Frosty Flowers

That is not pollen,

or sugar,

or dew

on the center of that flower. 

 No, it is

frost.

I don't think we'll be enjoying my wildflowers,

that aren't really wild,

much longer.

"He gives snow like wool; He scatters the frost..." Psalm 147:15

Cupcake Overload

Gemma's birthday was November 17th, and we've had so much cake in the last week that it should be illegal! It commenced with me making cupcakes like the one you see below for her class, and has been followed my many, many more kinds of cake. I think we've celebrated Gemma's birthday with five different cakes/cupcakes. In fact, I still have half a chocolate cake in my kitchen and a few stray confetti cupcakes!

We're a little sick of cake over here. I don't want to see anymore cake for a while, but one of Gem's birthday gifts was an adorable kit to bake and decorate mini cupcakes. Guess who can't wait to try it out? (Hint: it's not me!) There will probably be more cake in my near future to get rid of.

Anyone want a cupcake?

You Capture: I Ate This

Thanksgiving

A psalm of thanksgiving.

 "Shout with joy to the LORD, O earth! Worship the LORD with gladness.

Come before Him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God!

He made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him and bless His name. For the LORD is good.

His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation. "

Psalm 100

Because

Because it isn't going to be fall forever,

and this golden glowing light is fading.

Because trips to the apple orchards

decked out in glorious autumn colors will be over soon.

Because eventually, the last leaf has to fall

so we can usher in a new season.

"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1

Inspiration

This girl inspires me.

She inspires me

 to be a better person,

more patient and loving,

less selfish,

faithful in my walk with God.

She inspires me

to make sure I'm spending time in the Word

and in prayer,

to let God change me

and make me into the person He wants me to be.

She inspires me to live like Jesus,

to show His love,

His faithfulness,

His goodness.

She inspires me

to model humility,

to display grace,

to live a life worthy of the calling of Christ.

She inspires me

because she deserves a mother who is these things.

She inspires me

because if I want these things for her,

I must first become her example.

And as she grows up

I want her to say,

"I want to be like my mom,

a Christ follower."

"Teach your children to choose the right path, and when they are older, they will remain upon it."

Proverbs 22:6

You Capture: What Inspires You?

Watching

Watch your thoughts, for they become words.

Watch your words, for they become actions.

Watch your actions, for they become habits.

Watch your habits, for they become character.

Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.

-Unknown

Freedom

"Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and broke their chains in pieces...He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!"

Psalm107:13-14, 20-21

You Capture: Serene

Serene 1. Bright, clear, and calm; shining with clear, steady light. 2. Placid; unruffled. 3. Tranquil.

Once my little family leaves for the day, my house becomes quiet and serene.

After a gentle autumn rain, water drips from trees and flowers.

Inside, I am warm and comfortable, sitting with a cup of hot tea,

enjoying fresh cinnamon shortbread cookies.

Quietly I sit with open Bible. The words I read shine brightly, clearly. They illuminate life,

giving me direction and bringing me peace.

This is serenity.

You Capture: Serene

Bloom

Even though there was frost this morning, my wildflowers that aren't really wild, are still blooming.

"It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice, even with joy and singing...they shall see the glory of the LORD, the excellency of our God." Isaiah 35:2

And I quote...

" 'Lord, I want to be smart, popular and respected. I want to be good looking, athletically built and stylishly dressed. I want life to be good, work to be fulfilling and relationships to be fun. I want to be happy and healthy and rich. I want to have those things now and I want to hold on to them forever.

Amen.'

Those are my beatitudes, Lord, if I am being honest with you. But if I am being honest with myself, I know that none of those things will make me happy. Not for long anyway. And certainly not forever.

When I put all those qualities together, I get a composite of someone in the movies or on the cover of a magazine. I get a celebrity. I don't get Christ. But Christ is what I want. In my hearts of hearts, he is what I really want to be like. His thoughts are what I want to think. His emotions are what I want to feel. His life is what I want to live. I want to be strong like him, wise like him, compassionate like him.

I want Jesus to be the person I model my life after...Help me to settle for nothing less."

-Ken Gire, Moments with the Savior

Memory Lane

Last month I went to a bridal shower in what is called the South Bay (of Los Angeles), the area that I grew up in. Matt and Gemma tagged along (they went to the mall while I was at the shower) so that I could show them my childhood 'hometown' later. It was such a trip seeing the places my family used to frequent. It's really not too far from where I live now, only and hour and a half away, but we've never taken Gemma. It had been years since I'd been there.

We went to Kings Harbor in Redondo Beach. It was one of my favorite places to go as a kid. It's also the reason I won't eat seafood. There several places with tanks of fresh, and I do mean fresh, fish, crabs, lobsters, and clams for sale. I've seen fishermen taking their catch off the boat and pouring it into the tanks on more than one occasion. The smell is decidely fishy, and to see all of these sea creatures in piles, well, it totally turned me off seafood. You can see Gemma checking out a crab tank in one of the pictures.

I always used to love an arcade on the harbor. We would walk through it, but I don't actually remember playing any of the games or going on the rides. I could be wrong about this though. I love the old signs that are still in it. It hasn't changed much since I was a child.

Another place I loved to go was a shop on the pier. I don't remember it's name but it was the "Home of the Great White Shark". You pay a fee and can look at a preserved great white. I don't think we ever actually went in to see it. What I loved about the shop was the shells that they sold.

I didn't get a picture of it, but there is a Wyland mural of humped back whales on an Edison hydro-electric plant in Kings Harbor. My sister, a few friends, and I took a tour of the plant once. I remember being so impressed with it all, especially the size of the mural. When I was a kid, I thought it was huge! As an adult, it's not nearly as big I remembered it to be. Funny how that often happens!

It was a nice trip down Memory Lane, but I must say, I really like where I live now. There are open spaces here, it's not crowded like the South Bay. In comparison, I live in the country now! Still, every once in a while I think it would be nice living so close to the beach.

You Capture: Silence

It seems to me

that in the silence,

God speaks.

 

If only

 

we'll shut out the noise of daily living,

and tune our hearts to hear His voice.

“Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind.

After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire.

And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper.” 1 Kings 19:11,12

That, my friends, is how God speaks,

so if you want to hear Him you're going to need

silence.

 

You Capture: Silence

Fall Portraiture

Just a couple of recent pictures...

 of my favorite girl.