What I'm Reading... Lately

I love hearing what folks are reading.  It helps me to understand what they are thinking about.  It helps me see what they are interested in.  It opens my eyes to what is important to them.  Sharing about what you're reading is the meat of a good conversation.  Here's a little peek in to what I've been reading lately:

- A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
It's a novel about a dog's lives and his purpose.  My neighbor friend recommended this book to me.  It's her favorite.  It was an enjoyable read, mainly because I love my dogs and I think that it seemed to give insight into a dog's point of view on humans.  I've still never seen the movie, but I suspect, as it goes with most good books, that the movie doesn't do it justice. 

- Praying Circles Around Your Children by Mark Batterson
This was an excellent quick read that reinforced the importance of praying for your kids.  There was no condemnation in this book, just encouragement to pray regularly for them.  My favorite quote went something like this, "You will never be a perfect parent, but you CAN be a praying parent." 

- George Muller on Faith, compiled and edited by Lance Wubbels
I love these bite size nuggets of encouragement on faith.  When the Holy Spirit shined His light on my heart, illuminating bits of fear that had taken up residence there, I felt it was time to dig into faith more deeply.  This little book has been so good for me. 

- Hidden Currents by Christy Barritt
This is a squeaky clean mystery set in Lantern Beach, North Carolina.  I really do love my fiction squeaky clean and this fit the bill as a modern mystery with some good sarcasm and humor thrown in the mix.  The main character is hiding from a gang, under the cover as the local ice cream truck lady.  Book 1 didn't wrap up the plot though, so I guess I'll have to read book 2 now...

- II Chronicles, book of the Bible
I especially loved II Chronicles 13:14, where it talks about how the army of Judah was being attacked from the front and the rear.  When they realized this, they cried out to the Lord for help.  Then, they fought!  I love the lesson in that.  When you realize things are bad, cry out to God right away... but then fight!  And then God did a miracle.  Yep, that's the God I serve!

-The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines
My sister-in-law lent me this book, mentioning that she thought I'd really like it.  She was right!  I enjoyed Chip & Jo's down-home point of view and sharing of their story.  I also really appreciated how they shared the workings of their marriage - learning to play off each other's strengths, recognizing the nuances in each other's personalities and appreciating each other's differences.

- Just Open the Door by Jen Schmidt
This is a book about hospitality, but really, in a much deeper way, this is a book about community.  Community is central to the living and sharing the Gospel.  Hospitality is modeled throughout Scripture.  I was encouraged to keep opening the door to my home and let Jesus use me in any way He can. 

Next time we chat, I'd love to hear what you're reading...

Dominique

To the Dentist

Happy summer day, friends!

One of my favorite topics that I've written about here is being well put together.  I still believe that dressing with excellence is a way to show respect for yourself, but more importantly, it demonstrates respect for your Creator.  You're a masterpiece, friend, why would you treat yourself like a cast-off? 

I recently had some technical trouble with those posts and enjoyed perusing them again as I repaired them.  I thought you might like to take a gander at the Well Put Together section. 

We also trekked to the dentist office on this chilly morning, so I broke out a pair of denim capris, a brown structured cargo jacket and some jewelry with pizzazz to do my mama duties. 

Dressing well helps me forget about what I'm wearing and focus on the task at hand.  Hope you enjoy a stroll down DominiqueSpeaks memory lane.  

Oh, and the Fourth of July is coming up... perhaps you'll find some patriotic inspiration here too.

Dominique

A Field Trip

This spring, after finishing up our study of the Civil War, I convinced the Rugged Mountain Man that we should trek to Gettysburg for the day.  He would have preferred to go on a pleasant summer day, but my lobbying for a "field trip now!!!" won out.

Alas, it didn't turn out to be a warm spring day, but we began at the visitors' center with the film and a tour of the cyclorama.  Perhaps, the temperature will rise to sweatshirt weather while we admire the masterpiece that the cyclorama is!

After a tasty lunch in the van, we set off on our battlefield tour.  As you can see, the weather never warmed up, so we just bundled up!

The CD audio tour we followed was superb.  I can't recommend it enough!  We sat in our warm van, listening to segments told to us in story-like format and then, we ventured out to explore each stop.  

The audio tour helped to hold the Blossoms' attention.  Well, that and the fact that the Rugged Mountain Man is a bit of a history buff.  He helped us out whenever things got a little confusing.  

We were super pleased with how Blossom4 did in Gettysburg.  

She seemed genuinely tickled to explore new places in her typical mountain goat fashion.  

Little Roundtop was a favorite with all of us.  

Blossom2 particularly loved the rocks.  

Mama loved the views.

It was definitely a good idea to visit while we were studying this time period.  There were so many names and details that were still fresh in our minds.  

And, we could marvel at actually seeing history... like this hole, left from the original cannon ball.

There were poignant moments and wholesome family time.

Even if it snowed the entire spring day, we were glad to have tread on that hallowed ground, 

soaking up the history, reliving those days in our imaginations and cementing the history in our minds.

Things I Say

Things I say when we're doing wood:

"Pick up bark.  No, not the smallest pieces you can.  Pick up the biggest pieces and fill that sled up...

pick them up now."

"Wow!  You filled that wheelbarrow up fast.  Good job!"

"Here, Blossom3, you run the wheelbarrow back and get started filling it up again, while I stack these logs."

"Pull that sled faster.  Quit moping."

"Get a drink of water and get back at it!"

"Stop complaining about the rope and PULL."

"Don't take off your gloves.  Keep them on and keep working."

"That's enough breaks.  Get back to picking up bark."

"That IS a super cool bug you found!"  

"Quit worrying about how much longer we have and pay attention to your splitting."

"Don't be picky about what log you're going to split next; just grab one and split it."

"You're right, we WILL be warm and toasty this winter."

"Good teamwork!!!!"

"That is about the biggest, ugliest spider I've ever seen.  I wonder what kind it is?"

"You know how it works; if you ask how much longer, it's another five minutes added on."

"Do you want to be nice and warm and cozy when the snow flies?  

Then, get busy splitting and filling the wheelbarrow."

"HUSTLE!"

"Leave the baby birds alone.  Their mama knows where they are and will feed them.  You're right though, I think they are grackles."

"Daddy's gonna be so excited at how much we stacked!"

"Now, let's go down to the creek."

Joy Need Not Wait

If there was a lesson in my recent weekend trip to Lancaster with my mom and sister, it would be taking the work that needed to be done and sipping the joy from the midst of it. 

I attend a homeschool convention every year for the purpose of research, inspiration and purchases that span a year's worth of curricula and school goals for four Blossoms.  

It's a lot of work packed into one or two days.  I do find it very inspiring, although it is rarely relaxing.  By the time I drop into my own bed again, I'm exhausted.  The Blossoms have come to look forward to this time with their Grammie because HELLO SUMMER and ice cream, and swimming, and cousins, and goodies, and grilled meat, and pizza, and, and, AND... for obvious reasons.

 But, mama still has to work.  My sister, Naomi, was attending for the purpose of scoping out the preschool homeschool world.  And Mom goes as moral support, official sounding board and ice cream buddy.  

We certainly squeezed in lots of food and walking and conversation and deep-breathing the fresh air and trying new foods and sight-seeing and humming and hugs and laughter and silly jokes and all the good, good parts of family.

Until we leave this planet Earth, there will always be work to be done.  

(Mamas, we need to accept this.)  Life's inbox is never empty.

Can we not smile with our children, our family, take their hands, sing whilst we work and squeeze those drops of goodness from everyday life?

Joy doesn't have to wait til after the work is done.  

Dominique

We visited Rachel's Cafe & Creperie.  I chose the "Cylo," a garlic-infused crepe stuffed with braised pork shoulder, spinach, feta cheese, cheddar cheese and curry aioli!  STELLAR. Of course, I sampled Mom's and Naomi's crepes too.  Mmmmmm.  #crepesrock

Tea & Sights

Roving the streets of Lancaster with my sister and mom was a treat to be remembered!

Drawn into this quaint tea shop, I couldn't resist a purchase of Hazelnut Cookie black tea.  I sniffed many beautiful varieties before I finally settled on one.  

The seven piece band playing happy, jazzy swing music on the streets made us tap our toes to the rhythm and smile.

Though hot, the skies were lovely and the scenery was amazing, especially at the nearby Central Market.  It was a classy market chock full of delightful wares and tantalizing smells.

Oops!  More tea?  Certainly!

This time, I purchased some splendid Irish Breakfast tea.  Next time, I want to try the Scottish Breakfast Tea.

As I stood in line for a delicious soft pretzel, I snapped a pic of this sign.  It's pronounced "come-ess-uh."  It's actually Pennsylvania Dutch for "Come eat."  That's what Grammie says to call us to mealtime!  

Walking to our next destination, I loved the privacy of this "secret garden."  

Meandering the streets of Lancaster proved to be a gem of a weekend!

How Sweet It Is

I'm exuberant.  

Expressive.  

Even ostentatious in my reactions.  

And my husband is not.  

We are opposites in the best sense.  We complement each other so exquisitely that I remember often that God knew what He was doing when He brought us together.  

The thing is, sometimes it's easy to lose sight of the strengths in the Rugged Mountain Man's personality and character, when I find myself wanting him to act like me.  

I've been mulling over fostering more contentment and more joy in our marriage.  

What can I do?  What is my part?  What do I need to change? 

I feel like the Holy Spirit put His finger here.  When I finish a project and I'm proud of my work, the Rugged Mountain Man's simple, calm, genuine and non-gushing "Good job, Honey" 

is good enough if I choose to remember that it's good enough.  

Underneath that desire for him to act like me or to say what I want to hear, is a dangerous ditch of wanting to change my husband.  This is how God made him and when I stop and think about it, 

I'm thankful he is the way he is.

The contented wife is the richest wife.  

And then, marriage - how sweet it is!

My sister, mom and I experienced rolled ice cream for the first time last weekend at Rolled Cold Creamery.   Mine is the Peanut Butter Brownie masterpiece on the left of the picture.  Mom enjoyed a strawberry chocolate splurge.  My sister's is not pictured... she ate it quickly so she would only have to share a bite or two of her Nutella nirvana.  Just kidding!

#rolledcoldcreamery #howsweetitis

When Aslan Comes...

"Wrong will be made right, when Aslan comes in sight."

It's one of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes from the Chronicles of Narnia 

and I know of no better way to talk about the justice of God.

I've heard folks talk about how what happens in this world is God's best.  Of course I believe He is a sovereign God masterfully weaving the tapestry tales of our lives.  And yet, there is a snag of injustice in this world.  

When everything that happens every day here on Earth is touted as God's best, folks can feel the injustice of it.  It bothers them.  It bothers me.  

We must look at things through the lens of Eternity.  In our broken, fallen, groaning world, evil people very often get away with their wiles.  Servants of the Lord have bad things happen to them.  

But, I find comfort remembering that we serve a just God. So many wrongs will be made right in the End.  His servants receive their reward and evil people who showed no remorse, no turning, 

receive their just recompense.  

Yes, wrong will be made right.  

Dominique

Visiting the Rabbit and the Dragonfly, a J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis themed book store and coffee shop was a jewel of a time in a recent weekend with my sister and my mom.  I'm so excited about my vintage World War I newspaper clippings and photographs book that I found there.  We'll be using it with our history curriculum this year.  I can't wait to visit again next year!  Maybe I'll get my own "Deep Magic from Beyond the Sea" espresso chocolate frappuchino, instead of stealing sips of my sister's.

#therabbitandthedragonfly