Calling all "bibliophiles!"

"Book lovers"...in case you were wondering. Only two more days left to take the "how many books did you read this summer?" quiz on the left. And I don't mean to get all political on you, but EVERY vote counts.

And Sarah Palin, you go, girl! Oops...I'm getting swept up in the presidential fever.

Happy holiday weekend...

Update on 9/1: 9 of you read 6 or more books this summer--3 of you 3-5. Thanks for voting!!

10 Ways Jesus Showed Love

You can't believe everything you read on the Internet. But sometimes you run across a gem you feel you must share. And since I don't do those dastardly "email forwards," I'm sending along this link to beliefnet.com:

http://www.beliefnet.com/gallery/tenwaysjesusshowedlove.html

Did you ever think of Jesus as a creative or a man filled with joy and laughter? You might now...you'll have to click "next" to see the whole slideshow from Stephen Post. (Oh, and you'll have to press that pesky "skip ad" link on the top right, but it will be worth it. You'll see.)

Enjoy! And happy holiday weekend to ya.

Winding Down the Rogue River

We were ready to canoe when we set out this morning. Yes, we were. David even commented that it might be good or bad for our marriage--sharing a canoe, that is. We were going to test the waters, so to speak.

Until we showed up at Powers Outdoors in Rockford, Michigan, and we saw the solo kayaks sitting there. Suddenly, David pictured us making our way down the river side-by-side in separate kayaks. He got no complaints from me. I'm all in favor of marital harmony.

The temp in Michigan got down to a chilly 48 degrees this morning, but by the time we hit the water, I think it was about 70. And so proceeded 2 1/2 hours of alternately drifting lazily and paddling quickly to make sure we didn't hit major boulders or downed trees.

For most of the 2 1/2 hours, I followed just a bit behind David, staring at the back of his head while I pumped the paddle to catch up. I always wax sentimental when I'm near the water; I've tried to just relax and enjoy the ride, but you know me. Always digging deeper.

And so, as David led the way, I started thinking about how he's literally ahead of me age-wise for always by about  seven years. And what that might mean for our future... See what I mean, journeying down a river gets you thinking.

Until you ramp up your kayak on a bunch of rocks and get stuck in the middle of the river. Then you just think about being stuck. Instead of struggling to break free, I asked David to stop for a trail mix break.

Soon, we broke free and kept on drifting. We saw a stately blue heron twice, but she always flew away in a flash. We saw two turtles, tons of minnows, and a few too many empty beer cans. And we got just close enough to see how big swans really are!

It's hard to believe it, but we were the only voyagers on the Rogue River today, until 4 local women met up with us toward the end, leaving us in their wake. They were just paddling down to a local restaurant for lunch.

And then we banked up on the shore, very close to the well-known Rockford dam. There are only two things I would try to remember if David and I do this kayaking thing again anytime soon: sunscreen, of course; and many, many questions to ask my husband while I have his captive attention and he has nothing else to think about. Nothing like trapping your man on the water to unearth deep relational riches. Spoken like a true woman.

Cheers!

Midwest Living, It's the Thing for Me

...Green Acres, it's the place to be. I've visited New York City (loved it!); Denver many times; Asheville, North Carolina (one of my favorites); Florida and California, Texas and Tennessee. I lived in Greenbelt, Maryland, once for the summer while commuting as an intern into DC. All of these experiences were exciting and noteworthy; I love travel and I love to experience new people, places, food, and culture. And I wouldn't mind living in many of the places I've visited.

But I live in the Midwest.

And let me ask you--where else can you...

* Leave your gas grill on your back patio without worrying about it being stolen.
* Share a common "green space" area with 30-40 neighbors.
* Wave and greet passerbys and bikers on the street without fear of being labeled a stalker.
* Hang your car keys on the wall at the local Y during your workout without fear they'll be taken.
(This one really amazes me!)
* Get virtually anywhere in your city in about 20 minutes.
* Find and buy fresh produce that comes from a field approximately 1 mile from your home.
* Go to a cheap theater where tickets are only $1--and just .50 one day each week!
* Enroll in an adult summer reading program at your library and get prizes for reading.
* Be within a few hundred miles of Amish country.
* Find churches of all sizes where God-fearing people sacrifice to share God's love with others.
* Get your fill of snow in the winter and warm weather in the summer, plus a beautiful autumn!

I'm not saying I don't wish for some of the buzz of the big city--I'm just saying life in middle America can be pretty darned good. Great, in fact.

Today, we leave for a short vacation up in Michigan, where we plan to give canoeing a try. We'll be sure to let you know if fun in the Midwest is all its cracked up to be.

Happy weekend to you...

Music to my ears--and fingers!

Here's the from above look at my new Yamaha YPG-635 digital piano:

And here's the from-the-side look:

OK, I think I know what some of you are thinking. She got a new macbook pro, a fancy new neon-green Sprint phone, and now a digital piano. Who does this girl think she is, huh? All I can say is I'm blessed--and grateful.

The new computer has made my freelance work, my blogging, and my life in general so much easier and efficient. And the digital piano? Well, let's just say I'm a starved-for-music piano player, who hasn't had a piano of her own at her disposal for 15 years.

So after we picked up this beauty, which is nicknamed a "portable grand" due to the 88 weighted keys and the great sound, I got in the car and started giggling.

Then I laughed out loud and started poking my husband. I would have jumped up and down, except that there was no room in the car, and David doesn't like to open the sun roof for such foolishness. I was a kid in her own musical candy shop.

The only glitch in my glee is that all of my piano books are at my mom's house, three hours away. And although I can pick them up in a few days when we go to visit, my fingers are literally itching. So sometimes I hop on the adjustable bench and start the "song" feature with "score" (music that appears on a small screen). That means I can play along while the piano plays a song.

And my hymnbook I inherited from my dear dad, that even has some songs marked in it, has been used also. Ever played "Amazing Grace" in honky-tonk piano mode? It's pretty hilarious.

But I haven't even begun to scratch the surface of this little instrument's features. 500 voices, auto correction (so it can even correct my error if I play a wrong note--sheesh!) and tons of tracks to record parts and make up my own musical orchestra. The possibilities are scary. Plus it can all dump into the audio program on my mac to make things really sing.

The problem? I have no clue what I'm doing. But the Yamaha Survival Kit will soon come to my rescue. Jason Nyberg, a product specialist, is going to walk me through the whole shebang via DVD. Oh, yes, I think Jason and I are going to become musical buddies. And, if all else fails, I'll definitely consider consulting the manual, too. Ha!

Stay tuned for more musical adventures on the YPG-635. Maybe someday I'll even get around to posting an audio clip.

"He said, he said" - Obama and McCain say what they really think

I didn't know it was coming . . . it took me by surprise. But I couldn't be more thankful. Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life and pastor of the Saddleback megachurch from California, interviewed both presidential candidates and asked on-the-spot questions they didn't have in advance.

The result was truly noteworthy--finally, a genuine look at what the candidates believe and why. I'll let you decide who you think won the forum, since they took the candidates one by one, instead of a debate format. Pretty please, turn off the Olympics for just a sec and watch the interviews online at:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/08/16/warren.forum/index.html?iref=newssearch

You'll be glad you did. And let's just say I know who I am voting for now.

Cheers!

Things I Like

I like...organic peanut butter ice cream, fluffy pink slippers, beautiful roses in my front yard, a contented husband snoozing on the sofa, and a good friend chatting with me face-to-face.

I like playing the piano and listening to music of almost every variety. I enjoy dove dark chocolate and the bluest of blueberries in the summer; vanilla candles and Burt's Bees grapefruit shampoo; crisp autumn walks in the woods with orange, yellow, and red leaves softly falling.

But what do I love? This is the greater question--the one that shows who I am in a heart-revealing sort of way. This week I realized how much I LOVE the promises of God. Those universal promises in the Bible that are for all those who trust in God through His Son; those flat-out assurances you can take to the bank and cash. True no matter what comes. Always true. As one preacher said, "True this and true that." They are all over the Bible, just waiting to be claimed.

This one I especially love:


Psalm 27:13
I am still confident of this:
I will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.

Want some context? The psalmist David is constantly fleeing for his life, escaping death narrowly and consistently on the lam. He often feels overwhelmed and even depressed. But he is still confident, friends, that he will see God's goodness. And he won't have to wait until he dies and goes to heaven someday. He will see God's goodness here on the earth. All will be well someday, and he will see how God was taking care of him all along. Oh, yes, he'll see. He knows it for certain even though his current circumstances betray him.

But do we know? Well, we can know, yes. But only if we....

Verse 14:
Wait for the LORD;

be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.


Our timetable is a mess compared to God's perfect calendar. Our passions pull us a million directions, but his peace sustains us and guides us. His grace is greater than our sin and all our screw-ups; his mercies are new every morning. I tried him on this a million times, and I can testify: he's faithful!

So, right now, this morning, I'm thanking and praising him for what he's done and the good he has yet to accomplish. I'm taking this quote by CS Lewis seriously:


"I think we delight to praise what we enjoy because the praise not merely expresses but completes the enjoyment; it is its appointed consummation."
--CS Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms

It's time for me to sign off now. God and I are about to have another intimate conversation this morning. And I'm quite certain I'll remember his goodness all over again.

The Complete Top 10 Joys of Married Life!

What fun to finally complete this list. And here's the official "Top 10 Joys of Married Life" from David & Suzie:

10. Double-dipping. 

You knew it was coming, after reading our honeymoon double-dipping adventures. Honeymooners can be so sappy, can't they? Of course, the joy of double-dipping can only be fulfilled if your mate signs off on the practice. But c'mon, you're folding his underwear and sharing her toothpaste, for pete's sake. Live a little! Even if you've been married for 20 years, and you haven't caught on to double-dipping yet, we encourage you to give it a try. It is oh-so-liberating to break a rule with your one and only.

9. Someone to hold your hand in church (or anywhere else) when you're getting emotional.

Have you ever had a complete breakdown, with tears galore, just because you heard a heartfelt song on the radio? Yes, you too, guys. At least when no one else was in the car. Well, the good news about marriage is that because you make yourself so vulnerable to your partner, he or she is OK with your emotional reactions. In fact, your other half may even anticipate your meltdown. Seriously. And what greater comfort than a hug or hand-holding when your heart is so to-the-touch tender. Trust me on this one, I know! (And even David has had his "dust in the eyes" moments, as he describes them.)

8.  Healthier habits. 

I don't know about others, but for David and I, we tend to make healthier choices when we're together. Not only do we take more time with our meals, they include a lot of fresh vegetables now, which we take time to prepare and to enjoy together. So far, we haven't had any nights where we had cereal for dinner. He tells me how much he appreciates me taking care of myself, and I find myself exercising 5-6 times a week. I encourage him to go workout for some time by himself, and he enjoys it, too. It's also gently reassuring to have someone who cares about your general health and will accompany you to the doctor when needed. David and I each have our own health issues--including lymphedema for me and thyroid for him, and we support each other through them. You don't need to be married to have your own "health advocate," but I think it's a great idea to get one whether by friend or by marriage.

7.  Someone to do life with.  
For years, OK even decades, David and I have done so many things alone. We had friends around at times, and family, too, but they couldn't always be there. So we sometimes took vacations or weekends away alone. We ate alone every day. It was the same thing with exercise, shopping, etc. The daily things of life were done solo, and we had only occasional times when we could share them with another. Married life brings so much togetherness, but the things we appreciate most are just having someone lying next to us in bed and having someone to share cooking and meals with. We were grateful for God's blessings when we were single; now, due to the long wait for marriage, we find ourselves in a grateful state each day, thanking God for a life companion.

6. Sharing expenses—and everything else.
I used to wilt lettuce almost weekly in my refrigerator--along with a variety of leftovers, too. Now I have a hungry husband who helps me finish things off. Spoiled perishables are becoming much rarer! Our automobile insurance premiums decreased since we are on a joint policy, as did our general living expenses, since we pay one mortgage, one electric bill, etc. And if we rent a movie via "verizon on demand," we pay one fee for the two of us. We have two people available to pick veggies from the garden and water the flowers. Same goes for cooking and cleaning up, too. And if one of us gets really busy for some reason, the other can field phone calls. I like knowing David is caring for our lawn and our bills, and he loves the clean laundry stacked on top of his dresser. As my niece says, "It's nice to share with other people."

5. 2x the problem-solving potential.
I don't always think logically, plotting out things from point a to point b, etc. But David does. I have tricks for cleaning and maintaining stuff, and he usually has tricks for how to get places easier and how to maximize trips, etc. He knows who to call for what, and he's not afraid to ask people for favors or to help them out when he notices they need it. Before they ask. When we prepare a meal for guests, we count on each other to pull it off with the least stress possible. Pooling your brainpower can pay off in so many ways I never anticipated. Our yin and yang are both necessary to get the best possible outcomes.

4. You complete me--er, complement me.

Ah, yes, the ying and the yang we spoke of last time. Let us make it clear first that we do not believe we complete each other. No offense to Tom Cruise or Renee Zellweger or the movie Jerry Maguire. We may be in our still-sappy newlywed phase, but we both agree we were complete long before we met each other. But as for complementing each other, we stand amazed. We love the give-and-take of married life, where one party knows the most about cooking and baking (that would be David, with his gourmet prowess and his to-die-for lemon cheesecake in a water bath), while the other partner excels at planning meals and efficient shopping (that would be me). David comes up with excellent solutions to many scheduling issues and "how-to" projects; I try to (gently) interject the female perspective on maintaining healthy relationships with friends and family. There's a balance we're finding that never existed before in life; however vulnerable marriage makes you, it helps to have someone who recognizes our weakness and fills in for them, while appreciating our strengths. (We'll save the "you complete me" for overdramatic chick flicks.)

3. Sex.

David suggested I call this one "knowing each other in the biblical sense." But it is what it is. So close your mouth that opened in surprise and stop that blushing; sex is a beautiful thing. This list would not be complete without it. If you're still in shock, read The Song of Solomon in the Bible and get back to us. Our culture has so distorted this amazingly mysterious and wondrous invention God created, that it's become dirty, casual, and even ho-hum. However difficult our single years were, as hard as it was to stay chaste in a world that tells you everybody is doing it, I was so happy to give myself first to David on our wedding night. (And if you're reading this and engaging in pre-marital sex or God-forbid, have been misused or abused in some way, there's healing and hope, friends. You can start over again, as so many have.) Red-hot monogamy is alive and well. Yeah, baby!

2. All-for-one and One-for-all.

How does it feel to have someone in your corner at all times--someone who wants the best for you and will defend your interests, even if it costs them personally? It feels pretty doggone good! We're only beginning to experience this, as we have functioned so long in "solo" mode, but the oneness we're cultivating yields countless dividends. There is a sacrificial component to marriage that is so complete and consuming that it takes your breath away. It can be a source of pain, surely, when one partner does something that hurts the other--because you are so close to your spouse, the hurt cuts like a knife. But as you seek God and discover your role as the respecter, lover, and supporter of your husband or wife, you cultivate true joy in being one. It's such a mystery how we can be separate, complete entities--and yet come together in oneness. You start discovering a whole lot about God and his love for his bride, the Church, in this whole process. 

1. Discovery.

Your wedding day comes, and you sign the marriage license, and presto--it's official! You are on the wildest ride of your entire life. You leave your family and cleave to your spouse to start a new family. It's absolutely mind-boggling! And at the very top of the list of joys is the process of discovering all the ins-and-outs, the quirks and habits, the dreams and resignations, of your lifemate. You find out you squeeze the toothpaste and load the toilet paper entirely differently. You discover that your husband may wake up at 5 am and he quickly discovers you do not wake until 7 am, if he wants you to be happy. And beyond all these idiosyncrasies and the many fascinating details that make each of us unique, the bigger discovery is how all these factors collide and combine as you come together. You are creating a new, hopefully beautifully-scented, potpourri. And as time passes, and we settle into a combined life together, new opportunities emerge from your union. New foods you would have never tried. New places you'll now consider going to. New family members to love. And new ministry opportunities you would not have attempted alone. Ah, the joy of discovery...

Thanks for reading! If you're married, we hope this list has encouraged you in your own union. If you're single, we hope you'll grab all the joys of single life, as there are many! And if you hope to be married someday, we hope you'll pray for a person who can commit to a life of joy, discovery, and service. As this 35-year-old and 43-year-old recently commented to each other, you will be able to say "You were worth the wait, honey!"

Cheers!

The Top 10 Joys of Married Life, continued...

Oh, the suspense...

4. You complete me--er, complement me.

Ah, yes, the ying and the yang we spoke of last time. Let us make it clear first that we do not believe we complete each other. No offense to Tom Cruise or Renee Zellweger or the movie Jerry Maguire. We may be in our still-sappy newlywed phase, but we both agree we were complete long before we met each other. But as for complementing each other, we stand amazed. We love the give-and-take of married life, where one party knows the most about cooking and baking (that would be David, with his gourmet prowess and his to-die-for lemon cheesecake in a water bath), while the other partner excels at planning meals and efficient shopping (that would be me). David comes up with excellent solutions to many scheduling issues and "how-to" projects; I try to (gently) interject the female perspective on maintaining healthy relationships with friends and family. There's a balance we're finding that never existed before in life; however vulnerable marriage makes you, it helps to have someone who recognizes our weakness and fills in for them, while appreciating our strengths. (We'll save the "you complete me" for overdramatic chick flicks.)

3. Sex.

David suggested I call this one "knowing each other in the biblical sense." But it is what it is. So close your mouth that opened in surprise and stop that blushing; sex is a beautiful thing. This list would not be complete without it. If you're still in shock, read The Song of Solomon in the Bible and get back to us. Our culture has so distorted this amazingly mysterious and wondrous invention God created, that it's become dirty, casual, and even ho-hum. However difficult our single years were, as hard as it was to stay chaste in a world that tells you everybody is doing it, I was so happy to give myself first to David on our wedding night. (And if you're reading this and engaging in pre-marital sex or God-forbid, have been misused or abused in some way, there's healing and hope, friends. You can start over again, as so many have.) Red-hot monogamy is alive and well. Yeah, baby!

More to come as we count down to numbers 2 and 1. Y'all come back now, ya here? 

One Couple's Review of The Shack

I don't know how to tell you this, but we really enjoyed The Shack. Despite the fact that we don't agree with it theologically on several points. In our initial read, we each read past that, to get a glimpse of how one man can come to grips with a God that loves so intensely, even when bad things happen. And even through those terrible, hard-to-live with things.

What David thinks:

My favorite quote from the book is "Living unloved is like clipping a bird's wings and removing its ability to fly. Not something I want for you." (page 97)  One of the fruits of the spirit is love. If we are to be like Christ, then we are to practice the fruits of the spirit. It follows that if we love others we will get love from either the receiver, or sometimes from God, just because we've been obedient. Can you imagine life without Love? Here's a better thought: can you imagine what would be in store for us if we lived the life of love God calls us to? 

What Suzie thinks:

Suzie thinks this book kind of turned her book club upside down for one evening. They didn't really like the book much, but it was mostly because they didn't agree with it.

Favorite quotes-

"We didn't come to justify it (sin). We came to redeem it."

"Judgment is not about destruction, but setting things right."

"In your pain you assume the worst of me."

"What do I do now? Learn to live loved."

I won't ruin it for those who haven't picked up the book, but let's just say at some point God appears personified as the female gender and of a different ethnicity than most of our "Jesus" pictures portray. Please keep reading. Don't take this book at face value--read through, then think carefully about what you believe  is theologically sound according to the Bible.

But whatever you do, don't miss this: Jesus loves you, no matter what happens in your life, and how he longs to have a deep, abiding, love relationship with you. As page 207 says, "I don't just want a piece of you."

Find out more about the author at http://theshackbook.com/willie.html

And for more information about the book and its controversy, see http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20080529/d_cover29_shack_main.art.htm

The Top 10 Joys of Married Life, continued...

By now, you may be having trouble sleeping...what will those newlyweds come up with next?? The countdown continues:

6. Sharing expenses—and everything else.
I used to wilt lettuce almost weekly in my refrigerator--along with a variety of leftovers, too. Now I have a hungry husband who helps me finish things off. Spoiled perishables are becoming much rarer! Our automobile insurance premiums decreased since we are on a joint policy, as did our general living expenses, since we pay one mortgage, one electric bill, etc. And if we rent a movie via "verizon on demand," we pay one fee for the two of us. We have two people available to pick veggies from the garden and water the flowers. Same goes for cooking and cleaning up, too. And if one of us gets really busy for some reason, the other can field phone calls. I like knowing David is caring for our lawn and our bills, and he loves the clean laundry stacked on top of his dresser. As my niece says, "It's nice to share with other people."

5. 2x the problem-solving potential.
I don't always think logically, plotting out things from point a to point b, etc. But David does. I have tricks for cleaning and maintaining stuff, and he usually has tricks for how to get places easier and how to maximize trips, etc. He knows who to call for what, and he's not afraid to ask people for favors or to help them out when he notices they need it. Before they ask. When we prepare a meal for guests, we count on each other to pull it off with the least stress possible. Pooling your brainpower can pay off in so many ways I never anticipated. Our yin and yang are both necessary to get the best possible outcomes.

Four more to come, and soon. Cheers!

What's a wordle?

In case you were wondering, this is a wordle--a combination of words from my blog in graphic form. Just click on it to see it bigger. And you can create your own in like two seconds at wordle.net. Thanks, Aunt Nancy and cousin Jessie.

Very fun!