[what's brewing: a global blend]
Above is a slideshow of all the weekly Picture Praises that went out to 1400 (and growing!) subscribers worldwide this year. The power of a great shot and verse is beyond my meager words. It goes deep into the soul.
And the beauty is...they came from you: Women of the Harvest!
As we go into 201o, we need your global photos (300 dpi is the best) and accompanying verse that makes the photo sing! We'll do the layout; you submit the assets. Some of you submitted some beautiful photos for the "Painted Red" contest. Would you consider re-submitting them, along with a verse for Picture Praise? And think beyond, "Let the children come..." when submitting photos of children.
Email to: editor@womenoftheharvest.com
And just a bit of a teaser: our new Coffeegirl-esque Blog debuts next week!
Happy New Year!
Cindy
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
For Unto Us the Coffeebean is Born!
[what's brewing: the sweetest and finest in all the land!] All is calm...at my house, but not at Coffeegirl's.
I'm so pleased to announce to you: it's a girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Vital Stats: 8 lbs. 12.5 oz, 21.1 inches long.
Both are doing well and are enjoying the holidays at home with husband, and some of CG's family, who flew in to see lil' coffeebean.
Merry Christmas, everyone! Blessings to you as you celebrate the one who is called, "Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace"--Jesus.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Wait for it...Be the First to Know!
CG's Community Tuesday's post is delayed until ?...sorry for the mystery, but I have something that is worth waiting for. Have I told you about the benefits of following WOTH on Twitter?
This is one instance where you would be the first to know (via a Tweet) what I'm holding out for in delaying this post.
Sign up by going to www.Twitter.com/wotheditor and click on "Followers" in the right sidebar.
This is one instance where you would be the first to know (via a Tweet) what I'm holding out for in delaying this post.
Sign up by going to www.Twitter.com/wotheditor and click on "Followers" in the right sidebar.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
OPEN MIKE: Where Do You Live?
[what's brewing: an answer to the question]
"Do you live around here?", the cashier at 7-11 asks me as he recognizes me and my coffee order for the third week in a row. The lady at the park, with the super cute 4 year-old, asks me "Do you live nearby?" In church, after a casual introduction to the couple behind me, they ask the question, "Where do you live?" "Where do you live?" is a common question we ask each other in our day-to-day interactions. Those who have an easy answer to this question may never really notice it being asked.
This question has been a difficult one for me these many years. How do I even begin to answer this very simple question? Are they asking: Where did I used to live? Where have I ever lived? Where do I live this week or where will I live next week? Where did I live last month? Where do I want to live?
When someone asks the question, I must I get a funny smirk on my face, because they usually sense that the question is oddly hard for me.
Well, I say, I am from California... actually I am from Indiana, but have lived in California most of my life. Well, most of my adult life I have lived overseas...except for the few years in between when I lived in California again. First we lived in Kazakhstan--that is near Russia, you know--and for the last few years I have lived in Turkey, but I don't live there any more, however all my stuff is still there. So, technically I am homeless, but I am not living in my car or anything like that (I chuckle at this point and the person who is listening to me usually doesn't). I have lived in Long Beach for the past few months and am living right now in Los Alamitos, but I'm headed to Big Bear for the foreseeable future. I am really anxious to move to the UK, we are waiting on our visas; yes, the UK, I know it's crazy! (at that point I get the clue that it is time to change the subject by asking about their lives).
"So, where do you live?", I ask.
When the cashier at the 7-11 asks me “Do you live around here?”, I just say : Yes, I live nearby. Do you live around here?
The lessons of "home" and "homelessness" have proved to be a constant struggle for me. I want to be settled, to be home. When I first began to read the Kazakh language, I remember reading in Kazakh the verses that describe our lives as "in Christ." In the Kazakh language, "in" is the exact same grammatical form (and meaning) as we would use when saying "I live in Indiana." It is a directional word; it is concrete. I live in Oregon... I live in Kazakhstan... I live in Christ. Imagine knowing your home "in Christ" as surely as you know your home is in Long Beach, California.
His word tells me that "he is my dwelling place... he has been my home" (Psalm 90); but, I still find my heart searching for home outside of Him alone. What if I answered that infamous question, "Where do you live?" with a confident and secure, “I live in Christ”? The thought makes me smile and chuckle a bit as I wonder how the 7-11 cashier would respond to that answer.
Lord, make this the deep truth and response of my heart!
I live in Christ. Where do you live?
[editor's note: Thanks, Stephanie! You can connect with Stephanie on her blog, www.hisgirlalone.blogspot.com Would you like to "live in" CG's Community for a week? Submit your post to me during this OPEN MIKE season: editor@womenoftheharvest.com ]
"Do you live around here?", the cashier at 7-11 asks me as he recognizes me and my coffee order for the third week in a row. The lady at the park, with the super cute 4 year-old, asks me "Do you live nearby?" In church, after a casual introduction to the couple behind me, they ask the question, "Where do you live?" "Where do you live?" is a common question we ask each other in our day-to-day interactions. Those who have an easy answer to this question may never really notice it being asked.
This question has been a difficult one for me these many years. How do I even begin to answer this very simple question? Are they asking: Where did I used to live? Where have I ever lived? Where do I live this week or where will I live next week? Where did I live last month? Where do I want to live?
When someone asks the question, I must I get a funny smirk on my face, because they usually sense that the question is oddly hard for me.
Well, I say, I am from California... actually I am from Indiana, but have lived in California most of my life. Well, most of my adult life I have lived overseas...except for the few years in between when I lived in California again. First we lived in Kazakhstan--that is near Russia, you know--and for the last few years I have lived in Turkey, but I don't live there any more, however all my stuff is still there. So, technically I am homeless, but I am not living in my car or anything like that (I chuckle at this point and the person who is listening to me usually doesn't). I have lived in Long Beach for the past few months and am living right now in Los Alamitos, but I'm headed to Big Bear for the foreseeable future. I am really anxious to move to the UK, we are waiting on our visas; yes, the UK, I know it's crazy! (at that point I get the clue that it is time to change the subject by asking about their lives).
"So, where do you live?", I ask.
When the cashier at the 7-11 asks me “Do you live around here?”, I just say : Yes, I live nearby. Do you live around here?
The lessons of "home" and "homelessness" have proved to be a constant struggle for me. I want to be settled, to be home. When I first began to read the Kazakh language, I remember reading in Kazakh the verses that describe our lives as "in Christ." In the Kazakh language, "in" is the exact same grammatical form (and meaning) as we would use when saying "I live in Indiana." It is a directional word; it is concrete. I live in Oregon... I live in Kazakhstan... I live in Christ. Imagine knowing your home "in Christ" as surely as you know your home is in Long Beach, California.
His word tells me that "he is my dwelling place... he has been my home" (Psalm 90); but, I still find my heart searching for home outside of Him alone. What if I answered that infamous question, "Where do you live?" with a confident and secure, “I live in Christ”? The thought makes me smile and chuckle a bit as I wonder how the 7-11 cashier would respond to that answer.
Lord, make this the deep truth and response of my heart!
I live in Christ. Where do you live?
[editor's note: Thanks, Stephanie! You can connect with Stephanie on her blog, www.hisgirlalone.blogspot.com Would you like to "live in" CG's Community for a week? Submit your post to me during this OPEN MIKE season: editor@womenoftheharvest.com ]
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
OPEN MIKE: Tangible Taste of God's Goodness
[what’s brewing: the familiar taste of comfort]Do you ever have no good, terrible, very bad days where you need something comfortable and familiar? I do. Today was that day! The car had a dead battery. Using one foreign language to learn another was just too much effort. And when my email went haywire--that was the last straw.
How I would have loved to find a Starbucks drive-thru!
We are in our second field term in East Africa where people grow coffee and drink coffee, but do not serve any variety of 'fancy' coffee that is so comfortable and familiar to me (I grew up in Seattle with a coffee shop on every corner). I may not get to choose the exact way God provides what is comfortable and familiar, but there is always something somewhere, anywhere, in this, our Father's world.
Something as simple as a favorite staple food can be the 'taste of home' for me.We have African friends who have moved from a sweet potato area to a plantain banana area and craved their familiar 'home foods.' I can relate. Is it universal to need the comfortable and familiar once in a while?
In case you were wondering, we are officially in the sweet potato region, and their cousins, potatoes, are definitely my home food! You can bake 'em, fry 'em, boil, mash or steam 'em—add some form of cheese or butter— and I am a happy lady. I'm so thankful good potatoes are grown here locally. While I'd like to think my 'home food' is chocolate creamy coffee goodness, it is deep down something simpler. Potatoes. Comfort food. A tangible taste of God's goodness and provision.
So while you may be in a place where your most comfortable and familiar foods are not available, what comfort foods are available?
How do you take in a tangible taste of God's goodness and provision this week at your house? It doesn't have to be food. Drink in the goodness of a gorgeous sunset, a child's laughter, some hidden flowers. Taste and see. While I'd rather have that venti decaf mocha, I'm looking forward to steamed potatoes with homemade butter next time I need to taste and see. What's your 'home food'?
Kim in Congo
[Editor's note: yummo, Kim! You've got my mouth watering for...]
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