Currently Reading: Heaven to Betsy and Betsy In Spite of Herself

Heaven to Betsy and Betsy In Spite of Herself
Maud Hart Lovelace


Ah, the beloved Betsy-Tacy series.  These are the stories of my childhood.  As we moved around the country, I felt like these were the friends that moved with me.  We started with reading the four books that were about their childhood, growing up in Deep Valley, Minnesota around the turn of the century.  Then I followed Betsy, Tacy and Tib through their high school years (with all the various ups and downs of high school, crushes, dances and more).  I toured Europe with Betsy.  I read as she FINALLY married Joe Willard and followed her as a newlywed.  Some years later, I found a few more Deep Valley books.  The two books mentioned above are her freshman and sophomore years of high school respectively.  I am reading through the series again this summer before I pack up all my books to move to Mississippi.  Mr. Mays agreed that if I have to be moved all over the country and perhaps all over the world and be moved away from friends and family, I could at least bring my fictional friends along.

These are such wonderful, classic books.  I've read each book at least a dozen times and I still love
 re-reading them again.  They are mentioned in my favorite movie, as well.  :)  Hope that you'll get a chance to pick up one of these books soon.  They really are enchanting.

song for today

thanks to my AWESOME sister and brother-in-law, this is one of mr. mays and my favorite songs.  :)

mark driscoll responses

If you're even semi-involved in Evangelical circles, you've probably heard about Mark Driscoll's recent facebook post asking his followers, “So, what story do you have about the most effeminate anatomically male worship leader you’ve ever personally witnessed?”

Clearly (and for good reason) this has raised a lot of controversy.  Although I have been challenged by Driscoll in the past, I'm glad that people have spoken out against this.  It would be pointless for me to attempt writing a Christian response to this - others have written much more poignantly on the subject.  Here are a few links to articles I have appreciated on this subject.

http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/2011/07/much_ado_about_mark_driscoll.html

http://rachelheldevans.com/mark-driscoll-bully

http://tylerlclark.tumblr.com/post/7438158715

In fairness to Driscoll, I must add that he apologized for his flippant comment.  I do admire his willingness to admit that he was wrong and his obedience to the elders who are over him. 

Currently Reading: Evidence Not Seen

Evidence Not Seen: A Woman's Miraculous Faith in the Jungles of World War II
Darlene Deibler Rose

Mr. May's grandmother saw me reading while I stayed with them in Michigan and passed along this book.  I've always liked biographies (especially missionary biographies) so I was excited to own it.  (I'm pretty much happy to own any book though).

Anyway, the story is incredible.  Within the first year of marriage, Darlene moves from a small town in Iowa to New Guinea.  When World War II begins, she and her husband are taken hostage and separated to different POW camps.  She spends four years in the camp (that's the part I'm in right now).

This woman is pretty incredible.  She tells the story of what happened, but she never dwells on the facts too long.  In fact, she almost seems to downplay the situations...she's as cool as a cucumber in situations where I would have been terrified.  Perhaps what I like most is that Darlene always credits God with working things out...she was completely reliant on Him and simply acted with faith knowing that He would take care of her.


I was a bit nervous starting this book...since I was a little girl I've always had nightmares whenever I read/watch anything related to World War II.  So generally I just avoid reading "extra" books from this time period (clearly, I've had history for all my school years so I've read a lot on this era due to that).  Is it normal to see have nightmares when you're an adult??

Update from the last currently reading post:  I finished the book and really, really liked it.  I would highly recommend it and I liked Stafford's approach.  Since finishing it last week I had continued to think about it, especially as my job means I work with a lot of children!  It's also come up in several conversations I've had.

cinnamon-sugar-pull-apart-bread

"Chocolate cream pie! You know what I love about cooking? I love that after a day when nothing is sure and when I say nothing, I mean nothing. You can come home and absolutely know that if you add egg yolks to chocolate and sugar and milk, it will get thick. That's such a comfort."

Julie and Julia

Today was just one of those days where pain and discouragement are much more prevalent than peace and contentment.  So I came home, exercised and decided to bake.  Baking is cathartic.  There is something so serene about kneading dough by hand, washing dishes in hot sudsy water, checking on dough rising, smelling sweet aromas from the oven.  If I had another life, I would probably open a bakery.  I found this recipe today so that's what I decided to bake.  Doesn't it look delicious??  I'm waiting for the dough to rise, so I can't report on it quite yet.  But if you're looking for a diabetic-suicide, this looks like the recipe to do the deed!  I'm leaving out part of the sugar, because it just seems a bit over the top.  :)

my job

a post about my job?  sounds simple.  but here's the truth: it's a little bit hard to pin down exactly what i do.  but i'll do my best.  :)


I work for Safe Families for Children of Central Indiana.  Check out their website, blog, facebook and twitter for more information!  :)

Short Version:  We take children in crisis situations and place them in loving, Christian homes.  We are an alternative to foster care or DCS where the children are taken from their parents.  Rather we work with the biological parents and allow them to retain parental custody.  Sometimes we only have the children for a couple of days (if, for instance, we were providing respite for a tired single mother).  Other times the children stay with us for several months at a time.  In the meantime, the child is being loved on and cared for by a volunteer family (we call them Safe Families).  These family integrate them as one of their own while reminding the child that they will return to their parents.  The families pray for the parents of the children and set up visits between the parents and children.  We visit the children in the homes, arrange visits, act as a liaison between biological families and Safe Families, provide support, etc.

Long Version:  I work with people.  That means that each day is a beautiful mess.

Some days it seems that all I see is the mess.  Broken people.  Hopeless situations.  Impossible barriers.  We spend several hours getting a plan in place only to have someone call it off.  But this is not the whole story  There is more.

There is beauty in the mess.

There is beauty in seeing a mom care of another's child as her own.  There is beauty is watching volunteers spend hours working on projects.  There is beauty in seeing one family envelope another in love.  There is beauty woven in and around this mess.

The question is, will I enter the mess in order to find the beauty?

The answer:  I must.  I must because Someone else entered the horrific, decrepit mess of my life.  And He makes beauty out of my life. 

He is a God who erases statistics - I love that about Him!  Those hopeless situations I wrote of?  He brings hope...He makes the impossible possible!  He knows about pain and suffering...the Bible says he was a "man of sorrows, acquainted with grief."  He can be near and dear to these families in need.  He knows what it is like to have a child ripped away and to watch them suffer. 

This Man brings beauty out of my oh-so-messy-life.  These families that I work with?  This Man wants to bring beauty out of their oh-so-messy-life.  And He wants to do the same to yours.

So my job is indeed a beautiful mess.

But I'm really just following His example.  :)

Currently Reading: Too Small To Ignore

I'm starting a new "series" where I share what book I am currently reading and my thoughts on it.  I love to read all sorts of books.  But in this world of electronics, movies, TV and more, I have found that it becomes far too easy for me to put aside reading for another day or simply never finish a book.  This will be a simply accountability to both read and reflect.  And hopefully it will also encourage others to read. :)  Mr. Mays and I plan on reading books together when we're married, so hopefully that will give me even more to write about.

Too Small to Ignore:  Why The Least of These Matters Most

Dr. Wess Stafford, President and CEO, Compassion International

This book shares Stafford's personal life (including growing up in a remote African village) and his professional life.  He writes compellingly for Christians to "change the world one child at a time."  If you know me at all, I would hope that you know that I love teaching and working with children.  I spent two years doing children's ministry with Life Action Ministries, I have spent countless hours babysitting children, I have taught children's classes in at least four different churches.  Just last night I was sharing with Mr. Mays the excitement I feel when I see little ones understand the story and see their little hearts being turned towards God.  I still have a lot of the book left to finish, but already I am challenged and encouraged by Stafford's words.