Around the web...

I hesitate to say this, but I'm considering doing a weekly post with links that you can follow to good YouTube videos, my song of the week, thought-provoking articles, etc.

We will see if I keep it up...

Here we go!

Unexpected Joy via challies.com
I needed more than one tissue after I watched this.  What a comfort Jesus can be when life takes an unexpected turn.  What a sweet little boy who is helping his family become more like Jesus. Biological brothers + adopted brothers + a handicapped brother + fierce joy and hope =  tears.

Oh Happiness! by the David Crowder Band
Oh happiness!  There's grace enough for us and the whole human race!

Rescued via Amos via challies.com again
As a former-foster-never-adopted-child-now-apostate-adult told me one time, adoption into a Christian family doesn't mean that the adopted kids will get saved.  (I wonder if that person reads my blog...)
But I say, those kids definitely will be exposed to the Gospel, if the parents are living a faithful life and loving their kids.

Behold Our God by Sovereign Grace
Behold our God seated on His throne!  Come let us adore Him!

Christian Ministry in the Shadow of the Mosque [with video] via albertmohler.com
I watched this video last week while stuffing bulletins for church.  I learned some new things about Islam as well as heard ways to love Muslims in the United States.  I don't know any Muslims personally, but it was good to have my way of thinking challenged; I must be an American Christian, never a Christian American.

Ranch Dressing II Recipe via allrecipes.com
I made this recipe with few small changes (1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup mayonnaise, and 1/2 cup plain yogurt; a little more garlic and onion powder).  It tastes pretty good so far!  It needs to sit in the fridge for a while so all the flavors can "mingle."

Chores

How sad that this is only the second post this month!  Oh well.

I work as a substitute teacher, so I have about twenty days a month that I can work.  Last month I worked eight days, which is really good.  Unless I get a job tomorrow, I will have worked six days this month.

Some people ask, "What do you do with your extra time?  Don't you get bored?!"

Ummmmmm, not really.

Amos works in the afternoons, so after he leaves, I get to work.

Today, I dusted the blinds in the kitchen, swept our little house, mopped the kitchen, shook out the rugs, dusted a few other things, straightened the bedroom, did the dishes, and raked and swept the backyard.  Later I will do more dishes.

I usually try to clean right after Amos leaves, leaving the more fun things as an incentive for later, such as baking stuff, making crafts, looking at Facebook and Pinterest, going on a walk, or reading.  Every once in a while I will hang out with one of my friends in the evening.  (I'm an introvert; I don't mind being alone for most of the day.)  Sometimes I take something I've cooked to Master's so Amos can have a taste; I'll also say hi to Danielle, who works in the campus bookstore.

On Tuesday I made a pillow.  Yesterday I went to work and Bible study.  On Fridays I usually go to three or more grocery stores before I hop over to church to pick up the 600ish bulletins that we stuff on Friday and/or Saturday night.  On Sundays we have to get to church early to bring the bulletins and to secure our seats behind Wayne and Rosemary Dell, one of our elders and his wife.  Sometimes Amos stays for all three services in order to run the slides; sometimes I man the hospitality table (I make sure that we don't run out of cups or donut holes).  This Sunday I will be back at church during the third service to go to our missions leadership meeting.  In the evenings we go back to church once again to serve at Fusion, the college-age young adult ministry.  On Mondays Amos and I hang out or go places before he has to go to his overnight shift.

So, no, I don't get bored.

Rain, sleet, and ten inches of snow

This morning I woke up in my own comfy bed with the familiar blue-gray sheets and the teal-green-burgundy quilt.  This is a great contrast to where I was on Friday night.

Snow!

Friday night I was in Yosemite with Amos and several of our friends, Luke and Danielle Neuman and Josh and Grace Wheeler.  After traveling six hours in the Neumans' overstuffed Honda, we finally unfolded at our campsite on the Yosemite Valley floor.  The weather was cold but bearable...until the rain started.  Josh, Amos, and Luke rigged up a tarp to cover our already wet picnic table, and we scurried around in various states of discomfort getting food ready and hiding under the tarp.  Deciding to forgo the smores, we drank hot cocoa and crawled in our little tents.

Our tent, after I knocked off the snow

       I commented to Amos that it looked like our tent was holding up well in the rain, which was nice since we couldn't do much about it if the tent decided to leak.  We snuggled down in sleeping bags and under blankets, and fell into a fitful sleep. Two and half hours later, I was outside Luke and Danielle's spacious tent, asking for shelter from our tent-turned-puddle.  Our small tent leaked, and Amos' sleeping bag was wet from the rain and sleet.  We were about to move into their tent when Luke and Danielle discovered their own lake.  They moved into the middle of the tent, and Amos and I headed for their small car.

It was snowing by this point, and at various times in the night I was awakened either by Amos' snoring, the alarm on Luke's forgotten phone, or huge clumps of snow shaking the car.  I steeled myself to emerge at 8:30 and was greeted by eight inches of snow.

Half Dome in the snow

Now, the forecast said rain and snow.  I thought we might get snowflakes that melted on contact or maybe a light dusting of snow.  I was not prepared for eight full inches in the morning and more snow as the day went on.  Luke and Danielle's tent was partially collapsed and soaked from the snow.  The only reason our tent was visible was because I had piled our luggage in the middle before escaping to the car; it was nearly flat under its snow sheet.

In shock and denial, we ate a very nice hot breakfast.  I decided to address the elephant in the room: Where would we sleep that night?  Danielle and I were set against sleeping in puddles or enduring any more cold than we had to.  Amos and Luke agreed.  Josh and Grace had survived in their heavy-duty yet lightweight backpacking tent, but they had to leave early anyway.

My favorite picture of the weekend; click for a larger version

After pushing the cars out of the snowy parking space, trying to add chains to the Wheeler car, and investigating the rather expensive housing options available in the Valley, it was decided that we would all camp at the Wheelers' house in Woodland.  Amos and I dried the group's wet clothes at the housekeeping site, and everyone else made lunch and packed up the campsite in the now slushy, snowy mess.

Josh getting his car out with other campers to help

We made it out of Yosemite and up to Woodland with only a few sliding skids.

On Sunday we dried tents, blankets, sleeping bags, and other paraphernalia on the front lawn and in the backyard. Josh wanted to set up a small cardboard sign that said "Occupy Woodland" but we didn't get around to it.  There were a few strange looks from neighbors, though.

Occupy Woodland!

We cleaned up the front lawn and headed out to the Davis Arboretum, which made for a nice afternoon.  After that we each played games, read, slept, or gardened then had a nice dinner of soup and sandwiches.  The evening entertainment was a game of Clue followed by smores in the fireplace (which is a story for another time).

We left Monday morning, and the whole weekend is now a memory.

A cold, slushy, comedy-of-errors memory with good friends who are now better friends.

One of Grace's tulips

Next time guys, let's camp in July. :)