Color & Texture & Mothers

I had my first go at juicing veggies a couple of weeks ago. The second time I juiced, hubby said, "This one is better than the last one." (Apparently I put too much turnip or cabbage in that first one... gack!) But how could something with such cool colors taste so bad?

It looks like a magical Rainbow Brite drink of wonderfulness.

("Rainbow Brite" | http://www.huffingtonpost.ca)

Have you ever asked God for a special sunset, made just for you? It's a lot of fun! I did that a couple of evenings ago, and enjoyed the layers of color and texture from a little side road. I had to run home and grab the camera, so that I could capture the lovely moment of serenity.

Not only was the sunset awesome - with lovely, gentle rain clouds - but I also saw a bunny eating dinner, and an alligator! (Thankfully the alligator wasn't eating dinner, or the bunny might've been toast.)

Bad combination: flip flops + me by myself (with said alligator swimming toward me). So I took a quick pic and ran back to "my turf," so as not to give the wrong impression to this mammoth beast. (Sarcasm. He was probably a 4-footer. But still.) Next time, I'm definitely wearing "real shoes" and bringing my husband. And possibly a large machete. 

So Happy Mother's Day to all the mommies out there. My own dear mommy (Hi, Mama!) sent her mommy - my Nana - some beautiful tulips for Mother's Day. I love how Nana described them as "the prettiest, sweetest things I could have ever desired!" Aren't they, though?

Oh, and don't worry, mom. I brought them back inside. ;)

Speaking of growing things, my hubby asked me to water his garden today, as he had to leave for work in a hurry. (He's got such a green thumb! Sigh... I could kill a cactus.)

Wishing I could grow things, I decided to {finally} plant the gladiolus bulbs that have been sitting on the patio table for a few weeks now. Still staring at me, as they have been for a few... years... possibly. Ahem... Well, I decided that today is the day for planting them! Here's hoping they'll actually grow. (Can you grow bulbs that are a few years old? I have no idea... don't think they "expire" though...? I guess we'll see.)

The wind blew this little butterfly's "legacy" my way. Look at the beautiful pattern on the wings!

The white on the inside was velvety and silvery in the sunlight. Just beautiful.

So tomorrow we're off to church in the woods (literally), where the Greens will be blessing us with their awesome music! Tomorrow night I get to try out my new cheesecake recipe on Jaime's family: banana. pudding. cheesecake.

I have not made cheesecake in our home oven before, and - guess what? - it cooks things faster. So, dang it! I burnt the crust. But I had to save the rest of my {mini!} nilla wafers for the all-important garnish, so slightly crispy crust it was.

I mashed and mashed those bananas until they were a sort of a paste. (I do not like the texture of the bananas in banana pudding, but definitely dig the flavor. How about you?) So, we'll see how this one turns out. Only 24 hours to tasting time...

May all mothers be blessed: new and experienced, sitting-on-the-nest and empty nesting, mothers in deed, mothers in love, mothers of baby angels in heaven above. 

Once a mother, always a mother. ♥

Do you have special plans with your mommy this weekend?

Redeeming the Time

The following "journal entry" may make you laugh! For those of you who know me, it may sound like it came out of the distant past. (The memories of my long-ago adventures as "The Bride of Frankenstein," I am glad, now give hubby a good chuckle! And me too. But that story will have to wait for another day.) 

The opening contains book excerpts which I found to be interesting. 

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"Now, please understand that I am not against reading the newspapers or watching television for that matter. But I want to encourage you to start your day with Jesus instead, practicing His presence, acknowledging Him, committing your plans to Him and trusting Him for His unmerited favor, wisdom and strength for the day... 

The thing about such discussions (debates on the news, etc.)... is that it's supposed to present two sides - one good and the other bad. No real solution or resolution is actually offered. Sometime after watching that program, I realized that I had unknowingly been feeding on the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. That's all I got from watching such programs - more knowledge of what was good and what was evil, but this knowledge did nothing for me. 

On the other hand, when we feed on the person of Jesus, who is the tree of life, we find that His wisdom, understanding, peace, joy and unmerited favor will flow in our lives! 

...it is far more powerful to be full of Jesus than to be full of worldly knowledge..."

- Joseph Prince, Unmerited Favor

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So, in reference to the quotes on fellowship with Jesus leading to success... My heart has been getting reminders to prepare myself, be ready to be used of Him, and my Abba Father will use me. 

Exhibit A: OakFest 2010

It was so awesome on Saturday, because I volunteered for OakFest (Okeechobee, FL) desiring to give time to God and also to be around music, even if not performing. So I got there not knowing what I would be assigned to do. (I was a "floater," eh!) But I came prepared to do anything, be it cleaning toilets or selling cookies with Grandma & co. (Grandma is awesome, by the way! She's our pastor's mommy-in-law.) Now Grandma happened to be loaded with ladies helping her, and Sandy (our pastor's wife) sent me outside to see if William, the concert coordinator, needed anything. So he asked me to set up his band's merch table. Done. 

I told him I'd be around if he needed me. I spotted John (our pastor), and asked if he needed anything, but he calmed my "busy" spirit and said that we were just waiting for the crowds. But... he said I could go get a couple of people to work DecembeRadio's table, as at least two volunteers were needed there. How cool is that? I got to run the merch table for the headlining band, the table which happened to be right beside the stage, so I could observe all the bands throughout the day. I couldn't have chosen a better job! 

Besides getting to know some of the volunteers, and meeting people from some other bands (I thought the Broken did a good job, and also happened to be nice. Rob reminded me of my brother, so that didn't hurt them in my book either!) I also got to meet the guys from DecembeRadio. They trained me on the merch, credit card machine, and how to finalize the form for Compassion International. I got to talk to all the band members, their roadie, even Frank the bus driver! (Who is awesome, by the way. He prays for the band every night. I told him if I ever go on tour, I'm calling him.) At the end of the day one of the volunteers was way too forward but effective in asking if we could get a tour of the bus! 

But what?! This sounds like a journal entry from my youth! Band encounters and tours! Ha. I tell you, Lord, I was truly honored with what I consider to be the coolest job of OakFest. And I know it was You! Thank You so much for that experience, and putting me in the middle of where I would've hoped to be! You are so good to me. And You are so good. And I saw a little yellow butterfly when I was driving to Freedom Ranch (which has a special meaning to me). I know I have been robbed by death of all this time I would've been "mothering," but I know Jesus, that you will restore double for what death took away. You will redeem the time, and bless me with other blessings, like learning to cook new and different meals, or getting to be involved in music somehow... these are gifts from You, from heaven... Like the little yellow butterfly hanging out on the patio while Jaime and I wrote our first song together. 

So Jesus, here's my "faith experiment": I will prepare myself, and believe that You will put me where You want me. Like Esther prepared herself for the task of pleading for the life of a nation. And You were with her! I wonder if she had a plan, or if the banquet idea divinely came to her, as she stood, waiting for the king to extend favor or death to her. I want to be that brave. I want to boldly come before Your throne of GRACE tailored to me! Thank you, Jesus, for being with me, and giving me Your shalom. Your grace - unmerited favor. Your love. Your fruit of Your Spirit, the Helper! You are awesome and beautiful. I love you. 

xo, 

Noelle 

Princess Tiger Lily

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