tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36818350261148232832024-03-15T18:09:58.539-07:00Everyday BeckyRecognize joy when it arrives in the plain brown wrappings of everyday life.
– Judith Viorst Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.comBlogger483125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-31152772266052523682012-10-09T18:30:00.000-07:002012-10-09T21:02:52.846-07:00Chicken Impostor(s) - Part One <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Remember when I introduced the Van Cluck Sisters? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How could you forget these sweet, fluffy babies: </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">May 2011- The Van Cluck Sisters Join the Family </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They were cute, but as soon as the fluff turned to feathers, we moved them out of their garage playpen and into "Cluckingham Palace" the royal hen house King Charming and his pals built for them in the backyard. A sense of contentment came with officially becoming backyard chicken farmers, and we started dreaming about farm fresh eggs for breakfast. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Two years later I can say we have more eggs than we can eat for breakfast, and we like our girls so much there are now ten "royal sisters" wandering our backyard each day instead of only five. But of course our chicken story couldn't be simple. What fun would that be? (And what would I have to blog about) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No, our backyard chickendom was fraught with drama. Some might even call it treason or espionage! : ) </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While they were still chicks, we began to wonder how the pecking order would play out. Who would be the queen of the coop? Some of you readers even placed wagers. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Most put their bets on one of these two becoming queen: </span></span></div>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Angeline"</span></strong></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px;">Lady Angeline Ann Van Cluck</span> </span></td></tr>
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<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Lady Di"</span></strong></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Lady Diana Van Cluck</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can see why. Of all the chicks these two had the most spunk and personality. In the pictures they even <i>look </i>royal, don't you think? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We were all so right! (And yet so very wrong)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As they grew older, it was obvious that either Di or Angeline would reign supreme. Every day, we changed our mind, though. Who would win? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Maybe Di is the top of the pecking order." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"No, now I think Angeline is taking first place." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then it happened. It was the end of July and we were packing for our annual vacation when the girls came crashing into the kitchen to announce, "Guess what we just heard!!!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"Di was CROWING!!" </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">No! Could it be? A rooster!!??? We live in suburbia. Just having chickens in the backyard was stretching the CC&R's, but a crowing rooster waking up the neighbors every morning at sunrise? That wouldn't work AT ALL? I could just imagine the knock on the door from the Homeowner's Association Police. Or the dreaded LETTER IN THE MAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">King Charming and I decided it was easiest to remain in denial and believe that the girls were just hearing things. So we left on vacation while his brother and sister-in-law house sat for us. Unfortunately, denial didn't last long when we started getting texts like this, "Uh. Dude. I think one of your chickens is crowing." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">By the time we got home, there was no denying it any longer. Lady Di was not a lady at all. She, I mean he, was an impostor! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was only one thing to do- what any self-respecting, backyard suburbanite farmer would do: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">GET ON YOU TUBE AND LEARN HOW TO<strike> KILL</strike> PROCESS A CHICKEN, of course. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was messy. There were feathers flying. But the deed got done. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The kids had fun watching. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I hid in the house. : ) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So Lady Di became: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Dinner.</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And Angeline became queen of the coop. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It's a sad tale, I know. But of course, there has to be more to the story, right? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Stay tuned... </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">More chicken drama in my next post. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Love, </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />Your Favorite Chicken Farmer </span><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-88415670467556061932012-10-07T17:56:00.000-07:002012-10-09T16:12:56.821-07:00My "Wannabe Artist" Journal I crave creativity. <br />
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Nothing makes me feel more alive than when I'm making something. I think that comes from being created in His image. He's the Master Artist, Storyteller, Musician, Poet, etc...<br />
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But the mundane of life can suck that creative desire quickly. It did for me. <br />
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Lately, I have been trying to bloom where I'm planted. I don't have to wait to be creative. Maybe the big things will have to wait until I'm more free, but there are little ways to work creativity into the everyday and to let those moments of creativity be acts of worship. <br />
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One thing I'm trying is a visual journal or an art journal. I stumbled on one on <a href="http://pinterest.com/beckyavella/" target="_blank">Pinterest </a>and fell in love. (Click <a href="http://pinterest.com/beckyavella/art-journaling-inspiration/" target="_blank">here</a> to see what's inspiring me.)<br />
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Living inside of me is a wannabe artist, but I don't let her out much because I also have an internal jailer named Perfectionism who kicks her down all the time and reminds her often that she isn't a real artist because she isn't good enough so she might as well not even bother coming out to play. <br />
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(I hope you aren't worried about my multiple personality disorder at this point) : )<br />
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The concept of an art journal was a perfect way to set her free. She can play and practice and make mistakes and it doesn't matter because it isn't supposed to be perfect. It's supposed to be messy and experimental by design. I had so much fun making my first page: <br />
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I made lots of mistakes but just painted over them. I have a lot to learn about technique and tools and materials...but that is Perfectionism telling me I can't try until I have the "right" stuff. <br />
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Is there a wannabe someone living inside of you that wants to be let out?<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-86412076849783907992012-10-07T17:18:00.000-07:002012-10-07T17:18:23.129-07:00Has it Really Been Two Years? Jumping Back In...It was only supposed to be for the summer, my break from blogging. <br />
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But every time I tried to come back, I was overwhelmed with the idea of catching up, so I just didn't. <br />
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Then as more time went by, there was more happening and catching up on my blog felt impossible. <br />
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So I just didn't. <br />
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Now, two whole years later, I'm missing having a place to share and connect and I'm wondering if anyone is still out there, there, there, (echo)<br />
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I decided instead of trying to catch myself and the blog up. I'd just jump right back in and pretend that no time had gone by. <br />
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So here I am, two years later, but really it's been no time at all...<br />
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I'm still just Everyday Becky. : ) <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-17484147908538644162012-09-04T08:01:00.001-07:002012-09-04T08:01:18.047-07:00Emma- Your Email Was Lost Dear Emma, <br />
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I'm so sorry but the email you sent me was deleted on my cell phone before I could respond. Please resend your email so I can write you back. : ) <br />
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Love, <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="border: currentColor;" /></a><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-62518818677989619502011-05-28T20:37:00.000-07:002011-05-28T20:37:11.952-07:00"'Tho We've Gotta Say Good-Bye For the Summer"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tU0_uycDT4-GFXXrvlZtxMnKHWYQM6AcTCMySqtzZF_ZoayyiagXPbemqK3ztIuJAOfBqH61GWZlkeaNVbqYIvrRIAo6BZREuPGOecUBJWv6J8Fe9reHVJNez8A_EWPZiMfzbg65Vc5Y/s1600/summer+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5tU0_uycDT4-GFXXrvlZtxMnKHWYQM6AcTCMySqtzZF_ZoayyiagXPbemqK3ztIuJAOfBqH61GWZlkeaNVbqYIvrRIAo6BZREuPGOecUBJWv6J8Fe9reHVJNez8A_EWPZiMfzbg65Vc5Y/s400/summer+3.jpg" t8="true" width="400" /></a></div>That King Charming and Me...<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We're always coming up with crazy ideas and doing weird things. <br />
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I think our friends must wait to see what new crusade we'll be on next. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So here's our latest: <br />
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<em><strong>We're winding back the clocks to the dark ages. </strong></em></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We're turning off our TV. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>We're turning off our Internet. <br />
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</div>We're craving a memory-making, nostalgic, and active summer without technology to distract us or steal away our time. So we're taking a vacation from technology until September. <br />
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We plan on having a family movie night once a week, and we can get on the Internet any time we are willing to ride our bikes to the library to do it. Other than that it will be an old fashioned summer. I might even write a few snail mail letters. : ) <br />
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I'm definitely planning on reading a lot of good books and hopefully writing a rough draft of a novel. There will be Otter Pops, BBQ's, slip and slide, sprinklers, etc. <br />
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I thought the kids would throw a fit when we announced our plan, but their response was, "You mean you guys can't be on your computers?" (said with shocked faces) They just couldn't believe they get to have a whole summer of our undivided attention. (Talk about convicting) <br />
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I'm going to miss you all. You may have noticed how infrequent my blog posts have already been this spring. I think making the decision we made for summer has prompted us to be on the Internet a lot less already.<br />
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I'll check my email as often as I can at the library and may even be able to sneak in a few blog posts. Otherwise, I'll see you all in September!<br />
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Have a great summer! <br />
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Love, <br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-92165101899297652772011-05-20T11:38:00.000-07:002011-05-20T11:39:32.509-07:00The Persevering Pen<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Born a scribe and given the gift to pen,<br />
She dreams of painting stories with her words-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Masterpieces that entertain, elicit laughter,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Even tears.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Portraits of adventure and beauty</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The medium of words pointing to the </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Master Storyteller.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Her dream is pure while she is small</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">She writes on scraps and in notebooks-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lists of characters with fancy names, fragments of plotlines and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Fantasy places.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Mere scratchings of a little girl </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The simple, innocent words revealing </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Sweet Dreams. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
Growing older, and tasting life,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">She clings to her pen but doubts her words-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Voices from within and without, voices of truth,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Voices of lies. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Messages of ‘not enough’ and ‘too hard’ bombard</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The world and her fear invite her to quit before </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> She Fails. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
Born a scribe and given the gift to pen, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">She writes through the fear and the failures words that-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sometimes fall flat, sometimes soar high, but always come from</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Her Heart. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Running the race marked out for her she remembers </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The One who gave her the pen and calls</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <br />
<strong>Press On.</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> <br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I wrote this poem today for a contest <a href="http://cba-ramblings.blogspot.com/">Rachelle Gardner</a> (literary agent) is hosting on her blog. I think she was looking for something a lot lighter and with more humor, but this was what came out of me today. I decided to share it on here, too, because I know a lot of you share my dream for writing, and that others of you have your own dreams. I just wanted to encourage us all to not let voices of doubt or fear keep us from running after the dreams God has written on our hearts. I need this message as much as all of us. : ) </span></em> <br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em> <br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Have a wonderful weekend! </span></em> <br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></em> <br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love, </span></em> <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-49497762923895377112011-05-03T08:50:00.000-07:002011-05-03T08:56:34.180-07:00Introducing the Van Cluck Sisters<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76sMz8uzWQwHsrtIkXVDdyHxO4N-EqS3lTb3LsgPYZyHwmLBuvnq8z6xUQ94TP76lqTuAQm4dNWUMZwxWJG2BhXWa2pORsB_PkpUqH-qwuBDvNLVUTVxsDX8_fv1j6oYeWr6BpsoaZiPI/s1600/Chickens.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76sMz8uzWQwHsrtIkXVDdyHxO4N-EqS3lTb3LsgPYZyHwmLBuvnq8z6xUQ94TP76lqTuAQm4dNWUMZwxWJG2BhXWa2pORsB_PkpUqH-qwuBDvNLVUTVxsDX8_fv1j6oYeWr6BpsoaZiPI/s400/Chickens.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We have some new fluffy babies around here- <br />
<br />
<strong>Chickens! : ) </strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We may have been <em>slightly</em> influenced by a certain royal wedding last week when we named our girls. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We each picked out a chick of our own and decided they needed very aristocratic names. Prince Charming had a little help naming his chickie. "Bird" just didn't seem fancy enough. : ) </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;">Meet the Van Cluck Sisters:</span></u></strong><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOihffKWrZAEtRXrCkcCIwnHstr3ZmTT1Jx6RGSovDTwlduORNTNsUnKU4p1Z0w0f0-inDBBV2Pwnf0kV0db5Sgy39ngdquHx-H_PvGRko4yMA9TBBhiZ3Xp1kZ7QAQgrGGmsMFwQdbjR/s1600/Chickens-+Goldie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="326" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihOihffKWrZAEtRXrCkcCIwnHstr3ZmTT1Jx6RGSovDTwlduORNTNsUnKU4p1Z0w0f0-inDBBV2Pwnf0kV0db5Sgy39ngdquHx-H_PvGRko4yMA9TBBhiZ3Xp1kZ7QAQgrGGmsMFwQdbjR/s400/Chickens-+Goldie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>"Goldie"</strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lady Goldia Rosemary Van Cluck<br />
<br />
Goldie is a Golden Sex Link chicken and belongs to Youngest Princess </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67aRt5WXqdD7RaKyAzmEMorZ-EbOby6Fd495hk6x6Uhyphenhyphen_1fwZ5iqZyKFoKoCxagSbj0Bt3gNubB87WLjHwBmK_ZT57m4CbX-AK0ekrXk7ofA0gwViKqxQrwTtpSM0wNKSsribezEB2ly7/s1600/Chickens-+Angeline+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67aRt5WXqdD7RaKyAzmEMorZ-EbOby6Fd495hk6x6Uhyphenhyphen_1fwZ5iqZyKFoKoCxagSbj0Bt3gNubB87WLjHwBmK_ZT57m4CbX-AK0ekrXk7ofA0gwViKqxQrwTtpSM0wNKSsribezEB2ly7/s400/Chickens-+Angeline+2.jpg" width="350" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Angeline"</span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lady Angeline Ann Van Cluck</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Angeline is an Ameracauna chicken. She will lay pastel Easter colored eggs. She belongs to Oldest Princess. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAbxnppLif2TVfkHY3apm37VT1sKAwOcbulQ64qDM2PtQPfbwqhP57UENB2wggpPr36lvYQSiqMQ_okWNU5b0x4HRezYjYby-ypqdAu2uRFk8ih3zexGe3b_dcwZw3JwtWQ7e5gIW6bnY/s1600/Chickens-+Lady+Di.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="363" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAbxnppLif2TVfkHY3apm37VT1sKAwOcbulQ64qDM2PtQPfbwqhP57UENB2wggpPr36lvYQSiqMQ_okWNU5b0x4HRezYjYby-ypqdAu2uRFk8ih3zexGe3b_dcwZw3JwtWQ7e5gIW6bnY/s400/Chickens-+Lady+Di.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Lady Di" </span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lady Diana Van Cluck </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Diana is a Rhode Island White chicken and belongs to King Charming. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNJajgPrK3pdqBvV3Yhm-dzstgufqXICiUW9qTbYWOhZ-gnIs6Q3EL6U8KClHNxn7Uhj48dObmAbfmHCntNoRR5EzRFQKuHfOKV9uynh7qiX_XAzQspdx6eyg_l863DhGctULmH7yVaEx/s1600/Chickens-Ramona.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCNJajgPrK3pdqBvV3Yhm-dzstgufqXICiUW9qTbYWOhZ-gnIs6Q3EL6U8KClHNxn7Uhj48dObmAbfmHCntNoRR5EzRFQKuHfOKV9uynh7qiX_XAzQspdx6eyg_l863DhGctULmH7yVaEx/s400/Chickens-Ramona.jpg" width="383" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>"Ramona"</strong> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lady Ramona Augusta Caroline Van Cluck </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia;">Ramona is a Golden Sex Link chicken and she belongs to Prince Charming. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEy7W69pUmNCQ78JUtJEGWjoNi_gIboK0beWdOW0-es6GCKa2je75lsYv9WZ_ERLHH8v8NtJsc5tqTfk7dgIEQpVOx7oMnmkwsP9w63ehEE1N_xCI4h53SGSrsKyn_ajCRM2vs0P55j3b/s1600/Chickens-+Bea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="377" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQEy7W69pUmNCQ78JUtJEGWjoNi_gIboK0beWdOW0-es6GCKa2je75lsYv9WZ_ERLHH8v8NtJsc5tqTfk7dgIEQpVOx7oMnmkwsP9w63ehEE1N_xCI4h53SGSrsKyn_ajCRM2vs0P55j3b/s400/Chickens-+Bea.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Bea" </span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lady Beatrice Anastasia Adelaide Van Cluck </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Beatrice is also a Golden Sex Link chicken and she's mine!! : ) </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cRsHXuz3ROx8RXpKgCogQDBlpAazkypSuxj1OR79aTRwZSydWvEnxmWrmFYwCOZByazi0USGpFZGFZaLrT9I-wQEZo11_yYdkhCnpFGbLKJrmihb1RKVbpCH3xlz6qY3rRro3IhJazU8/s1600/Chickens+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" j8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3cRsHXuz3ROx8RXpKgCogQDBlpAazkypSuxj1OR79aTRwZSydWvEnxmWrmFYwCOZByazi0USGpFZGFZaLrT9I-wQEZo11_yYdkhCnpFGbLKJrmihb1RKVbpCH3xlz6qY3rRro3IhJazU8/s400/Chickens+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We are so excited to have fresh eggs. They should be laying for us before school starts again in the Fall. Right now they are still in their brooder, but King Charming is hard at work designing and building "Cluckingham Palace" (a.k.a. The Coop). </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As soon as they establish their pecking order, and we can see who is the boss, we will know which of the ladies will receive the title of "Her Majesty the Queen". After that we'll decide who will become our princess, duchess, countess, etc. We're not having fun at all. : ) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I originally titled this post "Meet Our Newest Family Members" but King Charming put the kabosh on that. He has told us over and over again they are not family members, to not get too attached, and to remember these chickens are food providers, might die, and might end up in soup. We're prepared for the worst, but still having so much fun. I can't believe how fast they are growing and changing. On Saturday they were puffballs. Now they are already getting their feathers. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I like being a chicken farmer! : ) </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia;">Want to vote on which one you think will end up Queen? </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-85113958500272183192011-04-12T08:07:00.000-07:002011-04-12T08:07:50.328-07:00Backward Thinking<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've been doing a lot of studying the Bible lately for teaching Sunday School and for a retreat I'm speaking at in May, and one of the themes that keeps popping up is the idea of how much we can't trust our own hearts and minds to tell us the truth, and how much the things that seem right and true in this world are really backwards or upside down thinking. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My cousin Katy posted this on Facebook today, and I thought it was such a cool picture of how backward we can have it: </span><br />
<br />
<object height="390" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/jgFU5Ak88-k&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/jgFU5Ak88-k&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="640" height="390"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thanks for sharing, Kate! Love ya!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-58877905615271827842011-04-06T11:01:00.000-07:002011-04-06T11:01:37.116-07:00Small<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Big-</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
You are Big</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
Maker of stars so enormous</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
Earth appears as a speck of dust</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
Designer of galaxies beyond our reach</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
Sculptor of mountains too high for me to summit</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
Big-</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
You are Big.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But today it is your smallness </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That steals my breath</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And fills me with awe </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And sends me to my knees.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Small-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You are small.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
Your signature stamped on the minutest cell</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Aware of each hair upon my head, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Your tiny jar</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Collecting every, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> individual tear that </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">f</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">a</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">l</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">l</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">s </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Small enough to know our hearts, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You see </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">me.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am not lost on this speck of dust</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I am known.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">You saw my Micah, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lost to me before she was big enough to see</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But not lost to You who held her in Your hand and ushered her to Your side<br />
The day she flew to be with <br />
You.</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
<br />
<em>Where can I go from your Spirit?<br />
</em></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Where can I flee from your presence?</em></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
<br />
Small-</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
You are small. </span><br />
<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-10675356645903493792011-04-04T18:37:00.000-07:002011-04-04T18:39:18.841-07:00My Latest Good Reads<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I do love to get lost in a good book, and I've gotten lost in some good ones lately. </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's interesting how different the types and genres of books I've been reading are from one another. You'll see from my list that they vary from YA Fantasy to Contemporary Christian Fiction. None of these were perfect, but all of them were entertaining, and I didn't want to put them down. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Young Adult Fantasy/ Fairy Tale: </span></u></strong></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I stumbled on this one at the library and maybe I enjoyed it so much because I didn't know what to expect. It was such a pleasant surprise. It's the first of a trilogy called "The Chanters of Tremaris" and I really enjoyed this fantasy world. I've already been to the library for Book Two and Book Three in the series so I can keep going. </span><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0439554799/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link" onclick="if (typeof(SitbReader) != 'undefined') { SitbReader.LightboxActions.openReader('sib_dp_pt'); return false; }" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="The Singer of All Songs (Chanters of Tremaris Trilogy, Book 1)" border="0" height="400" id="prodImage" onload="if (typeof uet == 'function') { uet('af'); }" onmouseout="sitb_doHide('bookpopover'); return false;" onmouseover="sitb_showLayer('bookpopover'); return false;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/513lvjy35yL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This one is a fairy tale and a sequel to <em>Goose Girl</em>. I didn't like it as well as <em>Goose Girl</em>, or her other books like <em>Princess Academy</em> and <em>Book of 1,000 Days</em>, but as always, Shannon Hale is a master with words and I liked being back in Bayern. It has a little bit of a slow start, but by the middle I was hooked again</span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/1582349061/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link" onclick="if (typeof(SitbReader) != 'undefined') { SitbReader.LightboxActions.openReader('sib_dp_pt'); return false; }" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Enna Burning (Books of Bayern)" border="0" height="400" id="prodImage" onload="if (typeof uet == 'function') { uet('af'); }" onmouseout="sitb_doHide('bookpopover'); return false;" onmouseover="sitb_showLayer('bookpopover'); return false;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51S6B2O7KSL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Christian Fiction: </span></u></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This one caught me from the beginning and had enough adrenaline to keep me reading after the Hunger Games Trilogy ruined me. My only complaint is it is obviously the first of a series (that hasn't been written yet) and left me hanging at the end, waiting for the next book. (Did I mention it hasn't been written yet? Hurry up, Joel!) : )<br />
</span></div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/141431163X/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link" onclick="if (typeof(SitbReader) != 'undefined') { SitbReader.LightboxActions.openReader('sib_dp_pt'); return false; }"><img alt="The Twelfth Imam" border="0" height="400" id="prodImage" onload="if (typeof uet == 'function') { uet('af'); }" onmouseout="sitb_doHide('bookpopover'); return false;" onmouseover="sitb_showLayer('bookpopover'); return false;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51w3uk4cf6L._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I have been following Jody Hedlund's <a href="http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/">writing blog</a> for awhile, so it made this book,her debut novel, extra fun to read. <em>The Preacher's Bride </em>is the one for you if you are in the mood for some good Christian historical romance.</span> <br />
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<img alt="The Preacher's Bride" border="0" height="400" id="prodImage" onload="if (typeof uet == 'function') { uet('af'); }" onmouseout="sitb_doHide('bookpopover'); return false;" onmouseover="sitb_showLayer('bookpopover'); return false;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51ao9xo4LJL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="400" /><br />
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<strong><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Verse Novel: </span></u></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And of course you all had to know I'd be reading another verse novel. This one didn't disappoint me. : ) I'm still in love with the genre and really enjoyed this book: </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0670060283/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link" onclick="if (typeof(SitbReader) != 'undefined') { SitbReader.LightboxActions.openReader('sib_dp_pt'); return false; }"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="The Weight of the Sky" border="0" height="400" id="prodImage" onload="if (typeof uet == 'function') { uet('af'); }" onmouseout="sitb_doHide('bookpopover'); return false;" onmouseover="sitb_showLayer('bookpopover'); return false;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41SBJ2CJ8RL._BO2,204,203,200_PIsitb-sticker-arrow-click,TopRight,35,-76_AA300_SH20_OU01_.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
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<em><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Question For You: Do you stick to one genre of books or do you like a variety? Have you read anything great lately? </span></strong></em><br />
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Happy Reading! <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-43847136435602595952011-03-28T11:28:00.000-07:002011-03-28T11:28:47.935-07:00My Website is Finished!<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm celebrating today because my website is finished! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The URL </span><a href="http://www.beckyavella.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">www.BeckyAvella.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> has been forwarding to my blog while I waited for the website to be finished, but starting today that address will take you directly to the new website. Please stop by and check it out I'd love your feedback. : ) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The next two things on my to do list are a blog makeover- it's long overdo- and getting <em>And Then You Were Gone</em> released on Kindle. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I hope you all are having a blessed Monday! </span><br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-8922088177920035382011-03-27T08:12:00.000-07:002011-03-27T08:12:46.475-07:00On Writing: Who Am I?<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUOZZFlH8X2XtxUiu-LLkmu21Fxrf583NP-5ykAApDId02JNCS-6N3KPPSZOBa2dTxuQyWcEvdDB9nmJHc4900EaANFF9CEe6EUWTMxQ-wkJktl7ktoAVWyZBoTL-tnKPibV97M3Yw8om/s1600/New+From+My+Writing+Desk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmUOZZFlH8X2XtxUiu-LLkmu21Fxrf583NP-5ykAApDId02JNCS-6N3KPPSZOBa2dTxuQyWcEvdDB9nmJHc4900EaANFF9CEe6EUWTMxQ-wkJktl7ktoAVWyZBoTL-tnKPibV97M3Yw8om/s320/New+From+My+Writing+Desk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><u><strong><span style="font-size: large;">A Season of Preparation: </span></strong></u></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Writing fiction has been a lifelong dream, but I am not in a season of my life where I can or should devote the time necessary for full time, professional writing. Out of necessity, it has to remain a hobby. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Just for now. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I hope later that will change, and I will have more time to pursue it like I want to do, and find out if I even have enough talent to write publishable stories.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">In the meantime I see this as a season of preparation. I'm studying the craft of writing, and I write whenever I can, loving every minute of it. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;"><u>Who am I?</u></span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">One of the things I'm trying to do is discover my voice, my audience, and my genre. I've heard you should write what you love to read, but I love such a wide variety of books, and I have three manuscripts started that couldn't be more different. One is Contemporary Christian Fiction, one is a verse novel, and one is a fairy tale. Which one do I commit to finishing? </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Who am I as a writer? Shannon Hale, one of my favorite authors, said,<span style="background-color: white;"> <em><span style="color: #134f5c;"><strong>"I spent eighteen years writing unpublishable stuff, and I now realize it was all in pursuit of my voice." </strong></span></em></span></div><br />
That's where I am at. Do I want to write <strong>Contemporary Christian Fiction</strong> like my favorites Francine Rivers and Joel Rosenberg? Do I want to write <strong>verse novels</strong> like Karen Hesse? Do I want to write <strong>fairy tales</strong> like Gail Carson Levine and Shannon Hale? Do I write for adults or for young adults and middle grade readers? I'm not sure yet. And when I settle in to the genre and audience that fits, what does Becky Avella the storyteller sound like? <br />
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I don't know yet, but I'm praying about it, and I believe I can't know unless I just keep writing. That's where I'll find myself. <strong>Not in the thinking about it, but in the actual act of writing</strong>. Just thinking about writing or talking about writing won't make me a writer. I need to write. Even if the progress is slow. <br />
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<strong><u><span style="font-size: large;">My Goals:</span></u></strong> <br />
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I'm so thankful for the writing community. I've been given some wonderful advice like this from my new friend <a href="http://michellemassaro.blogspot.com/">Michelle Massaro</a> at Adventures in Writing: <br />
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<em><strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">The next time you decide to pick up your pen, I'd encourage you to put it to one of your half-finished books instead of starting yet another from scratch. </span></strong></em><br />
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Or this from author, <a href="http://jodyhedlund.blogspot.com/">Jody Hedlund</a>: <br />
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<em><strong><span style="color: #134f5c;">With 3 uncompleted manuscripts, I'm also inclined to think you might need to push yourself to finish one of them, even if it's just as simple as giving yourself the goal of 300 words a day. (Or giving yourself the goal of finishing one during the summer.)</span></strong></em><br />
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<u>So those are my goals for now- </u><br />
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1. I need to know what it feels like to actually cross the finish line instead of starting over. <br />
2. I've settle on one of my manuscripts to finish and have dedicated this summer as the summer of a completed rough draft. <br />
3. I know I'll have to turn off my self-editor and realize the first draft won't be perfect (<a href="http://everydaybecky.blogspot.com/2010/09/thank-you-mr-hemingway.html">or even good</a>) and I'll need to turn off the the but <em>"who am I really"</em> questions and just write to "The End". That voice will be discovered as I continue to finish manuscripts and in the revisions. <br />
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I'm so excited! <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-44912223549803995522011-03-17T10:36:00.000-07:002011-03-17T10:36:03.879-07:00Seeing Green<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRQ1WvBmVmtgZL4SPgFUQcYclNHsO7Y3WFIEu0o015IAzbGVNc-bOWW_QtUYOsypO2Z58xvwCpHiRjmLEMt6u9LlBnQkWfcE2UFdvlvIhKRC_mILDl9p43ScxixyAuJ_6UNN1mquRI17L/s1600/p0605.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzRQ1WvBmVmtgZL4SPgFUQcYclNHsO7Y3WFIEu0o015IAzbGVNc-bOWW_QtUYOsypO2Z58xvwCpHiRjmLEMt6u9LlBnQkWfcE2UFdvlvIhKRC_mILDl9p43ScxixyAuJ_6UNN1mquRI17L/s200/p0605.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Corned Beef and Cabbage are all set to go for dinner tonight with Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream for dessert of course. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yum, Yum, Yum!! </span><br />
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</div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And after the fun we had with our <a href="http://everydaybecky.blogspot.com/2011/02/princesses-show-off-their-heart-hairdos.html">Valentine's Hair-Dos</a>, the girls and I decided we needed shamrocks in their hair today-</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oldest Princess </span></strong></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKAoeA94389s4zL8CV2cBPuhAxhO5J3mgF8voBBzEweIXfO25CjqWX3maTVqFTavDcaun_Pchm64VQLT3yqMxgzqncZIvrlkrvGcKfxehHEnUlVsv_2bsNpxp1O7-d_0MVSqTUXW7kKqS/s1600/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-EEuwJBL6_h72sEYjg9kbTM1lFpp9YL46l5TwBgFLlW5WGUoK08i10UYrZQBRjwD8wQIlGClVMEYee9O2L8uQr5-95-DzQ2IEdnZHcz2s2k5K4-NhByqcjCQtc_fsocwnMf1lICj9Mb7/s1600/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-EEuwJBL6_h72sEYjg9kbTM1lFpp9YL46l5TwBgFLlW5WGUoK08i10UYrZQBRjwD8wQIlGClVMEYee9O2L8uQr5-95-DzQ2IEdnZHcz2s2k5K4-NhByqcjCQtc_fsocwnMf1lICj9Mb7/s400/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+016.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Littlest Princess</span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kP0MMfkoM4ACtX0nH730-OPmjGbCWw9DhGDiu1zNf4nUEUnGtMlvRytcIDSJRDtam2tEAuEEQ1d2CpKLZV-5zmSYN7aDpUEiz05wJjyWTuLNFbWidf0huyk4r66DDVpgTsMN3BEOo2wV/s1600/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKAoeA94389s4zL8CV2cBPuhAxhO5J3mgF8voBBzEweIXfO25CjqWX3maTVqFTavDcaun_Pchm64VQLT3yqMxgzqncZIvrlkrvGcKfxehHEnUlVsv_2bsNpxp1O7-d_0MVSqTUXW7kKqS/s1600/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBKAoeA94389s4zL8CV2cBPuhAxhO5J3mgF8voBBzEweIXfO25CjqWX3maTVqFTavDcaun_Pchm64VQLT3yqMxgzqncZIvrlkrvGcKfxehHEnUlVsv_2bsNpxp1O7-d_0MVSqTUXW7kKqS/s400/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+007.jpg" width="377" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em>Directions for hairstyles are from this site: </em><a href="http://www.cutegirlshairstyles.com/"><em>http://www.cutegirlshairstyles.com/</em></a><em> </em></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">All Ready for a Green Day at School- </span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">No Pinching! </span></strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kP0MMfkoM4ACtX0nH730-OPmjGbCWw9DhGDiu1zNf4nUEUnGtMlvRytcIDSJRDtam2tEAuEEQ1d2CpKLZV-5zmSYN7aDpUEiz05wJjyWTuLNFbWidf0huyk4r66DDVpgTsMN3BEOo2wV/s1600/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kP0MMfkoM4ACtX0nH730-OPmjGbCWw9DhGDiu1zNf4nUEUnGtMlvRytcIDSJRDtam2tEAuEEQ1d2CpKLZV-5zmSYN7aDpUEiz05wJjyWTuLNFbWidf0huyk4r66DDVpgTsMN3BEOo2wV/s400/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+015.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>Hey!! Did You Forget Someone, Mom!</strong> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGi2WNZDorXl0cm9dPzebUi44VuXINNNAePaJwDzVqNvWzXODDC6BftJauefqVrD8D3hFtjsNA3-IyKO_FOxh_VTQXrp0SjBspc7IRwrOWdim-icvwXpQ2J0bS0Ih7nHpHrER-R3fvF6Zc/s1600/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGi2WNZDorXl0cm9dPzebUi44VuXINNNAePaJwDzVqNvWzXODDC6BftJauefqVrD8D3hFtjsNA3-IyKO_FOxh_VTQXrp0SjBspc7IRwrOWdim-icvwXpQ2J0bS0Ih7nHpHrER-R3fvF6Zc/s400/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+019.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> See I'm wearing my green, too- </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsA86IdgF1SN0ftcnCXMKkv9Bzn8FZCnNxC5KW0o50dKWUuADtGSkVGzGHvy7wsIkyKA5Fu0QEhc5uIBuiuZF8tewZpqtpU9Hv7BsHbkpcPiuq-rdRQqvOtNcxrwGhwenF0_ZAlTwRpv0/s1600/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+020.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="400" r6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinsA86IdgF1SN0ftcnCXMKkv9Bzn8FZCnNxC5KW0o50dKWUuADtGSkVGzGHvy7wsIkyKA5Fu0QEhc5uIBuiuZF8tewZpqtpU9Hv7BsHbkpcPiuq-rdRQqvOtNcxrwGhwenF0_ZAlTwRpv0/s400/St.+Patrick%2527s+Day+020.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My husband's family on his mom side came from Ireland only two generations ago, and although I can't claim as much, there's some Irish blood in me, too. We have a lot of fun celebrating our Irishness and St. Patrick, a man credited with bringing the good news of Christianity to Ireland and who was described as being "humble" and "thankful" for that honor. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Happy St. Patty's Day Everyone! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love, </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></span></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-86171199673543803602011-03-13T13:30:00.000-07:002011-03-13T13:30:14.166-07:00Last Year It Was That Mustache...<div style="text-align: left;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last year he grew that <em>THING- </em></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRvio1cx9QFjTICZMri8HJGLZzyC19nknIhteb6xgzl5uoG8UbuZUiDZMPOiiSXXtI-d40ktkjU8avgdh4xeG1op7oWdFn6QV7EpIg4aRNRLqK-hlPZZpzJc9gh8LLUh63iCOiZaB2TK2/s1600/Pat-+St.+Baldricks+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRvio1cx9QFjTICZMri8HJGLZzyC19nknIhteb6xgzl5uoG8UbuZUiDZMPOiiSXXtI-d40ktkjU8avgdh4xeG1op7oWdFn6QV7EpIg4aRNRLqK-hlPZZpzJc9gh8LLUh63iCOiZaB2TK2/s400/Pat-+St.+Baldricks+005.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I think they call it a mustache? I've repressed it. : ) </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And now?? That King Charming of mine just can't seem to leave his good looks alone- </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlz9q9rCRJKycYuVDpWRs-K7TT8BsNwZXlUhP6rbzwj-JgcmG5NcDdU7PHnCV7KP-OWoGLIZ4eMqvC3LLfTiNdQ9RlKIirLi7aoPE4Xvj1k4PbEBXmGpV1chGU0iwbYa8EZI4E4iStyNF/s1600/Pat-+St.+Baldricks+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNlz9q9rCRJKycYuVDpWRs-K7TT8BsNwZXlUhP6rbzwj-JgcmG5NcDdU7PHnCV7KP-OWoGLIZ4eMqvC3LLfTiNdQ9RlKIirLi7aoPE4Xvj1k4PbEBXmGpV1chGU0iwbYa8EZI4E4iStyNF/s400/Pat-+St.+Baldricks+006.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But this time I can forgive him because it was for such a great cause: </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KVNo8NJAwWaIcl5mL3yMZztj8hMS5gT1khk1imN7PmwEhtQsOFRa-Ao-v_ajIj_qORZRYVQnLY8tQ5-Piuut2QlJfYyhYaLPrcuQxNIwmouBhe5d3mVBwSNykERsaQgk4y7tgUU4B99-/s1600/Pat-+St.+Baldricks+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="300" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8KVNo8NJAwWaIcl5mL3yMZztj8hMS5gT1khk1imN7PmwEhtQsOFRa-Ao-v_ajIj_qORZRYVQnLY8tQ5-Piuut2QlJfYyhYaLPrcuQxNIwmouBhe5d3mVBwSNykERsaQgk4y7tgUU4B99-/s400/Pat-+St.+Baldricks+004.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Being the hero that he is, he shaved all his hair off to show his support for kids with cancer and to raise money to help find a cure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>Before: </strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfSWgCNRzhXFsAsqLfnTqP1DCR4YNsjNc-i3BPAC1UDKmx4qKzS1xaqgugtkWHWz3U2PE3naOpLMwz7wZMJSKamCTEZ4Vik-iH0uHNUIW9QENbF-gP6N4pfeqdbl0Dx5OO4xq4uJfM2Za/s1600/Pat-+St.+Baldrick+Photos+022.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="370" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKfSWgCNRzhXFsAsqLfnTqP1DCR4YNsjNc-i3BPAC1UDKmx4qKzS1xaqgugtkWHWz3U2PE3naOpLMwz7wZMJSKamCTEZ4Vik-iH0uHNUIW9QENbF-gP6N4pfeqdbl0Dx5OO4xq4uJfM2Za/s400/Pat-+St.+Baldrick+Photos+022.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
<strong><span style="font-size: large;">After: </span></strong></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJBkW4ublLJRYeTQ8ZnZRu0gMqsxfXQ4xLRA8Jqm4_xgwUuSZ2tWxXnJqT-wo_O3a-ISzT_I6N_FBC979uQ5ePJO-cupPytTPba6nmhrmZ64f2DKHwOJ1eEqHcj8GFAfkRGdjuFx3RvNI/s1600/Pat-+St.+Baldrick+Photos+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="310" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqJBkW4ublLJRYeTQ8ZnZRu0gMqsxfXQ4xLRA8Jqm4_xgwUuSZ2tWxXnJqT-wo_O3a-ISzT_I6N_FBC979uQ5ePJO-cupPytTPba6nmhrmZ64f2DKHwOJ1eEqHcj8GFAfkRGdjuFx3RvNI/s400/Pat-+St.+Baldrick+Photos+026.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong>My Hero!</strong></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thank you so much to all of you who put up with our constant begging on Facebook, and to those of you who contributed to the almost $500 he raised. His team took first place with a total of $6,800 and the event here in our city raised over $50,000. Awesome!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My new hero is the lady he works with who shaved all of her long, beautiful blond hair off in memory of her mom who recently passed away from cancer. And one of the men raised another $600 or so when he promised to shave the mustache he had been growing since he was 16 years old. Of course they took care of that on stage. : ) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was a good lesson for our kids. Prince Charming didn't recognize this new bald version of his daddy, but the girls are now growing their hair out for Locks of Love so they can be like their daddy. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hope you all are having a blessed weekend and surviving the Day Light Savings change. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love, </span><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></span></a></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-51307899248866345332011-03-08T20:06:00.000-08:002011-03-08T20:08:15.538-08:00The Best Birthday EVER!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That's how she described it. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Hearing that and seeing the look on her face in this picture did my heart so much good!! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKUmd5Hg5YbejAawYFj2tzdDomWQOnKeExK_wT1i6tGAMy9MOqwMokTz4fofHqzDi5h_npo2IO10xG9VsCdH5gUm_G0aUz4BCkiNGdEM7GX8jg5a3ruQ-_hrM_j9bPouCdVFVHAM5GM4l/s1600/Karissa%2527s+Birthday+Thank+You+Card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="266" q6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoKUmd5Hg5YbejAawYFj2tzdDomWQOnKeExK_wT1i6tGAMy9MOqwMokTz4fofHqzDi5h_npo2IO10xG9VsCdH5gUm_G0aUz4BCkiNGdEM7GX8jg5a3ruQ-_hrM_j9bPouCdVFVHAM5GM4l/s400/Karissa%2527s+Birthday+Thank+You+Card.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I love seeing my baby girl so happy. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It really was a fun celebration. First it was pizza at our house, then a trip to the theater to see <em>Tangled</em>. (I loved that movie!) and then home for an ice cream cake from Dairy Queen and a sleepover. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong>(It only took me until 1:00 in the morning to get the giggling to stop) </strong></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We topped it all off the next morning with some unplanned<a href="http://everydaybecky.blogspot.com/2010/09/sledding-in-september.html"> sleepingbag sledding</a> and a batch of homemade waffles.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It seemed to be a success. I'm just still in shock that my girl is 9-years-old. I'm going to be in major shock next year when she turns ten. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That's a decade. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Oh my goodness! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I MUST STOP BLINKING!!! </span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></span></a></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-92123325259058682492011-03-02T22:33:00.000-08:002011-03-02T22:33:52.618-08:00Creation-Deprivation Disorder<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Creation-Deprivation Disorder</span></strong></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">That's what I've got. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And I've diagnosed my family with the disorder, too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I don't believe we were created to be so sedentary or confined, and I've craved more interaction with nature, but I haven't known how to make it happen. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I've recently begun reading this book, hoping it will inspire me, so I can inspire us: </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTodJEDS_QKJXDhfCRe-UYpPJMj_BGZ2VmUsh0aIddpi0v2HGJnhw0m8rCjMqsc9kkoS-QbBI7JmmmfjgXhWV_-crRDHXUdtFZQl52QqrFspV7abFPLdZA9_c4y_12aBlrIg8eR-Y4_0j/s1600/lastchildbookcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHTodJEDS_QKJXDhfCRe-UYpPJMj_BGZ2VmUsh0aIddpi0v2HGJnhw0m8rCjMqsc9kkoS-QbBI7JmmmfjgXhWV_-crRDHXUdtFZQl52QqrFspV7abFPLdZA9_c4y_12aBlrIg8eR-Y4_0j/s320/lastchildbookcover.jpg" width="206" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The author labels this generation's lack of being outside as "Nature-Deficit Disorder" but I prefer to call it "Creation-Deprivation Disorder". I'm craving being surrounded by creation so I can know the Creator better and to worship Him as I see Him in what He has made. I want that for my kids, too. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today, I was reading the book and making excuses about it being too cold outside, when I heard the sound of a Disney movie trickling down the stairs. I decided Prince Charming and I needed an adventure, so I bundled us up and got on my bike and left our neighborhood. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thankfully, it doesn't take long for us to get away from our concrete subdivision. First we said hello to some of our animal friends- </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq8JvVlIIgeskdu8xt7pGYYD-a_jMiNVIShYzfSWS5ztguN6FISvktt6t-M731XF6NCwnZlbuZRfMEBhYM5lsJQ9tKWwIJ8JPpK9BftXQ03Qtihs32-v2Kje_jnRKLbBR4gHGRJcwL75i/s1600/Outside+Play+7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="314" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxq8JvVlIIgeskdu8xt7pGYYD-a_jMiNVIShYzfSWS5ztguN6FISvktt6t-M731XF6NCwnZlbuZRfMEBhYM5lsJQ9tKWwIJ8JPpK9BftXQ03Qtihs32-v2Kje_jnRKLbBR4gHGRJcwL75i/s320/Outside+Play+7.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHi1VHu7rPV-KI9RLkgbAdJDOKIImC9VAzLAq60rMfab_gU7FEHQqzVe5dfSAqz3v-y_JkD9i2UbqcaggWPIDEg0Ohziiurl1XJ_PzqAEyex0ZZMq-3jqWPoEujNBxL9izzll2jRjj2LXS/s1600/Outside+Play+9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="280" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHi1VHu7rPV-KI9RLkgbAdJDOKIImC9VAzLAq60rMfab_gU7FEHQqzVe5dfSAqz3v-y_JkD9i2UbqcaggWPIDEg0Ohziiurl1XJ_PzqAEyex0ZZMq-3jqWPoEujNBxL9izzll2jRjj2LXS/s320/Outside+Play+9.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then we stopped at a dried out creek bed on the edge of our neighborhood and played and explored, romped, and threw lots of rocks: </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5Far1DEAhUcxVX61aGo0j0rQPJEd-SFk9Ock1ZrlXV1Sf-WTveQQgAxhl1LCy3OZqHV7sC9q_Df8vdoCvitHj0tJJmd0uLIvsF7l9r64bP1XvMZg7tHpFdYsyzujYdva8Foj1GlwBohk/s1600/Outside+Play+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5Far1DEAhUcxVX61aGo0j0rQPJEd-SFk9Ock1ZrlXV1Sf-WTveQQgAxhl1LCy3OZqHV7sC9q_Df8vdoCvitHj0tJJmd0uLIvsF7l9r64bP1XvMZg7tHpFdYsyzujYdva8Foj1GlwBohk/s320/Outside+Play+2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47P0DVYasoJRcwsfb1faiN9ftxx9txWdFCLSEmbAlfwglu3mQjtrvQctpaCsQeJa2cGT0ACankcOrF7dmTevdmYLbTAlt9C0pzB32_snNGQXap3IgRvcU2JRrZIUmrYHXBkq2fm-k17rb/s1600/Outside+Play+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="320" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47P0DVYasoJRcwsfb1faiN9ftxx9txWdFCLSEmbAlfwglu3mQjtrvQctpaCsQeJa2cGT0ACankcOrF7dmTevdmYLbTAlt9C0pzB32_snNGQXap3IgRvcU2JRrZIUmrYHXBkq2fm-k17rb/s320/Outside+Play+1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was gray and cold. The only color was Prince Charming's jacket. But it was the perfect backdrop for imagination. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We had a lot of fun on our adventure! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-rF-5ErT3IBXXxVHkhSBV9KR28ZgSXV402zXTwK6i91O7v6rzn-E2IEMwH8P4b5he11_lVKemubHUNdNKvMfypyYRWV5dt28sDAcBMMGMGD4ozOOKzIkGQmBVwz4xBARW8_ua2TWyKXP/s1600/Outside+Play+10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-rF-5ErT3IBXXxVHkhSBV9KR28ZgSXV402zXTwK6i91O7v6rzn-E2IEMwH8P4b5he11_lVKemubHUNdNKvMfypyYRWV5dt28sDAcBMMGMGD4ozOOKzIkGQmBVwz4xBARW8_ua2TWyKXP/s320/Outside+Play+10.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well...at least for awhile. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Then the wimp came back out in us. : ) </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqG_GXb53jXKG8aOtqZHC0qTyICObyNc0RGJVIVeqqVJgtI7avMxdkXB9fv9aLVzlDTHFhAuYQiwEZdVKyysxx6euNvzTSsGb_wPjoUO-pYGVbEWKvsSUSX39YQZydyWaViRxTNIwfcTU/s1600/3-2-11+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLqG_GXb53jXKG8aOtqZHC0qTyICObyNc0RGJVIVeqqVJgtI7avMxdkXB9fv9aLVzlDTHFhAuYQiwEZdVKyysxx6euNvzTSsGb_wPjoUO-pYGVbEWKvsSUSX39YQZydyWaViRxTNIwfcTU/s320/3-2-11+023.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It's been about three days that I've been very intentional about getting myself outside and encouraging the kids to do it, too, and I can't believe how great I feel from the walks and bike rides. They've left me hungry for more. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When the girls came home from school I showed them <a href="http://kaboom.org/blog/bright_ideas_build_fairy_house?utm_source=030111&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=eblast">this website</a> and sent them outside to build their own Fairy House. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvM2fLbpFwS3oBAKh1_nMWxhfWhDAQviio0jUfshWzRL0gkzAEPNt_PuarZYlobTUAkVGTaYe64iQpN7kLeW2lVUw7DBjlIXsyKm_XYKJne6Gyk6vGengkD-f5w-t7X6akxbG2itG8l7N/s1600/Outside+Play+11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="240" l6="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEvM2fLbpFwS3oBAKh1_nMWxhfWhDAQviio0jUfshWzRL0gkzAEPNt_PuarZYlobTUAkVGTaYe64iQpN7kLeW2lVUw7DBjlIXsyKm_XYKJne6Gyk6vGengkD-f5w-t7X6akxbG2itG8l7N/s320/Outside+Play+11.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They are mid-construction, so I'll save the update on their progress for another post. They said I could share the end result as long as I reminded you all not to scare off the fairies. : ) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here's to more adventures to come! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><strong><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Q4U- Do you feel like you or your kids are creation deprived? </span></em></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-52910490272740977582011-02-21T10:21:00.000-08:002011-02-21T10:21:36.119-08:00Missed It? Made to Crave Re-Runs<strong><em><span style="color: #0c343d;">I just received this email and thought I'd pass it on for any of you who were interested in the Made to Crave webcasts but missed them the first time around- </span></em></strong><br />
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<u><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Made to Crave Webcast Re-runs Starting Tuesday, February 22nd</span></strong></u><br />
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We've heard your cries, your pleas, your requests and your many emails asking us to re-run the Made to Crave webcasts. So, we've made special arrangements to re-run the webcasts on demand for the next 6 Tuesdays!<br />
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We're calling them "Tell a Friend Tuesdays!" For 24 hours, starting tomorrow morning, we'll re-air Week One of the Made to Crave webcast on demand. All you have to do is go to <a href="http://www.madetocrave.org/">http://www.madetocrave.org/</a> anytime tomorrow starting at 6 am EST, and you'll be able to see Lysa, Tonia, Kathrine Lee, and Dr, Chilton chatting it up.<br />
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Invite your mama, your sister, your girlfriends, your neighbor you like, and even the one you don't like. You won't want to miss this unique second-time-around opportunity!<br />
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We'll be doing some fun giveaways every Tuesday on Lysa's blog too! (<a href="http://www.lysaterkeurst.com/">http://www.lysaterkeurst.com/</a>)<br />
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See you there!<br />
Blessings,<br />
<br />
Holly Good<br />
Executive Assistant to Lysa <br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: purple;"><strong><em>You can read my series of blog posts about Lysa's book and the webcasts by clicking <a href="http://everydaybecky.blogspot.com/search/label/Made%20to%20Crave">here</a><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">.</span> </span></em></strong></span><br />
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Happy Monday! <br />
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Love,<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-78314743819812949852011-02-18T18:42:00.000-08:002011-02-18T18:44:00.364-08:00The Hunger Games Trilogy Ruined MeSomeday soon...when it's not a Friday night and I'm not too fried to be coherent...I'll write a review on my latest reads, <u>The Hunger Games</u> trilogy by Suzanne Collins. <br />
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But for those of you who have already read these books, you'll understand when I say they ruined me. Now everything I try to read seems too dull to hold my interest.<br />
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I'm craving a good read to ween me off the adrenaline rush that was the Hunger Games. Any suggestions out there in cyber land? Lately I've been a YA Fiction junkie, but I'll take any suggestions at this point.<br />
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Yawn...<br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><br />
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<strong>P.S. Please pray for Prince Charming. He's had a bad case of croup this week and I had to take him into the doctor's office this afternoon for his second dose of steroid treatments to ease his breathing. I can't wait to see him back to himself again and to stop worrying about my sweet little guy. Thanks! </strong><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-20358069297077799882011-02-14T09:22:00.000-08:002011-02-14T09:25:06.461-08:00Princesses Show Off Their Heart Hairdos and Final Made to Crave<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We were all so proud of the girls' Valentine's Hairdos this morning, I wanted to show them off: </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyv88HMavYz3QTe87S9lsa6Z4OyBTXK1NG4WaB3tX3JK1XIfiiU_XcmQyomc8suJrIPupcNQnsOUCadwN90i6okaOMRD2X7UQPKPb-jRsql8tvRrDPTpXO5LudY-T0Dv6OOl1Rxl_Kbin/s1600/Heart+Do+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsyv88HMavYz3QTe87S9lsa6Z4OyBTXK1NG4WaB3tX3JK1XIfiiU_XcmQyomc8suJrIPupcNQnsOUCadwN90i6okaOMRD2X7UQPKPb-jRsql8tvRrDPTpXO5LudY-T0Dv6OOl1Rxl_Kbin/s400/Heart+Do+1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyfDBvnkVajNcPJ6fRqQ7Al0FYOUCPzor_zwn1vRsT9PhLwexsk6V2Aex6xxeGQoFfqKg2kfrPdIonp4Cyuvg4uYpJgm1VKo9hEajdAS6teJUcJqxMBXf_5zKeJXUR8Gw_d5K0HpTiugz/s1600/Heart+Do+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMyfDBvnkVajNcPJ6fRqQ7Al0FYOUCPzor_zwn1vRsT9PhLwexsk6V2Aex6xxeGQoFfqKg2kfrPdIonp4Cyuvg4uYpJgm1VKo9hEajdAS6teJUcJqxMBXf_5zKeJXUR8Gw_d5K0HpTiugz/s400/Heart+Do+2.jpg" width="391" /></span></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxSrHL3Yz6XBHX8GV05hKzBLi2vbNFos__WzQ4gLDTkLYPPiZKkRM1Pm05i_zrtvAFhNIpiDbHpyrbv8BjuiytdmUUvJ5PlPHNrovOaa5o3no87kdQdP63ZXk7qLxh3tZiOIesmJFlDTy/s1600/Heart+Do+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDxSrHL3Yz6XBHX8GV05hKzBLi2vbNFos__WzQ4gLDTkLYPPiZKkRM1Pm05i_zrtvAFhNIpiDbHpyrbv8BjuiytdmUUvJ5PlPHNrovOaa5o3no87kdQdP63ZXk7qLxh3tZiOIesmJFlDTy/s400/Heart+Do+3.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The girls woke up and asked for hearts in their hair this morning. I didn't know if that was possible, but figured Google is good for everything. : ) We stumbled on this amazing hairdo site <a href="http://www.cutegirlshairstyles.com/">here</a> and decided to give it a shot. It's a miracle we made it to school before the tardy bell, but it was very easy and so much fun. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I hope you all have plans for snuggling your family today and remembering the greatest Valentine of all:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GST5w7KbjnRIO-eJfnhc1DobdIGf0KyRQtuZF2pcaUyYsAvCwEZIa7d06lirwljqpOK2WaCAZ0JDHHTPTSnkdNKClZ2e05JLP4n9Q5dk7EZPhiOjB58bSVXRxKSBhavPDfTPnyXBoWd1/s1600/Valentine+from+God+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GST5w7KbjnRIO-eJfnhc1DobdIGf0KyRQtuZF2pcaUyYsAvCwEZIa7d06lirwljqpOK2WaCAZ0JDHHTPTSnkdNKClZ2e05JLP4n9Q5dk7EZPhiOjB58bSVXRxKSBhavPDfTPnyXBoWd1/s400/Valentine+from+God+copy.jpg" width="250" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Don't forget tonight is the final Made to Crave webcast. You can watch it <a href="http://madetocrave.org/">here</a>. I'm so thankful for all I've learned from Lysa these past six weeks and for the honor of being a part of her blog tour. </span></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Happy Valentine's Day everyone! </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love you!</span></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-42157761018371391412011-02-11T13:05:00.000-08:002011-02-11T13:07:18.511-08:00Prince Charming Hijacked my Blog Today<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">I hijacked Mommy's blog today, because I wanted to say hi to my cousins. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Even if you are not one of my cousins, you can still watch my videos and see how hard I have been working on my speech. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwsL9IRvKMaqth8IjnMcH7tSKYxwAqxS9Lr4Xpwk106kv0Lc53pTdm3kkfOlWuEi985v3G_YlxHdGOZnSe2XQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxn0ZPRpbRcL4gN7gOuZ1d5bcK_HD_num_Td5GzwAcf9yF19hMUUVLpQ5W5wwfbbO9rCEhwHwh9vnzJl-yDBg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mommy says I've come so far from when she was just hoping to hear me say, "</span><a href="http://everydaybecky.blogspot.com/2010/06/please-say-mama.html"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Mama</span></a><span style="font-size: x-large;">". </span></span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">She is proud of me. </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Happy Friday!</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: x-large;">Love, </span></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54487/162/6491F4DF0F13DF1DDE8D4DBDE0D42564.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; border-right: 0px; border-top: 0px;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-21199781170012820082011-02-08T22:18:00.000-08:002011-02-08T22:22:15.288-08:00Shift Change<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Part of the life I signed on for, <br />
Expected,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">His new hours aren’t bad-</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Weekends off<br />
At least it’s not nights!</span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Just rearrange the schedule</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Like we always do and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Adjust. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> But something hardens </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> The words “shift change” hit this time unexpectedly</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Like tipped arrows, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Nicking my heart with the poison of </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Self Pity. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> <em>No! </em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I don’t want to s-h-i-f-t and </span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I don’t want to change!</span></em><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> I like the way it is. </span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">A soul level tantrum where I cannot pray, <em>“Search me…”</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Because He will not find poetry inside, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Only the off rhythm heartbeat of, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“Me, me, me, me.” </span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The shift comes and the change happens</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I fold my arms and pout, until </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The dark parts are held up to the Light and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The still small Voice whispers, </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">“It’s time” </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I surrender to the shift</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I embrace the change</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I adjust and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I grow. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And Shift Change becomes </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Good. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">**************************************************</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm writing this today as an expression of gratitude for my patient husband, who loves me through the "soul tantrums" and times when my heartbeat is off rhythm. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm linking up for the first time with "<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">A Holy Experience</a>" for Walk with Him Wednesday"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff162/annvoskamp/subalbumone/walkwithhimwednesdays2-1.jpg" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And also for a second time with sweet <a href="http://canvaschild.blogspot.com/">Emily</a> for Imperfect Prose. I'm so thankful for the permission to admit and to be imperfect.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<br />
<center><a href="http://canvaschild.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBMeV86AtpscqJdiSrIj0icVv2P8e82zzofCiLign98tTK1b9A7nFp-OcyV4h_-afScPZkNQsWgfnAINfnNoa0PQDOrfjamoBlWBJVMotYy_LacwrCw-86HUl60uKBmmThGFS602whwsk/s1600/blog+button.jpg" /></span></a></center><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love,</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-63574747671827608792011-02-07T14:13:00.000-08:002011-02-07T14:13:32.501-08:00But Why?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj96DohuioF1GoRngMjRMcJBLCx4Z4RJ0vl8ZagZEAuasryfFdxwJ1m8EYbJhpyose0HFUmdPreRgJoR9CARHqLfrUjMDJnegPjFgV0Fz0KUQf012pb7xsVaz6J5hb8gXG5LUBBCrSf6Kc/s1600/Made+to+Crave+Mondays+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" h5="true" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj96DohuioF1GoRngMjRMcJBLCx4Z4RJ0vl8ZagZEAuasryfFdxwJ1m8EYbJhpyose0HFUmdPreRgJoR9CARHqLfrUjMDJnegPjFgV0Fz0KUQf012pb7xsVaz6J5hb8gXG5LUBBCrSf6Kc/s400/Made+to+Crave+Mondays+2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<br />
When it comes to my weight struggle and food issues, I've asked, "why?" a lot. <br />
<br />
<div>I've often thought of the whole thing as a big, unfair <strong><span style="font-size: large;">curse</span></strong>.<br />
<br />
I can't count the multitude of prayers I've lifted concerning these issues. Prayers to be beautiful, prayers to be a certain number on the scale, prayers for help on this diet or that diet, and even prayers that God would spare my daughters from inheriting my issues with food and weight so they will avoid the same heartache. </div><br />
One of the lessons I've been learning lately is that this whole thing is anything <em>BUT</em> a curse. <br />
<br />
Looking back over the course of my lifetime, I cannot think of a single issue that has sent me more consistently to God than this one. <br />
<br />
<div> </div><strong><u><span style="font-size: large;">In the past God has used this struggle to: </span></u></strong><br />
<ul><li>Draw me closer to Him</li>
<li>Humble me</li>
<li>Get me on my knees</li>
<li>Reveal my need for Him </li>
<li>Teach me of His (and others) love for me just as I am</li>
<li>Inspire me to more maturity</li>
<li>Show me how unsatisfying anything will be that I crave more than Him </li>
</ul><br />
<div> <u><strong><span style="font-size: large;">And now God is continuing to use this struggle to : </span></strong></u> </div><ul><li>Deepen my dependence on Him</li>
<li>Refine and mature me</li>
<li>Lead me to repentance </li>
<li>Prompt me to use the resources that are mine in Him</li>
<li>Teach me I am stronger than I think I am because He is great in my weakness </li>
<li>Alllow me to know Him more (something I long for) </li>
<li>Demonstrate that He is enough and all I need </li>
<li>Show me where my true worth lies</li>
<li>Confirm His great and undeserved love for me</li>
<li>And to lead me to victory instead of defeat </li>
</ul><br />
<div>I'm embracing the journey because this journey and all these things He's doing through it are </div><br />
<div> </div><strong><em><span style="font-size: large;">GOOD! </span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<div> </div>I'm embracing this journey and realizing <strong><span style="font-size: large;">it does not have a beginning nor an end</span></strong>. It is something I will keep working on my whole life, but the results will be worth it. <br />
<br />
<div> </div><strong><em><span style="color: #134f5c;">But, what if this battle with food isn't the curse we've always thought it to be? What if it's actually the very thing, if brought under control, that can lead us to a better understanding of God? What if we could actually get to the place where we thanked God for letting us face this battle because of the rich treasure we discovered on the battlefield? </span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<strong><em><span style="color: #134f5c;">- Lysa TerKeurst, Made to Crave, Chapter 10 </span></em></strong><br />
<br />
<div> </div>*****************************<br />
Only two more webcasts left! Tonight I'm looking forward to seeing Mandisa talking with Lysa. <a href="http://madetocrave.org/">Here's the link</a> to the webcast which will air at 8 PM (EST). Don't forget to adjust for your timezone. If you miss it, it will air again tomorrow at several times throughout the day on the Made to Crave <a href="http://madetocrave.org/">website</a>. <br />
<br />
<div> </div>See you there! <br />
<br />
<div> </div>Love, <br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-14712320436425652232011-02-01T19:38:00.000-08:002011-02-01T19:38:49.013-08:00{{Hugs}}<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">My oldest princess has been so independent from the beginning. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">She crawled at 5 months, walked at 9 months, and had a new baby sister that needed our attention one month after her first birthday. She didn't seem to have much time or need for snuggling- she was on the go and she was the big kid, not the baby. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Recently, she has been doing more growing up. You know that kind of growing up that happens when you are almost nine, when you start changing, and everything seems so overwhelming? Along with that changing and growing up has come a lot of emotion- tears and frustration and bickering. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I felt this ache in my heart as I realized how quickly she is growing up and how disconnected she and I have been this winter. I"ve been frustrated with her and she's been frustrated with me and more than a few nights I've cried and prayed about how sad I was to be losing my little girl to the tween years. As I prayed, God gave me some direction that was different from what I expected. You know what He told me to do? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><strong>Hug her more.</strong></em> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I was so surprised. Every once in awhile she's asked for a hug or snuggle time, but it always seemed to come when I couldn't (or didn't want to) give her that kind of attention. It appeared to come when she wanted out of something like going to bed at night or when I was right in the middle of something like cooking dinner or finishing a project and my answer had to be, "I can't right now. I'm busy." </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I hadn't noticed how little physical affection I had been giving her lately, and I hadn't noticed how hungry she was for it. Until I started giving it to her. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Instead of opening the door in the morning and saying, "Rise and shine. Get up for school!" I've been going in to her room a few minutes early and snuggling with her until she wakes up. At school, I won't let her leave my car in the morning without a kiss and hug goodbye, and throughout the day, I've tried to grab her as often as I can and hug that <strong>little girl that she still is and will always be to me. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I didn't know hugs were her love language, or how empty her little love tank had become, but she's blooming lately and seems like a new, more peaceful girl. She needed Mommy hugs, and I'm so thankful God showed me she did, because what I didn't know or expect was how much <strong>I needed those hugs, too</strong>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I love my girl! </span><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-71923500573822726642011-01-31T14:23:00.000-08:002011-01-31T14:23:26.160-08:00What if I Stumble?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuJ6kGYj55liR-WkWYVNG8sMHgczA6ikPSKS_k6smlNF2dZYPDNlBcnG5LGs-D-j-XNWdo5o0r8fLTtSnZSJfVu6yCRh7VOb9GAA-Uw2cWr4PnFKJlPDTP8F_OULJNadBoXzN6v58zIHH/s1600/Made+to+Crave+Mondays+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img border="0" height="205" s5="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixuJ6kGYj55liR-WkWYVNG8sMHgczA6ikPSKS_k6smlNF2dZYPDNlBcnG5LGs-D-j-XNWdo5o0r8fLTtSnZSJfVu6yCRh7VOb9GAA-Uw2cWr4PnFKJlPDTP8F_OULJNadBoXzN6v58zIHH/s400/Made+to+Crave+Mondays+2.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><u><span style="font-size: large;">Not a Fun Trip to the Scale:</span></u></strong> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last week, I blogged about my recent success and how hopeful I felt about my ability to find lasting victory over my weight and food issues. Almost immediately after pushing "Publish Post", however, I began to slide into a week of very little victory and much struggle. <br />
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The January winter blues hit their climax, my husband started a new work shift that I was unhappy about, I went out of town for a women's retreat with lots of yummy treats, and that joyful event of every woman's month (an event I've seen Lysa label the "Princess Must Scream" syndrome) hit all at once. I was tested to put into practice what I've been learning.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>I didn't pass the test. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;"><strong>I gained weight this week. </strong></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia;">This is the point in the past when my perfectionism and "all or nothing" approach to everything would take over and start the whispers of "why try?" </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This is the point where traditionally I may not say it out loud or even put it into words for myself, but I would begin to quit. </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I don't want to do that this time. Because I'm learning <strong>I was made for more</strong>. </span><br />
<strong><u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><br />
But What if I Stumble?</span></u></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
I started to worry. People are watching. I've made my weight loss journey public again, and I've put a spiritual label on this effort. <em><strong>Will I fail you, Lord?</strong></em> </span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Lines from an old D.C. Talk song from the '90's ran through my head: </span><br />
<blockquote><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><strong>What if I stumble, what if I fall?</strong></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><strong>What if I lose my step and I make fools of us all?</strong></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><strong>Will the love continue when my walk becomes a crawl?</strong></em></span><br />
<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><strong>What if I stumble, and what if I fall? </strong></em></span></blockquote><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And then I started thinking about other areas of my life- ministry, writing, speaking- where more fear creeps in and whispers, <strong><em>Will I fail you, Lord?</em></strong></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
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More lines from the song run through my head: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><blockquote><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><em><span style="color: #134f5c;">I hear You whispering my name [You say] My love for You will never change" [never change]</span></em></strong></span></blockquote>Then Jesus whispers more to my heart: <br />
<blockquote><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><strong>What if you stumble? What if you fail at this (or anything else)? Then you'll grab my hand, I'll pick you up, and with my help you'll keep pressing on to win the prize that I'm calling you toward (Philippians 3:14). </strong></em></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><span style="color: #134f5c;"><em>You won't fail me because I am in the process of shaping you into my image, not the world's image, and I have promised you that I will finish the work I've started in you (Philippians 1:6).</em> </span></strong></span></blockquote><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"></div><u><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong></u></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: large;"><strong><u>So this week:</u></strong></span></div><div></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm learning to press on without fear. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm remembering from the first webcast, <strong>"A setback is a setup for a comeback." </strong></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I'm believing I am not defined by the numbers. </span></li>
</ul><div></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">This time is different, because this time I have a different end goal. </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
Not skinniness</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Not admiration</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Not a number on the scale</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div><div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
But <strong>PEACE</strong></span></em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></div><div></div><div></div><div><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><strong><em><br />
"I was no longer defined by a number on the scale, because my weight loss goal was peace." - Lysa TerKeurst, Made to Crave Chapter 7. </em></strong></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">________________________________________</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
Tonight's webcast will be at 8 PM (EST). You can watch it from the </span><a href="http://madetocrave.org/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Made to Crave website</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> or </span><a href="http://www.ksbj.org/"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">http://www.ksbj.org/</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> It will re-air several times on Tuesday if you miss it tonight. Don't forget to adjust for your time zone. </span><br />
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<em><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love,</span></em> <br />
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<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></em></span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3681835026114823283.post-15443708228035067562011-01-27T19:37:00.000-08:002011-01-27T19:37:50.091-08:00Down in the January Dumps<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">After I wrote my last post and hit the publish button, I realized it sounded so chipper and as if I've got this weight battle and everything else licked. I am very grateful for what I'm learning from Lysa's book and for the success I've had lately, but I'm also all about transparency. After I hit publish, the rest of my week has truthfully felt far less than victorious. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Because December went so well, I thought I had somehow sidestepped the winter blues. Ha Ha. They're laughing at me now. No sidestepping allowed, I guess. January kicks my hiney every year, and here I am again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When it comes to the blues, I know I can't be passive about getting better, and I know the things I need to do that I haven't been doing lately. But I thought I'd throw it out to all of you, too. Do you struggle with winter blues? What helps? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">January is hard but thankfully <strong>January is temporary</strong>. Spring always come! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Love, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://www.mylivesignature.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img src="http://signatures.mylivesignature.com/54485/296/A4C6C4578B18052908D25E6D58FD8081.png" style="background: none transparent scroll repeat 0% 0%; border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;" /></span></a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><a href="http://twitter.com/share" class="twitter-share-button" data-count="horizontal" data-via="BeckyAvella">Tweet</a><script type="text/javascript" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script></div>Becky Avellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03111329550123400819noreply@blogger.com5