"It's the Simple Things"

There's a song at the beginning of one of the short Mickey Mouse cartoons from the 1950s ("The Simple Things") with a line that goes like this...

It's the simple things that give my heart its wings.

The past few weeks haven't been the easiest, with the gravity of life pulling down and the winds of heartache blowing through the days, but my heart has been given wings by some of the sweetest and simplest things.

Seeing the room where my grandpa stayed during his last week on earth. 

He had a beautiful view outside his window, reminiscent of his own home, and beautiful care from both my mother and uncle's steadfast company and the kind hospice and care-home workers who made him as comfortable as they could. The way everyone fought for my grandpa - to give him the best possible treatment and going-home experience - touches my heart.

Watching my grandpa's memorial service come together. 

His heart of service, his kindness to others, his big smile for all, his devotion to his one true love and his family, and the faith that meant everything to him - it all was so evident in every part of our celebration of his life.

African violets and a lovely evening on the coast. 

My coworkers in marketing got together and had a basket of beautiful African violets sent to me at work after they heard about my grandpa passing away. I was incredibly blessed by their thoughtfulness and care.

As for the book pictured here, I returned home by way of the coast and enjoyed a delicious dinner and some shopping in Florence's (Oregon) Old Town. One of the items I picked up  in a cute little shop was this "Reading Journal for Book Lovers."

Returning to the red-carpet treatment. 

One coffee break, for some random reason, my coworkers and I discussed how I should have a red carpet leading to my cubicle, curtains around the opening, a body guard, white tiger, and whatnot. (The imaginings got a little carried away. :)) 

When I returned to work after my long weekend away, I discovered a "red carpet" leading to my cubicle, a tree creating some ambiance, and a "white tiger" gracing my chair. (Not to mention the fact that my cubicle had been "magnet-bombed" and the books and knick-knacks playfully disorganized...but the bag of chocolate made up for that!)

* * *

You can't help but feel loved with a red carpet and chocolates - and a new nickname like "White Tiger."

And your heart can't help but fly when God showers you with love through things like...

• unexpected messages from blogging friends saying they felt prompted to pray for you,
• flowers and cards from coworkers who are true friends beyond the office,
• dinners and conversations and moments with family that help bring healing, and
• a million other simple things from movie-watching to agate-hunting, texts and phone calls, solitary drives and the power of fond memories.

These things aren't really that small - and certainly their impact is far from simple. Listing them here, remembering all the ways God has provided for me and my family in just these past few weeks, is eye-opening. 

My heart has wings, indeed.

He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lᴏʀᴅ is gracious and full of compassion. ~ Psalm 111:4

Friends, Crafts, and a Mystery!

Today is a super fun day, because I have so much I get to show all of you! Let's start with an extra special blessing I received at the very beginning of my last vacation:

That's right! I got to meet our very own Casey from Writing for Christ!!!

Casey came and spent a couple of days with me and my family at a home we rented in Sunriver, Oregon. We had such a blast! It was almost unreal--getting to meet a dear friend I had known online for over a year in person!! I even got to have lunch with her family one day, which was a real treat, as well. Casey is a beautiful person inside and out, and I consider myself very blessed indeed to call her my friend!

Here's us at the park! We put together a picnic lunch and bicycled to the park, sat on the grass, and talked forever! ;) Loved it!

Of course, we had to get a picture of us together with books! ;) Forget snail mail when you can swap books in person!!

We packed a lot of wonderful memories into one weekend. Casey's friendship, as well as the friendships of all my dear blogging friends, are blessings I'll be forever grateful for!

Also, while I was on vacation, I finished this:

The hummingbird counted cross-stitch piece for my grandma is complete!

For those of you who attended Camp Humility 2011 here on the blog, you might recall me showing you this piece as a work-in-progress during our craft time. Well, my grandma and I spent some time cross-stitching together during our vacation. So my "hummingbirds" didn't turn out to be a complete surprise after all, but we had fun working on cross-stitching together, and the memories were even better than the surprise!

My sister was sweet enough to take a picture of me with my completed project!

As for the mystery? The mystery is what the schedule will be like for "Mystery Week." ;)

First, here are the results of the "Mystery Week Poll":

Do you enjoy reading mysteries? 19 votes

• 14 Yes, very much!
  
• 5 Once in a while.
• 1 Nope.

(Amber's Note: Good to know!)

Do you watch the PBS Masterpiece Mystery season? 19 votes

• 2 Yes, I love it!
• 6 Sometimes.
• 7 No.
• 5 What's PBS Masterpiece?

(Amber's Note: Oh, dear! Ya'll are missing out! I do hope this upcoming week might help some of you discover the wonders of PBS Masterpiece. Remember, you can watch some of these shows online for free for a limited time!) ;)

Which of these books would you be interested in discussing this week? 21 votes

• 9 Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie
  
• 6 Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie
  
• 7 A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  

Which of these movies would you be interested in discussing this week? 18 votes

• 7 PBS Masterpiece: Sherlock, A Study in Pink (2010)
• 4 PBS Masterpiece: Poirot, Hallowe'en Party (2011)
• 5 PBS Masterpiece: Miss Marple, The Pale Horse (2011)
• 1 PBS Masterpiece: Zen, Vendetta (2011)
• 2 Other (Inspector Lewis, and a voter noting that they hadn't seen PBS Masterpiece)
  

~ ~ ~

Thank you to all of you who voted! So, here's the game plan for "Mystery Week" (July 18th-22nd):

• Monday: Special Book/Author Feature (Who's the author? Well, it's a mystery that you'll have to solve by checking in on Monday!)
  

• Tuesday: Miss Marple, "The Pale Horse" (Movie review and discussion)
  

• Wednesday: Death on the Nile (Book review and discussion)
  

• Thursday: Sherlock Double Feature--Review/discussion of the 2010 episode "A Study in Pink" and the book A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
  

• Friday: Murder on the Orient Express (Book review and discussion)

• Saturday: I might throw in a review of "Hallowe'en Party" or "Vendetta" if I find time!

~ ~ ~

"Mystery Week" is no longer a mystery! I hope that this overview helps you--now you can get a start on reading these books and/or watching these movies that we'll be discussing.

Yesterday I should have included a link to the PBS Masterpiece website, and I should have let you know that some of the movies I listed are available to watch online for free! So, here's that info in case you're interested:

• Visit the PBS Masterpiece website to learn all about this summer's Mystery season!

• You can watch "Hallowe'en Party" (Poirot) now through August 2nd, "The Pale Horse" (Miss Marple) now through August 10th, and "Vendetta" (Zen) starting Monday, July 18th, online! (As you can see from the schedule above, we'll be discussing "The Pale Horse" on Tuesday, so you can watch it online before then!)
  

I know this is a lot to take in, so please feel free to share any and all thoughts (or questions!) on Mystery Week, crafts, blogging friends, or whatever! ;)

A Magical Vacation

I love Disneyland! It's a place full of hope, excitement, and beauty. You can visit Tomorrowland, Adventureland, and Fantasyland--all just a short walk away from each other. And now you can celebrate the unique grandeur of California in the California Adventure park! It's all so, so much fun!!

My family and I have a ton of pictures from our trip a couple of weeks ago, so I'll just share a few of them here. I hope you enjoy this glimpse at our magical vacation!

Carnation Cafe on Main Street--it's the place to go for breakfast! Their Mickey waffles are so light, sweet, and delicious! And while you eat, you can plot out the day's adventure like I'm doing here.

Can you tell my sister and I are excited? ;) (Yes, she's the tall one. And my family affectionately calls me the "cling-on.") Tom Sawyer's Island has now been taken over by pirates, so you can see some of their influence while you walk on the trails and through the caves on the island...

Or you can just ride the Mark Twain like my daddy did later on and enjoy the island from afar!

OK, seriously, I hope I turn out to be a better driver in a real car than in the cars on the Autopia ride in Tomorrowland! I think my dad would have been scared for his life...if it wasn't for the fact that we were on a track. ;)

This summer they have the Soundsational parade, which is worth taking a break from the rides to watch. Great music, great floats, and great dancing!

Couldn't resist getting a picture with this sign! ;) It reads, "Smaller guests enter first."

And here's the ride the sign was referring to! This is me and my daddy on the Dumbo ride.

So those of you who have been following this blog for a while are probably aware of the fact that I am a devoted bluegrass fan. Well, I just loved seeing Billy Hill and the Hillbillies at the Golden Horseshoe in Frontierland! They're awesome and super funny, not to mention talented!

Here's a glimpse at Paradise Pier in the California Adventure park. Now, if you get the opportunity to go to Disneyland this summer, I highly, highly recommend taking the time and effort to see the "World of Color" water show they do here in front of the Ferris Wheel at night. It was a special, amazing experience for me, and one of the highlights of the trip. Simply breathtaking!

I just love my family! I had a fabulous time with them in Disneyland--thank you Mom and Dad for the wonderful trip (and the pictures!)!

Now, dear readers, in the words of Tigger: "TTFN! Ta-ta for now!"

Let's Go Horseback Riding!

Today we have a special guest--my younger sister, Emily! She has been on countless horseback rides since she was four years old, and it is her lifelong dream to have her own horse. She is a very knowledgeable horsewoman, in my opinion, and today she's going to share some tips on horseback riding with us as we hit the trail!

Amber: Before we get on the horses, what should we do/know to prepare ourselves?

Emily: First tip: Always wear a helmet. Always wear cowboy boots when you go riding, because if you wear rubber boots or any other shoe your heel can slip through the stirrup, and you can fall off the horse and be dragged. I've heard a story about that!

When you're riding make sure you don't have the reins past the horn of the saddle, otherwise it will cause your horse to stop when you don't want him to.

When you're out riding, if your horse spooks, don't be frightened. The horses can sense fear, and they act really crazy! Instead, you should remain calm and soothe the horse.

Make sure the stirrups are at an appropriate height for your legs, so that you have better control of the horse with your feet, and that way your feet won't slip out.

Amber: Where are the best places to go horseback riding? (That is to say, are there places that are safer to take horses or more enjoyable to go riding?)

Emily: Rocky terrain is not good for a horse, because a horse can stumble, and it would be messy. ;) In the desert would be fine, if you live near a desert. Forest is fun to ride in, and so is a meadow.

It's not the best idea to ride horses on concrete. When you're trotting and running on concrete, you can't stop the horse, because if you pull back on the reins they would slip.

Amber: What do you love most about horseback riding?

Emily: Being with the horses! It's just fun being with the horses.

Amber: And that's all she wrote (or said, in this case)! ;) Thank you, Emily, for joining us and letting me put you on the spot!

Stay safe on those trails, everyone, and I'll see you back at camp tonight for our campfire!

Sunday by the Sea

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof."
~ Psalm 46:1-3

When I was glancing through the Psalms for a possible verse for today's post, I came across the ones above, and I just knew they would fit well with what I saw and learned yesterday. I spent my last full day in Texas visiting the island of Galveston with my cousin Virginia and my uncle Wes. I had such a delightful time with them! (The picture above is one I took of the Gulf of Mexico.)

Virginia knows so much about the history of the area, and she was telling me about the hurricanes that have hit Galveston. Hurricane Ike caused a lot of damage to the island when it came through, and the sea wall doesn't offer much of a barrier anymore should another hurricane hit directly.

While the island sees a lot of tourism, and I found it to be quite lovely, some buildings show obvious signs of hurricane damage. I couldn't imagine living in Galveston, knowing how close that beautiful, dangerous water would be to wiping everything away.

But no matter where I am, waters will "roar and be troubled," whether those waters are actual waters or the "waters" of different life issues. But God will always be a shelter, a refuge that will not be wiped away by those waters. The waters will not hurt Him--in fact, He is in control of them. So when they hit, may we cling to Him, trust in His steadfastness, and know that He can use those waters for our ultimate good.

To end this post, I'd like to share a video/photo slide-show I put together from my last full day in Texas. This video doesn't show all of the family that I spent time with this Thanksgiving break, but it gives you a small glimpse of my adventures. Enjoy!

Thanksgiving in Texas!

By the time you read this post, I'll be winging my way (hopefully!) to Texas to spend Thanksgiving with my dad's side of the family! I was blessed with the opportunity to see some of them in Washington D.C. this past summer, and I'm looking forward to seeing them again! I just know we're going to have a wonderful time together!

As a side note, I was surprised (and thrilled!) to have a visit from one of my friends from California and her parents this past Sunday!!! They were traveling through Salem on their way home from Washington, so I was able to give them a tour of Corban's campus. It was so good to see her again! (That's us in the picture above outside of my dorm!)

Anyway, I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving, filled with family, friends, and food! I'll be back Sunday night to stick my nose in the books for 3 more weeks until Christmas break. ;)

May the Lord bless you all, and may we give Him thanks for all that He has done for us!

Veterans Day

Before I left for college, I usually went to a Veterans Day service in my home county with my family. While I'm sad that I can't attend the service this year, I am thankful for the opportunity to honor veterans in even just a small way here at "Seasons of Humility":

Thank you, Grandpa, for serving our country in the Merchant Marines during the Korean War. Thank you for always reminding me of the phrase "freedom is not free," and thank you for your sacrifices that helped make that phrase so much more than mere words.


Thank you, Daddy, for serving our country in so many ways, including serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War. You are a hero to so many people, but especially to me.


Thank you to all those who are serving or have served in the United States military. I can't even begin to comprehend all of the sacrifices you have made, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart for protecting our freedom. And please remember: you are never forgotten.

My Mom and Me

Today was a long day! Saying goodbyes this morning (and last night) was really hard. I love my family so much, and I'm going to miss them terribly while I'm away at school once again! But we'll keep in touch, and I have some wonderful memories that I made this summer which I can hold close in my heart.

Anyway, my mom drove me up to Oregon, and we had lots of fun together! We ate lunch at Hellgate in Grants Pass, at the River Rock Cafe, which we love. The decorations in there are so lovely, and after lunch we enjoyed a short walk near the river.

The drive was bittersweet, consisting of mother-daughter talks and listening to music for the most part. We arrived in Salem by early evening, and after checking into our hotel, we drove over to Corban University. My sweet roomie was not there at the time, but my mom and I were so proud that we were able to set up my half of the room already! ;) Now, tomorrow can be reserved for shopping together and having girl-time! (Again, hope I don't get too carried away, but it is nice to have new clothes and such!)

We ended up eating a late dinner at Olive Garden, which was great! These pictures are from there, and doesn't the food look good? My mom and I split a dish of Chicken Scampi for dinner and a slice of Black Tie Mousse Cake for dessert.

Well, now that you've heard all about my day, I hope you're not too bored! ;) May this post remind you of the delightful blessing of family--how grand it is to just spend time together and to know that loved ones are there for you to support you and help you--whether they are blood-relations or close friends that are just like family! I'm so blessed to have a dear "family" of blogging friends with all of you!

My Day at the Fair

Original title, I know. ;) Doesn't it sound like I'm writing a report for a third-grade class? But I hope you don't mind joining me anyway on my fabulous day at the Humboldt County Fair!

My dear friend, Elena, joined my mom, sister, and me for a fun afternoon and evening at the fair. The first task on our list was to see how our various entries fared. My mom and I got second place stickers on our poems, and my sister got second and third place stickers on her artwork and photograph, I believe (as well as some stickers for several poems). But what really excited us was the special award ribbon my sister received for one of her poems! How exciting! Of course, my sister was especially excited about the $35 cash award that came along with it. ;)

Next on our task list was finding a bunny. Yes, my sister is getting a bunny for her 13th birthday! We'll be picking up the bunny from the fair on Sunday, my sister's actual birthday. The picture on the right is of our new (most likely) soon-to-be member of the family: Candy. (My sister chose the name.) Isn't she sweet? She's a Holland Lop, if I'm not mistaken. My sister is quite delighted, which is no surprise!

Following the two activities above, we all got caricatures of ourselves (me with Elena, and my mom with my sister). The man who drew them was really nice, and we had fun chatting with him while he worked!

The rest of the time was a blur of food, rides, food, games, and (did I mention this already?) food! ;) Elena and I shared a funnel cake covered in powder sugar early on. After all the talk on this blog about funnel cakes, how could I not get one? And believe me, it was GOOD! Dinner for me consisted of a "beef stick" and curly fries, topped off with a frozen peach lemonade. And for dessert: cotton candy! Oh, yes, I was stuffing my face with great pleasure, and I loved every bite! Yum, yum, yum!

And the rides? Oh, so much fun! Elena and I felt like little girls again, running around like crazy, shouting with glee, and taking in the thrill of it all! The picture to the left is of the three of us (my sister, Elena, and me) on one of my favorite rides: the Yo Yo. I loved spreading my arms out wide and feeling the rush of the wind. It made me think of standing on the bow of a ship, like on Titanic. I loved that sense of adventure and excitement as I was flying through the air on a swing!

This next picture is not flattering in the least (with my eyes all squinted like that!), but I decided to share it with you because I think it gives you a glimpse of how much fun we were having. The bumper cars were great, and between that and the other rides, I was laughing a ton!

There's nothing quite like a day at the fair when you're with those you love. We had such a fantastic time, and I'm so thankful for my mom, my sister, and Elena. God blessed me so much by letting us be a part of each other's lives!

It has been so much fun celebrating the county fair with all of you this week, and I'm so thankful for your friendship! I hope this post might have brought a smile to your face, and I hope it might serve to remind us all of the blessing we have in our family and friends! How great it is to be able to reach out to one another--even simply making each other laugh!

On a side note, as I'm writing this, I can smell the kettle corn that I purchased today. Yes, as an encouragement to any possible last-minute contest entrants, I picked up a bag of kettle corn to include in the prize package. I'm also adding a cute, purple stuffed monkey I got at one of the games to the deal! Thank you to all those who have already entered! =) Be sure and check out the comments section of the contest post to read the latest entries!

(Thank you, Mom, for the pictures and for the great memories at the fair this year!)

Monday for the Military

The United States military is such a wonderful example of honor and sacrifice. Throughout the years, throughout all of the wars the United States has been in, the military has fought for freedom--for the people who they loved and the people who loved them.

From World War II (which my great uncle Robert died in), to the Korean War ("The Forgotten War" which my grandfather was in), to the Vietnam War (which my father was in)--I am reminded of the lives that have been lost, the lives that have been saved, and the love that has been shown. I'm so proud of my family, both those members which have been in the military and those members which have had to stay at home and let go of loved ones.

And now we are part of a new generation. As a young adult, I have friends and acquaintances that have recently joined the U.S. military. From people I knew in martial arts classes, to one of my good friends and neighbor, along with his older brother (who both joined the Marines), I have seen people go off to bootcamp and off to war, ready and willing to make sacrifices for their country and demonstrate courage.

Today let us think of all those we know who are in the military, who are veterans of the military, and who have had to stay at home and watch others go as part of the military. May we pray for them and thank them for all they have done and will do.

Beautiful Oregon

Looking back over the pictures my parents took during our vacation to Sunriver, Oregon, I feel immeasurably blessed. I would love to share some of these memories with you. May they remind you of the joys of family and the loveliness of God's creation!

This first picture is of the view from Cardinal Landing Bridge--a footbridge that sees traffic from pedestrians, bikes, and horses! Isn't the scenery gorgeous? I love the view from being on the bridge, but I also love the view of the bridge itself from a glider! The different views remind me of differing perspectives in life. God can see infinitely more than we can from where we are in one specific point in time and place--and He can see how this one point in our lives fits in with all of eternity. What a great comfort!

This next picture is from our glider ride. My dad and I went on a glider ride several years ago, and it was so much fun to go again! The people at Sunriver Soaring are so fun and sweet, and we had a blast! Although, I must warn you--this time I kind of wished I hadn't eaten breakfast right before I went. I held it together, but it was a close call for sure! However, overall it was thrilling, and I love the view of the mountains. (And you can see the reflection of our pilot in this picture!)

My mom and I had our own wonderful experience, canoeing on Sparks Lake, bordered by Mt. Bachelor, the South Sister, and Broken Top. We canoed with a great group at night, and when we stopped on the shore to enjoy a campfire and hot chocolate from a thermos, we were overjoyed to see the clouds start to move away, leaving us with a breathtaking view of the stars! It was a peaceful, majestic experience, and I love the name of the tour group: Wanderlust. I think the beauty of what God has made and the adventurous spirit He sets within us gives me a case of "wanderlust" sometimes, as well!

The next few pictures show some of the other fun things we did as a family: walking with my grandpa (and sitting with my dad and grandpa!), riding our bicycles, and eating at the Trout House for breakfast (yum, yum!).




And I simply have to include this video! We went to the High Desert Museum, and there were some people at the Settlers' Cabin that were dressed in period costume and talking about what life was like in the high desert back in 1880. Anyway, I got to learn how to play a game from back then, but I guess I got a bit carried away... Watch the following clip to see what I mean!



That poor young man. He was a good sport about it, though!

I could go on and on about the blessings God gave me through this trip! I hope that God might bless you through my memories, as well. Here's one last picture of us in the home we rented. What a wonderful vacation!


(Thank you to my parents for these pictures, this video, and for a grand vacation! I love you!)

Vacation Videos

Here are a couple of videos from our trip to Sunriver that I thought would be fun to share with you!

The first one shows a family of deer (a mom and her two fawns). So adorable! The home they are walking by is the house next to the one we were renting. In the first half of the video, they are way in the back, and you can kind of see the mother's silhouette. They come into the sunshine towards the end of the clip.




I hope it's OK with my family that I share this next video! =) I'll have to let them know I put it on here (but hey, if you listen all the way through, you'll know that I warned them!). Anyway, my goal with this video was to let ya'll walk with me along part of the rim of Lava Butte (located between Sunriver and Bend, Oregon--about 5,020 feet tall at the highest point, if I remember correctly).

While I hope you enjoy the sights, I also hope you aren't too annoyed by the sound quality! I actually "filmed" both of these videos (above and below) on my iPod! Isn't that cool?

And my family is too cute in this clip! My mom was teasing my dad about his "obsession" with picture-taking, so she kept asking him to pose for pictures! Too fun--enjoy!

For the Love of Others . . .

The results are in! The latest poll question was, "What is your favorite part about summer?" Of the four people who answered, here is the breakdown:

• Family vacations--2
• Relaxation--0
• Hanging out with friends--2
• Making extra money--0
• Sleep!--0

Even though there were only four people who answered the question, I think it is safe to say that it is our time spent with each other that makes summer special for us--whether with family or with friends. I have been blessed with amazing parents, as well as other wonderful family members, and great friends (like my friend Elena pictured on the right)!

Summer affords many of us more time to spend with each other and sunnier days in which to do more together. And we ought to value every moment we have with each other, because the relationships God has given us are great gifts indeed.

But there is one more Friend who we ought to spend more time with this summer, and every day of every season: our Lord. Jesus said (as recorded in John 15:14-16), "You are My friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you slaves anymore, because a slave doesn't know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from My Father. You did not choose Me, but I chose you" (HCSB).

Through God's grace, we who are His disciples (believers) are friends with Jesus! What a grand truth that is. If you are saved, you have a personal relationship with the Lord of all, and it is He who we should spend the most time with this summer.

May we (including myself!) remember to use our time wisely as spring begins to blossom into summer and bright days beckon us out-of-doors, into the beauty of God's creation.

Note: I am going to have a different kind of poll this time, so if you wouldn't mind I'd really appreciate your input! The poll will be posted in the sidebar soon! Thanks to all of my readers--I appreciate your time and your kind comments.