Robert Frost for Thursday

Nothing Gold Can Stay
by Robert Frost

Nature's first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower,
but only so an hour.
As leaf subsides to leaf,
So Eden sank to grief.
So dawn goes down to day,
Nothing gold can stay.

I naturally think of this poem in the fall, but it's so fitting as we realize the fragile beauty of our broken world.  I also think of people I've loved and lost, moments that took my breath away...and am reminded of these words.

This is a great poem to memorize!  Since April is National Poetry Month, I'm going to try and memorize a couple favorites.  This Frost poem is pretty much the only one I know by heart. 

Oh, my students are going to think I'm crazy this April.  I will begin each class everyday with a new poem and require them to memorize a poem (they will choose from a variety I have selected for them).  They will keep a collection of favorite poems, try writing some of their own...oh, I'm just getting so geeked about this, I'm sorry.

And sometime today I'm going to write a poem about how Aaron said I looked like a lion with my "mane" long and flowing after a blow-out.  I may or may not share that.  My poetry can be pretty bad.  But one must be willing to do something badly if one longs for improvement....or something like that...

Have you met Armie Hammer?

Well, there he is.  Yes, he's the "twins" from the movie "Social Network," which I have not seen. 

More importantly (I think :) he played a young Billy Graham in the movie "Billy," which is an interesting film about Billy and his friendship with Charles Templeton, an evangelist friend who later became an atheist. 

Well, I just felt it my duty to inform the masses that Armie Hammer will play the Prince in "Snow White" - a movie coming out with Julia Roberts as the Wicked ...Queen?  Witch?  I can't remember. 

Now, this is not to be confused with another Snow White movie coming out at the same time called "Snow White and the Huntsman" -- that one stars Kristen Stewart as Snow White and Viggo Mortensen (ARAGORN!!) as the Huntsman.  They both sound pretty groovy to me. 

What is it with Hollywood and fairy tales?  Didn't see Red Riding Hood, but what's next?  Humpty Dumpty? 

Uh, Tuesday Funnies!

Here's one of our favorite things to watch around my house.

I hate it when I pull a muscle in my upper thigh....

This morning....

....I sat in the church that raised me, surrounded by my husband and children, and shook my head at the miracle of it all.

...I held the hands of my grandfather and grandmother and looked into their eyes.  I thanked God for their long, healthy lives.

...I lifted up my baby girl and she waved at Uncle Doug, worshiping on the platform, and he waved back.

...I listened to the sweet sweet sounds of my new niece behind me, having a morning bottle.

...I savored the deep faithfulness of God, the joy of His presence, and the fragility of a moment.  I love you, Lord.

Mrs. Reid says....

I am sitting in a study hall with 7th graders and there are approximately 15 minutes left until Spring Break.

Are they squirrely?  Are they giddy? 

What do you think?

Now, go have a fabulous spring!!

And read a book, for cryin' out loud!

(I wish I had my 7th grade school photo next to this one -- it would be a highly enjoyable comparison...just picture a turned-up collar and some crunchy gelled curls over that collar...sooo attractive)

A Poem for Thursday

This is not an easy week. 

This is a week of remembering and sadness, remembering the phone call in the night that changed our family forever.  The life of my father-in-law was large with love and laughter.  The ache that remains is only healed through belief and trust in the good heart of God -- a God I trust as a child who doesn't understand all the reasons and chooses to rest in His embrace.


Thirst
by Mary Oliver (from the collection Thirst)

Another morning and I wake with thirst
for the goodness I do not have.  I walk
out to the pond and all the way God has
given us such beautiful lessons. Oh Lord,
I was never a quick scholar but sulked
and hunched over my books past the
hour and the bell; grant me, in your
mercy, a little more time.  Love for the
earth and love for you are having such a
long conversation in my heart. Who
knows what will finally happen or
where I will be sent, yet already I have
given a great many things away, expect-
ing to be told to pack nothing, except the
prayers which, with this thirst, I am
slowly learning.

Fresh Tunes on a Snow Day

That's right, a snow day.  Yesterday's rain turned to ice overnight, and then a few inches of snow on top of that equals happy school children.

So I'm having fun downloading new music today in my sweats and thought I'd share a few with you.

Brooke Fraser -- Brooke is a Hillsong girl, but she is also a fabulous singer/songwriter of the pop variety.  She's a huge hit in New Zealand!!  I love her "Desert Song" from Hillsong, and now I've also gotten into her mellow tunes from previous albums.  I've loved Albertine (especially "Love, Where is Your Fire?" and "Shadowfeet" and "Hosea's Wife")

Downloaded today?  "Sailboats" and "You Can Close Your Eyes" from the album Flags

Jimmy Needham -- Jimmy is so original.  There's no one else like him in Christian music.  He's soulful and smooth.  His new album Nightlights has 2 cool songs called "Grace Amazing" and the date night tune, "Steal Away"

Kirk Franklin -- Kirk is king.  He makes me happy.  His new album, Hello Fear, has only one song a girl could really dance to, though.  Sigh.

Downloaded today?  "Before I Die" from Hello Fear

And then because my kids LOVE this song -- I bought "NY2LA" by the group Press Play.  I'm sure I'll regret that decision on a road trip soon......

When I pray, "Make me a blessing..."

...do I really know what I'm saying? 

I came across these definitions today -- convicting!!

PRIDE:  I think you want what I have.

ENVY:  I want what you have.

CONTENTMENT:  I'm OK with what I have, and I'm OK with what you have.

BLESSING:  I want you to have what I have.

It's so hard to get to this point of desiring to bless and not just sit at contentment! 

What do you think it means to be a blessing?

Sunday Funnies

I've watched this a lot, so I can't remember if I've posted this before.  I apologize if I'm repeating.  But dawg-gone it, I love this.

I think I'll dedicate it to my friends Patrick and Ashley, who win the award for bad ER experience.....may you never have to visit again!

THE Salad.

This isn't my salad, but it's a picture that closely resembles it. 

I have fallen head over heels with Cranberry Chicken Salad and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

It started with Deidre's in Spicer.  Then it became something I made at home.  Now, it's bordering on obsession.  Here's how I make it --

Romanie Lettuce

Cooked chicken breast

Gorgonzola Cheese

Chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Dried cranberries (Craisins)

Poppyseed dressing of your choice

Now, I have to say, no one was surprised more than me about the deliciousness of gorgonzola cheese.  But the combination of the cheese and the tart Craisins....just trust me that it is amazing.

As far as the dressing, I choose Kraft Poppyseed, but I'm sure others are delightful.  One must be careful with the dressing and the Craisins as both are loaded with sugar, which negates the point of a salad, right? 

Whatever.  It's good stuff.  Go make it, silly.

Hope - by Philip Booth (and a book to look for)

Hope
by Philip Booth

Old spirit, in and beyond me,
keep and extend me.  Amid strangers,
friends, great trees and big seas breaking,
let love move me.  Let me hear the whole music,
see clear, reach deep.  Open me to find due words,
that I may shape them to ploughshares of my own making.
After such luck, however late, give me to give to
the oldest dance...Then to good sleep,
and--if it happens--glad waking.


I love that line, "let love move me" and "Let me hear the whole music, see clear, reach deep."  That's my prayer today.

This book comes out April 5th.  It's a collection edited by Caroline Kennedy, who says, "Poems marked occasions in our family.  So I got into the habit of giving poems to mark special times, and gradually my friends became a part of this rich exchange too.  Giving someone a poem is a way of saying you understand the way they see the world."

Growing a Reader - Can it really be done?

I once attended a seminar/lecture taught by Jim Trelease when I was still teaching.  I was pregnant for the first time with G, and kept thinking, "This kid is going to love books.  I am going to surround him with books, and take him to the library once a week, minimum."

The Trelease seminar (and the book pictured below) was on the importance of reading aloud.  A report in 1985 by the Commission on Reading, organized by the National Academy of Education concluded,

"The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children."

Did you know that the more printed materials found in a child's home, the higher the student's writing, reading, and math skills?

Trelease's book

One last quote from Trelease:

The bottom line is that the richer words you hear, the richer will be the words you give back - in speech or writing.  Reading aloud as early in their lives as possible and continuing through the grades, will expose them to a rich, organized, and interesting language model they will at least have as an alternative to the tongue-tied language of their peers.

And can you really grow a reader?  Does reading aloud really make a difference?

Well, let's see.  I read to G so much as a baby.  We would lay on our backs on my bed and I would go through a stack of picture books while he contentedly kicked and gurgled.  

When he sat up and started playing, he practically chewed all his board books to pieces. 

I took him to the library once a week, where all he wanted to do was play in the peek-a-boo house.  I got him books on CD, books of his own, signed up for all those library reading challenges where he gots prizes, etc.  

And now?  He's 9 years old.  His idea of a good book is Garfield.  Calvin and Hobbes.  Sigh.  

Sometimes I wonder where I went wrong.  But that's not the point.  The point is that when it comes to parenting, there are no easy formulas.  A + B does not necessarily equal C.  I have to remember his vocabulary skills and verbal communication are rather outstanding.  (Makes him SO fun to argue with...)

And I have to remember that you can draw a kid to books (or music, or sports, fill-in-the-blank) but you can't make him someone he's not.  There's also the chance he's a late bloomer and that one day, my 25 year old son will be calling me for book recommendations.  It could happen!  (Aaron is laughing....)

Growing a well-rounded, educated child is trickier than it looks.  It's a lot of hit and miss, prayer, encouragement, and studying the child God gave you. 

 The results do not always match the effort.  But the chances are so much better when the environment is rich.  (Translation:  all the cash I drop at Barnes and Noble is worth it, right? :)

This & That

Hey Y'all!

My big D turned 8 years old yesterday, officially kicking me into a reality check of how fast my kids are growing.  In just a few days, baby girl will be 3 and that breaks my heart just a wee little bit.

I had to cover my mouth yesterday when in the middle of picking up the living room (which D did NOT want to do) he mutters angrily, "This does NOT feel like a happy birthday!!"  But he perked up when we took the whole fam to DQ for dinner and he had his favorite Banana Split Blizzard.  He must take after his Grandma L!

Speaking of Grandma, we are currently loving these DVDs she sent for Aaron's bday:

Sarah Palin's Alaska Season One on TLC

It's the next best thing to going to Alaska yourself and hanging out with Sarah.  The kids love it, too, and we've decided we have to start saving for a big Alaska family trip sometime.  (Maybe by the time the kids are all in college?!?)

Today I filled out an NCAA bracket for the first time.  It was a little overwhelming, so I called my little brother, who gave me a couple hints.  The easiest part was picking the winner....hmmmm and who would that be you ask?

The greatest buckeye fans on earth!

Sunday Funnies

Tim Hawkins (sporting 90s hair - rock on bro) talks about those old-school playgrounds.

Poetry Thursday

I'm excited to share a Billy Collins poem today.  He never takes himself too seriously and some of his poetry is down-right hilarious. 

Introduction to Poetry
by Billy Collins from Sailing Alone Around the Room

I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide

or press an ear against its hive.

I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,

or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.

I want them to water-ski
across the surface of the poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.

But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.

They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.

I needed to hear it. Didn't want to. But needed to.

Aw, man.  I had seen this book around for awhile, but wasn't sure if I could handle another book telling me the "shoulds" of eating and living and....you know, more guilt.

But, wow.  Yes.  This book is where my pink highlighter has been hanging out lately.  I love how Lysa writes about extremely sensitive issues with graciousness.  You talk to women about eating and food and we get all defensive, you know?  Especially if you try to make our spiritual lives part of the equation.

She writes:

"...the cycle I've come to hate and feel powerless to stop continues.  Who could I talk to about this?  If I admit my struggle with food to my friends, they might try to hold me accountable the next time we go out.  And what if I'm not in the mood to be questioned about my nachos con queso with extra sour cream?


I'll just tell them I'll be starting on Monday and they'll be fine with it.  They don't think I need to make changes.


But I did need to make changes.  I knew it.  Because this wasn't about the scale or what clothing size I was; it was about this battle that raged in my heart.  I thought about, craved, and arranged my life too much around food.  So much so, I knew it was something God was challenging me to surrender to His control.  Really surrender.  Surrender to the point where I'd make radical changes for the sake of my spiritual health perhaps even more than my physical health.  


Part of my surrender was asking myself a really raw question.


May I ask you this same raw question?


Is it possible we love and rely on food more than we love and rely on God?"

Ouch.  And another ouch was this line, "Shallow desires result in shallow results."


Getting healthy/thin/in shape must be about something more than just me.  It needs to be journey I take with my Father God, recognizing that He is my reward, my joy, my place to go in times of sadness, stress, and even happiness -- not food.

You can check out more of the book and Lysa's website here.

Slowing Down

One of the things that concerns me about technology and the crazy-mad pace of our day is that no one has the patience or attention span for a movie like Get Low.

This movie is slow. Sometimes painfully slow. It's tempting to do something else, like grab a laptop and check email...or grab a phone to text....or --- wait. What if I just watch? What if I just slow down and let this story take me in, which is what we want all good art to do?

That's what I love about Get Low. It's just a great story told by great actors. There are no fast car chases or robots or pulsing soundtracks. It's quiet. And it's refreshing.

Does Anyone Read Poetry Anymore?

...a valid question in this culture of digital overdose.  Besides Literature students and depressed teenage girls, is anyone reading poetry for pleasure?  I think they should.


I’m sure being an English teacher has something to do with it, but I truly believe the average American citizen needs more poetry - or at the least, more exposure to poetry.

A poem that truly speaks to you is like a painting, a beautiful song or sunset – it speaks to a place in your soul that nothing else can touch. Beauty is essential. Art is a soul’s oxygen.

Every Thursday, I’ll do my best to bring the goods - poems that make me smile, make me sad, or just sound good.

Maybe you will discover a poet that becomes your favorite….maybe you’ll even try writing poetry yourself.

I’m going to kick-off this gig with one of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver, who wrote this awesome line:

“Tell me what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”

 

And this one:

“To live in this world, you must be able to do three things: to love what is mortal; to hold it against your bones knowing your own life depends on it; and, when the time comes to let it go, to let it go.”

I Want to Write Something So Simply


by Mary Oliver (from “Evidence” 2009)


I want to write something
so simply
about love
or about pain
that even
as you are reading
you feel it
and as you read
you keep feeling it
and though it be my story
it will be common,
though it be singular
it will be known to you
so that by the end
you will think—
no, you will realize—
that it was all the while
yourself arranging the words,
that it was all the time
words that you yourself,
out of your own heart
had been saying.