Tina The Storyteller

We're right in the midst of VBS at church and it's been a wild and crazy ride as usual. But it means that I don't have much energy for blogging and next week holds much of the same. I hope to be back here soon :) I'm thankful for my awesome husband who has been going run/walking with me the past month. Hard to believe that we're almost through with our six week challenge. I'm thankful that my daughter has a clean bill of health and will be able to go to camp this summer. I'm thankful that I have such good friends in my life. Love you all! What are you thankful for?

About two years ago, we went out to eat at Ruby Tuesday one night and we were treated to drinks by a gentleman at another table. It was quite an interesting story, but anyway, I ordered a sangria. I had one before when I was in college and the Spanish professor brought a jug of it to a party. It was intensely red wine flavored, but good. The free one that I had on the evening I mentioned was awesome, I wanted more than one and I don't really drink. I eventually craved it so much that I looked for a recipe. There are a lot of alcoholic choices out there. I happened to find this one from Kraft called Sangria Punch . When I made it, I used 100% cranberry juice and store brand pink lemonade mix (sorry Kraft, cash in my pocket is important). It was super tasty, even Hannah enjoyed it. Didn't seem to be missing anything. What tasty treats have you had recently?

Ray Bradbury died this past week. He happens to be the author of one of my all time favorite books, Dandelion Wine. I probably first read it in the 7th grade and was just intrigued by most everything that happens in the book. I remember that a passage showed up in my AP English exam in high school. One of my favorite scenes no less. So when I read that Ray Bradbury died, I went out and got Dandelion Wine from the library. The joy of this book is that even though it's about 12 year old boy, it has so much truth in it about how to enjoy life. Things that didn't mean much to me as a child have significance now. It is a wonderful book to dive into, especially as the summer months pretend that they will last forever. I have never read any of his other works, because I'm not a fan of science fiction, which is why I feel like this book is so amazing, it's not in that genre at all. What are you reading lately?

This week has just flown by! And then I realized that there is basically a week before VBS starts. It should be a lot of fun. I'm thankful for my amazing husband, who celebrated a birthday this week. He's just too much for words. I'm thankful for my daughter that continues to try and weasel her way out of things she doesn't like doing, regardless of how many times we have the same conversation. I figure she just really likes talking to me and doesn't quite have the art of conversation down, so instead we talk about tooth brushing every night. I'm thankful that Joel and I have started a running challenge and that neither of us have thrown up or fell over from a side cramp yet. I'm thankful for our church family. It is always a pleasure to spend time with them. What are you thankful for?

It's very rare that I choose a book based on its cover, but this time I did. Five Miles South of Peculiar is the story of three sisters who grew up in a small town in Florida. Darlene and Carlene are twins and their little sister is Magnolia. Carlene goes to New York and makes a career on Broadway, while the other two live at the family estate and create lives of their own. Even though, Darlene and Magnolia live together, it is clear that each of the sisters has created their own world to live in. When Carlene comes back home to celebrate a birthday with her sister, all of their walls begin to crumble. The story is well written, though I often got confused between the twins because of their similar names. It's hard to choose which story line was the most enjoyable, because I related in some way to each of the three sisters. I probably enjoyed reading about the small town life most of all. A nice escape from the big city and into a slower pace and time. Five Miles South of P...

Recently, our church tried out something different from our norm. We hosted a Prayer Gathering. We got together, Joel read a piece of scripture and lifted up a concern that was on his heart and then we spent the better part of the next hour praying together as the spirit led. Two things struck me. One, I don't remember the words that were spoken or even specific names that were lifted up but I do remember being struck with awe. In one particular instance, someone spoke to God and I was just humbled by how close she is to him, how much she is dependent upon him which was obvious from the way that she spoke with him in our presence. Not showy or hesitant, but bold and comforting, as if picking up a conversation with a dear friend that is always on her heart and in her thoughts. The other thing is the Holy Spirit. I was reminded that when we cry out for him, he comes rushing in. Someone pleaded for us to be infused with God's spirit and I was blessed with a taste of that vi...