Busy every day

Monday
+ Hanging out with some Bible study friends at the Tea Gardens
+ Waiting around at TMC to give a friend her pillow and clothes (she went on a mission trip, so we kept some stuff for her till she got back); didn't see the friend, but we did see an older friend, Kelli Bolen!

Tuesday
+ Early-morning wake-up to see Heather, Austin, and David and to learn about their upcoming ministry

Old ollege friends + children
Heather, Austin, and David are right behind my head

Wednesday
+ Church staff meeting
+ TMC Alumni Dodger game versus the GIANTS!

Here's the pitch!

Amos and I at the game (Amos is wearing his birthday present shirt)

Thursday
+ Amos had a meeting with a friend from church

Friday
+ Picking up bulletins
+ Making scones and blueberry lemon curd for a ladies' event tomorrow
+ Getting groceries and going to the post office
+ Watching Jeeves and Wooster?

Saturday
+ Ladies' event
+ Laundry
+ Swimming!  It is supposed to be up to 102-105 tomorrow!

Sunday
+ Church
+ Missions Leadership Meeting
+ Open House for our newest global partners

Monday
+ Pack for Nebraska
+ Clean
+ Eat the odds and ends in the fridge
+ Go to sleep early!

Camp memories

Some of my favorite childhood memories happened at camp.  I first went to Awana camp when I was ten years old.  Despite feeling left out for the first half hour or so of camp (I was very shy, and my friends were in a different group) and getting really sick later in the week (I threw up in the nurse's office), I had a great time!  I attended Awana camp for seven years, only missing my last year because I went on a mission trip to Zambia.

My first year at CYIA camp was when I was twelve.  This camp trains you to teach Bible clubs during the summer.  My favorite memories include the annual skit and talent night and the daily practice groups, where we took turns telling our Bible stories to our peers.  I attended CYIA for five years.  I missed the last year of this camp, too, because I was in Africa.

Amos also went to a summer camp for a few years, but he didn't have as good of a time as I did.  Some of the boys in his cabin were little punks, and they threw his pillow in some poison ivy!

Now my little sister, Brenda, is off to Awana camp!  Amos and I packed up a present for her, and I shipped it off on Friday.  I'm pretty sure she's going to like both camp and the present. :)

Everything was stuffed in except for the sticky notes, some glo sticks,
and some pixie sticks

Ready to go!

Around the web 4

Here are some links I've enjoyed recently:

Believing That Which Is Hard To Believe by Mike Gaston, small group and outreach pastor at Grace Baptist
"Wouldn't it be arrogant of me to assume that God would only do that which I am capable of understanding?"

My Dad's Impromptu Challenge by Nancy Leigh DeMoss
Ever thought of making 50-year goals?

Listening to Young Atheists: Lessons for a Stronger Christianity by Larry Alex Taunton for The Atlantic
This just in (okay, it's old news), but Christian youth turn from the church when they sense that the teaching is neither genuine nor able to answer their tough questions.  Interesting study.

How to Read a Book by The Art of Manliness
I haven't read this article yet, but I plan to soon!

Crockpot Peach Chipotle Chicken at thefrugalgirls.com
This recipe was just for inspiration.  I made peach preserves and mixed it with a little bit of honey barbecue sauce, onions, and bell peppers.  We ate it over grilled chicken breasts with brown and white rice, green beans, and avocado.  It was really good.

Song of the week by Michael Buble': It's a Beautiful Day

And a funny video that Danielle showed me on Monday, when I invited myself over to her house:
Cat Jump Fail with Music

By the numbers

1 day till Julia and Katie's birthday
4 days till my next staff meeting
1 week till we have to do laundry again
1 week and 1 day till my friend Sarah comes back from China
1 week and 2 days till we see our friends Heather, Austin, and David
1 weeks and 3 days till we go to the TMC Alumni Dodger Game (Go Giants!)
2 weeks till my next MLT meeting
2 weeks and 2 days till we go to Nebraska!
3 weeks and 2 days till our second anniversary!

And a few pictures from today, our adventure to Ventura

Amos, aka, Jennica's Best Friend

The bees love these huge flowers

More huge flowers

What I'm reading

The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict by Trenton Lee Stewart
Amos and I have listened to the other Benedict books, and we love them.  The books are about two orphans and two runaways who are brought together by Nicholas Benedict to form the Mysterious Benedict Society, with the goal of defeating the evil Ledroptha Curtain.  This book is about Nicholas Benedict's extraordinary childhood. We like this one so far, too.
(The Mysterious Benedict Society, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey, The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma)

A View of the Nile by Elizabeth Warnock Fernea
I love Fernea's books.  This one tells about her years living in Egypt with her anthropologist husband and three children.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini
Hosseini's third book, this one also revolves around an Afghan family.  It explores the consequences of choices.  I like it, though the content of the book is rarely pretty.


My goodreads account says I'm also reading The Meaning of Marriage: Finding Happiness in Your Most Profound Relationship by Timothy and Kathy Keller, Serving as Senders by Neal Pirolo, and Gilead by Marilynne Robinson.  What is more accurate is that I've read a good part of each of those books, and they have been laid aside, at least for the time being.


I just finished Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.  It is a young adult book set in World War II, telling the story of two best friends.  One girl is a pilot and one girl is a spy.  About half the book is told from the Scottish spy's angle, and the rest of the book by the English pilot's.  There are lots of details, several plot twists, and a few crazy connections between all of the characters.
I loved it.  Code Name Verity was very sad at some points, but also very interesting and extremely well-written.  I listened to it as an audiobook, and it was excellent.  It is read by two different ladies and is put out by Bolinda audio.  I highly recommend it, though it is not appropriate for young audiences (even though it is technically young adult).  I got my copy from the local library.