We went and picked apricots earlier this week. YUM!

Apricots are my favorite fruit and it brought back great memories of grandma’s apricot tree. I wish I had a place to dry them here, but I did make apricot upside down cake, apricot coffee cake, apricot ice cream, apricot chicken and the list goes on. Any favorite apricot recipes that you want to share?

Journey, an update 6-29-07 PLUS...

“Therefore dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that our labor in the Lord is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

I read this verse this morning and starting thinking about life in general. There are a lot of things in life that are good. It is a nice thing, an edifying thing, to seek after peace, quiet, beauty, a good story, an uplifting experience, etc. But I can’t allow my desire for those things to draw my focus away from what God has called me to do. Sometimes what God calls us to isn’t pleasant or fun. But I was challenged once again to stand firm, even in the unpleasant things, and to give myself and my life fully to the Lord’s direction because I know that He has a purpose in all things and that when I serve Him that what I do is never in vain even if I don’t immediately see the results of my sacrifice.

PLUS... I read a blog post today by Karen Hancock and it spoke to me along the same lines as the verses above. You can read the whole post at:

http://karenhancock.blogspot.com/2007/06/casting-your-bread-on-waters.html.

An excerpt of her post follows:

I'm to have the same mind as my Lord. I do the work as unto Him, not for the praise of people, because if it really is significant work, they'll probably be unable to give it anyway. I do it, not expecting (craving?) response or approval, but knowing it's something I give to them freely because I choose to and want to. You give freely, lavishly and you don't expect anything back. Not praise, not good reviews, not even remuneration. Because that's how God works: He reaches out to the world and keeps reaching out whether the world responds or not. In fact, mostly the world doesn't respond.

In the parable of the sower, the seed was sown, in most cases, without positive results. But the Lord doesn't say, 'Only sow your seed among those that you think will respond and don't waste time on those you think won't.' Seventy-five percent of his hearers did not respond to the parable of the sower. That's not the issue. The issue is to be obedient. So what if they laugh at you or mock or reject you? Leave the results to God and keep on sowing.

Learn to look at the things you've done in terms of the influence you've had on people's lives. You're giving yourself, your talent, your gift. Don't do it for money or acclaim. Don't wait for letters of thank you. You shouldn't expect to benefit for every good thing you do in people's lives. We must give to give, not to get.

Journey, an update 6-6-07

“The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. --- The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. --- My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.” Psalm 145:13-14,18,21

This week, I have been in Hungary for one year and six months. I’ve been reflecting on all that God has done and how faithful He is. Though I have my own plans and sometimes it seems that His plan for me involves more waiting and preparing than I would like, through all of the learning, growing and waiting on Him I see His hand and His faithfulness as He shapes me into who He wants me to be.

Though this past year and a half hasn’t been easy, it is true that God has been near and that he has answered every time I have called upon His Name. He consistently lifts me up whenever I am bowed down with worry or frustration or impatience. I will praise His name and tell of His glory to all those around me, for He is worthy. Great is His love and faithfulness to his children!

Well, here's another light hearted post for you. The other night the noise outside my apartment was so loud I couldn't sleep so I killed the time until it quieted down by thinking of movie quotes for a quiz. (I was too brain dead to do anything productive.) So, do you know which movies the following quotes are from?

1. "Teacher says, every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings”.
2. "If you can't be an athlete, be an athletic supporter."
3. “Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them?”
4. "All my life, when I'm quite grown-up I will always remember my grandfather and how he smelled of tobacco and peppermint.”
5. "I wear the mask. It does not wear me."
6. "Don't be such a beetle! I could never love anyone as I love my sisters!"
7. "Why do I do this? Three reasons: the pay is good, the scenery changes, and they let me use explosives."
8. "Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die."
9. "We are in danger of flunking most heinously tomorrow."
10. "Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads."
11. "Hey you guys!"
12. "Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all."
13. “Me? I'm dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It's the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they're going to do something incredibly... stupid.”
14. “I'm sure I don't do anything you would find exciting. I don't open beer bottles with my toes, I don't sit around and count what's left of my teeth, hey, I don't even enjoy a good tractor pull.”
15. “Yes, I shall go down in history as the man who opened a door!”
16. “I am in a dress, I have gel in my hair, I haven't slept all night, I'm starved, AND I'm armed! Don't MESS with me!”
17. “That's no moon. It's a space station.”
18. “All major theme parks have delays. When they opened Disneyland in 1956, nothing worked. --- Yeah, but John, if the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists.”
19. “What do you mean, you don't eat no meat? ... That's okay. I'll make lamb.”
20. “It's amazing the clarity that comes with psychotic jealousy.”

1. It’s a Wonderful Life
2. Grease
3. Fellowship of the Ring
4. The Parent Trap
5. Man in the Iron Mask
6. Little Women
7. Armageddon
8. Princess Bride
9. Bill and Tedd’s Excellent Adventure
10. Back to the Future
11. Goonies
12. The Princess Diaries
13. Pirates of the Caribbean, Curse of the Black Pearl
14. The Cutting Edge
15. Ever After
16. Miss Congeniality
17. Star Wars
18. Jurassic Park
19. My Big Fat Greek Wedding
20. My Best Friend’s Wedding