Chopsticks, Tatame Sitting & Traditons....

As a young child, we were allowed a birthday party with friends every other year. On the off year, you could go out to eat. Your choice. My brother would choose King's Restaurant with their great burgers, malts, and, most importantly, the phone in the booth that you used to call in your order.

I would always choose Mt Fuji Inn which was a traditional Japanese Restaurant with Tea Rooms.

You have to take your shoes off and sit down at that table on the floor. It was my all time favorite food, setting, and experience.

When my husband and I were dating, I mentioned one time that maybe we should try out this Japanese Restaurant in town. We did, but without the Tea Room. Halfway through the meal, he said that next time we should reserve a tea room. I think that's when I knew he was the "one".

It's a special occasion restaurant for me. Not because it's fancy or the latest trend, but because it stirs up childhood memories and the consistency of this place in my life. The food is so yummy, you are made to feel special, and there is something about eating out without shoes. The hot tea and the chopsticks just add to the charm.

Our family had a contest in association with Amazing Race. You choose a team of two and the restaurant on your choice. If your team won the finale, we'd go to eat at your team's restaurant. My son and I both choose Mt Fuji. I've been thousand of times, he'd only gone one time and loved it.

Nick and Star won Amazing Race which was his team. When my team lost, I was rooting hard for Nick and Star so we could still go to Mt. Fuji. So last night off we went to Mt. Fuji to celebrate. Our first attempt was sidetracked by an ice storm that had unexpectedly occurred a few weeks back.

Let's just say it was thrilling and frustrating at the same time. I was thrilled to share this experience with them, but I kinda forgot they are still kids. While my husband and I enjoyed all the traditional Japanese favorites; Shrimp and Sweet Potato Tempura, Beef Sukiyaki; Egg Flower soup and sticky rice, there was fighting over the hot tea, kicking under the table, lots of getting up and down to go to the bathroom. There was our little waitress slaving over the Sukiyaki pot and our kids jumping up to go see the Koi Pond. There was talk about Japanese culture and the fact that they stay thin because it's so hard to use chopsticks!

A, the 4 year old, just had rice. M had sweet and sour chicken. C had udon noodle soup with Tempura. They tried a little of ours, used cheater chopsticks and overall, loved it too. I'm thinking my parents must have cringed a few times with me as well when I would beg to go. But now I only remember how wonderful it was. How thrilled I was too take my shoes off and go sit with my little tea cup.

Here's to tradition and passing on the experience. God, remind me of these special moments when I get frustrated and bogged down with life. Everyday can't be a Mt Fuji Mountaintop Experience, but it just might be.

God Is Good All the Time: Even When It's Hard

Today has been a sad day. Lately, it seems like every time I turn around, I am hearing another heartbreaking story.

My daughter's preschool teacher is busy today making plans to bury a teenage child. Not seeing her today at the door to the classroom with her bubbly smile and take charge attitude was hard. Her team teacher looked defeated today; bogged down with worry and concern for her friend and co-worker.

Another friend is remembering 5 years ago this week when her mother lost her battle with cancer. This week always brings back a flood of memories, not all good. I know her heart is hurting. She still misses her mother.

A good friend who desperately wants a baby is having complications with her pregnancy and might well lose this baby, too. My heart is breaking for her. For the raw pain and the broken dreams. It reminds me all too well that babies are not an easy thing to bring into this world. While I pray for the health of the baby and mother clinging to hope, it's hard not to wonder why God, why.

Knowing that mother's hearts are breaking and daughter's heart are longing for their mother is hard on this mother's heart.

Wishing I could take the pain away. Knowing that only God can.

There are days that the news just isn't good. That the promises of God seem so far away. When it's hard to believe that in the midst of our pain God is right there.

But He Is. He is there for my friends. He is there for the grieving parents. He is there for the lonely daughter. He is there for me. He is there for you.

One of the ways that He is there for them is with hope. Hope that today's sadness will one day be overtaken by joy at seeing their loved one again; whole, healthy, safe in the arms of Jesus, in Heaven.

Steven Curtis Chapman's Song, With Hope, has always been a song I cling to in times of sorrow or grief. It speaks so clearly of the everlasting hope we have. I pray that this song will bring my friends Comfort, Peace, Hope.

With Hope by Steven Curtis Chapman
This is not at all how
We thought it was supposed to be
We had so many plans for you
We had so many dreams
And now you've gone away
And left us with the memories of your smile
And nothing we can say
And nothing we can do
Can take away the pain
The pain of losing you, but ...

We can cry with hope
We can say goodbye with hope'
Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh no
And we can grieve with hope'
'Cause we believe with hope(There's a place by God's grace)
There's a place where we'll see your face again
We'll see your face again

And never have I known
Anything so hard to understand
And never have I questioned more
The wisdom of God's plan
But through the cloud of tears
I see the Father's smile and say well done
And I imagine you
Where you wanted most to be
Seeing all your dreams come true
'Cause now you're home
And now you're free, and ...

We have this hope as an anchor'
Cause we believe that everything
God promised us is true, so ...

So we can cry with hope
And say goodbye with hope
We wait with hope
And we ache with hope
We hold on with hope
We let go with hope

Praying on the Spot

I'm trying to be deliberate in praying for others. I think about praying about others. I promise I'll pray for them and really mean to, but sometimes I feel like my own prayer life gets so bogged down with stuff that I don't always remember.

I don't always know why, but it's easier to pray for others when you are not sitting in parking lots waiting for pick up at schools focused on my own "Stuff." That's a great time to pray for my family, our needs, but, for some reason, not such a great time to pray for my friends and neighbors.

Oh sure, I can rattle off a prayer for a peaceful day, for my "to do list" to get down, for the safety of my children and the current state of our nation. However, to think about "others" needs and to place their needs before the throne takes more concentration.

Lately, I've decided to just pray on the spot. When someone asks me to pray for them, I just do then. Right then. On the phone, in the hallway at school, wherever we are right then.

The other day a friend called to tell me a heartbreaking story about a family whose child had died at birth. My friend had just lost her own baby the same way three months prior. She was boldly going to the hospital to offer them hope, comfort and knowledge. What a brave and courageous move to walk right back into the same environment where she had experienced deep loss.

Rather than say I'll pray for you as you go; I did it then on the phone. I prayed and offered up my concern and love for my friend. I took it to God right away rather than make a promise to do it later. Yes I did pray that entire night whenever my thoughts turned to the situation (which it did a lot).

Today, the same opportunity presented itself to pray for a friend going through a health scare. I prayed out loud for my friend on the phone again. Why, because I knew my next few hours would be hectic with Girl Scouts and family responsibilities filling my day. I didn't want to forget and I wanted my friend to know that I was praying for her.

I don't say this to toot my own horn or to say I will always be so bold. It's just that I want to remember how impacting this move has been on my own life. It felt powerful to just stop, drop, and pray. To just take it to God right away.

It's also encouraged me to pray more for that person throughout my day. It's freed me up to just pray for others.

I've never been afraid to pray in a group, to pray at a restaurant with my family, but I've not always been so bold as to just pray with the person in need at the time the need was brought to me. Why? Because of my fear.

Amazingly just doing it this week has made me feel bolder, stronger, and more encouraged to not just promise to pray but to do it. Whenever. Wherever.

Maybe that will become my 2009 slogan: Stop. Drop. Pray. I'm thinking it could save as many lives from harm as the fire safety motto I've repeated time and again to my children.

Shopping Thru Her Eyes

I went shopping today with my four year old to an outdoor upscale shopping center. Yes, we went for Fun.

A had gotten a gift card for Christmas to Justice. The Girl Store with the Monkey as she calls it. Her sister had already gone the week before, but being the smart one, we waited until the big kids were back in school.

We had so much fun. Most of the clothes there are too big, too old and not the right style for a four year old, but if you are choosy and smart you can find some downright adorable things. M had come home last week with two cute purple numbers. One had fur and you can't get better than fur for an 8 year old. That is high fashion.

A had in mind exactly what she wanted. Skirts and a Monkey. Maybe a few Webkinz. Candy. You name it!

OK, so maybe she was open to discussion and "suggestions". Smart mother that I am, we headed to the back of the store, pass the spring collection, and the cruise line for young girls and right to the "Sale Rack". It will be winter here in the heartland for two/three more months. What do we need shorts and tank tops for?

We found a cute top, make that two, but I could not find skirts. We found a few pair of cropped leggings with sparkles for a small fortune. Not one to give up do easy, the little darling kept asking for skirts. Ta Da.

In the far corner of the store, skirt racks. Lots of skirts. Two in her size. Pink and not pink. We chose pink. Then we found two tops to go with them. Did we walk out then. Of course not, we had to take off all our clothes in the dressing room and try them on. You know that we had to try on both Tops Please.

Too bad the static in our hair from the dry air made us look a little frigthening in the mirror. Oh, that was the mother.

It's perfect mom. I told you we'd get a skirt. Can I wear it now?

As our shopping continued and we went looking for an appropriate outfit for the mother to wear to the Office Christmas Party tomorrow night (yes tomorrow night!) we both got to try on new clothes. That's right, A tried on all her clothes again.

"Still perfect," she said.

We topped the morning off with a trip to Burger King. Her favorite. She told me over and over again that it was the best day of her life. It was fun shopping with mom.

It was fun shopping with my favorite four year old in the whole world, too.

( Notice the cute socks too, they were a surprise in the mail today: Bestemor knitted them.)

Works For Me Wednesday:Photo Backup the Easy Way

My wonderful Works for Me Wednesday Idea involves photo storage. I am not the world's best photographer, nor do I have the top of the line digital camera with huge lens (although I would love one) but I take lots of photos.

I scrapbook once a month with a fantastic group of ladies from church and enjoy capturing the moments of life before they are gone.

As a result I have lots of pictures stored on my computer. I have an HP Computer and use the HP Photosmart program to download and store my photos. However I don't stop there. I download photos to Walgreen's.com and use it as a backup to my computer. Easy as can be.

I tend to forget to put the photos on a disc backup and I've never had the heart to really edit the photos before I store them on my computer so I have lots. My computer has plenty of memory, but like it's owner sometimes things can go wrong, parts will die out or a virus could strike.

Walgreen's Photo will keep your photos forever at no charge as long as you buy two prints a year. Seriously. Two prints. I have an order ready to go for Saturday for 50 prints. Buy 50 prints, for $5.00 is their coupon this week.

I also use Walgreen's photos because I can store certain pictures there for the world to see. I have dance convention pictures I share with the other dancing families, girl scout camping trip photos for the parents and of course I can send photos to my in laws and out of town families too.

This is a simple way to ensure that my photos don't go away if my computer crashes or if I forget to back them up.

Now I'm off to send off my latest Christmas photos before I forget.

Come back again and I promise even more insightful ideas...or maybe not.

In Knitting: Pride Cometh Before the Fall

I've discovered this weekend that pride comes before the fall in knitting as in life. You see I thought that my newly acquired skill (6 months old) of knitting was going pretty well.

In the past few months, I've made 3 scarfs that I've ripped up or otherwise made into doll scarfs. The practice ones. 4 scarfs for nieces for Christmas gifts. One for each daughter. Two for good friends for Christmas and one I made in just 3 days for our children's piano teacher. I also made two baby blankets. One already being used and one on the ready for a baby coming any day.

Not bad for a non-crafty person whose knitting teacher lives 500 plus miles away.

However, after my goof yesterday, I now will never put a picture of my skill on the Internet or send it across the country. I will not share until the project is off the needles and the yarn put away. I now know that it is a recipe for disaster to "brag" on my new skill prior to completion.

A few months ago, I posted a picture of my first baby blanket. I was a few rows into the start. I was feeling confident, boastful really. I said how much fun I was having with circular needles. and how easy they were to work with. How 122 stitches was easy to count with stitch counters.

Two days after that, I had to rip the whole project apart and start over. I was into the blanket to far to let the slip go. I had last my count. I had started knitting backwards. I then tried to pull the stitches off and start over on the next row. Impossible to do with 122 stitches! Too many to keep them straight. My neighbor told me the truth. You'll have to start over. No, I thought, but she was right. Weeks later, the blanket was complete, a few mistakes hidden within, but done and not too shabby. Unfortunately for me, I did not learn my lesson.

Last week, I went to my favorite knitting shop. They have a sale in January with 20% off everything. I wanted to make a scarf for my husband in Texas colors (burnt orange and white), a baby blanket for American Girl Doll Ruthie, our newest family member, and then I asked about a hat for my son. I told them I'm a newbie. They gave me confidence and set of 5 double pointed needles.

One of the fabulous ladies at the store cast on the 90 stitches and talked me through how it works. I came home and called my mother-in-law. She laughed, but was confident I could do it. I just needed to take it slow, send her the pattern, and she could walk me through it. So I did. I took a picture yesterday of the beginning, said it was good, and then fate took over.

I was driving in the car yesterday and knitting. Fear not, I was the passenger. I dropped a stitch at the crucial turn from needle to needle. I thought I had recovered. Hours later I saw the hole between the two needles a few stitches down. You don't want a hole in a hat.

I'm starting over again. I've watched the knitting help video three times, another You-Tube on double pointed needles, and read and re read the instructions.

Pride has taught me a valuable lesson. I'm still learning and need to take it slow. I shouldn't take projects "on the go" that need my attention. Finally, it's OK to start things over. It's OK to goof up and start all over again. I'm not perfect and that's OK too.

Just for kicks I've included pictures of a few of my finished projects. All off the needles and all in use today. Nothing in progress today, you'll have to wait for them to be done first. I'm no fool.

Resolutions. Reality. Recharge

Happy New Year. I'm not sure where 2008 went. In fact, I'm not sure where the month of December went, but I'm ushering in the New Year and a New Month with anticipation.

I've made a few goals for the new year. Nothing exciting or huge, just little incremental changes I'd like to see in myself. I'm being realistic about my time and commitment and about where I can make changes that will impact my life and those around me.

The most life affirming goal I've set is that I've signed up on Beth Moore's Living Prof Blog to memorize two scriptures a month. Not a lofty goal, but one that is manageable and less likely to fall by the wayside of kids, activities and other stuff. On the 1st and the 15th of each month, I'm going to start committing to memory a new verse. You choose the verse you want or copy Beth's suggestion. Here is a link to Beth's fabulous blog with more information. http://livingproofministries.blogspot.com/

For this first memory verse, I'm going to go basic. Psalm 111: 2-3 NIV
2 Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,and his righteousness endures forever.

My second goal for myself is to listen first without responding. To not jump in with an answer and to be comfortable in the silence. I want to make sure I hear what people are saying and to try to then react with full knowledge, grace, and love. Too often, especially with my own family, I respond before I think. I react without giving it much thought or attention to the feelings of others. I think if I can accomplish this listen first goal, it will greatly impact all my relationships.

My third goal is to enjoy life more. In these tough economic times, with the world in turmoil, I know that God is still in control and His desire is not that we, His people, sit around and worry or toil over what's happening. He has given me a wonderful life; just as it is. I have a great husband, fantastic kids, opportunities to minister to others, and a healthy body and mind. Blessings abundant that I should be enjoying more.

To enjoy life more ....I'm going to tackle tougher craft projects: knitting, scrap booking, decorating on the cheap. I'm going to rest and rejuvenate on Sundays with my family instead of doing chores after church. I'll enjoy more books, less junk TV, more time with the kids and hubby and just enjoy my life.

So welcome 2009. I can't wait to see what God has in store for us this year. As my son would say, "Bring It On". ( I know that "Great are the works of the Lord" and I'm going to ponder them this year...excuse my paraphrase.)