Jam

(My new Paula Deen enamelware pot...love, love, love it.)

I made jam today.  

Every summer I try to fill the freezer with peaches, blueberries, and strawberries. What doesn't get used through the winter is made into jam/jelly the following summer.

Last year my aunt's cherry tree was filled with sour cherries. This is a rare event because a late freeze almost always kills the cherry blossoms.  If any cherries survive, the birds clean the tree in just a few hours.  But last year there were tons of cherries.  You could sit in the house and look out toward the pasture and see the cherries hanging in the tree.  I grabbed the boys and we picked for an hour or so.  

I've never made sour cherry jam before. This is the best stuff.  I could eat the whole jar.  It's like a Starburst candy.  The sweet and sour combination is sooo good.  

My kitchen is a sticky mess right now but I know next winter when I'm opening a jar of peach jam, I'll be so thankful for a taste of summer.

The 4th

We celebrated the 4th at the lake this year.  This year's weather was perfect.  Low 80's and low humidity.  Just perfect.

Here are a few pics from our day.

Yes, Zach's eyes are this blue.  No photoshop touchups needed on those eyes.

This was the year of THE GIRLFRIENDS.  Both Clay and Zach asked if their girlfriends could join us at the lake.   This was a first for us.  I hope we didn't scare them off.  You have to have a pretty thick skin to hang out with us.  If you can't handle being teased or splashed with the jet ski by a cruel aunt and uncle (inside story), then you probably will never make it in our family. Luckily the girls seemed to enjoy themselves.  
The twins were there.  They just turned 1 and get cuter every day.  


It was a nice day.  

I baked this cake to celebrate Clay's birthday.  This recipe is a keeper.   Of course anything that combines chocolate and over 3 sticks of butter can't help but be good.  

More New Orleans pics

I'm posting a few more pictures from our mission trip to New 

Orleans.

(Clink on the links for a little more info about the mission trip)

A few houses in the neighborhood have been remodeled since our last visit.  However, most of the houses are still in desperate need of repair.

I love the bright colors.  

Absolutely love the kids that came to the summer day camp.

Smiles,

smiles,

and more smiles.  

Here are a few guys showing off their sock puppets.  

Yeah!  Drywall.  What a difference it makes.

The archway in the front room.  We painted it to match the colors on the front porch.

I wish I had taken more pictures but we were so busy that I didn't take the time.  

Clay is 18 today.

Today is Clay's 18th birthday.  

He is officially an adult today.  

It doesn't seem possible that on this date 18 years ago we became parents.  We were completely clueless.  Somehow we've managed to stumble through this thing called parenthood and raise an amazing young man. 

He's quiet and respectful.  He still likes hanging out with his family.   He isn't afraid to work hard.  He makes us proud.

  

Happy Birthday Clay, we love you!

A Good Week

Last week we traveled to New Orleans for a youth mission trip.  This was our second trip to New Orleans.  

(Clay working on the addition)

Throughout the week, we dealt with record high temperatures and 12 hour work days.  One day the temperature was 104.   

We worked hard.  We arrived at the worksite around 8:30 AM, had morning devotions, and started working around 9 AM.  We took a 30 minute break for lunch and continued to work until dinner.  At 5:30 we offered a Summer Day Camp for the community kids.  Around 30 kids attended throughout the week.   Several groups continued to work while Day Camp was in progress.  We finally sat down the tools around 7 and had worship service under a tent located in a vacant lot next to the house.  Each night we would load up the vans around 9:30-10:00 and head back to the seminary.  

(Zach, Bob, and Clay)

It is really hard for me to put into words what this week meant to our family.  

The work was difficult.  Dealing with the heat and heavy labor was hard.  There were times when you felt like you could not stand it another moment.  But you did and before you knew it, another day had passed and more progress was made.

The worship services were amazing.  As the week went along, we were joined by individuals from the neighborhood.  A local Christian Rap Group performed for us.  Their love for the Lord radiated through their music and blessed us.

Sitting under a tent, on the vacant lot of a former crack house in the 9th Ward of New Orleans, our faith was renewed.  Filthy and tired we sat there as the love of Christ rained down on our heads.  We left each night with hearts overflowing.  

It was a good week.  

Adam

He's changing right in front of my eyes.

This past weekend he gave away all his trading cards to a neighbor's son.  A sure sign that he is growing up.  Last summer, during our annual clean and purge session, he insisted on keeping them.  This summer he could care less about the cards. 

I suspect that next week during the next clean and purge session, he won't even bat an eye as I pack up the Legos, cars, games, etc.  to either donate or store in the attic.

After almost 18 years of toys in the house, we will be officially toy free this summer.  There was a time when I looked forward to that day.  Usually those moments followed stepping barefoot on a Lego piece or entering a room that looked like a toy bomb had gone off.  

Now that the moment has arrived, I'm a little sad....

Compassion International

Bob's Christmas present this past year was a sponsorship through Compassion International.  We "adopted"  a little 5 year old boy in Ecuador.  

Last year, I read the blogs of several bloggers who were visiting the Dominican Republic.  They were sent by Compassion International to visit different projects and to blog about their visits in hopes of encouraging fellow bloggers to sponsor a child.  

That's where I got the idea for Bob's Christmas present.  

This past week Compassion International has sent a group of bloggers to India.  

This trip reminds me of one of my favorite birthdays....

About ten years ago Bob and the boys sponsored a girl from India for my birthday present.  

I remember the excitement over my gift.  Bob had sworn the boys to secrecy and they were so excited about my present.

Everyday when the mail would arrive,  the guys would want to know if my present was in the mail.  I kept trying to pry the secret out of them but there was no prying this secret out of the boys.... which is really admirable when you consider they were only 2, 5 and 7.   

However,  after several days I finally got a little information out of Zach.  He said that my present was from Indiana.  What?  Indiana?  I was completely confused....until the package finally arrived.  They had sponsored a little girl from India.  I was so touched.  

To this day that has been my favorite gift.  

Here are a few links to give you an idea of the impact Compassion International makes on the lives of children.  

I Have Been Ridiculed and Lied to 

Revelation

A Tale of Two Houses - Faith

Living With Less So You Can Do More

We live in a country where a pair of shoes or a meal costs more than a monthly sponsorship. 

We live in a country where we fret and worry about the silliest things.

Reading stories like the ones above snap me out of my complacency and force me out of my comfort zone.  

It is really easy to ignore poverty and/or cast blame.  

It isn't so easy to do something about it. 

Maybe that's why we don't try.  The problem is just too big or it's too complex.  

Somehow I don't think God buys those excuses. 

And just in case you missed this in the Revelation link, here it is again....

"Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,

for the rights of all who are destitute.

Speak up and judge fairly;

defend the rights of the poor and needy."

Proverbs 31:8,9