; in the morning my spirit longs for you.  -Isaiah 26:8,9

I'm going to shape-up. Through longer walks in study, prayer and meditation I'm going to develop a greater love for the journey.  Together, God and I will have our walk; one that is ever-increasing in duration and depth.

Now where are my walking shoes?