Spring Equinox

Spring finally conquered Winter.  Taking a walk on the morning of the equinox, I was stopped in my tracks at the huge glowing ball of a sun at the end of each intersection.

Later that afternoon, I read that many streets in the US are oriented north-south or east-west.  So, this was the perfect day to be amazed by the sunrise as the grid of streets framed the spectacle block after block.

Which also meant it was time to replace our toothbrushes.

 

Purim

 

On Purim by Cathy Goldberg Fishman

Queen Esther the Morning Star by Mordecai Gerstein 

Cakes and Miracles: A Purim Tale by Barbara Diamond Golden

Raisel's Riddle by Erica Silverman

Goldie's Purim by Jane Breskin Zalbin

Our hamantaschen took on a new twist this year when we ran out of raspberry jam.  Katherine substituted a cherry jolly rancher in each cookie, and the result was like a lava explosion. 

We enjoyed sharing our cookies with some other families, and we learned that Purim is also a time for donating charity.  We were able to find requested items from The Call, a foster care ministry, on a big sale rack at Target.  And then when we checked out, the prices were even lower than on the tags.  Super excited to get a big bang for our buck and to be able to help out a little bit.

 When awe of self replaces awe of God, praise will be rare and grumbling plentiful.  

~Paul David Tripp, "Awe: Why it Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do"

Winter decided to give us one last beautiful snow.  Fluffy, soft, and no ice in sight.  For those of us who miss the seasons incredibly when we're overseas, this was a rare gift and brought awe of the Creator.

Going back to visit partnering churches always feels good, a little bit like a family reunion of distant cousins that you haven't seen in a long time but still enjoy a whole bunch.  We're so thankful for God's provision through churches like this one.

The snow melted quickly, leaving flowers and a very fragrant yard as a happy replacement.  I will never get tired of daffodils, forsythia, hyacinths, crocuses, and those sweet little wildflowers that seem to pop up everywhere, spring beauties.

Magnificent March

We are passive recipients of Christ with all his benefits, but this makes us active in everyday ways as we live with and love others.  

~Michael Horton, "Ordinary: Sustainable Faith in a Radical, Restless World"

Baby showers for my brother, his lovely wife, and their premature baby,

birthday parties for one of our favorite six year olds,

driver's permit for Katherine.

coffee and calendar dates at Mugg's Coffee Co. while Katherine has youth orchestra rehearsal (the Mayan Mocha is our favorite!),

and ALL THE BULBS!

 

Mt. Olive Baptist Church

 A few weeks ago, some dear friends gave us the opportunity to share about Bible translation with their church, Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Crossett, Arkansas.

Not only did Aaron speak in Sunday School and preach the sermon, 

but Katherine got to play her cello in the praise band, too!

We're so thankful for the Hibbards,

for their friendship and encouragement across the miles (especially the Pacific miles),

for watching our kids grow up together and our gray hairs multiply over the last twenty years of knowing these guys.

Friday Favorite Five

Cue the music...Shaper of the Dust by Forever Be Sure Music is one of my new favorites, especially appropriate during Lent,  It's been a while since I've posted about some of my favorite things, but I am delighting in so much bounty!

1) Biola's Lent Project 2022.  Daily art, music, and scripture to help me focus on Christ during Lent.

2)  To Light Their Way by Kayla Craig.  This is a sweet book of prayers targeted for parents.  I love praying through these for my kids and for myself.  

3) Share Roastery's Turmeric Spice Latte.  Good for my mouth and for my joints!

4) Weight Gurus bluetooth scale.  This little guy gives me information about body fat, muscle mass, water weight, and BMI in addition to my weight.  As Aaron and I get older, we are paying more attention to numbers other than pounds as we seek to steward our physical health well.

5) My water bottle.  Whether we are on long car trips to share with churches or I'm subbing all day in the classroom, this big guy ensures I don't run out of water.  And it keeps ice frozen for hours!

 

Quick Trip to Dallas

At the beginning of March, we enjoyed a weekend trip to Dallas to see some of our favorite people.  The Cody family added another baby since we saw them!  Time spent with this precious family is always sweet.

Sarah performed in "Seussical the Musical" as Mrs. Mayor, and it was a joy to cheer her on.

Another SITAG family, our friends the Gebauers, also had a kid on stage.  Although it seems hardly right to call them kids anymore.  These young adults are thriving and favulous.

Ethan doubled as Yertle the Turtle and the Grinch.  His deep voice was perfect for those parts!

We're so thankful Sarah made some space to hang out with us in the midst of her super busy weekend. 

She is officially the shortest Choate now!

 

Lent

 “So get rid of all uncleanness and all that remains of wickedness, and with a humble spirit receive the word [of God] which is implanted [actually rooted in your heart], which is able to save your souls. James 1:21 AMP

Pancake Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday...however you label it, it's a day for rejoicing at our house.  Katherine made and flipped pancakes to help us celebrate.

Throughout Lent, our family is reading "The Passion of the King of Glory" by Russ Ramsey to help us focus our hearts and minds on Christ and His sacrifice.

On my Bookshelf

 I'm pausing in my flurry of catching up on the blog because I want to share some books I've been reading lately:

Physical Health - I checked out a digital copy of "Mental Fitness: Maximizing Mood, Motivation, and Mental Wellness by Optimizing the Brain Body Biome" by Shawn M. Talbott and listened to the library's audiobook version of "Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain" while getting some cardio in at the gym on below freezing mornings.  Both of these books address the stewardship of our bodies, but they don't neglect the other parts that make up the whole person.  I highly recommend!

Spiritual:  Paul David Tripp never disappoints, and "Awe:  Why it Matters for Everything We Think, Say, and Do" found me highlighting my digital library copy over and over again.  I will end up buying a paper book, which will become dogeared and well loved.

Mental/Emotional: Published in 2020, this book isn't just for parents or people who work with children, it's for all of us.  Encouragement and wisdom abound on every page of "The Power of Showing Up".

Just for fun:  I haven't read Agatha Christie in way too long, so when my hubby asked me on a date to see the new movie "Death on the Nile", I knew I needed to revisit the book.

Fabulous (second half of) February

 

In February, it was time to plant seeds for summer veggies and flowers,

we've never tried raising any food from seeds, but Baker Creek Seeds gave us so many heirloom seed choices.  We're excited to see what happens in the coming weeks!

Katherine's youth orchestra concert was postponed to February because of COVID, and we loved getting to watch her gain experience in a full orchestra.

My cello went in the shop in February.  It's getting basic repairs now, and we're saving up for it to have some major repairs in the future.  When I was growing up, we either traveled to St. Louis or Dallas for instrument repairs, so we are super grateful to have Little Rock Violin Shop nearby!

February brought a mix of icy days and days with beautiful weather, and we took advantage of the blue skies to meet some preschool friends at the park for lunch.

February also gave me new opportunities to learn things at the gym and to step outside my comfort zone.

We continued to share with churches about Bible translation,

and Katherine received an invitation to attend an Arkansas Symphony rehearsal to observe a violin soloist.  While the students were taking pictures with the soloist, Katherine quietly visited with one of her heroes, her cello teacher, Mr. Buck.

At the end of the month, Aaron served on a panel with some other missionaries as they spoke about the importance of Bible translation and how it impacts missions.  He was the youngest one up there, and we enjoyed the time to visit with these guys I've known and watched almost my entire life.  The men on the stage represented work in the Pacific, Central America, Mongolia, and Africa.  What a special night!

JBU Crew

 

Sometimes we have the opportunity to cheer on our JBU crew in person, and sometimes we have to cheer from afar.

In mid-February, JBU's Music and Theater department performed "Babbette's Feast", and three of our favorites worked long and hard behind the scenes to produce an excellent show.

Since we didn't have a place to call home during the day of the performance, one of Benjamin's professors and his wife opened up their home for us to comfortably relax.  And we discovered that their dog really loved Aaron.

One of our favorite parts of going up to JBU to watch their productions is helping break down the set afterward.

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These hardworking students know what they are doing!  They wield power tools and muscles, 

and they allow us to come alongside them to help and visit.

Many hands DO make light work.

And for the performances that we will inevitably miss, we're thankful for livestream options and for friends who send pictures and videos.

We weren't able to attend the new composer's concert, but we cheered from afar as two of Benjamin's pieces premiered: a duet for prepared piano that he and Olivia performed, and a choral piece using Psalm 22 as the text.  

Several of our adopted Choate kids also premiered compositions, and it's such a joy to watch these guys grow and mature as musicians.