You are currently browsing the monthly archive for June, 2007.
Yesterday I visited the gynecologist for the first time since my 6-week postpartum with Jonathan. Apart from the fact that I have stellar blood pressure — 110/64, which puts me in the “athletes” category, HA! — everything was normal. And no, I’m not pregnant. I know you’re disappointed.
I spoke with him about the recent change in my medical history…namely, that my mom has had breast cancer. First, he replied that any woman in the United States now has a 1 in 9 chance of having breast cancer. Secondly, he said that it’s more of a concern if your mom has it pre-menopause, say, in her 30’s or 40’s. My mom is not that young. I know that may come as a shock, since she looks it. 
Lastly, he said that for me it would be best to wait until the normal age, 35, to begin having mammograms. A baseline at 35 and then yearly ones beginning at 40 will be the plan unless something changes.
I just want to express thanks for SUCH a great group of doctors. I like each one of them in this office. They never make me feel like a moron for having four kids so close together, and still not using hormonal birth control. (I will post on this topic sometime in the future…for now, if you’re curious, you can read Challies’ article here and here; David and I have mostly come to the same conclusion that he and his wife have reached, for the same reasons.) They just ask me how the kids are and laugh at my stories and tell me to keep up the good work. Super-encouraging. And the nurses are all nice, too.
When was the last time you did a BSE? When was your last pap?
Just your friendly neighborhood nag 
All books at Desiring God’s website are $5 today and tomorrow.
We’re making our list and checking it twice…
A room without books is like a body without a soul.
G. K. Chesterton; also attributed to Cicero
The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them.
Mark Twain
Our two older boys are attending VBS this week at a church nearby. They are in separate classes, so they don’t see each other all morning. I have had a lot of fun listening to their recaps of their mornings for each other. This morning’s went something like this:
Cameron: Ben, what craft did you make this morning?
Ben: I drew a picture of myself fishing with my kitty.
Cameron: We went to music again!
Ben: We did, too!
Mom: What song did you sing today?
Cameron: “Run, run, run the race for Jesus” [or some similar sports/Jesus mixture]
Ben: We sang that song TOO!
Cameron: And we got to stand on the stairs while we were singing!!
Mom: What was your Bible story about today?
Ben: Mine was about John.
Cameron: Mine was about John the Baptist.
Ben: Oh, mine too. My favorite part was when he ate bugs and honey.
Cameron: Those bugs were called locusts.
Ben: Oh.
Cameron: They’re like [eyes very wide] GIANT GRASSHOPPERS!!!
Mom: Would you like to eat those?
The entire van: Eeeewwww!
Mom: Did you make any new friends today?
Ben: There is a girl in my class named Parker. She has shorts that have all the colors of the rainbow!
Cam: Wow!
Ben: AND she has a shirt with a monkey hanging from a tree, and it’s all sparkles.
Cameron: That’s AMAZING! I have never seen a shirt like that!
Ben: And the tree branch is made of sparkles, too.
Cameron: Wow! That must be an amazing shirt!
Ben: And her name is Parker.
Cameron: That’s a nice name. Nice clothes, nice name.
Ben: No, the girl’s name is Parker.
Cameron: Yes, that’s what I said. She has a nice name and nice clothes.
Ben: Nice clothes, nice name. Nice name, nice clothes.
Cameron: Nice clothes and a nice name. Maybe when she turns six she can be in my class.
Ben: But then I will be six, too, so I will be in your class.
(You will notice that Mom has completely dropped out of the conversation here. She is in the front seat biting her lip to keep from bursting out laughing.)
These days I have been enjoying a lot of music…some old, some new. I have been blessed to sing with the worship team recently and look forward to continuing that on into July.
One album that has been restful to my weary soul is The Builder and the Architect by Sandra McCracken (stop me if you’ve heard this before…). Here are some excerpts from my favorite songs:
GRACE UPON GRACE
This song was inspired by Grace Active (#214 from The Valley of Vision).
In every station new trials and troubles
Call for more grace than I can afford
And where can I go but to my dear Savior
For mercy that pours from boundless stores
Grace upon grace, every sin repaired
Every joy restored, you will find Him there
In every turning He will prepare you
With grace upon grace
Here’s a second favorite — one about which my kids say, “Mom, can you please play a different one?!” because I play it so much — entitled “Rock of Ages (When the Day Seems Long).” Bear with me, I couldn’t pick just one verse so I cut and pasted the whole darn thing here.
rock of ages, when the day seems long
from this labor and this heartache I have come
the skies will wear out but You remain the same
rock of ages, I praise Your name
rock of ages, You have brought me near
You have poured out Your life blood, Your love, and Your tears
to make this stone heart come alive again
rock of ages, forgive my sin
rock of ages, bind Your children until the kingdom comes
rock of ages, Your will be done
rock of ages, when in want for rest
my desperate need for such a Savior I confess
and pry these idols out from my heart’s embrace
rock of ages, I need Your grace
rock of ages, broken, scorned for me
who am I that You would die to make me free?
to give me glory You took the death and the pain
rock of ages, my offering
rock of ages bind Your children until the kingdom comes
rock of ages Your will be done
rock of ages, “it is done,” You cried
the curtain’s torn and I see justice satisfied
now write Your mercy here on my heart and hands
rock of ages, in faith I stand
rock of ages, my great hope secure
Your promise holds just like an anchor to my soul
bind Your children with cords of love and grace
rock of ages, we give You praise
rock of ages bind Your children until the kingdom comes
rock of ages, Your will be done
But I must admit that with this CD, the song that is currently playing is always my favorite. You can hear a snippet of each of these songs here.
And here’s Sandra talking about why she loves hymns, along with “Thy Mercy,” which is the first song on the album:
I just emailed this to my friend Joy and thought, “hey! Free blog entry!” I found this while searching for a copycat recipe for Macaroni Grill bread. It’s not as good as that (my oven doesn’t get as hot as theirs, for one thing!), but it’s pretty good. It makes two small loaves.
1 T. yeast
1 T. sugar
1 C. warm water (105-115 degrees…this always feels “hot” instead of “warm” to me, but I digress)
2 1/2 C. white flour, divided use
1 t. salt
2 T. fresh rosemary, chopped, divided use
1 T. canola oil, peanut oil, or olive oil
nonstick cooking spray
2 T. butter, melted
Place yeast, sugar and water in large bowl and allow mixture to become bubbly. Mix in 2 C. flour and salt. Add one tablespoon of the rosemary. Knead about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic, adding more flour as necessary. Put dough in greased bowl, turn to coat, and cover with a towel. Allow to rise 1 hour or until doubled. Punch down and divide in half. Let rest 5-10 minutes. Shape dough into 2 small oval loaves on a greased pan. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle rosemary over and press lightly. Let rise again until doubled, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 450, sprinkle loaves with coarse salt. Bake 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
It’s funny to revisit a recipe…I have no idea where the oil comes in, for one thing. I guess that could be a little bit of fat in the dough. I never add it, though. And I frequently skip the melted butter thing because I’m always in the midst of mad dinner prep when that step comes. It’s fine without it, but it looks great when you do it. Keep in mind that it is a very soft dough, so don’t panic when it feels really light. That’s how mine always is.
Scene: The daily war over who gets the spoon with “Benjamin” on it begins. Andrew gets it today. Ben is choking back tears. Mommy talks to Ben about everything he can be thankful for, and asks him to please bless the meal (I frequently do this if a child is having “heart” problems…it’s a good heart check for me to pray, so I think it’s the same for them).
Ben: Dear God, I pray that you would forgive my brothers’ sins and forgive even my sins. Amen.
This is poignant to me because it is so true of all of us…except many of us skip the second half of that prayer. We are so ready to consider others’ sins and offer ourselves grace.
…to the many who have endorsed the sermon series from the most recent New Attitude conference. They are available for free at Sovereign Grace’s website. I’ve only listened to the first three so far…from Josh Harris, Mark Dever, and Al Mohler. They have been water to my soul!
“Mothers of the Wise and Good” will return next week, so that I can get some mothering done.
Scene: Boys getting ready for bed. Mom supervising tooth-brushing.
Cameron: Mom, do you know what my favorite bone is?
Mom: Uh…no?
Cameron: It’s the ribs.
Mom: Oh.
Cameron: Mom, what’s your favorite thing about the ribs?
Mom, realizing that she has never, not ever, thought about this question before in her entire life: Uh, I guess that they protect our lungs. That’s good.
Cameron: You know what I like about the ribs?
Mom: What?
Cameron: The way it sounds, “ribs.” I like that word. And I like how they feel all bumpy.
Ben enters.
Cameron: Ben, what’s your favorite thing about the ribs?
Ben: Ribs? What’s that?
Cameron: It’s your bones right here (points to his ribs, which are nearly always visible.)
Ben, stretching out so he can feel his ribs: Oh, that’s cool!!
Cameron: Ben, feel the little bumps in my back.
Mom, as Ben complies: Those are his vertebrae.
Cameron: No, Mom, it’s my spine.
Mom: It’s the same thing. Your vertebrae make up your spine.
From Psalm 139:
13 For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. [1]
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
to my husband!
We had a great day yesterday…a very “manly” lunch of ribs and “mayonnaise-based salads” (David’s term for macaroni salad and potato salad), with two of our favorite church brothers, Albert and Tom. Then we watched some of the US Open and headed with all the kids over to the driving range. It was the first time I had swung a golf club in four years, I think. The results were accordingly awful. But we had a good time anyway. David gave lessons to all the guys except for Jonathan, who was more interested in repairing divots.
