Friday, April 29, 2011

Name, please

Meet our garage gecko. We're still trying to decide what to name him (we've decided to attribute maleness to him unless given reasons not to - in many species the females don't need males to reproduce so one may be enough to generate more). He lives in the garage, courtesy of a missing piece of rubber strip from the garage door seal, and hides in the downspout when we create too much activity in the garage.

This picture was snapped through the sidelight glass by the front door yesterday (he's prettier in person) when the little guy ventured up the side of the house. I've read that Teflon is the only surface to which a gecko cannot stick. Pretty amazing footwork there. Anyway, we're letting him live in peace - he eats insects, including mosquitoes, so I figure "he who is not against you is for you".

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Still here

We didn't blow away.

Lots of rain, wind and sirens, but we're still here. Amazingly, Bruce flew in from California yesterday between the thunderclouds and landed on time and drove home during a tornado warning. Crazy. We have a few sticks in the back yard and that's about it - we're grateful.

So I'm reading in Genesis this week and wondering...
Who told Eve to not eat the fruit?  - doesn't appear she was around when Adam got the command.
Why is it that the Bible says Eve was deceived, whereas Adam sinned?
An interesting author points out that as a result of sin entering the world, man is ruled by the soil (work) from which he was created, and woman is similarly ruled by the man from which she was created (and abusively so, in a large portion of the world). Makes me long for Eden and what God created in the first place.

Can you imagine a world where the genders were seen as full complements of each other, showcasing the image of God - and that we fully delighted in what each brought to the table? An amazing world!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Still Smiling...

1600 miles in 4 days, and SO worth it! 

With MJ's return from National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) intersecting with VEISHEA at ISU, the kids all decided to rendezvous in Ames last weekend. Not to be left out, Bruce and I jumped in the van at 6 a.m. on Friday and made the trek to Iowa. My heart is still full. (OK, my rear end is still feelin' it too.) Had a wonderful time catching up with each other, eating junk food, picnicking in Pete & Amy's apartment in Urbandale and praying for each other for all of our new adventures.

Michael has decided to stay in Iowa instead of coming to TN for the summer. (Amy trimmed up the mountain man so he can job hunt!) We think that's a great plan since most of his network is in Iowa. Down here he would only know us and I'm guessing it would get pretty lonely. Or at least boring.

The house is down to 61 degrees - I'm wearing a coat and have a blanket on my lap. I refuse to turn the furnace back on. I figure I'm storing up the cool for when the weather turns off hot. It's insane - fluctuating from 90 to 46 degrees and everywhere in between, punctuated by thunderstorms and tornadoes. So make up your mind already!

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

This week...

Spent time in our closet (a.k.a. storm safe place) among the stinky shoes during a tornado warning. Who thought no basements was a good idea?

Ate oatmeal and Cool Whip for dinner (um, yeah, Bruce wasn't home)

Started feeling a friendly little connection vibe in the neighborhood when Shedrick honked at us as he drove by.

Cut down the tree that was planted 4 feet from the house and beat on the shingles. Looks SO much better now.

Am thinking of making friends with the pairs of cardinals who often peer in my window from the patio.

Cleaned out the refrigerator, and found the bag of broccoli crumbs I thought I was going to make soup out of, but obviously forgot.

Wore shorts on Saturday, sweatshirt this morning.

Have been deeply grateful that a good look at Jesus helps me understand who I really am...and more grateful that He loves me anyway.  Oh, another day to be loved by Him!

Friday, April 8, 2011

Every Bloomin' Thing

The guests are all safely home, the sheets are in the laundry and the refrigerator is empty enough that I can find stuff again! God is kind - it was a wonderful time. The snake was spied by Grandpa who dispatched it to ensure Grandma's safety in the sun, and there is peace in the House of Arentson.

We're enjoying the blooms of spring here - the trees are amazing. We have this pink beauty in our back yard - unsure of its variety, but it may be a cherry of some sort. The early bloomers are finished already, the pears and almonds, and now we're admiring dogwoods, tulip magnolias and whatever it is we have in our yard.

These days I am pondering the state of affairs in the world and wondering if we are seeing fresh signs of things coming to a close. The trouble in the Middle East is unprecedented, the Earth groans with earthquakes and other disturbances and the philosophies of the world flourish. Makes me grateful that God knows all about it, and will do all things well. I'm trying to pay attention and be about the things He's called me to, trusting Him, and loving Him and the people He's put on this planet.