Praises in Heaven

I've been busy. I love my blog, but I love my family more, and I had a migraine. It was freaky. My face got numb. Have you ever had your face get numb?! Well, if you have you know how freaky it is. So....that's why I've been ignoring you all! But here I am, I'm back...

And I want to talk about one of my beloved musicians. Rich Mullins.

Rich Mullins published quite a few albums before he died. I love them all, but I am especially fond of "Never Picture Perfect" and "the Jesus Record" which he didn't get to finish before he died. But the songs are still there, their meaning rich as Rich himself. But my ultimate favorite is his album that links songs about America with the order of the liturgy. "A Liturgy, A Legacy, and A Ragamuffin Band." You should buy it.

I love Rich Mullin's music. It is full of scriptural references, full of feeling and heart, and it has a fresh, an experienced, way of looking at Christ. It is true music, because it comes from a redeemed heart.

I love Rich Mullin's music because it is real music, by a real musician. Rich wrote more than the lyrics. He wrote more than the melody. Rich was a real musician, who played so many different folk instruments I don't think I can remember all of them. But his music has a solid foundation in the classics, and this makes it shine. He even uses my favorite Bach fugue in his song Sing Your Praise To The Lord.

I guess I'm just talking about him because I'm so sad that he is dead. Out of all the concerts I might go to, I would most want to see Rich Mullins. But he is in heaven. When I get there we will be praising together, for all eternity. Come, won't you join us? Keith Green is there too! And Luther, and Horatio Spafford, and Jim Elliott...

OK, so I give in

a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
z y x w v u t s r q p o l k j h f d c b a m g i n e

Clue

Obviously, I've made my puzzle too hard. I'll give you a clue. I've already given you the keyword to the cypher.

Have fun! I'll be talking with my buddy Manda. Today is Rachel's graduation, so we get to see them all. I'm excited. I have missed her since school has been out.

God be with you.

Millie Jo

Enigma (yes, there is a prize to the one who can send me the right answer)

Nja lzn cvv lv gzirkt jd tryyjac, yab nja kvmvd cvv lv kvg!

Scales (not fish!)

While I was at the CHEC conference last week, I picked up a book about scales for guitar. It looked simple enough: a long narrow book with lots of graphics and a few words meant to teach guitar scales to someone who knows nothing. Like me.

Every since I picked up the guitar a few years ago, I've been fascinated with the way stringed instruments work. By putting pressure on a string at a given fret (a place along the fretboard behind the string), the player makes that string more or less shorter--changing the string's length just enough to change the string's pitch to the note wanted. Since there are so many different strings with so many different pitch starting places, and there are so many different places to press on those strings and make them different pitches, the combinations seem endless. Mind-boggling. Crazy. Unreal. They were too much for a new player to grasp mentally. After a couple of years piddling they are still a lot.

But I think this book I bought is going to help me. Already I have started to grasp how a person can handle so much potential music. I'm getting some tools into my mind and fingers witch should allow me to take this plethora of possibilities and chose the right notes to make music.

It is going to take practice. It is going to take many small moments and small bites of knowledge. But I'm excited! I'm expanding my mind. The more I know, the more I can enjoy music. And the more I enjoy it, the more I have to share with others!

Being able to share with others is the true joy in music.

The Garden Grew

The lettuce grew since we left on Wed. And so did the carrots, and the beets, and (gasp!) the baby kittens and bunnies. Everything is bigger.

Funny that we don't notice things growing 'till we are away for awhile. Last week we measured Riss and Sully. They grew 3-4 inches each, just since January! I wish I could still grow taller.

And my roses are blooming. Big, beautiful, blushing blossoms fill the bush. Maybe I will try to make rose beads again. I did once. But if not, I want to give them away. Before they blow away.

It is blowing today. We expect this in Eastern Colorado.

It's time for a nice Sunday dinner. Enjoy your day! I'll be with my family.

Millie Jo

Giving Something Back

Today I was up early. I was serving as a hostess for CHEC conference workshops. This means that I was responsible for taking care of a workshop room, making sure attendees follow fire code, and assisting and introducing the speaker.

I've never volunteered for CHEC before. After all the years of receiving the ministry of CHEC, it was nice to be able to give something back.

Maybe you are wondering what CHEC is. It stands for Christian Home Educators of Colorado and is an organization that ministers to home educators and Christian parents in general. Every year they put on a conference. Every year people are blessed through CHEC and CHEC's people.

Tonight, after a long day, we all went out to eat. This is an adventure for my family. It is an adventure for any family with a three year old boy! It was fun. Now we get to sleep. Long awaited delightful sleep.

To the Real Men

Hey. This post is to all the real men out there. You know who you are. You stand.

This post is to say thank you. Thank you for doing what is right. Thank you for standing.

All of us princesses who know we aren't flys appreciate you. Hold on. We are waiting.

And if my One Man should be listening, I want you to know it. I am waiting. I know I am not a fly, and you are not a frog. Be in Jesus, my Beloved. We shall meet in Him. You have my heart. I will not turn aside among the flocks of your companions. I promise.

What's A Girl To Do (When boys won't be men)?

Ok, so we all know it. Boys are annoying. Well, at least boys who should be men by now.

There's a Superchic[k] song I like that says "All princes start as frogs/and all gentlemen as dogs/Just wait 'till it's plain to see/ What we're growing up to be." It goes on to say that some frogs will just stay frogs and never grow up to be princes, so you'd better wait 'till you know for sure before you kiss them because "What if your prince comes riding in/while you're kissin' a frog/ What's he gonna think then?//Just look into his eyes/Are you a princess or a fly??"

Not all boys become men. That's when they can be hard to deal with. When they don't grow up. So what is the solution to dealing with these boy-men? I've thought of a few suggestions.

1. Ignore him. This one comes in handy when you have a sudden urge to slap him or yell.

2. Remember you are a princess, i.e., retain your polite manners. Think of what will benefit him. Be polite even when he doesn't deserve it (which, since he is a boy-man, may be all the time!)

3. Pray for him. God can take anything and make something beautiful.

4. Stand strong on your personal boundaries. Don't let a boy-man convince you that your conscience is over-doing it, and don't let him be in control of your relationship with him, however surface or in-depth it may be. You owe it to God and to yourself to do this.

5. Let go and let God. Don't try to take over the project of making him a "real man." You can't accomplish that, and you'll just waste time God intended for something better. Believe me.

6. Pray for the real men in your life, and let them know you appreciate them.

Sunday Spirit

I have a great church in Colby. Colby Wesleyan.
I have a great church in Pueblo.
And I have a church here, too.

I love church. But when you think about it, it's really the spirit of worship that makes church mean so much. It is praising God together with other believers. It is the attitude that makes it all happen. So even when I can't get to church because of sickness, duties, or something else, I can still worship God and enjoy His presence.

Crown Him with many crowns
The Lamb upon His throne
Hark how the heavenly anthem drowns
All music but its own

Awake my soul and sing
For Him who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King
Through all eternity!

Tea

1. Tea is never taboo
2. There are at least four types of tea: black, green, oolong, and white.
3. The tea most Americans know is black tea
4. Black tea has been completely fermented
5. Green tea has not been fermented at all
6. Oolong tea has been partially fermented
7. I don't know about white tea! (except that it is very expensive and very good)
8. Black tea can taste bitter if it is brewed too long
9. I think an inferior green tea tastes like grass and smells like old tobacco
10. My favorite brand of tea is Stash. It's expensive, but worth it!
11. I like black tea hot in the morning, iced in the afternoon.
12. I like green tea with honey and/or lemon, and when I like a lighter drink
13. Celestial Seasonings may be good, but it isn't tea!
14. A well made pot of tea is akin to a superior dark chocolate: delicious and satisfying

Everyone who knows me well knows I love tea. I love it in the evening, morning, and during the day. I love different kinds and with different people. It goes especially well with chocolate and rummy.

Do you like tea? Who do you drink tea with? What is your favorite time/place for tea? I'm interested! Leave me comments.

Millie Jo

Renew Me

"...put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." Eph 4:22-24

"...we faint not;but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day," 2 Cor. 4: 16

Today my thoughts are said better by Avalon. For anyone who hasn't heard this song: it is worth buying the CD, Avalon Creed. Renew Me is the last song, but I think it should be the first. All I can say about it is AMEN.

Millie Jo


Avalon - Renew Me Lyrics

Why am I such a dusty window
For your light to shine through?
Why am I just a tiny star
In a sky already blue?
Why do I offer everything
With my heart closed like a fist?
I want to love You better than this

Why do I live like I'm in chains
When You have set me free?
And why do I have to break Your heart
Before I fall to my knees?
I know it's time to pray for change
Give all I have to give
I want to love You better than this

So renew me
Remake me
Undo me
Unbreak me
Come into the empty spaces
Of my broken places
And consume me
Complete me
Pursue me
Redeem me
Let Your Holy Spirit living through me
Renew me

I need Your power to renew me, Lord, yeah
I need to know You're moving through me, Lord

I need You as my refuge
My first and last resort
Be the river always running
Through my deepest thoughts
Keep me in Your arms
'Cause even when I drift
I want to love You better than this

So renew me
Remake me
Undo me
Unbreak me
Come into the empty spaces
Of my broken places
And consume me
Complete me
Pursue me
Redeem me
Let Your Holy Spirit living through me
Renew me

My life bending to Your will
Seeking You until I'm more and more like You

No Picture

I didn't take a picture. It hurt, I look like a bald monkey, and I'm never doing it again. Maybe I'll post later after my headache goes away.

Still, Rach was awesome.

Millie Jo

Corn-Rows and Popcorn

My family is all at home!

Last night the four of us girls spent a couple of hours bumming around in my little sister's "new" car. That thing has a sweet set of speakers in it! It was nice to be together. We have so much fun with one another! Even work is fun with my sisters.

Tonight Rach is going to put corn-rows in my hair. It should be interesting. We are going to make popcorn and watch a movie while she does it. She says it will take a very long time. Maybe I'll take a picture. It could be the only time I ever do this.

I hope you are all enjoying the beautiful summer weather! It is almost swimming time...

And it is far past time for me to do dishes! I'll be washing my heart out now.

Millie Jo