When peace like a river...

What moves you to tears?  What images stir up emotions that you struggle to keep it together?  What motivates you to action or to prayer?  Last week, I was moved to tears in a museum. I took a tour of the International Civil Rights Center & Museum located in Greensboro, N.C. 

Inside the exhibit, we (my husband and I) view a part of the complicated history of the United States. In cases, we view a portion of the Declaration of Independence, memorabilia from the Civil War, Reconstruction Era, and the Civil Rights Movement. In one case, I see a tiny green book that served as a guide for African Americans traveling in the south to locate safe lodging and food .  In another case, I see the robe of a KKK member.  This robe was individually sewn and crafted to fit one unique individual.  On the front of the robe, there is a small a red cross. The cross…How they distorted the message of the cross.   KKK literature… hating blacks, Jews, and Catholics.

Images... bombed churches and homes, smoke flowing out of bombed buses, water hoses turned on people... lunch counter sit ins... in it all ....they did not resort to violence.   We see hundreds of faces of individuals who were arrested…names of people who were killed…

 Finally, the museum exhibit ends on a hopeful note…  a map displays where African American have been elected  around the United States…  then places across the world where change is happening peacefully… I put things in perspective laws help...but real change… where lives are changed… comes not from the new laws…or newly elected officials... but when people have a new heart …God does it... a changed heart...changes behavior... 

The Secret Tea Room

  ~ Secret Tea Room in Greensboro, North Carolina ~

~ Mango Tea ~

~ Best crab cakes in the city ~

National Engineers Week February 20 -26, 2011

Visiting North Carolina A & T State University has been an eye opening experience. This small university graduates the largest number of African American engineers in the United States. What happens during National Engineers Week?

 ~ Society of Women Engineers Sponsor Workshops ~ 

~ Engineers Week 2011 Banquet Theme: Turning Ideas into Reality~

Dinner

The banquet's evening speaker

Real Housewives of Lexington

 Real lives of everyday women...what we do...
Begin our days in prayer, work, care for our families, study, teach, go on mission trips, clean, cook, cry, laugh, sit in hospital waiting rooms, comfort friends, shop, endure, smile, sleep, exercise, go to meetings, email our children, pray, worship at church, babysit, care for our pets, talk on the phone, travel, wait for test results, schedule doctor's appointment,  Love God, love our husbands, love our children, love our friends, end our days in prayer.

"Everything comes from God alone.  Everything lives by his power, and everything is for his glory.  Romans 11:36 TLB

Learning goes both ways

Each week, I tutor immigrants and refugees who are new to Central Kentucky.  Tutoring adult education students is one of my greatest joys.  On most occasions, my time in the classroom is 90 minutes.  In order to become a more effective tutor, I find myself committing more and more time to research. Preparing for class I find myself discovering and learning as I prepare lessons.  Literally, learning goes both ways.  Student and teacher on this journey together...discovery.

Diphthong ~ Literally “two sounds” or two tones also know as a gliding vowel, refers to two adjacent vowels  sounds occurring within the same syllable…Technically, this is the tongue moves during pronunciation of a vowel.”  Wikipedia  examples….cow, boy, brown, etc.

In the Operation Read office, I find a wealth of information to help me with lesson planning.  My most valuable resource…people  ...other volunteers

mother and daughter who volunteer

Freshly Baked Banana Bread

Instead of simply tossing  away ripe bananas, I decided to make banana bread and take to the ESL class this afternoon.  A small loaf of bread would be a perfect size for the class.  Brooke would be focus on daily activities as part of the day's class content.

Banana Bread Vocabulary 

Bread delivered to class... warm from the oven.

Are we on the same page?

Each Monday evening, I am a part of a large group of women that meet to study the Bible.  Across town, at the same time, a group of men are meeting to study the same portion of scriptures.  We are a part of over 800 classes that meet in all 50 states.  Globally, we are a part of over of over 200,000 class members  from  38 countries and across six continents studying the Old Testament book, Isaiah. Each year members will study another book in the Bible.

It is wonderful to consider that we while we don't share the same physical space, we are focusing on the same scriptures, learning about the same God, and how to apply Bible truths to our lives.  I appreciate the fact that we do not focus on denominations, we focus on the Bible.

In each lesson, we have the opportunity to experience a portion of God's love for us as we study His word.  Time well spent...

http://www.bsfinternational.org

Traveling...

Traveling in northern Indiana, is similar to "entering the calendar photos of December and January." * On both sides of Interstate I -69, I see acres of snow and small red barns in the distance.  Angola and Ft. Wayne are two areas in northern Indiana still recovering from  some of the heaviest snowfalls of the winter. Soaking in the scenery, I have a fresh appreciation of God's creation.

Last evening, we were a part of the Eighth Annual Scholarship Gala at Trine University.  This year's recipient helped to establish the Fellowship of Christian Athletes on campus, maintains a 3.7 G.P.A., plays football, and greeted the audience by speaking in Chinese.   Tyson Kaase  represented the scholarship recipients very well.   Over 1,000 students will benefit from the proceeds of the event.

* quote from my friend Donnalyn

Window Shopping

Definition
Window Shopping (verb) to examine or evaluate merchandise for possible purchase,  use, etc...
Window shopping @ Charming Charlie's & Charlie Girl

Is one bite of dessert enough?

After lunch, the server asked, "Would anyone like to see the dessert menu?"  Our table was strangely quiet.   "It is Brenda's birthday.  Maybe we can share a dessert. " ... Ever the politician, Brenda suggested we take a poll.   We decided to order the chocolate bourbon tarte. One clean spoon, we each had one spoonful.  One bite was good...

"Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life. Many might have failed beneath the bitterness of their trial had they not found a friend." 

Charles Spurgeon

Super Fellowship

It is Super Bowl Sunday... In our house, it was Super Sunday School Fellowship.  After morning worship and Sunday School, we hosted a brunch for members of my Lady Bug class.  Instead of wings and chips, our menu included Fruit Salad with Citrus~Mint Dressing, French Toast Souffle, Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Casserole.  Our home was filled with parents and children...laughter and smiles.
We hug... we say goodbye...
Super Sunday with families...


"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God,  the LORD is one.  Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.  These commands that I give you today are to be on your hearts.  Impress them on your children.  Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up."
Deuteronomy 6: 4-8  In the New Testament, Jesus quoted this in Matthew 22:37

Just a few member of the class and parents

Fruit.... much better than wings

Cooking and Chewing Gum

One of my favorite childhood memories…licking the bowl after my mother was finishing mixing cake batter.  After she transferred the batter to the cake pans, she gave us  (my sister and brothers) the bowl.  I remember my finger would slide around the bowl capturing a small portion of the remaining batter.

Yesterday, I offered cookies as the desert for the Cooking Light luncheon.   How did I handle the temptation while preparing  the cookies? Having yielded to temptation countless times before... I am striving to overcome over eating… sin…  What did I do?  Prepare the kitchen … assemble the ingredients… pre heat the oven… gather the measuring utensils …get my sugar free key lime chewing gum…  

Ready…

In the past, I would eat the cookie dough, lick the bowl, and eat way too many cookies.  Not yesterday! The cookies arrived safely… they looked and tasted great. The best part, I left the remaining cookies with our hostess.   

Overcoming temptations... I pray daily...

Pouring water on the leftover icing.

Cooking Light Lessons ~ Cooking Light Luncheon

Interested in trying  healthier versions of your favorite recipes?  Or maybe you are interested in trying some new recipes?   A  copy of a Cooking Light magazine may be the answer.  Tucked away in every issue; Cooking Departments, Health & Nutrition,  The Enlightened Cook...and more.

Each month, we select one recipe from the magazine to share with our friends. 

 

Today's Group ~ Welcome Back Cathy!

Mexican Spiced Shortbread Cookies April 2010 Issue

Special thanks to our lovely hostess