tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10173977086338836992010-01-07T14:15:03.996-05:00Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-63519508841166584112010-01-07T13:51:00.002-05:002010-01-07T14:15:04.014-05:00

"Poverty in youth, when it succeeds, is so far magnificent that it turns thewhole will towards effort, and the whole soul towards aspiration. Povertystrips the material life entirely bare, and makes it hideous; thence ariseinexpressible yearnings towards the ideal life. The rich young man has ahundred brilliant and coarse amusements, racing, hunting, dogs, cigars, gaming,feasting, and the rest;

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-3487425393805140552010-01-04T06:45:00.002-05:002010-01-04T07:25:57.547-05:00

It's not a matter of making up my mind to do something. It's not gritting my teeth and setting my jaw and determining that I will do better. It's not battling fiercely against the selfishness, the laziness, the self justification, the endless pitfalls that foil my attempts to live life well.Success doesn't come from me.Ann's quiet voice reminds me that setting goals and making up my mind to do

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-31760626466461659782009-12-29T06:26:00.003-05:002009-12-29T06:51:23.683-05:00

As Christmas festivities wind down, I gear up for the new year, for these next few months of winter, and I'm full of ambition. I want to continue teaching the boys, and more firmly establish habits of reading scripture at mealtimes and memorizing scripture together. I want to fill our lives with music...from CD's, and learning to play on the piano. I want to read to them...library books and

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-35141135010685229712009-11-06T21:45:00.000-05:002009-11-06T21:46:06.470-05:00

Inspired by reading scripture, understanding Jesus' call to his followers to deny themselves, take up their crosses, and follow Him, thatPure and lasting religion in the sight of God our Father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us. James 1:27 NLTand also through the influence of organizations like Advent Conspiracy, World Vision

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-66443835106407473982009-10-27T14:33:00.002-04:002009-10-27T15:51:21.676-04:00

A few days ago I listened to Itay Talgam's talk, Lead like the great conductors. He shows different leadership styles with clips of famous orchestra conductors, explaining differences in their philosophies that influenced how each one directed their symphony. His metaphor of leadership as a symphony conductor resonates with me, especially combined with Ann's metaphor of forming habits to make

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-70785200175056532672009-10-14T06:36:00.004-04:002009-10-15T07:14:14.372-04:00

With the help of the wii fit, purchased at the end of last December, I have lost over 15 pounds. It wasn't the exercise that made the difference...I'd been exercising daily for two years. The wii fit offers a "body test" every day, a daily weigh-in. Suddenly I could see how snacking before bed caused my weight to be higher the very next morning, while going to bed slightly hungry made it go

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-74609814061477852762009-10-10T09:16:00.006-04:002009-10-10T10:32:19.170-04:00

...and cocoa to drink,That is the finest of suppers, I think;When I'm grown up and can have what I please,I think I shall always insist upon these. Christopher Morley

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-76873223372884126002009-10-07T06:30:00.005-04:002009-10-07T07:10:38.654-04:00

151. Sacks of bulbs--dry orbs to bury in the dirt, all the long cold winter anticipating beauty of pink blooms when the snow drips away.152. Twenty minute drive, five of us make a family, to a local orchard--acres of trees laden with apples...fresh donuts, tangy/sweet cider.153. Two hours on Tuesday evenings with talented (can our little town really hold such talent?) musicians banding

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-88447517699241221352009-10-06T06:20:00.002-04:002009-10-06T06:38:16.282-04:00

My Hero was reading George Bernard Shaw quotes last night. One made him laugh out loud, so he read it to me. The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself..."That's Peanut Butter!" I interrupted. It's gratifying to hear put into words something you've never quite been able to describe accurately. Peanut Butter doesn't "

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-71692268005538980952009-10-05T06:11:00.002-04:002009-10-05T06:37:27.620-04:00

I didn't even try, last night, to make any progress with unpacking or cleaning up the debris spewn all over our house since coming home from a nine day vacation to Illinois to visit my in-laws. I was so discouraged with how little progress I'd made in the two days I'd been back, and the enormity of the job just made me feel tired. And I was tired. All my energy was gone and my spirits were

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-5285734142196852322009-07-29T05:30:00.001-04:002009-07-29T05:31:57.661-04:00

It began with a craving to know more deeply...to live more truly."Would you join me and we can be an LTG?" I asked My Hero. He (somewhat reluctantly) agreed. He doesn't throw himself blindly into commitments that might demand too much as I am prone to do. But this one was good. How can it not be good to commit to read large portions of scripture together, to hold each other accountable, to

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-39832072513647079742009-07-22T18:11:00.004-04:002009-07-28T15:32:58.383-04:00

A friend of mine loaned me a cookbook, Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld, that's full of recipes that include lots of pureed veggies (even spinach brownies!) as ingredients...a supremely inoffensive way to serve vegetables that kids might otherwise turn up their nose to. The idea intrigues me, because even though I'm determined to learn to cook veggies the most delicious ways possible,

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-82648402144877001682009-07-16T06:02:00.003-04:002009-07-17T07:08:02.608-04:00

Q is a conference held every year for church leaders interested in finding ways for church to influence culture. The conference invites speakers who know something about culture or who happen to have done something big to influence our world, like Blake Mycoskie with TOMS Shoes, and Catherine Rohr who founded Prison Entrepreneurship Program. In the words of the Q website: "Q is a gathering

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-57877369992750285562009-07-16T05:43:00.002-04:002009-07-16T06:01:28.882-04:00

My Hero downloaded a free audio book a couple of weeks ago from christianaudio.com. The title didn't grab me. Crazy Love. But My Hero listened to it during his long commute to work and back, and he came home and recommended it to me with passion in his voice. I knew it had to be good, because he has shown...mild approval about the last few books I've raved enthusiastically about to him. He

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-37649330805521511642009-07-02T06:19:00.002-04:002009-07-02T07:00:10.291-04:00

In an attempt to cook using only real, whole, unprocessed food, I find myself cooking with a new freedom to experiment, to deviate from recipes and alter them to fit my ingredients. And the surprising part is, so far it has all come out tasting really good. I guess when the ingredients are really good, it's hard to go wrong. Last night I tried out the new Kitchen Aid pasta roller and fettuccine

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-61561659555519382192009-06-30T15:31:00.003-04:002009-06-30T21:18:15.991-04:00

"There is one thing the mother will allow herself to do as interpreter between Nature and the child, but that not oftener than once a week or once a month, and with look and gesture of delight rather than with flow of improving words--she will point out to the child some touch of especial loveliness in colouring or grouping in the landscape or in the heavens. One other thing she will do, but

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-37582404476606249982009-06-27T06:59:00.000-04:002009-06-27T07:00:26.308-04:00

How to Nurture Geniuses

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-47046224945553348232009-06-27T05:57:00.002-04:002009-06-27T06:39:30.660-04:00

"There is only one real powerThat you should long to own: Self-denial!Spend all you have to purchase it.Lust after chains of servanthood--never thrones of pride.For servants, worn by willful drudgery,At last wear diadems.Bridle all desire: For having what you want,Will leave you groveling in wantonness.Feed yourselves with hunger,Then savor all you slowly eat.Thus, self-denial will give you

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-5089697639995372552009-06-26T06:20:00.002-04:002009-06-26T06:57:38.703-04:00

138. A long, hot day after weeks of rain.139. Blistered hands, dirty feet, withering weeds, a happy garden.140. Teabag of spicy chai, steeped in steaming water in a white mug, a little milk and sugar.141. Contest between baby girl and 30 year old mama: pink hairbow in darling fine baby hair just thick enough to hold it again, yanked out continually by chubby baby fists.142. Four year old

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-39054927256646538582009-06-25T06:18:00.002-04:002009-06-25T07:00:46.817-04:00

The peace of three small ones napping was rudely blasted away by the grating wail of two year old Peanut Butter. I sighed helplessly. How do I respond? I knew from experience that the wail meant nothing more than that he was grumpy. I knew that in another minute or two his brother and sister would wake up from the noise. Going in to spank him for indulging in such a selfish outburst would

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-43444180759254532172009-05-19T06:40:00.003-04:002009-05-27T07:12:18.162-04:00

Why is food I love bad for me, "junk food" that rots my teeth and makes me fat, and nutritious food so bland or offensive I have to force myself to eat it? That's a question I wondered all my life. I always chalked it up to "The Fall". Part of the curse that plagues mankind, a result of sin entering the world. Good food tastes bad, bad food tastes good.I'm learning that it's actually not the

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-87103544030615119592009-05-18T06:18:00.004-04:002009-05-18T07:06:33.474-04:00

Saturday morning I visited the farmer's market. I was looking for fresh veggies. My own first homegrown veggies won't be ready for months...even my peas, which I started in April, have weeks to go before they're ready to be picked. But some people who have been at this longer than I have, who devote their...livelihoods?...to growing food, know how to coax their gardens to produce early.I found

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-66311405837755319072009-05-08T06:41:00.004-04:002009-05-08T06:53:33.353-04:00

So I won't go into detail about what My Hero and I spent our evening doing yesterday, but I think it was one of those ordeals that permanently changed us, at least a little.I caught Peanut Butter removing items from our basement freezer a few times, and was severe with him that it was not permissible. I don't often let the boys play in the basement when I'm not down there, for a variety of

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-41549254720244959622009-05-06T08:29:00.005-04:002009-05-06T09:19:46.896-04:00

Baby girl wails and follows me as I help her older brothers make their beds. She pulls herself up using the side rail of the bottom bunk and instead of the usual happy squeals, she cries. I know how she feels, her nose ever producing sticky wet; probably she has the headache I have, too. After a few minutes of spirits eroding, dissolving under the persistent waves of noisy, wordless complaints

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1017397708633883699.post-35547478613085358022009-05-04T06:35:00.004-04:002009-05-04T07:14:01.365-04:00

122. A new friend, warm, open, already beginning to feel like a sister. The longing tug to talk with her again.123. Fine, soft brown hair filling in on baby daughter's head... can it really be so straight? That she might get the straight hair I've always admired on others...124. Uninterrupted night's sleep to combat yesterday's flu-like symptoms. Three kids, all sleeping soundly all night

Mariehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14864160931635627468wessels623@hotmail.com1