Birds, Baking, and Babysitting

After leaving two sticks of butter out on the counter to soften, I began to pull out some more ingredients from the kitchen cabinet when my little guests arrived. Having just moved here from Mexico, these two girls are fluent in Spanish and are so insightful at their age, it astounds me sometimes. Nevertheless, they came over to spend an afternoon with me as our moms both headed out to set up for a church event. They came in their matching outfits (something i always wanted to do with a sister), toting their pink princess backpacks full of "cute girly things."

My plan: quick baking, coloring and doing homework, a walk outside to feed the ducks, and possibly a movie to fill in some extra down time

Their plan: making little hearts out of the cookie dough and thereby prolong the baking process, coloring instead of doing homework, a walk outside to get chased by ducks, digging into the dirt hunting for worms (really? HAHA), and watching Finding Nemo halfway before they tell me they watched it already, and oh, coming out of the bathroom with mom's lipstick on.

haha oy.

I must admit though, growing up as the youngest, I love being able to play the older sister role once in a while :) Babysitting is something I inherently enjoy, especially when it involves birds and baking!

lesson 1 on birds
Ducks here are sweet, but the geese can be ferocious. I got mad at the momma goose today. She ran over hissing at me when we got near her family. It seems like when we feed them from afar, they make their way over and eat everything in sight, including crumbs intended for the poor turtles. However, when we come near them, they get angry. Strangely enough, it reminded me of my relationship with God sometimes. When He seems to throw me good, "tasty" things in my life, I joyously come near, yet when He beckons to draw near me, I back away and even respond in a testy way, like that momma goose. I'm sorry God. :(


meet the duck family


baby geese and parents


beautiful sunset over the lake

How wonderful it is to have a Father who still draws near despite my selfish, childish ways. Like Him, I'm going to continue to go visit those birdies with my little bag of cheerios and hotdog buns. So momma goose, see you soon. I'm going to pursue you until you like me! heehee :)

lesson 2 on baking (in regards to oatmeal choc. chunk cookies)
not sweet enough? add more vanilla extract to the mixture :]
too doughy and not enough crunch? add more oats and less flour
still something missing? down it with a glass of milk. heehee.

lesson 3 on babysitting
who says it's a chore?



Besides, baking's more fun with such cute company :]

still i will say

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name.

Funny how a song that you've been singing for so long suddenly becomes praise one day.

Dead words come to life.
Instead of seeing words, you feel it.
You see flashbacks of your own life that shout each chorus and verse--the pain, the joy,everything. A father who's hurting, the death of a friend, someone you let go, the words of a sister, the hands of your church members, a heartfelt letter, your mother's tears..
Suddenly, you're praising. really praising the Father who gave it all.
you're free.

Oh daddy, my heart hurts right now. I sang these words when I was happy and didn't understand exactly what I was saying to you then. I've been singing empty words to you, and now that I'm beginning to see a glimpse of this "darkness" and taste a bit of this "pain," I'm scared. Please forgive me and my little faith.
But Lord, you reminded me today that you have plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11), so I'm going to hold onto that promise, even if it means letting go of the things that I held so dear. You're all that I have now, and I have nowhere else to turn. I am nothing without you, so please, don't ever let me go. You gave, and you took away, but my heart tells me that "God, you are still so good."

merci ma mère

"You remind me of your mom"

"You look just like your mom"

"You and your mom are the same person"

You can flatter me with words, but to me, the best compliment is when someone reminds me that I'm the daughter of this amazing woman right here.

Meet my mom. Her heart is ten times bigger than her smile, and her laughter will make your spirit soar. She's the type of person who takes her phone into the bathroom so she wouldn't miss our calls, who wakes up in the wee hours of the morning to make egg rolls for "the people that go unnoticed" in her life like the desk lady at work or a struggling coworker, who leaves breadcrumbs on our porch for the hungry birds, who mails me turtle food to feed the little family on campus, who reminds me every day that I am a precious daughter of God...I miss her.

Happy Mother's Day, mommy.
Umma, I pray that one day I will make my child as happy as you make me. Thank you so much.
God, thank you for showing us another glimpse of your love through beautiful moms all over the world.

embraced

"O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD."
-Psalm 139: 1-4

This might sound funny, but I feel like that flower right now...a flower that can't stop smiling as it basks in the sunlight. Let me explain.

After spending the first few minutes just getting settled in a desk cubby next to the window at the library, I finally got into the swing of things--read read, type type, flip, scroll [repeat]. Lo and behold, a cold breeze shoots out of the ventilation unit next to me just as I get into my "mode" (for those who are add like me, you might understand how rare and precious these occasions are).

I forgot that a library housing more than half the stressed out students on campus during exam week would crank up the air conditioner. Of course I arrived strutting my casual "84degreesoutside" summer wear to meet this below freezing atmosphere.

After walking around a few times, rubbing my legs/hands/toes, (even eye-ing the sweater sitting on an empty desk next to me...HAHA), I decided that it was time to find myself a new home. Just then, ta da! Sunlight. and lots of it.

The sun is knocking at my window right now. I feel so warm. It almost feels like the sun has wrapped its arms around me. So much sun that there is now a glare on my screen.

Thanks God. Although you gave me an excuse to continue my paper, I thank you for taking care of my needs... big or small. You take such good care of me, and it amazes me every time!

Spring Showers....

...bring MAY flowers!
I know that spring is finally here when these colorful tulips make their annual debut in front of the cafe.

Helloooo May :) It's hard to believe that yesterday was the last day of classes--my last day of sitting in a classroom as a sophomore. Oh man, time is ticking. I can still remember freshman year so vividly, and here I am already looking back on my second year of college. Wowie. I wish I could slow time right about now.

What's left? Final papers, readings, and lots of packing. What am I looking forward to? Lots of sunshine, relaxing friend time, seeing my family, and Cameroon.

Thank you Lord for the sunshine that's streaming through my window right now and for smiling down on me even when I fail. Please sustain me during these last two weeks in Williamsburg and help me to see the bigger picture when I get so caught up in my textbooks. Thank you for being so faithful this past year<3