May Newsletter
Scripture of the Month: “A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish one tears it down with her own hands.” Proverbs 14:1
Quote of the Month: “If you have to ask the question, ‘Does this make me look fat?’ you already know the answer.” – Charla Krupp, style advisor
Did you know? May is National Camping Month. And Teacher Appreciation Month. I believe it’s also Cheeseburger Appreciation Month. Hmmm…
We’re parents again! Sort of. A lovely mother robin [you saw her lovingly created nest in last month’s newsletter] hatched three beautiful eggs and we got to see her babies squawk, open their eyes, be so ugly they were cute, change nearly hourly, fly away. Treasure this season of mothering, precious girlfriends; whichever one you’re in, will not come again. Our little chicks will be flying and leaving the nest before we know it.
Life Notes:
Man, to be honest with you, I just hate it when things don’t go my way. Anybody else? I’m simply not very fond of “waiting on the Lord.” There are days that the wait seems simply too much. Too hard. How I wish the scripture read, “Scurry around like a crazy woman while you wait on the Lord.” I could do that. Seriously.
That way we could feel productive, couldn’t we? We could join a committee, organize a banquet, make a triple-layer cake, write an article, repaint a room, send off a gazillion cards, teach a Bible Study, take a trip, go to the mall, make a list. But we’d be doing something about it.
Waiting is so hard for me to do. Worshipping while I’m waiting is even harder. My sweet friend Sara, made us a little care package when we drove to St. Louis for Greg’s transplant testing. It included snacks and John Waller’s CD that included that song. While I’m Waiting. It was a powerful reminder to remember that God’s ways are not ours; His timing isn’t ours either.
In our Bible study last fall, Beth Moore joked that “God is never late, but He misses a few good opportunities to be early.” If you’re in one of those spots, would you be willing to covenant with me to at least try and wait? To acknowledge that while prayer might not seem like doing something, it’s actually the greatest power we could invoke.
I’d be honored if you’d e-mail me about what it is you’re “waiting on.” I’ll be praying for you. Let’s be wise women, girl friends, the kind that build up, rather than tear down our own houses.
What’s On Our Table: Pasta Con Broccoli
Sauté 2 heads fresh broccoli in 6 T. olive oil; Sprinkle with garlic powder and seasoned black pepper
Meanwhile, boil one box of bowtie pasta for 9 minutes. Drain. Add sauted broccoli with olive oil, one small package hard salami, diced and one package grated parmesan cheese. Heat and toss gently until warm all the way through. Serve with garlic bread & a tossed salad. Ta da! Fancy, easy dinner.
[This is our version of a recipe I got with my daddy in St. Louis while doing the grocery shopping with him; I was likely about 17 years old. They were serving a sample at Dierberg’s and we loved it! Bought all the ingredients and went home and made it that night. Yeah, that’d be dad, not me.]
This is WEDDING SEASON. Hot Chocolate for Couples makes a wonderful shower gift for the Bride and Groom.
Laugh Out Loud
A woman had been doing some gardening and got really muddy. She came in and went straight to the basement, stripping down to just her bra and panties, in order to put stain remover on her clothes and wash them right away. She flipped on the radio, and in a silly mood, took her son’s old football helmet off the wall and put it on. Waiting for the stain treatment top soak in, she started doing some old cheerleading moves.
Meanwhile, the meter reader, having called through the screen door and not gotten an answer, came down the stairs to read the meter. The woman was startled and yanked the laundry basket in front of her. “Lady,” the meter reader said, “I don’t know what team you’re cheering for, but I hope they win!”
Fast Fact:
Children are exposed to more than 1,000,000 words every year with just 15 minutes of out-of-school reading a day! [Parenting, March 2010, 67] Run to your public library and sign up for their Summer Reading Program. It’s free!!
From Our House to Yours
I had the privilege of speaking at Westside Christian Church in Wichita, Kansas on May 1st. I took my youngest two girls with me and got to chat with a dear long ago friend, meet the lovely Jana who planned it all and partake of a chocolate fountain. It marked a first as the only time I’ve driven through Kansas without getting lost. The highlight of the day for me, was meeting Jan and Jennifer, a mother and now-grown daughter who had gone to West County Christian Church in St. Louis, where my father had preached as I had grown up. They joined the church right around the time I was leaving for college so we didn’t recognize one another. By the time my presentation was over, they had figured out that my daddy had baptized Jennifer and her brother Jason. I was tearily reminded of the power of legacy.
On May 7, puppy Joy got spayed and I got the chance to attend the same Chik-fil-A sponsored leadership seminar as my husband. I came home refreshed and inspired. I’ll be sharing some nuggets from that with you throughout the summer.
I will be addressing the Joplin Writer’s Guild on Thursday evening, May 13, about writing for Christian markets. I am petrified to speak to dignified members of my own profession. Would greatly appreciate your fervent prayers.
Not sure when school is out for you, but for us, it’s only eleven days INCLUDING weekends! This school year has flown by. We wish you precious memory making with you and your sweet ones this summer!
Watch your summer newsletters for great ideas!
Hugs and God’s best chocolate blessings,
Cindy
Congratulations to the May contest winners, who each received a signed copy of one of Karen Ehman’s books!!
Leesa Chesnut
Natasha Miller
Becky Leija
Watch for a special JUNE contest!