In the Dailies

I've moved!

2009-01-26T15:39:00.003-05:00

This blog is now at www.inthedailies.wordpress.com. You can also find me at www.TanyaDennisBooks.com. Don't worry - all my posts and all your wonderful comments have been copied to the new site too. See you there!

A retraction (of sorts)

2009-01-24T10:04:00.003-05:00

A number of people emailed and commented about my post of inauguration thoughts. I'd like to respond and prevent any further distortions or conclusions based on what I wrote.

I'll not take back what I said because, as I stated in the first paragraph, those were uncensored thoughts, an honest stream of consciousness. Politics are tricky, and everyone involved is passionate. That often leaves independents, like me, battling both sides.

I am not proclaiming blind support of President Obama. We differ on some very key issues which I will continue to follow and guard. Neither am I proclaiming blind support of President Bush. We also differed on some very key issues. While I am not at all happy with Obama's position on abortion, I am glad to see someone new in the White House. I believe our nation needs change. I will not like all of the change, I'm sure. Already changes have been made that trouble me. But Obama is our President and, as I stated on Tuesday, that position is ordained by God and requires our respect (Romans 13:1).

One clarification I do need to make. I wrote: "I understand [Obama] writes his own speeches." First, I did not say my understanding was absolute truth, only that this was what I understood to be true. Secondly, I have since researched this further (at the encouragement of you, dear readers) and found that Obama does indeed write many of his own speeches, just not all of them and not all alone. He wrote his first book, Dreams From My Father, entirely on his own. Since becoming a more public figure with greater responsibilities, he has employed a team of writers who helped him write his second book and a number of his speeches since. The White House gives credit for the Inauguration Speech to President Obama, though I'm sure this is mostly because he delivered it.

Here are some links to interesting articles about this topic. The first two talk about Obama and other presidents who were also writers. The second two dive into the relationship between Obama and his chief speech writer, Jon Favreau. All four articles are quite fascinating.

How Obama Writes His Speeches, Time Magazine, 28 Aug 08

All the Presidents' Literature, The Wall Street Journal, 10 Jan 2009

Obama inauguration: Words of history ... crafted by 27-year-old in Starbucks, The Guardian, 20 Jan 2009

What Would Obama Say?, New York Times, 20 Jan 2008

Book Blog Tour: The Baby Fat Diet

2009-01-23T07:22:00.000-05:00

It's time. My "baby" is three and a half years old, and while I have a dear friend who still blames her twenty-three-year-old daughter for five extra pounds, I think that there must be a statute of limitations on pregnancy weight. Sadly, I think my excuses expired a while back.

I want to tell you about this book, but before I do, let me share a little about my story. (I hate diets, so I feel the need to explain why I'm promoting one.)

I was either pregnant or nursing for three years straight. My weight boomeranged over fifty pounds more than once. My poor scale never knew what to expect, and now here I am, almost six years after this journey began and still 30 pounds over my pre-pregnancy weight. I know I'll never get back to wedding weight. I'm not aiming for that, but I would like to be rid of my muffin top hips and sausage-like thighs.

I have tried! I did a week on Atkins (only to annoy everyone with my whining and complaining); I tried the South Beach Diet for two months, but only lost my appetite (thanks to bland, unimaginative food). I tried a gym, but quickly realized I don't like public nor shared torture. I bought a pilates machine to work out at home, but have yet to be consistent in using it. Oh, and I've bought plenty of other diet cookbooks, but with a husband who can instantly tell the difference between whole wheat pasta and regular, whole fat cheese and part-skim, none of the cookbooks stuck around for long. I don't have the time nor energy to make multiple entrees for each meal, so if Rick doesn't like it, it doesn't return to our table.

Now, a new part of the story. I received The Baby Fat Diet through The Blog Tour Spot and decided to implement a few of the strategies even before finishing the book. I lost 3 pounds in one week. I know three pounds doesn't sound like a lot, but it is the first time in a long time that my weight has gone down and stayed down. Weight fluctuates from day to day, but this decrease, while just a start, has remained.

So, what's in the book? Who wrote it and what's it about?

Monica Bearden and Shara Aaron, both moms, both registered dieticians, wrote the book together. They understand the hectic schedules of moms and they understand the need for regular doses of chocolate. Isn't that great?

Great information floods this book. I can't possibly cover it all; you'll have to grab your own copy, but here are a few of my favorite inclusions.

When to buy organic vs. when the label is more expensive than it's worth
The difference between hunger and appetite, knowing when to eat
Portion control, knowing how much to eat
How to tell a fad diet from an authentic, healthy diet
How to read labels and know what you're really getting
How to tell real health foods from "healthy" marketing tricks
Tips for maintaining a balanced diet
Ways to excercise with little ones under foot

There really is a ton of great stuff in here! From BMI charts and calorie suggestions to recipes, shopping lists, menus and more.

Like I said, I didn't follow all the suggestions. I haven't even finished reading the book, but what I have read makes tremendous sense and fits into my life. I can't reconfigure my life around a weight-loss program, but I can control my portions. I can choose a healthy, delicious snack instead of a bag of chips. I can eat slower. I can dance with the kids and run around instead of popping in a video. These are easy steps. They're small steps. And they're making a difference.

Click here to purchase the book through Amazon.

You can visit the authors' blog to find more tips and recipes. Also, click on the links below to visit other blogs on the tour this week. See what they have to say about it.

5 Minutes for Books
A Little Whine and Cheese
A Peek at My Bookshelf
Be Your Best Mom
Behind the Mountain
Blog Tour Spot
Bookish Mom Reviews
Camy’s Loft
Fictionary
Fit Family
i don’t believe in grammar
In God’s Image
In the Dailies
Kells Creative Musings
Lighthouse Academy
Mommy Snacks.Net
Mommy’s Must Haves
Momopoly
Quiverfullfamily.com
Real Women Scrap
Refresh My Soul
Roni’s Weigh
The Journey of Writer Danica Favorite
The Law, Books and Life
The Pitter Patter of Losing Pounds
The Sassy Pear
The Unadorned Book Review
wandering, wonderings of a whacked-out woman

Ruthie, my sweet Ruthie

2009-01-21T07:23:00.003-05:00

If you missed yesterday’s early post, you may not realize Ruthie is my laptop. You know, “where you go, I will go …” She’s been by my side faithfully for more than two years, but lately she’s not been feeling too well. What is the lifespan of a laptop?

The good news: Rick was able to revive her last night! She was up and running beautifully just long enough for me to back up all my stuff on Rick’s fortress in the basement and, just to be very thorough, on disk. She got stuck on a prompt just before bed, so I left her on overnight to finish the copying of files. This morning, she re-entered her coma.

I’m so sad! I’ve been joking for sometime that when she dies I’ll get mac. Have you heard of Scrivener? Well, it looks like a super cool - like really super cool! - writing program. It, however, only works on macs. So it’s been this running joke that I’ll quickly replace her with something newer and better, but now I just feel awful. Like a sleezy spouse reveling in a blatant affair. And my sweet Ruthie never knew how much I appreciate her, how much I adore her, how I couldn’t have done all this without her and …

Yes, I know it’s just a computer. But she's my computer! The first one that has ever been all mine. Rick gave her to me after my first article was published. It's symbolic of his faith in me, that he thinks I can do anything as long as I have the right tools. Isn't he great? I love him.

Believe it or not, when I started this post, my purpose was not to stage a memorial service. Really. Now that that’s done, I can tell you: I’m still here! Ruthie may be on her last leg and quite unpredictable in her reliability, but I’ve got a lot coming up for you this week. Stay tuned! I shall brave the frigid basement and re-write posts all for you, my friends.

I’m participating in a book blog tour this week; I hope to have the post up later today or tomorrow. Also, I want to rehash Christmas a bit (with pictures!) and share some Sunday Morning Leftovers. You don’t want to miss it. So, even if I’m erratic in my posting, stick around.

Inauguration Thoughts

2009-01-20T16:01:00.005-05:00

More often than not I script my life. I think about what I'll say long before I say it. Usually this is a good habit, but sometimes it leaves me saying nothing. I worry too much about what others will think of me or my thoughts. This paralyzes my tongue and magnifies my timidity.

Today was an historic day! I was brought to tears while watching the ceremonies. We have come a long, long way in a very short time. However, keeping with my typical approach to politics, I've said nothing. There is much going on in my head, much I want to verbalize. So here it is, my uncensored thoughts about today's inauguration.

President Obama is extremely eloquent. I understand he writes his own speeches. I find this impressive and admirable. In fact, this elevates my respect for him. He appears to be a brilliant man with lofty ambitions for our nation. I'm glad. Our nation needs someone who exudes strength, confidence and integrity. I see these in our new President. While I do not agree with all of his positions (abortion being the greatest dissidence), I believe he will serve our nation well. I hope and pray he will.

We stand at a precipice with a vast unknown before us. Change is coming, and I don't know what form it will take. It's a little scary, but it's also exciting. I can rejoice today because whether or not I voted for this man, God chose him to lead our country. God sets all the kings and rulers in their place. I know our Creator is in control; I know my Savior reigns and He will have His way.

I was impressed with the send-off given to President Bush. Again, I don't agree with everything he did or said, but God put him in this position for the time he held it. He served our country for eight long years and he deserves our respect. I am proud of President and First Lady Obama for sending off the Bushes in such an honorable way.

The commentator said this is the first time in history a newly elected president has escorted the retiring presidential family to their way home. The first time in forty-four presidents? How can that be? Perhaps it's directly related to Laura Bush's preparation for this transition. I read she mobilized the residential staff toward this move last spring. They started moving boxes of personal things out of the White House and Camp David last summer. By today all that remained of their belongings were two small suitcases.

Regardless of why it's never been done before, I was happy to see it done today. It showed great respect in front of a nation who has not respected President George W. Bush. Whether or not his actions deem respect, his position does. I'm sad to admit too many of us have failed in that arena, especially over the last few years.

Much was said and speculated about Rick Warren's presence and prayer. I think he did a great job.

I was surprised how frequently President Obama mentioned God in his speech. Surprised and delighted.

I am praying for our new President. I am praying for our government and our nation. I hope you are doing the same.

Mama Loves, a condensed version

2009-01-20T07:01:00.001-05:00

Normally Tuesday mornings start with Mama Loves, an exercise in gratitude and positive perspective. This week, however, my planned post is postponed.

My laptop in on the fritz. Yes, I believe my beautiful Ruthie, whom I love and can’t live without, is dying. She has gone everywhere with me for two years and now, sadly, I think she’s worn out. Why does this affect Mama Loves? Well, all my stuff is on that laptop (my graphics, pictures, programs, writing stuff*) and I can’t access it until I can wake her up, so that puts me on The Man’s computer, a viable substitution, but just not the same.

The positive side of this situation? Hmmm … I’ll likely waste less time today. I may need to get a new laptop soon. That’s kind of cool … expensive, but cool. And I get to play around with the hubby’s computer fortress. Who knows what fun stuff I’ll find here in the frigid corner of this basement? I’ll probably get to play my guitar today! That’s definitely cool.

Mama loves challenges. Mama loves surprises. Mama loves that God is always in control.

* Don’t worry: I have backups of all my book proposals, manuscripts, outlines and notes. I just haven’t backed up my other stuff. Can you guess what I’ll work on as soon as Ruthie comes out of this coma?

Update on the move

2009-01-18T19:23:00.002-05:00

Hey! I'm so excited my move to wordpress is almost finished. You can actually visit there now by going to this address: www.inthedailies.wordpress.com.

You'll notice the site is a little different ... different colors, different menu, different pages ... but it's still just me. I've moved most of my posts over there, so you won't miss a thing! I'm still trying to figure out how to transfer a couple things like my bookshelf and community memberships. In the meantime, I'm thrilled to finally have an updated "Writing" page and a better "Contact" page over there. Also, I like the header showing the sites title and not my name. No one cares about me anyway; we're here to glorify God - right? I want to focus to be on Him, not me. I'm just a tool.

Anywho, you can find me here and there. I'll post identical stuff on both sites until the move is complete and my domain (www.TanyaDennisBooks.com) is transferred. Thanks for your patience!!

Comment me some love. Let me know what you think of the new design!

Fabulous

2009-01-17T14:24:00.000-05:00

I love that word. Taryn recently gave me a "Fabulous Award." (By the way, her blog is protected for privacy, so you may or may not get there through that link.) I've known Taryn since third grade. Is that twenty-five years? Oh, my. To avoid further dating myself, I'll simply say that I am very honored and humbled to receive this from such a wonderful person. I may have to step it up a bit to prove myself and this blog worthy.

As with most of these awards, this one comes with requirements. I don't like requirements. This one says I must "award 5 others and also list 5 addictions" I have. I'll comply with the addictions.

God. (I can't get enough of Him! I'm not talking about reading the Bible incessantly, though reading Scripture is a manifestation of this addiction, but simply discovering God in creation, in life situations, in my children ... all around me. I am addicted to finding Him in unexpected places.)
Relationships. (This includes God, Rick, my kids, my extended families and my friends. I shrivel without interaction with each and every one of these every single day.)
Reading.
Starbucks.
My computer. (I need it! For writing, email, research, games, social interaction, an adult vocabulary and more.)

Just for good keeping, I'll throw in an extra.

Williams-Sonoma. (I LOVE kitchen gadgets and am totally obsessed with cakelet pans lately. They're so cool!)

I know I'm supposed to tag others, but I'm not going to. My rebellious nature surfaces here.

In line with #5 (my addiction to the computer), I've recently joined twitter. (If you want to "follow" me, click here.) Probably not the best idea since I already spend too much time online. The good news: I've found a ton of super cool blogs! Well, that's kind of good news except that now I spend even more time online following all these people and reading all their great posts.

So, instead of passing on this award, I'm going to list some of my new favorite blogs. All of these I've visited before on different occassions, but lately I've realized how consistently they excel and how much I look forward to what they'll write next.

Enjoy!

Whether we like it or not

2009-01-16T10:44:00.003-05:00

It is officially cold.

Five years ago (while pregnant with Ellie) I started storing water bottles and snacks in the car, you know, to prevent dehydration and insatiable hunger attacks that can strike while in NYC traffic. This habit continues today. This morning I found all four of my water bottles completely frozen. My nut bar shattered like glass. Of course, that was after taking a hammer to it because I wouldn't dare inflict that punishment on my teeth.

Other signs of winter? Ellie finally stopped asking to wear sundresses and sandals to school and Zach has a new meaning for "aggrieve."

"Mama, what aggrieve is it outside?"

"Twelve degrees, baby."

Yes, after dropping Ellie off at school, doing some grocery shopping and driving home, it was still only "twelve aggrieves" outside. Can we say "BRRRRRRRR!!!" (Yes, I know there should be a question mark there, but don't you think the exclamations are more important?)

On a related winter note, do you remember the whether/weather rhyme? I tried teaching it to the kids this week, not an easy task since Ellie still suffers from a speech impediment. It sounded something like this:

"Wheffvuh duh whatevuh is cold,
wheffvuh duh wheffvuh is hot,
Whatevuh duh wheffvuh, we'll wheffvuh duh wheffvuh,
wheffvuh we like it oh not!"

Quite the tongue twister when you can't pronounce the "-th" sound. I'll have to see if I can get it on video for you. It's pretty entertaining.

Works (and doesn't) For Me Wednesday

2009-01-14T13:04:00.001-05:00

Don't you love tips? Works For Me Wednesday (hosted by Rocks in my Dryer) is a weekly carnival devoted to the fun little tricks and tips that make life easier, more organized or simply more fun. I seldom participate, but I love reading through all the entries. This week I actually have two tips to offer!

Stuck Votives: I adore candles. I use them all the time, almost on a daily basis. What do you do after you've burned through a votive? You're stuck with the little, round metal wick stand and residual wax around the base of your holder. How do you get it out?

Stick in the freezer. After an hour or so, take them out and turn them upside down. The leftover candle will pop right out. I'm sure there's some scientific explanation of how temperature causes molecules to condense or something like that. All I know is it works.

Too Much Salt: I learned this from a friend last week (who happened to be quoting Martha Stewart). If you add too much salt to a recipe, you can fix the problem by dropping in a piece of potato. The potato will absorb the excess salt. Problem solved! Once your recipe is back to a preferred taste, remove the salt-sponge potato and discard.

Now I want to hear from you. Anyone got tips on making kids move faster? We have not been on time to school since snow descended on our state. I've tried waking up earlier, bribery, coersion, faster breakfasts, packing bags the night before ... you name it! None of it works for me. This morning I even tried (idle) threats of "If you don't hurry, you'll have to go to school with no socks and shoes!" That didn't faze them either. I cannot get my children to move quickly in the mornings and I would LOVE to know what tips y'all have for me.

Mama Loves: "Coincidences"

2009-01-13T03:04:00.003-05:00

I've quoted this here before, and here it is again: "Coincidences happen when God chooses to remain anonymous."

Mama loves coincidences.

Like when you're struggling with something and find loads of encouragement on that subject on four different blogs on the same day. Or when an old friend calls right when you're remembering a wonderful time you shared together. Or when you "stumble" upon just the perfect verse for that moment. That's what happened for me this week. None of these are "coincidences." They're all details orchestrated by God. A God who orchestrates details like this is just awesome. I love it.

If you've followed this blog for long, you know Mama Loves intends to point out the positive even in less than ideal situations. Parenting is tough. It's a humbling journey and yet such an honor. It's exhausting and exhilarating at the same time. We work to help our kids reach the next milestone, but then mourn how quickly they grow.

I'm hardly qualified to give advice on anything, least of all parenting, but one nugget I eagerly share: Don't wish away your days. When I first had Ellie someone told me "The days are long, but the years are short." Rarely have I heard such a true statement. Yes, it's exhausting. Yes, we look forward to a rest, but that will come and this time, this wondrous, never to be replicated time, will be gone in the blink of an eye. Never, ever wish away your days.

Here is the verse I found. Rather, it found me.

"Teach us to number our days right,
that we may gain a heart of wisdom."
- Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

Some random thoughts

2009-01-12T15:21:00.008-05:00

Prepare for a random stream of consciousness. A lot of things have been floating through this brain of mine, but none cohesive enough to make a full blog post. This is my mental goulash.

What is the lifespan of appliances? Within the past week I've started fires in two appliances: the microwave and the toaster. The toaster I can't explain. It is ten years old, but I couldn't find a cause of the sparks, and it worked fine after the fire was put out. (Yes, I did use it after the fire.) The microwave, however, I understand. I attempted a cool new trick from my friend Karen who suggested putting store-bought frosting into the microwave then pouring it over cakes to get a fondant-like smoothness. I didn't exactly get all the foil off the top of the canister before nuking it, thus the sparks. A bit of frosting burnt, but that was easily remedied. I just scooped it out and continued with our project. I can't exactly scoop out the section of countertop now singed from the toaster.

How long do you think my kids will be obsessed with Christmas? When do the in-home pageants stop? Not that I mind, but the stories grow more bizarre with each passing day. Today the baby Jesus was played by Eve (from WALL-E). A very hiccup-y Ellie delivered the babe while a sunglasses-clad Zach ran around with ribbons shouting "I'll marry Jesus!" I also overheard a discussion about how babies don't have wheels and moms can't be shepherds.

Two people have tagged me on Facebook for a 25 Things meme. I'm supposed to make a list of twenty-five lesser-known facts about me. I can't think of any except my French fry OCD: I only eat the perfectly shaped ones. I can't eat a French fry with a pointed end. It needs to be rectangular with ninety-degree corners forming a perfect square on each end. Weird, I know. I also can't eat mushy or cold French fries. Friends tell me I exude quirks, so why can't I think of any?

Last Friday morning I met Angie Shaghaghi. She spoke at our MOMS group at church. She's very cool, and I would love to be her friend. I'm trying one of her recipes tonight. She made it for us on Friday. It was fabulous! I hope my version turns out just as well. I realized that morning that I have a TON of very cool kitchen gadgets like a mandolin, creme brulee torch, and immersion blender, but I don't have a food processor. Isn't that weird? (Hmmm ... maybe that could be one of my 25 things?) I also realized I don't use all my cool gadgets often enough. Maybe that's because I have to store much of it in the basement. Someday I'll have a huge gourmet kitchen and then y'all will be so impressed with my culinary expertise!

Ellie loves tea parties, but she doesn't like tea. Instead she just adds a ton of sugar to lukewarm water. This piggybacks well on my nutritional apathy of blueberry pancake days, doesn't it, Dale? *grin* For the record, I use the 80/20 diet. We eat healthy 80% of the time and refuse to feel guilty the other 20%.

Speaking of Ellie, she has recently decided that is her name. If you don't know me personally, you may not realize Ellie is not our daughter's given name. It's what we've called her since birth, but it's not her name. When she turned three, she insisted we call her by her "real" name. If we wanted to use her nickname (Ellie), we must preface it with the proper title of "Princess." Well, in a new development, she has embraced her nickname and, as of last week, even introduced herself as "Ellie." Interesting - huh?

Children will play nicely together and independently for hours if you ask them to clean their rooms. My kids have occupied themselves all day because of that one simple request. Their rooms aren't clean, but they're quiet and happy. And I'm okay with that.

Free Children's Books!

2009-01-11T10:53:00.003-05:00

We're doing another giveaway on my other site: Christian Children's Book Review. Check it out! Just by leaving a comment, you can get two excellent, excellent picture books.

Here's a direct link to the giveaway.

The deadline is January 14th, so hop on over there and enter.

It's a blueberry pancake day.

2009-01-08T09:02:00.004-05:00

They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I never understood that.

For years people have been forcing me to eat when I wake up. In the absence of others (my mom, mother-in-law or sister) who would make me breakfast, the omenous, but never identified "they" still guilted me into grabbing something before leaving the house. If I'm not hungry, why do I need to eat? If I already have energy, what's the point of stuffing more in my mouth?

This morning I woke early planning to post about how important eye glasses are. (Last night before bed I almost smeared Butt Paste all over my dry, cracked hands. It and my hand cream come in containers of identical size and shape, and both were resting on the same shelf in the bathroom.) I planned a loquacious recounting with pictures, but my camera is broken and, after spending 15 minutes trying to get my camera phone to work, I gave up.

Blog post abandoned, I now had plenty of time to make a nice big breakfast for my family. Blueberry pancakes reign as the favorite.

I think "they" are right! I won't talk about the nutritional or health benefits of breakfast. I'm sure someone out there will be happy to fill me in regardless of my apathy. But this is what I noticed: my whole day forms differently when we have blueberry pancakes. We sit together as a family. We take time to enjoy one another's company before starting the day's activities. We make sure we're rested and ready before we become active. The benefits continue throughout the day. The kids play nicely together. They're not as clingy or whiney as on other days. They don't ask for TV as much. And me? I'm more productive. Everything just seems better.

Now all this certainly does not hinge on blueberry pancakes. If only it were that easy! Rather, it's about finding center, remembering why I'm here and what I've been called to do. If I start my morning by being still, even for just a twenty minutes or so, I can evaluate the situation and prepare for the day.

Some mornings I jump on my computer and, before I know it and before I've showered, my interests have sprawled in fifty-six different directions, the kids are fighting over what to watch on TV, the house is a mess, I'm frustrated and irritable. On my deliberate days, my blueberry pancake days, time moves slowly. I get showered before the kids wake up. I have quiet time to reflect. I get the breakfast dishes done before 6pm. (I know, shock and awe.) On my deliberate days, I keep my priorities straight: God first, family second, personal ambition third.

I really like those days.

Mama Loves: Answered Prayers

2009-01-06T09:29:00.006-05:00

I am, oh, so tempted to write about how Mama loves the times she is not interrupted every 30 seconds, but this exercise is supposed to encourage positive thinking, not ranting. So, for the moment (or however long it takes me to get through this post), I'm going to try to forget that I started this blog entry three hours ago. I'm going to remember that I love my children more than anything and, while I do want to teach them patience and courtesy, it really is more important that I am available to them than that I -- well, now I don't even remember what I was trying to do. On with the show.

If you're new to In the Dailies or Mama Loves, you can get all the details HERE. In short, it's an exercise in gratitude and positive thinking with the purpose of glorifying God. Philippians 4:8-9 serve as the foundation. Feel free to join in! Just sign in with Mr. Linky and be sure to include a link from your post to mine. Thanks!

Mama loves answered prayer.

Our son has had eight double ear infections in his rather short life. He's also had some single ear infections, but I've lost count of all those. He's never had pink eye. Our daughter, being consistent with their polarized natures, has never had an ear infection, but has had pink eye at least once a year since birth.

Two days ago she started rubbing her eyes, saying they were itchy. At first I thought "allergies", but then I remembered we still have snow; it's thirty degrees outside. I watched and waited. By last night the symptoms were obvious. Her iris was slightly raised and outlined by pink. The whites of her eye was grainy and the yellow gunk formed in the corners. Ugh. I told her we would pray about it. "We know God can heal your eye and take this away if He wants to. But if He chooses not to take it away while you're sleeping, we'll have to go to the doctor and trust God to use the doctor to make you better." She wasn't happy about it, but prayed any way. This morning her eye was completely clear.

God doesn't usually answer prayers like that. At least not for me. I usually have long painful waiting periods of lessons in trust and patience before we get answers so obvious.

Lynn Mosher wrote recently about ebenezers, memorials of God's goodness. It's so easy to forget how often and how perfectly He answers our prayers, how He provides for us. I think of the Israelites. God parted the Red Sea, saved them from plagues, caused Jericho to collapse and yet it seemed they continually forgot these amazing things. He miraculously fed them in the desert, brought water forth from rocks and blessed beyond all other nations, yet they forgot. They whined and complained. I don't want to be like that.

My favorite answered prayers (of course):

Rick - my best friend; the husband I never thought I would have; my earthly protector, provider, sanity-preserver and one pretty sexy guy.

Ellie - After four years of infertility, God surprised us with her.

Zach - Another surprise immediately after the first!

My favorite answered prayers from 2008:

Zach outgrowing his allergies

Surviving the storm of Lehman's collapse

My family being reunited after 8 years apart

The healthy birth of two nephews and a cousin

Getting to attend GPCWC

New witnessing opportunities in our neighborhood

There is so much!! So much. I've only just started the list; my heart overflows with the goodness of our God. What's on your list of favorite answered prayers?

If you like this blog ...

2009-01-05T09:31:00.001-05:00

... take note: IT'S MOVING.

For a number of reasons, I've decided to switch servers. I'm currently using a web host (Crossmap) and Blogger. But I've learned I can maintain the whole thing for less (time, money, frustration, etc.) through Wordpress alone. I'm in the process of creating my site over there now and wanted to give y'all a "heads up!"

If you access this site through my domain (www.TanyaDennisBooks.com), this doesn't affect you. That will still be my address and you'll still happily find me there. You can skip to the next post and continue your day with jolly delight.

If, however, you get here through the blog address (www.inthedailies.blogspot.com), a Feedblitz email or other blog reader service, you may need to make some changes to ensure you don't miss any posts. You can:

Memorize my domain: www.TanyaDennisBooks.com and access the site that way instead.
Change the address on your readers (Google, Feedburner, etc.).
Wait until the new site is up, then subscribe through the links there.

Again, I'm not moving the site today! This is just a notice of things to come. My goal is to have everything moved over sometime next week. I'll keep you posted until the job is done.

THANKS a bunch!! Comment or email me if you have any questions, concerns, funny stories, ethereal advice ...

Flanderize Me

2009-01-03T04:23:00.001-05:00

I don't curse often. I won't say I never curse, because sometimes unsavory words do escape my lips, like when a child inadvertently elbows me in the bosom. Hard. Or when I accidentally drop something very heavy on my foot. Usually, though, I employ pretty tame language. My expletives consist of Christianized versions of other words, like "frickin'" or "Oh, crap!" Even so, I've been trying to cut down on my colorful speech. This has resulted in a Flanders-like vocabulary.

Recently I caught myself mid-syllable. "Oh, cra--cky dawn!" Cracky dawn? What the heck does that mean? I don't know, but my Flanderized brain thought it more appropriate in front my kids than the alternative.

When you think about it, though, is there really a difference between saying "Oh poop!" or ... well, the other word? They're used in the same context with the same tone. So what's the difference?

A friend from high school once told of a term paper her father wrote in college. Every other word was a curse. The point of his essay was that foul language serves no purpose and doesn't mean anything anyway.

I'm not suggesting we should all have R-rated language; I'm simply pontificating the value of Christianized substitutions. Even the nicer versions sound awful coming from the mouths of preschoolers (and you know they repeat everything we say). So we come up with nonsensical words, like "diddly."

Kids' TV characters have their favorite phrases, too. Zach immitates Thomas and Friends with a hearty "Oh, cinder and ashes!" Or, my favorite: "Bust my bumpers!"

Other favorite kid-friendly expletives? Poot-in-nanny. (That one came directly from my Granny. I've no idea what it means, but she would say it often, and now so do I.) Dudley (a Ned Flanders favorite). Good night. Good grief. Argh.

Yes, I'm beginning to sound a bit like Charlie Brown over here. Parenthood has launched yet another attack against my adult vocabulary and it's winning.

10 Years Ago Today ...

2009-01-02T05:28:00.005-05:00

Ten years later and I'm still amazed he chose me. In awe, I collect all the tiny details God orchestrated to bring us together. This is, as Plumb sings, a real life fairy tale.

Now for those of you rolling your eyes or sighing with hope, let me startle you out of it. Life is difficult, and marriage is no exception. Being married is not better than being single; it's just different. It's a choice. A daily choice.

Rick and I don't value anniversaries too much. His parents are forcing us to go out tonight, which is great, but if they hadn't initiated the babysitting, we would probably stay home and watch Arrested Development then fall asleep early. Anniversaries aren't a big deal to us because every day together is a choice we are priviledged to make. Every day is special; every day is an anniversary.

So here is my advice for you. Remember that the wedding is just one day. It's not meant to be the best day of your life, simply the beginning of all your best days. My wedding contained a blizzard (that prevented the caterer, the trumpet player and half our guests from making it), a fire (in my veil), a lost contact (close-up pictures show me with one green eye and one blue), a getaway vehicle that looked strangely like a snowplow and a honeymoon spent at the airport hotel. No one will ever forget our wedding, but it's not because it was perfect. It was far from a fairy tale wedding! But I loved it. I was (and still am) able to focus on the bigger picture: the marriage, not the wedding. That day was just the frosting, just the bonus of choosing to spend the rest of my life with this man.

Finally, in remembering that the wedding is just one day, work hard on your relationship the rest of the days. Don't get lazy in your marriage. Communicate. Keep your spouse's interest. Remind that person why you chose him (or her, if you're one of the few men who read this blog). Pray for your spouse and your marriage. Thank God every day that you get to wake up next to that person.

Sure, the wedding is important and anniversaries are significant, but they're nothing compared to the promises made. The marriage, the keeping of those promises, is infinitely more important than the date or the party that kicked it off.

"For wherever you go, I will go.
Wherever you live, I will live.
Your people will become my people,
and your God will become my God.
Wherever you die, I will die – and there I will be buried.
May the Lord punish me severely if I do not keep my promise!
Only death will be able to separate me from you!”
Ruth 1:16-17 (NET)

Beyond Expiration

2009-01-01T01:23:00.001-05:00

This week I cleaned out the fridge. Oh, yes, that all-time favorite of activities. I couldn't put it off any longer. We had been gone since before Christmas, and I needed some place to put the new groceries I bought that morning. Normally I do this horrendous task before going on vacation. That way I come home to sparkling shelves and less work. But a snowstorm blew in and forced us to leave earlier than planned. So this week I tackled a job that should have been tackled weeks ago.

Guess what I found. I found that I actually should have tackled it months ago. Apparently I've been spot-cleaning the fridge rather than doing a full-blown clean sweep. I found chocolate soy milk that expired in August. I found salad dressing that expired January of last year and some goat cheese that could rival a seventh grade science project.

You see, we don't normally consume those items. They're once in a while groceries purchase for special recipes or a rare treat. For months they rested peacefully next to the Mango Curry Marinade we tried last summer, agreed we didn't like, but still kept in the fridge in case we changed our minds.

As I removed these expired foods and scrubbed the sticky messes they left behind, I thought about other areas of life untended. What parts of my heart have been ignored long enough that they've festered into a nasty, gooey scene in need of some cleaning? This could apply to sins, but also to good things left untouched. What sins am I preserving while rationalizing their existence in my heart? Are there gifts I've ignored? Talents I've allowed to sit idle until they're no longer useful? Have God-given opportunities expired?

Oh, Lord, search me! Show me what I need to see that I may clean out the recesses of my heart. I want to please You. I want to shine for You. I want to use all of me for Your glory that I may taste the blessings You have in store for those who love You.

"But blessed is the man who trusts me, God,
the woman who sticks with God.
They're like trees replanted in Eden,
putting down roots near the rivers—
Never a worry through the hottest of summers,
never dropping a leaf,
Serene and calm through droughts,
bearing fresh fruit every season.

"The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful,
a puzzle that no one can figure out.
But I, God, search the heart
and examine the mind.
I get to the heart of the human.
I get to the root of things.
I treat them as they really are,
not as they pretend to be."
-- Jeremiah 17:7-10
(The Message)

December Ellie-isms and Zach Attacks

2008-12-31T05:19:00.001-05:00

Ellie, while holding an angel high over the Nativity, Thomas and other train friends: "Attention, engines and people! Behold, a savior has been born; He is Christ the Lord! Engines and people! Sing 'Glory to God in the highest!'"

Zach: "Wow, Mom, dogs REALLY like milk! Wait -- that's a cow."

Ellie: "Um, Mom? I was trying to listen to you read that book, but the Christmas tree is so big and beautiful, and it sticks up above the top of the book. So I decided to look at the tree instead of looking at the book. I hope you don't mind."

Zach: "Let's play Under Britches!"
Translation: "Let's play London Bridge."

Zach: "RUFFA-BUM-BUM!"
Zach repeatedly shouted this all month in a very manly voice (well, as manly as a three-year-old can). "Little Drummer Boy" is by far Zach's favorite Christmas song.

Zach: "Mom, what are you doing in here? You know this is Daddy's fix-it shop - right? I don't think he would want you in here, 'cause you don't know how to fix anything and you might get cut and I don't want to see your guts."

Ellie: "There's a bug in my room! C'mon, Mom."
Zach: "I got the scissors. Everyone got your sharp stuff? We'll cut that bug!"
Me: "Wait - what?"
Ellie: "Mom, you get a paper towel. Me and Zach got the scissors. Let's go, brave people! Let's go get that bug."
Zach: "Brave people to the rescue!"

Ellie: "I don't want to go home. I want to stay here 'cause this is vacation and I'm a vacation girl."

Zach: "It's aggrieved!"
He shouts this whenever he and Ellie agree on something.

Zach, upon seeing my new guitar: "Wait, Mom! Don't touch anything." Three minutes later he returned with his drum. "Are you ready to rock? Let's jam!"

Mama Loves: Baptisms

2008-12-30T04:18:00.002-05:00

When I first started Mama Loves, I told you you don't have to be a mama to participate. Today is proof of that. Today is also kind of a Sunday Morning Leftover a la Spaghettipie.

Mama loves baptisms.

It's not really the baptisms themselves, but the proclamation of salvation, the sharing of testimonies, the undeniable evidence of lives changed through the power of God's grace. I weep every time.

A few weeks ago our church hosted a baptismal service. Twelve people, from age thirteen to seventy, shared their diverse testimonies before our pastor dunked them. One girl asked Jesus into her heart when she was four and then dedicated her life to Him at church camp. Immediately after her came a former drug addict and club owner who asked God for salvation in a crack house. The contrast startled me, but I wasn't the only one who noticed it. This man, after sharing his testimony of how God drew him out of his addictions and toward a new life, reminded us that the grace that made it possible is the same grace that saved the young girl who preceeded him. He said:

"Understanding the truth of God doesn't lead to an encounter with God; it IS an encounter with God. All testimonies are the same."

As a young believer I wished for a more dynamic testimony. I wished I had made more mistakes before meeting God so that I could wow people with God's fathomless love, His limitless forgiveness. But what this gentleman said is so true! We may think some testimonies are simple or dull, they don't have enough drama, but every testimony is amazing. Every story of salvation is a miracle. They are our stories of passing from death to life. What could be more dynamic than that?

This is why I love baptisms. They remind me of the grace shown me and how that grace grows old and never runs dry. How awesome that God can reach so many different people in so many different ways! And to be able to share that publicly with others? My heart overflows.

If this is something you love too, you gotta check out Heidi's post on Faces. It made me ... well, weep. You know those happy cries Ellie talks about? I love it.

Your turn. What are you loving this week?

Relinquishing Control: Part Deux

2008-12-29T07:05:00.000-05:00

If you missed the first part of this struggle, click HERE to see my progress thus far. That post focused on Christmas decorating. Today is another kind of decorating, but with cookies. Observe.

My Christmas cookies:

And Ellie's Christmas cookies:

It was another day of me continually biting my tongue. I really want her to enjoy cooking - and she does! - but I also really like things the way I like them. Thank God He gives me the grace and wisdom to keep my mouth shut and just let her play. Watching her put pink and purple on Christmas cookies was tough for me. Then she pulled out the dragees which proceeded to roll all over the kitchen and hide in crevices yet to be discovered. The biting continued. My back even started to tense.

But then I looked at her face, how proud she was of those ugly little cookies ...

... and then I realized how she'd already eaten half of them anyway and wondered why in the world I cared.

Sometimes I get so focused on the details I risk missing out on the really important stuff. I'm glad this time I caught myself before missing out, another memory to be treasured.

The best Christmas gifts

2008-12-26T14:30:00.005-05:00

I did get a couple goats this year. That was super cool, but this ... well, this was the best gift ever: having my whole family together.

A Christmas Miracle

2008-12-22T20:08:00.002-05:00

Hey, all! I'm still around, just not around here. I've got a number of posts ready and waiting in my head, but I'm too busy celebrating a Christmas miracle to write them down. It's difficult to believe, but in less than twelve hours, all my siblings will be under the same roof. This is the first time in almost eight years!! Furthermore, this is the first time in ten years that we'll be together for Christmas. How cool is this?! I'm thrilled and therefore not blogging. I'll be back, hopefully sooner than later, but as always: family comes first and, no matter how much I treasure all you bloggy friends, real life is way more important. In the meantime, get ready for some great stories.

Mama Loves: Best Friends

2008-12-16T06:48:00.006-05:00

I've learned that many things about life are double-sided. The same things that drive me crazy are things I love, or causes of things I love. For example, I love that my husband is brilliant and assertive ... until those wonderful features are used against me, as in interior design. I love that Ellie observes everything and notices the tiniest details ... until that perceptivity makes me late or forces me to be more patient than I like. Today's Mama Loves is in the same boat as these.

Mama loves built-in best friends.

Ellie and Zach are just seventeen months apart. Friends who are now having children close together ask me how I did it, what system I used to keep track of an infant and toddler at the same time. I honestly answer "I don't know." I remember very, very little of Zach's first six months. It's all a sleepless blur of changing diapers, feeding mouths, ear infections and food allergies. It is really tough having kids this close together! I would never recommend it ... until they become best friends. That's where we are now.

As I write this my two hyperactive preschoolers are sound asleep in the same bed. They love each other so much! And I love seeing that. Zach admires Ellie and will do anything to make her laugh. Ellie adores Zach and will fight off an army to keep him safe, not that he can't fend for himself or won't attack her the second all is well, but the love is there. We have our moments (hours) of chaos when they're chasing each other, tackling each other, stealing from one another and all that typical sibling angst. But more often than not, they are very best friends. He plays princess Polly Pockets and she plays football. She joins him in demolishing block towers and he plays "sweetie" (their version of babydolls). Even pirates. It's beautiful and I love it.

If you've written about the good side of life recently, link up. Get all the details of this weekly habit of positive thinking HERE.