David and Des

Merry Christmas!

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 14:21:00 +0000

Christmas Snow

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 22:43:00 +0000

The beautiful, peaceful view from our back yard. It is a winter wonderland. The snow began Friday evening dropping at least 1" an hour for several hours. We woke up this morning to 10" and it has snowed most of the day with a little bit of rain and sleet.

Hershey needed to have a path made before she would go out but then she ran and jumped and "chomped" on snow and caught a few snowballs.

David ventured out to get some gas for the generator just in case the electricty goes out. The wind has picked up so anything can happen. He said he barely could get out of the driveway with the 4wheel drive!

Crisp Mountain Bird Ski Resort!

David and I enjoyed some chili and played games this afternoon. This is the scene from our kitchen table.

Hershey's Christmas portrait.

How can I say thanks, for the things He has done!

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:01:00 +0000

Our Thanksgiving began when Brett and Jes came up for the weekend just before Thanksgiving. We spent the weekend enjoying each other's company and thankful for the time we get to spend together. We took these pictures after church. We had asked Brett and Jes if they would sing in church and we were very blessed that they agreed.

David and I flew out of Reagan National Airport in DC very early allowing us to get to Texas before lunch!

We are so thankful that Mom was able to join us in Texas at Patrick and Jana's. She had several special moments with Hannah and Charlie.

Hannah is very sweet with Charlie!

We spent a beautiful day at the Dallas Arboretum. David and I had so much fun walking and playing with Hannah. She was delightful!

I am so proud of you, mom. You have truly fought a good fight this year and allowed the Lord to strengthen you and fill you with His peace.

The picture of contentment.

The last morning we were there, David and I enjoyed spending time with Hannah at the park just a few blocks away. Special times for all this Thanksgiving!

On Thanksgiving, we all took a few minutes to share what we were thankful for. We all had many things we gave God the glory for, not the least of which is the extraordinary way God has worked in our lives this year. "To God be the Glory, great things He has done..."How can I say thanks

for the things You have done for me
Things so undeserved

Yet You give to prove Your love for me

The voices of a million angels

Cannot express my gratitude

All that I am or ever hope to be

I owe it all to Thee.

To God be the glory,

For the things He has done.

With His blood, He has saved me,

With His power, He has raised me.

To God be the glory,

For the things He has done.

Just let me live my life

And may it be pleasing, Lord to Thee

And should I gain any praise

Let it go to Calvary

With His blood, He has saved me,

With His power, He has raised me.

To God be the glory,

For the things He has done.

Friends and Fishing on the Potomac

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:51:00 +0000

Saturday was a beautiful day! The sun was shining and the temp was mild, mid 80's, and low humidity. But the best of all was getting to spend the day with friends on the water. Our friends Bob and Holly have a boat (Revelation is her name) and invited us for the day. I went earlier with another friend, Linda, and we girls spent the morning at the pool at the marina at Port Kinsale on the Potomac River. We then enjoyed a wonderful summer lunch of shrimp and wild rice, fresh corn salad, and fresh tomatoes with basil. The men arrived after lunch and we headed out to try our hand at fishing.

Unfortunately, we didn't catch any fish, not even a nibble but we had a wonderful time anyway. Thanks so much Holly and Bob for sharing your blessings with us. It was a perfect day!

Linda, Holly and Des

Fresh Corn Salad

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 12:47:00 +0000

I made this the first time a few years ago for a group of friends who came for dinner. It was a huge hit! I made it again this week for lunch with friends and was reminded how wonderful and fresh this salad is. Try it.

Fresh sweet summer corn requires no cooking, which makes this a particularly appealing warm-weather side dish for grilled fish, poultry, or meat.

Yield 8 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)
Ingredients:
3/4 cup light sour cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 5 ears)
1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1 cup finely chopped green onions

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add corn and remaining ingredients, stirring to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 112 (21% from fat)
Fat: 2.6g (sat 1.3g,mono 0.3g,poly 0.5g)
Protein: 4g
Carbohydrate: 22.2g
Fiber: 3.1g
Cholesterol: 8mg
Iron:0.8mg
Sodium: 94mg
Calcium: 13mg

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:16:00 +0000

Brett and Jes came to visit this weekend. We started our weekend golfing at Windy Hill Par 3 Golf Course. David and I went earlier in the week and had such a good time we wanted to go again this weekend. We all had a great time and we each enjoyed a few great shots! We also got to enjoy a few hours at the pool to cool down and relax. Later we went home and fixed a great meal together. We had grilled turkey medallions with orange citrus & red onion salsa, baked coconut shrimp and whole grain rice with black beans and cilantro. We had a red, white and blue dessert made with angel food cake (sugar free and fat free), blueberries, strawberries and sugar free Cool Whip. Delightful!

Our garden is really starting to produce and we are picking several tomatoes almost everyday. So, I decided to have a tomato themed lunch on Sunday. We had BLT's, Sundried Tomato Pasta Salad, and Tomato Mozzarella Basil Salad. Delicious!

We missed the rest of our family and hope you had a blessed weekend. We love you!

Salsa Chicken and Orange Chipolte Ribs

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 22:16:00 +0000

SALSA CHICKEN

We really enjoyed this dish today after church. It was pretty quick and very tasty! Try it, you'll like it!

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 medium zucchini, quartered
1 medium summer squash, quartered
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb chicken, cut into bite size pieces
1 pack taco seasoning mix
1 small can fire roasted green chilis
1/2 cup salsa
2/3 cup low fat mexican blend cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Spray 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in skillet over medium heat. Add all veggies and garlic, saute for about 4 minutes. Pour mixture into baking dish. Mix taco seasoning mix with uncooked, bite size chicken pieces. Return pan to heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil, add chicken mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes or until almost cooked through. Add chicken to veggie mixture and stir. Top with green chilies, salsa and cheese. Bake in oven 10-15 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy. Makes 4 large servings. For those counting WW points this is 6 pts before any additional toppings. (I only had summer squash from my garden, so I didn't use zucchini. I also substituted green pepper for red, because I had some from my garden. Any heat came from the taco seasoning mix, so you can adjust amount you use. I liked the amount of flavor the seasoning mix added, so I will continue to use this ingredient. I used a little bigger baking dish and felt is was a perfect fit. I chopped up some cilantro and sprinkled on top after I removed the dish from oven and let it sit for 5 minutes or so. I also mixed one large avacodo with a little chopped cilantro, juice from 1/2 lime, salt and garlic to taste. I added a spoonful on top and thought it was a wonderful addition.)

ORANGE CHIPOLTE RIBS

I made this for David for Father's Day. We enjoyed fresh cucumbers from our garden and corn ont the cob.

--3 pounds beef or pork ribs
--1/2 cup ketchup
--1/4 cup orange marmalade
--1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
--2 T soy sauce
--2 T brown sugar
--2 t chipotle chili powder
--1/4 t cumin
--1/4 t ground ginger
--4 cloves smashed and chopped garlic

I used 6 qt crockpot, the ribs fit well inside.

I didn't brown or pre-cook my meat at all. It was thawed, however. If you are using frozen meat, it will take longer to cook, but will be just fine.

In a mixing bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the sauce---which is everything listed up there, minus the ribs.

Put the ribs into your crock--you may need to cut the racks up with poultry shears to get them in there nicely.

Pour your sauce over the top.

Close and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or on high for 5-6. The meat is done when it has reached the desired tenderness and is no longer pink. I prefer the meat to fall off the bone, and eat with a knife and fork. If you'd rather gnaw on the bones, pull them out after 4 hours on high or 6-7 hours on low.

We enjoyed these very much. The orange marmalade really added a unique flavor. I think a little more brown sugar and ketchup wouldn't hurt. I will add finely chopped onion to the sauce next time. I cooked these for 4-5 hours on high and thought they could have cooked longer to achieve the fall off the bone doneness I prefer. You may be wondering about the green pepper in the picture but not in the actual recipe. It came from our garden and I intended to finely chop it and include it but then didn't.

Let me know if you give these recipes a try. This week, I plan to make Asian Chicken and Noodle Toss and Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Orange and Red Onion Salsa, both recipes are diet friendly!

Our First Produce

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 18:50:00 +0000

We decided to utilize space along our deck to experiment with gardening this year. In April, we borrowed a tiller and worked the soil really well. We then purchased some manure to work into the soil to fertilize. We were feeling very organic, by now.

We purchased our plants from Lowe's and they had a good selection, especially for novices like us. Our goal this year was to decide if we thought it was worth the effort. So far so good. This week marks our first picking of fresh produce! Woo Hoo! We have a green pepper, yellow squash and a cucumber! (Portrait of this picking is at the bottom) We are very anxious to pick tomatoes. We have 10 plants that are loaded. Each plant has at least 20 - 25 tomatoes. I am gathering canning supplies so I can keep up when they are ready. I canned with friends last year and had a wonderful time. I am looking forward to doing it again. In the mean time, I will can a few on my own. We also have several squash plants that have bloomed well and have several small squash almost ready so far. I will have to research some good recipes for squash 'cuz I think we will have a lot! Please pass on any you know of. We have 2 cucumber plants, 6 red and green bell pepper plants that I am not very confident we will get much off of. We will have to figure out why they aren't doing as well. Lastly, we are hoping for butternut squash and watermelon. Haven't seen much evidence they will produce anything but it was worth the try.

An Aerial View

The tomatoes are teasing us with a little tinge of color.

Our First Produce!
We are looking forward to a healthy, productive summer!

29 Years And Feeling Blessed

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 20:07:00 +0000

We enjoyed a wonderful evening Friday, celebrating our 29th wedding anniversary. We had decided a couple of weeks ago we weren't going out of town. We planned to go to dinner on Friday even though our anniversary isn't until Sunday. It makes it last longer that way! I had fun throughout the week shopping for a few clothing items for our special date knowing that David would really appreciate my attention to detail to please him. The scarf/wrap is one of my purchases. I also purchased a new pair of brown crop pants (on clearance for...$6.24!) and new brown, very cute shoes. I also got to get my hair done. I told David I had a really cute outfit that he would really like and he asked me what color I was wearing. I really didn't want to give him any clue but told him green and brown. As we were getting ready for our evening he gave me the jewelry that so perfectly matched my outfit. He is so sweet! We to Hill Cafe in Richmond for dinner. It was a very quaint place and had a wonderful selection on the menu. We had a crab themed meal with crab dip appitizer, and crab cakes and salmon entrees. It was a wonderful, relaxed dinner. Earlier in the day, I heard a piece of a song on the radio that said "I'm lucky to be married to my best friend". I loved it and went home and downloaded it because I thought is was the perfect song for us right now. The song talks about where we have been, where we are and where we're going and feeling lucky to be married to our best friend. Of course, we know luck has nothing to do with anything. We are blessed by God who has given us to each other and has continually given us opportunities to grow together and the grace to follow His leading.

In Like A Lion!

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 18:08:00 +0000

March has come in like a lion! It rained most of the day yesterday, March 1 and started snowing late afternoon and hasn't really quit as of 1:00 pm March 2nd. I think we have 8-10 inches. Huge, white flakes are floating down right now. These pictures do not capture the scene. Beautiful! I think this is the most snow we have had since we have lived in Virginia! I didn't get a picture of Hershey but she has been out once this morning. She ran and ran around the yard. The snow almost reached her belly! I think she was a little confused as to where she was supposed to go the the bathroom. She hasn't been out since. David has been out and scooped the walk. I have enjoyed the view! Thankfully, we have not lost electricity but many have in the Richmond area. I made a big pot of Chicken, Vegetable and whole wheat Orzo soup yesterday afternoon. What's a snow day with out a big pot of soup. By the way, it is really good! Sorry, mom, but I love the snow. It is so fresh and clean and helps me remember what God does in our hearts by the blood of Jesus. Psalm 51 is one of my favorite passages. My prayer today is from verse 7, "Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. " and verse 10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." And may it be so.

Our Funny Little Valentine!

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 02:25:00 +0000

Patrick and Jana invited us to come to Texas to take care of Hannah while they went away for Valentine's weekend. What a privilege and joy to say YES! Patrick and Jana left Friday morning and came home Monday afternoon. Here are a few of the things we did...

We went to an indoor children's play place. It was Sunday afternoon and too chilly to go the the playground. Hannah enjoyed the merry go round, a car on a little hilly track and loved the Little Tikes Cozy Coupes. PopPop and I couldn't resist going to Target and buying Hannah her own Cozy Coupe. She was so excited! She squealed with excitement while PopPop and Daddy began to put it together and didn't want to quit playing with it for dinner, bath, or bedtime. It was so fun to see her so excited.

We spent alot of time at home playing and reading books.

There is no better Valentine than Hannah's kisses!

We bought a children's music CD and Hannah really liked it! She especially liked the songs with motions. Here we are doing "Itsy Bitsy Spider".

We spent some time at a couple of playgrounds. We had so much fun with her on the swings and slides. She is always checking out the other kids and saying "Hi" to anyone who is close enough to hear her. She is so loving and happy. We are so blessed by her. We also were reminded how exhausting small children can be. I am so glad we were able to give Mommy and Daddy a break and some much needed couple time. I hope we have many more opportunities.

Peace In Hearts, Peace On Earth

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:08:00 +0000

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

Let us not forget this promise from the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ as we live in a world of uncertainty. “Peace On Earth” spoken by the world is politically and socially correct but devoid of meaning unless the Peace is from the One and Only source of true and lasting peace. How do we find and receive this Peace? Just ask and believe the source Himself, Jesus, to fill your heart with His Peace. God’s Word tells us to “Let the peace of Christ rule in your heart” and “Let the Word of God dwell in you richly”. After we ask and believe the promise of God’s peace, we must let it rule and dwell in our hearts. God will give it, you must receive it and keep it! My favorite hymn is “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”. This hymn has helped me countless times to “let” the peace of my Savior rule my heart!

O soul, are you weary and troubled?

No light in the darkness you see?

There’s a light for a look at the Savior,

And life more abundant and free!
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,

Look full in His wonderful face,

And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting

He passed, and we follow Him there;

Over us sin no more hath dominion—For more than conquerors we are!
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;

Believe Him, and all will be well:

Then go to a world that is dying,

His perfect salvation to tell!

Our prayer for you this Christmas is for God’s grace and peace to fill your hearts and minds. May your New Year be filled with God’s unlimited Joy!
Peace On Earth begins with Peace In Hearts!
Christmas Blessings,
David and Desiree
2008

My Time With Martha

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 04:33:00 +0000

I found this devotional a few days ago on http://www.allyouhavetogive.com/ . It spoke to me, especially this time of year so I contacted the author for permission to reprint it here for the faithful few who visit our blog. May you hear the gentle voice of our Savoir as He lovingly speaks into your heart and life this holiday season. Thank you, Lori, for sharing.

I headed down the dusty path. I'd waited a long time to visit her. She greeted me as I expected, in an ankle length tunic with worn leather sandals. She opened her arms and hugged me as if we'd know each other a lifetime."Come on in dear. I'm so glad that you found your way here. You mentioned in your note that you wanted to talk to me." She gently led me inside to an open air courtyard and offered me a drink sweetened with honey and a pita-like flat cake."How did you do it?" I quietly asked."Do what?" she lifted her head from the jug that sh was pouring out of."Change your spirit," I asked.She giggled, and looked almost embarrassed by the question. "I had a feeling that you weren't here for my fig cake recipe.""Well dear, I had some help." A look came over her, the kind of look one gets when they are recalling a fond memory.She continued, "You see honey, I remember that day clearly. We were sent word that HE was coming and I did what I'd always done. You know, I did what I was born to do. I swept out the courtyard, I fetched water, I pitted olives, I pressed olives, I rinsed the stone dish, I prepared the honey and figs and if I had one of those fancy things that you call a "tub" I'd have scrubbed it too. I was prepared for this visit. I enjoyed it when HE visited, it was an honor to be in his company. HE could have chosen many homes to come and sup at, but HE chose to come and be with us, and I simply wanted it to be perfect."She glanced over into my eyes and we exchanged a look that said, "I understand."She went on. "I have to admit that by the time he walked up the path, I was READY, well my home was ready to receive HIM, but dear, my spirit wasn't. I don't even remember greeting HIM that day. I know I did, but I wanted it to be perfect, so back to work I went. I did everything as I'd always done, bringing out some fruit and water for HIM. I was still working and SHE just sat. I made it clear, as sisters will, just WHO had done all of this!""Do you know what I mean dear?"I replied with a smile, "Oh yes I do and it's exactly the reason I wanted to talk with you Martha. You see, I have a spirit like you. I too am a first born 'do-er' myself. I'm afraid that sometimes I hear your voice amidst mine. I came here to find the balance that you have found." She smiled back at me."Honey, I had many visits with HIM, but that one stands out. Not just for me, but for everyone that read about that day. I was a bit bothered by that for awhile. All those people reading about what I had done. But I learned so much that day and I'm pleased that HE chose to use me in that way." Martha moved closer to me as if she were going to reveal her heart. "We have been commanded to be hospitable, welcoming to all, to friends and strangers alike and full of grace. What I often forgot was how to stop. Does that make any sense to you.?"I was tempted to stand on my stone and shout, "girlfriend, you have NO idea." I refrained and simply nodded."That day HE spoke to me the way only a true friend can. You know the kind of friend who can tell you that you have been a real "whiner" and say it in such a way that you "hear" what they are saying. That is what HE did that day."She recalled HIS words clearly.
“Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away from her”.’ (Read Luke 10:38-42)Martha continued on, "I have to admit, I was taken aback for a moment, but it was the way that he said it, not as a scolding parent but as a loving friend and teacher. I had been missing precious moments. I'm not sure that any of this makes sense to you.""Oh, YES Martha it does. What did you do?""That night, what you don't get to read is that we sat and talked long into the night. He told me how much HE loved me and how much the FATHER loved me, and that because of this love they wanted my heart.HE told me how he NEEDED me to sit and listen at his feet~HE needed me to listen because HE needed me to hear~HE needed me to hear because HE needed me to share~Share what I'd heard at his feet.That is what HE wants you to know too. HE wants me to remind you to not STOP being you. I have to tell you I still prepare for His visits, but not just with the chores that have to be done, but with my heart as well."As I listened, I understood. She spoke in a way I understood. She spoke in a "kindred spirit" kind of way."Honey, I want to tell you one last thing. Hospitality, service to others and graciousness are gifts that come from the Father. Don't confuse what I'm telling you. HE wasn't telling me to change EVERYTHING that day, HE was just lovingly reminding me what was most important. Between you and I, nobody can make fig cakes like mine. I've simply learned how not to let the demands and distractions interfere with my spirit."As I rose, we hugged. I knew I'd love her. I knew I'd love her spirit, her spirit to "hear." She saw where she needed to make changes, heart changes, spirit changes, not abandoning who she was, just adjusting her spirit. It was a lovely afternoon and I felt peace.As I walked down the path, I turned around to take one last glance at my kindred spirit, and just as I suspected, she was back to pressing olives. There was work to be done. I smiled, knowing that she was preparing in more ways than one for her next visit with HIM. Martha revealed such wisdom that day. She helped me understand the Martha in me and what a special gift that is. As I walked I felt something in my pocket, I reached in....Martha's Fig Cake recipe! I gripped that recipe tightly and smiled!As I walked alone, I prayed...
Father, thank you for teaching me through those who have walked before me. Those who struggled in ways that I know. Thank you for gently revealing to me how I can change my spirit to be more like your Son, Jesus. Thank you for speaking always to me, for kindly guiding me on my journey.

A Thankful Family

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 17:16:00 +0000

We love our families!

Speed Scrabble!

Gamaw and Hannah sharing the morning paper.

After dinner chat.

Special moments.

Nana, Pop Pop and Hannah

Just a swingin'

Quiet time.

Christmas Lights at Lemon Park!

Give Thanks

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 13:40:00 +0000

Wagons, Pumpkins, Shoes, Oh my!

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 23:52:00 +0000

I got to go to visit Hannah (oh yeah, Patrick and Jana, too!) last week. I decided a few weeks ago that Christmas was entirely too long before I was going to see her again. Patrick also called and asked if there was any way I could come to visit. How cool! I was disappointed that David couldn't go, but he was very encouraging for me to go. It was a really special time. I really felt a part of Hannah's life. We did lots of things. We went to the Farmer in the Dell pumpkin patch and picked out pumpkins, played in the corn and on the hay. We didn't take the hayride but Hannah, Patrick and Jana sat on the tractor (see Patrick and Jana's blog for more pictures).

I loved to give Jana some time to do things that she doesn't get to do as well with Hannah, like shopping and going to the library. Jana dropped Hannah and I off at Target and we wondered through the store for awhile. I had hoped to find a wagon for Hannah. After looking for a very long time and feeling very disappointed I finally found it! I also got Hannah a few books and 2, yes 2, pairs of shoes! David had bought Hannah a pair of sparkly, red Dorothy shoes for me to take to her.

Hannah woke up early from her nap so she and I started to put the wagon together. Hannah loved her wagon!

Unfortunately, I got about half way through and figured out I had made a mistake putting one of the wheels together. I was really frustrated. Patrick and Jana were on a lunch date and I wanted to have it all put together when they got home. Oh well...

As you can see, Daddy saved the day! It didn't take long to undo my mistake and finish up. We loaded up the wagon and headed off to the pumpkin patch!

I had a lot of fun giving Hannah several meals. She is doing so well learning to use a spoon. Jana is a wonderful mother! She takes a lot of time preparing for Hannah healthy foods from real foods, nothing packaged or jarred.

Hannah and I played and read books a lot! She is so smart!

Are you sure you know what you are doing, Nana?

Hannah and I doing self portraits!

Sparkly, red Dorothy shoes.
More new shoes! The timing was great! Hannah had just grown out of her shoes and really only had about one pair that fit. Nana to the rescue! I got to get her a brown pair and a black pair. So fun and so cute! She loves shoes, by the way!

I had a wonderful time. I am blessed. What a privilege to be a part of this child's life!

Better Than I Deserve

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:01:00 +0000

I recently went with several women from my church to our annual women's retreat in Pennsylvania. I had a wonderful time. I really felt the Lord's word for me for the weekend was LAUGH. Without knowing this, my special friend and roommate, gave me a gift of a charm with the word LAUGH on it. If that wasn't a confirmation than I don't know what is! The weekend was filled with lots of LOL moments! I also had a another Word(s) from the weekend that has really resonated with me. Nothing fancy but very profound. Whenever anyone asks "How are you?" I usually say fine or ok without much thought and sometimes without much truth. What I heard this weekend was "better than I deserve". A friend was quoting Dave Ramsey when she mentioned this but I was hearing the voice of God whisper in my heart. This little phrase has not left my mind and has really helped keep me focused on the right things namely God's great love for me and His great grace! My faith has been stronger since retreat. A Great God and special friends are a perfect recipe for peace.

I keep this poem by Beth Moore above my desk at work to help remind me of who I am called to be. Since retreat, I have read this with new eyes and have found great freedom. Enjoy!

Believing God
The Commission to Faith

Lord, today I accept my calling
Not to perfection or performance.
My calling is to faith.
I have been chosen for this generation.
I have a place in the heritage of faith.
I’m going to stop wishing and whining
And start believing and receiving.
What your Word says is mine.
I won’t let others steal my hope.
I won’t argue with a Pharisee.
I will believe and therefore speak,
For you, my God, are huge.
Nothing is too hard for You.
Our world needs your wonders.
Rise up, oh Lord!
Please renew Your works in our day.
I confess the unbelief of my generation
And ask you to begin Your revival of faith
in my own heart.
For You are who You say You are
You can do what You say You can do.
I am who You say I am.
I can do all things through Christ.
Your Word is alive and active in me.
Satan, hear me clearly:
My Father is Maker of heaven and earth.
You are under my feet,
Because today and the rest of my days,

I’m believing God!

Mild Mannered Hanna and Great Expectations

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Sat, 06 Sep 2008 15:57:00 +0000

Well, Hanna turned out to be somewhat of a non event. We have had some rain which was needed and not much wind which we didn't need. With memories of Isabelle and Gaston, people don't take hurricane related weather in Virginia lightly. We prepared some as well. David made sure our generator worked and went to the grocery store. With the exception of possibly having bad weather, we were looking forward to a rainy day with good food, good books and good movies. We have had a low key morning but it looks like the rain will clear out this afternoon giving us thoughts of running errands. Not necessarily what we expected but not a total waste either. As I am writing this, I am thinking about expections, met and unmet, and how they affect our lives. I think expectations have the most significant impact on our lives than anything else. By definition, expectation is looking forward to something, antitipation, hope. We either look forward, anticipate and hope for the best or the worst. When our expectations aren't met we either feel very upset or very blessed. Often our expectations are not based on truth but our perspective of truth based on our experiences. Our expectations are also more often of ourselves and others and the actions and attitudes of each. Of course experiences, actions and attitudes are all very fallible and cannot always be trusted. In our lives there is only One who is infallible, God. If our expectations are based on God's truth we cannot be disappointed. "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them (whatever happens or you think may happen), for the LORD you God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake(disappoint) you." Deut. 31:6, "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear(fear of failure, negative expectations); but of power(God), and of love(love covers a mulitude of sins i.e forgiveness) , and of a sound mind(wisdom)." 2 Tim. 1:7 and " Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight(even the paths of your expectations)." Proverbs 3:5-6.
To summerize, proper perspective produces peace.
Shalom,

"Oh Happy Day"

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:56:00 +0000

Some of you may be aware of a play we went to several years ago entitled "Oh Happy Day". We were on a romantic getaway to Lake Junaluska, NC. We like to explore a new area for fun opportunities. We discovered a community theater and they were doing a show called "Oh Happy Day". We couldn't tell what it was about but thought with a title like that it had to be fun, maybe a 50s style show. The only thing I will say about the play is it was not a "happy day" for us in the audience. It was the most depressing, boring, utterly ridiculous thing we had ever seen, about a husband and wife who felt like they were stuck in their lives (and they were literally stuck in something like a gopher hole, all you could see was their top halves sticking out of a huge gopher hole). After everything they would "complain" about they would sorrowfully say "Oh Happy Day". I hope you get the picture.

Our day today was nothing like the play I just spoke about, but like the old hymn...

Oh Happy Day, Oh Happy Day

When Jesus washed my sins away

Oh Happy Day

He taught me how to watch and pray

and live rejoicing everyday

Oh Happy Day

When Jesus washed my sins away!

We started our day early with time on our deck....

It was a beautiful, cool morning and the "view from here" was delightful. Hummingbirds and a Grandpa and granddaughter fishing. We set tea out in the sun to brew and headed out...

Every August we always have a church picnic and baptisms at Naylor's Beach. Admittedly, I am not always very thrilled with going. Today, though, my heart was "happy". It was a beautiful day, and I was with my husband and best friend, David.

A glorious sky and a glorious day for baptisms! Nine people were being baptized today, all new believers in the past year!

"To show my eternal devotion to Jesus Christ", "Because Jesus loves me and I want to show my love for Him", "Because I want to have the Holy Spirit fill my body and my heart", "I want live a life of faith in Jesus" were some of the testimonies shared before each person was baptized.

Oh Happy Day!

Hanover Tomatoes and Friends

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:39:00 +0000

People in Hanover County and places nearby claim that Hanover County tomatoes are the BEST in the country. Apparently it is the soil. They may be but I remember years ago (18 or so) I grew tomatoes on our farm in Kansas and I thought they were wonderful. I really can't say if Hanover tomatoes are better than Kansas tomatoes but I certainly can say with confidence that I had the best time canning tomatoes tonight. I was invited to be participate in a family tradition of canning tomatoes at my friend Christy's home. Christy's sister, mom, grandmother, aunt and husband were all involved. Christy's 3 year old daughter even cut a couple of tomatoes. (With a safe knife, of course.) They have been doing this for many years and have a great system and I was able to fit in quite nicely. Living so far away from my sister and mom, I don't have the opportunity for this sort of family tradition. It was a blessing to be "a part" of this family's tradition. We peeled, cut up and cooked enough tomatoes for about 40 quarts. I know we will enjoy these tomatoes not because they are Hanover but because they are fruit of great love and friendship.

OUTRIGGER ISLAND!

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 01:56:00 +0000

I wanted to show you what David and I are doing this week...

Our Vacation Bible School is "Outrigger Island". The sanctuary looks awesome, so much better than these photos reflect but you can get a good idea. We were really blessed to have several other churches loan or donate their leftovers from their VBS and we had some great people spend several hours organizing and decorating. The next two pictures are of the "HUA HUT"! (We made up the name. Hua is Hawaiian for Word.) David and I taught three classes each evening to 3rd - 6th graders. We totally decorated our room on Saturday. We felt really good with the results.
We used the beach towels for games and sitting areas. Here we were using them to play "Musical Outrigger Island" (yeah, like musical chairs. We made it up. Clever) The towels represented islands and the kids had to paddle around the islands while the music played...I'm sure you get the picture.

We used a variety of methods to tell the stories, teach Bible truths and memory verses. David even did a "Pat and Brett" style story to retell the story of the Moses, the plagues and the Red Sea.

David and I have discovered we are a really good teaching team.

A few times in each class we took a "Surf Break". You just can't be in the islands and not surf! The kids loved it! We would surf, hula and beach dance to great surfing music!

more "Musical Outrigger Island"...

ALOHA!

Daughters

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 01:50:00 +0000

I have two wonderful sons, Patrick and Brett. I have really enjoyed being their mom and have a special place in my heart for boys. I can get a little defensive when people stereotype boys and sometimes feel boys are are viewed a little like second class citizens compared to girls. There are a lot of things that my sons do that make me feel very special. Their hugs are about the most wonderful moments in my life. Admittedly, I have always wanted a girl and always felt David would have been the perfect dad to a daughter. (By the way, I think he was the perfect Dad to our sons.) You might be wondering by now if I made a mistake in the title of this post, Daughters. I didn't. Patrick and Brett have blessed us with the most amazing women that we have the honor to call daughters. Patrick's wife, Jana, and Brett's wife Jes, have become a very special part of our family. Not only do they "complete" our boys but they "complete" our family. We have gotten to spend some really special time this summer with Jana and Jes. They are both so sweet and we really feel their love and respect for us. I have gotten to do some girl things like baking a cherry pie from scratch with Jes and making a collage for Hannah's birthday with Jana. I really felt honored that they wanted to spend time with me. I am looking forward to years of girl activities with my "daughters".

Obviously we are not baking a cherry pie but a sweet moment none the less!

Thanks for stopping by,

Hannah's Birthday Adventure

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 17:42:00 +0000

I have recently discovered how to make slide shows with music. I have made two slide shows. One is Hannah's first year of life. I made it for Patrick and Jana's birthdays (Aug. 4 and July 26, respectively). I also made one of the trip we took to the Children's Museum of Richmond for Hannah's Birthday (July 31). I hope you enjoy! Click on link to view.
http://www.onetruemedia.com/my_shared?z=2e03fc55f2dd1b2d7d99d8&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

Special People, Special Times

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 01:30:00 +0000

We had a wonderful week last week with our granddaughter, Hannah! We think she is totally amazing. Everything she says and does completely captures our attention and hearts. We are madly in love with this beautiful child and can hardly believe we get to share her life!

Jana's birthday was July 26th and the balloon and fruit arrangement were from Grandma Jan. It had fresh strawberries, pineapple, kiwi and mango. Delicious!

We were so glad that Grandma Jan, Hannah's "Great" Grandma was able to be with us too. She had so much fun playing with Hannah, helping her put on shoes and making sure Hannah had sunglasses like her!

One of the highlights of our week was celebrating Hannah's first birthday. We made a lemon cake, and Jana let Hannah have a couple of bites. I am sure that is the first sugar and white flour she has ever had! Hannah wasn't very impressed, she definately prefers fresh fruits and veggies, whole grain bread, oatmeal, and plain yogurt.

We took Hannah to the Children's Museum of Richmond. She enjoyed wandering everywhere and exploring everything and we had a great time chasing her around. She particularily enjoyed the cars. She would climb in and move the steering wheel like she was driving. She even made noise while driving. Is she amazing or what? She enjoyed crawling through tunnels and the archeology dig areas filled with a sand like substance made out of rubber where she kept picking up handfuls and pouring them out. Her favorite thing was the water area. A large water table inside and a sprinkler area outside.

Needless to say, David and I were having a great time too.

To top off this already great week, Brett and Jes came for the weekend. They brought their little "girl" Cali. She and Hannah got along great!

Special friends, Christy and Lauren wish Hannah HappyBirthday"!

We missed Patrick very much. He was in Oshkosh, Wisconsin working at a huge air show. I think he missed us, too!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Family and friends bring such joy. Thank you for sharing in our lives!

David and Des

Beaches, Kites, Nana & Pop Pop

davidndes@comcast.net (Desiree) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:56:00 +0000

It's A Wonderful Life!

David and I spent the first week of June celebrating 28 wonderful years as Mr. & Mrs. We started our anniversary trip at Nags Head, NC. We stayed in a friends beach house about 2 blocks from the beach. We packed up every morning with cooler, chairs, towels and umbrella to spend several hours basking in the luxery of doing nothing! Reading and tanning took all my time and David enjoyed flying a kite, walking, exploring and swimming in the chilly Atlantic! We always hope to see dolphins and we were not disappointed! We took our time doing everything!

Happy Anniversary!!!
After leaving Nags Head we traveled to North Myrtle Beach, SC to top off an already perfect trip with 4 days with the "kids". There are no words adaquately to describe how blessed David and I felt to be with Brett and Jess and Patrick, Jana and Hannah. This is really first time we have all been together as a family. The last time we were kind of all together was at Brett and Jess' wedding. We were so blessed to stay at a lovely beach house owned by Jess' grandparents.

Family Vacation...Priceless

Needless to say, Hannah got a lot of attention from PopPop and Nana. We are totally in love. We stole hugs and kisses whenever we could. We had so much fun feeding her, playing with her, putting her to bed, getting her up from bed, and pretty much goo gooing all over the place. David told her the first day that she would say Pop Pop before we left and believe it or not, she did!!! Needless to say, someone was extremely proud! (Just between you and I, she didn't know what she said but I don't think that even mattered!) We are looking forward to celebrating Hannah's first birthday the end of July!

Sand and Sea

My Guys