crossrhodes

Can’t believe the long holiday weekend is over. Back to work tomorrow!

We hope you all had a wonderful holiday. It was warm enough in Jersey to have a cook out so we grilled some steaks in lieu of turkey. It was actually the best tasting “Thanksgiving turkey” we’ve ever had :) My brother and sister-in-law’s mashed potatoes, kicked up several notches with garlic, was so good we ate it for 2 days. My sister is coming along in Domestication 101 with her sweet apple cobbler. We had more desserts than we had side dishes… 2 pumpkin pies, a sweet potatoe pecan praline pie, an apple cobbler, and a tiramisu charlotte with mocha filling. (Got milk?)

We had Thanksgiving dinner with my family on Wednesday (respective in-laws on Thursday). My in-laws are upstate and we won’t be seeing them till Christmas so we spent Thanksgiving Thursday at home… just the three of us. It was so weird to me… just the three of us at home on a major holiday. No cousins to laugh with, no Lola playing the piano, no silly uncles telling funny stories nor aunts laughing out loud. Just the three of us. Darnit… guess that means I’ve got to have kids to uphold my big family legacy.

James and I just came home from church. He had youth group and I helped decorate for our friend’s wedding tomorrow. So we’re driving home and I smelled this aweful stench in the van! I thought it was coming from the dairy farm on the way to our house. (We live in a “McHouses” community. Once upon a time, old McDonald had a farm… eeh-i, eeh-i, oh… and on this farm the builders came and built communities of new houses on old McDonald’s land. Thus, a McHouse.) So anyway, I realized it was James’ sweat and body odor after playing basketball with the youth. Oh, my goodness! How can little boys smell sooo bad??? :) I drove with the windows down but to no relief when we drove past the dairy farm. Yuk! Yuk! Yuk! Don makes fun of me and says it shouldn’t bother me having grown up in the city with industrial smells and pollution. First of all, there were no factories in my backyard nor did I live next to the turnpike. Secondly, I can tolerate industrial smells but any smell, sight, or sound of animal or human waste is another story. So there! :-)

Today isn’t really a milestone but another year of life nonetheless. In other words, I don’t feel like it’s a big deal kind of birthday. My hubby sent roses to my work. He does it every year we’ve been married… the same flowers, the same arrangement, the same container. It has become a tradition I look forward to :) I also got flowers and a cake from my co-workers. I love the people I work with… we couldn’t have a better team! And tonight, my hubby is taking care of dinner… and maybe a little something-something for dessert *grin* (Eewww, my mother reads this!) Now I shall slip on my fluffy white slippers and do nothing the rest of the evening.

Hmmm… I feel like singing… c’mon sing with me…

I am blessed, I am blessed.
From when I rise up in the mornin’,
’Til I lay my head to rest….
Oh Lord, for all the worst and all the best
I am blessed…

You came from heaven
To rescue my soul…
This is the reason I know,
I know… I know…
I AM BLESSED!!!

haaa-ppy birrr-thday to meee…
haaa-ppy birrr-thday to meee…
happy birrr-thday…
happy birrr-thday…
haaa-ppy birrr-thday to meee!!!

Currently reading:In the Presence of My Enemies by Gracia Burnham, the surviving wife of the missionary couple who were captured by Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines. Her husband was one of the hostages beheaded in captivity. I first heard about the Burnhams from my friend, Lori, during one of our “swim meets” in our apartment’s pool in Virginia. So when the book came out, I had to have it.

I’m still in the first few chapters. It’s very interesting to read how missionaries prepare for the field and the rigorous training they go through, particularly for tribal ministry. I have a new admiration for those who truly have the heart for mission. When missionaries visit our church to share their experiences overseas, I get all choked up on this romantic ideal of adventure for the wanderlust. But mannnn, is the Lord opening the eyes of my heart! We all have a calling for mission but I commend those who have accepted the call to serve in strange lands.

We personally know of one missionary couple who are serving the urban poor in the Philippines. You can read about their service here. Aaron and Ema Smith covet our prayers for their health, a place to rent, and financial investment in the Lord’s work. (I hope they don’t mind me “advertising” their needs on this platform.)