Happy 2009!!!!!

A Happy and Blessed New Year to all of you, my friends!
Click on the "movie " and enjoy!

DaySpring Movies

Let's Have Coffee in 2009!!!!

I recently received this interesting little parable in my email. I had read it before, but it was a good reminder for me as I reflect on this past year and the new year ahead and so I pass it along to you today.

Carrots, Eggs, & Coffee!

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. Without saying a word, she let them sit and boil.
In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.' 'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take the egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water. 'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? '

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials you make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human, and enough hope to bring you joy!

Vacation Memories

This is Mom with Samantha.
Elise, Mom and me
Another picture of Mom and Samantha
Mom with her three daughters - Nancy, me, and Karen
Kris, my niece and Kare, my sister
Mom with my nephew, Kraig
Yummy dessrts for my birthday celebration
Grandson Bill
Aunt Elise enjoying Bill and Leilani
Elise and Leilani in the snow
Elise and Leilani enjoying dinner

Waiting for a table at Logan's Roadhouse

We had so much fun in Michigan and made some wonderful family memories!

Immanuel

A blessed Christmas to all of my faithful readers! This blog, which started out as something therapeutic for me to do, has turned into such an unexpected joy for me! I am amazed and humbled by the people who read these ramblings and I have been so encouraged by the comments I have received. I have had readers from as far away as Iraq and Amsterdam! And I have been visited by readers from several states including California, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Minnesota, and others! I don't know who you all are, but it's fun to see where you come from! Soon I will have my 1,000th visitor! This has really been a joyful adventure!

This morning for my quiet time I read some from Matthew about the birth of Jesus. "...and they will call him Immanuel-which means, 'God with us'." Matthew 1:23 I have always loved that name and it's meaning. The name Immanuel was especially meaningful that first Christmas after we lost our home. It gave me such assurance and security to know that God was with me, truly with me, walking with me, holding my hand, being my constant support.

That verse from Matthew sent me on a scavenger hunt of sorts as I tried to think of other verses that back up the name Immanuel. How about Matthew 28:20. Jesus, the baby talked about in chapter 1, is now ready to return home to His Father. One of the last things He says to His disciples (and to us) are the reassuring words..."and surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Because of Immanuel, because of this God Who became flesh and has promised to be with me always, I have hope and joy and peace. Christmas blessings to you all!

Enjoying the Snow

Hi, friends! No, I haven't fallen off the face of the earth...but I have fallen into some pretty deep snow! Elise and I flew up to Michigan last Thursday. We are having so much fun celebrating with family and friends, even though "the weather outside is frightful"! I will post more when we return to Houston, and I'll have lots of cute pictures to post too! Forget Christmas...Remember Jesus! Hugs!!!

WHO IS YOUR ROLE MODEL???

Okay, try this without looking at the answers.

1) Pick your favorite number between 1-9

2) Multiply by 3 then

3) Add 3, then again. Multiply by 3 (I'll wait while you get the calculator . . .)

4) You'll get a 2 or 3 digit number . . .

5) Add the digits together.

Now, scroll down to find your role model . . .






1. Einstein
2. Nelson Mandela
5. Bill Gates
6. Gandhi
7. Brad Pitt
8. Hitler
9. Joyce Schulting
10. Barack Obama

Introducing Ligia

Today I would like you to meet one of my newest friends, Ligia. You pronounce her name Lee-he-yah. Ligia is one of my students . I have been teaching her English since March. Ligia is from Cordoba, Mexico and she has always lived in Mexico until moving to Houston last year. She is married to Agustin and they have one son and twin daughters. The minute you walk into her home, it is obvious that Ligia loves her family and extended family...pictures abound! She grew up in a rural area and she loves to tell stories of her days running around barefoot, climbing trees, exploring vegetation, and caring for animals. Even today, she will take me to her little garden and gingerly show me her newly planted herbs. Many a language lesson has been interrupted when she sees a "beard" outside...that's her cute way of pronouncing "bird". And then she will run off to get her camera and try to get a close-up of a Bluejay or a Cardinal.

She has told me so many stories of her family. Tears come to her eyes when she recalls her dear Mother who died when Ligia was only 21. I'm so happy for her that she will be able to return to Mexico for Christmas!

Many cute and funny things have happened to us as we have forged our friendship. Language has often been a barrier, since I know very little Spanish, and yet somehow we have been able to laugh and cry and pray together! Here are a few glimpses into our friendship:

• We cook with each other. Ligia has taught me how to make Poblanos con Pollo and I helped her make Salmon for her husband. When I first said the word "salmon", Ligia blushed and giggled. She asked why we Americans called it THAT word! After several minutes of pouring over the dictionary, we finally figured out that she thought I was calling the fish "semen"! Embarrassing, but we still have belly laughs over that one!
• Often I have gone shopping with Ligia. Last week we were at the Disney store buying gifts for what seemed like every child in Mexico! The salesperson asked Ligia if I was her Mother-in-law and Ligia laughed. "No", she responded. "She is more like my Mother!" I took that as a very special compliment.
• Ligia NEVER would let me babysit the children. I would often volunteer, but she was very hesitant to say yes. It was a great honor when she and her husband let me watch one of the twins while they were at the hospital with the other twin. Since then, I have been asked often and every time I consider it an honor because I know it is a huge sign that they trust me.
• Last week, Agustin could not get away from work to go with Ligia and the twins to a follow-up appointment with a specialist. The doctor discovered a cyst on little Maria's kidney and he wanted them to take her to a specialist at Texas Children's Hospital. Ligia asked me if I could go with her and watch Gabbie while Maria was checked. I had never been to this hospital and was in awe of what a wonderful facility it is!! In the short amount of time we were there I got a small glimpse of hurt and hope as parents waited with their children to see a doctor. When we left, Ligia said, "Joyce, when I first came to Houston, I saw this big building and read the words 'Texas Children's Hospital', and I prayed that I would never have to take one of my children there, but today I am here." Today we rejoice that Maria is fine and that the cyst is not cancerous!
• Every time I call on the phone, Ligia says, "Hello, my English teacher!" She briefly had another teacher before me and that teacher taught Ligia the wrong pronunciation of many words. Because of that teacher, Ligia often says things like, "I have a head H." It took me a while to teach her that she needs to say "ache" that rhymes with "bake" and "lake". Now it's our little inside joke when we say we have a "head H" or a "stomach H".

Tomorrow is Ligia's birthday and we are going to celebrate with an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins! Happy Birthday, my friend!

P.S. Ligia and her husband are both college graduates and very intelligent. She is a journalist and he is an engineer. Their son did not know one word of English last year. The school strongly advised them to place their son in a bi-lingual school. Agustin was very firm that they allow their son to enter a regular 4th grade class. It's been one year, and last week at the conferences they gave a glowing report on their son. He will be entering honor classes for middle school next year. He also was in the school's spelling bee and received second place!!!! The families that I work with place great value on education and learning English. They never cancel class - it is an important priority to them.

Valley of Vision

Have you ever read the Puritan prayers found in the book, The Valley of Vision? They are deep, insightful, and penetrating prayers. Today, I would like to share one that is appropriate for Advent and one that I hope inspires you to take a moment to ponder the wonder of our Savior's birth.

O God, take me in spirit to the watchful shepherds, and enlarge my mind;

Let me hear good tidings of great joy, and hearing, believe, rejoice, praise, and adore,

my conscience bathed in an ocean of repose, my eyes uplifted to a reconciled Father;

place me like an ox, ass, camel, goat, to look with them upon my Redeemer's face, and in Him account myself delivered from sin;

let me with Simeon clasp the new-born child to my heart, embrace Him with undying faith,

exulting that He is mine and I am His.

In Him Thou hast given me so much that heaven can give no more.

It's December!

It's December already! My favorite month of the year! I know this is a busy month for everyone, but I'm going to try to do something I've never done before and you're all invited to join me in my new adventure. And what adventure is that, you may ask? Well, I would like to consciously prepare my heart and mind every day in preparation for Christmas. Everyday I'm going to read something by a theologian that I hold in high regard. Along with Scripture, I'm going to contemplate on the words of Calvin, Piper, Whitfield, Luther, and others. I hope to learn from their insights and in doing so, enrich my experience with this season of Advent. I'll be sharing my first reading later today, but for right now I'll share some pictures from our Thanksgiving trip to Alabama.

Our first stop along Interstate 10

Ah, the South...Spanish moss and bayous!!!

On Sunday we returned to our church in Biloxi, Mississippi. It is located directly on the Gulf of Mexico and of the many churches located on Highway 90 (on the Gulf), this was the only church that was left standing after Katrina. The church had about three feet of water inside, so all the pews needed to be refinished, Bibles and hymnals replaced, etc. On this Sunday, they were celebrating Thanksgiving and we were able to visit with many of our old church friends. It was good to have Southern sweet tea again! It was also great to taste their down-home cooking!




Here are pictures from our afternoon at Orange Beach. Our hotel was about 45 minutes from the beach. When we lived in Mississippi this was our beach of choice. The waves are wonderful here. We never got waves in Mississippi because of the barrier islands. The sand here is like sugar! The public pier wasn't rebuilt yet (since the hurricane) so we weren't able to fish like we had hoped. The water is so clear that you can usually see the fish go after your bait.

Here are some pictures on Thanksgiving Day. We had a wonderful meal together and then watched a movie. As we left the theatre, I saw this gorgeous tree...a perfect backdrop for a few family pictures!

On our way home, we stopped at our old house. It was quite sad and triggered many sad memories. It also served to remind us of how much God has blessed us with in Houston! At one point, Bill bent over and picked this up off the driveway...my Red Cross card! The first time I've seen that since 2005. Seems like every time we return to our lot we find something new!