Nattie Writes!

Okay, God, I'll stop trying to limit you. Do your thing. If I stay at home, I do it on your strength. If I go back to work part-time or full-time, I do it on your strength. If I *gasp* have to give up Diet Coke, I do it on your strength. If I have to compromise with my husband, I do it on your strength. There is no limit to what YOU can do. Have at it. ;-)

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:24 AM | Comments (0)

January 13, 2009

church directory

(Originally published by Nattie on April 30, 2004)

We had our family picture taken for the church directory today. Of course they took some cute shots of the kids, too, and we didn't have the extra money to get them.

I hate that. The kids thought they were pretty good looking, too, and were disappointed that we only took the complimentary photo of the four of us. So I had to promise to take them back to have their pictures taken when we had the extra moolah. Probably around their birthday time this summer. Of course, they will probably not want their photos taken then. You win some. You lose some.

I'll post the family photo when I get it. I promised hubby I'd blank his face out. I might just blank myself out too. :-)

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:24 AM | Comments (0)

January 12, 2009

Authors

(Originally published by Nattie on April 30, 2004)

From a writing prompt: List your favorite authors.

As a a child and then tween my favorite authors were:
1. Laura Ingalls Wilder—specifically the Little House series
2. Louisa May Alcott—specifically Little Women
3. C.S. Lewis—specifically his Narnia series
4. Madeline L'Engle—specifically her time series
5. L.M. Montgomery—specifically the Anne of Green Gables series
6. Carolyn Keene—well, "she" is actually a conglomerate of corporate ghostwriters, but I loved Nancy Drew
7. Grace Livingston Hill—I haven't read all of her books but Matched Pearls and The Enchanted Barn were two long-standing favorites
8. Janette Oke—especially her Love Comes Softly series
9. I can't remember the author to the Trixie Belden series, but I wanted to be Trixie too.

In my tween/teen years, I also favored:
1. R.L. Stine
2. Francine Pascal—of Sweet Valley High fame
3. Ann Martin— the Babysitter's Club
4. Then I went through a classic writer phase including Agatha Christie, Wilkie Collins, Charlotte Bronte, Poe, Whitman and more
5. Then I moved on to the macabre—Dean Koontz
6. Larry McMurtry

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:24 AM | Comments (0)

January 10, 2009

don't fret

(Originally published by Nattie on April 28, 2004)

I'm alive. I spent the day with a dear friend. She has just found out that her hubby will be going to active duty in Afghanistan soon. She is pregnant. He won't be here for the birth of the baby. So the kids and I spent the day enlightening her three-year-old to the world of sibling rivalry. :-) Oh, the things he has to learn.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 10:58 AM | Comments (0)

January 09, 2009

Has anyone seen my muse?

(Originally published by Nattie on April 27, 2004)

Yoohoo! *taps microphone for attention* Oh, muse, wherefore art thou? I've been reflecting lately that I feel museless and passionless. Every once in a while an idea flits across the transom of my mind, but then it skips off to locations unknown. *sigh* I do very little creative anymore. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Dried up.

My photography, my scrapbooking, my needlework, my writing, even my journaling...not being done. No desire. No passion. What has happened to it?

I was talking to someone the other day and she said that she hasn't been doing her needlework lately. And she was quite an artist even though she doesn't think so. She has done scads of quilts and cross-stitch projects over the years, but suddenly it has dried up. She has been going through a rough time—her youngest graduated from high school (busy, busy, busy, preparing for open houses and such), her business had to be sold, she started a new job, as did her husband. Then her husband decided to run for public office.

Like me I think she feels like she's just along for the ride and someone else is at the controls. Having someone else at the controls isn't a bad thing if it is the right someone.

Lately I've felt like a very wrong someone has the puppet strings and I'm dancing to their tune. I have no desires that are my own. I have no passions that are my own. The only desire I seem to have is sleep. I think I'm dancing the dance of depression again. It is an age old maze, yet the steps seem to keep changing. Just as soon as I find the steps out of the maze another wall grows *whomp* right in my face.

So here I am struggling through this maze, through this jungle. I know that God wants to help out here, but I'm getting a little desperate. You say you'll give me the desires of my heart. Well, give me back my desires. Something. Anything. Please. I hand you the puppet strings. Take them please. I know I can't handle them and I definitely don't want Ol' Nick handling them. I feel like Jacob wrestling with God asking him to bless me.

Does any of this make sense? Am I going insane? Do I need an exorcism? A lobotomy? Or just a vacation? A retreat! A spiritual retreat. A place where warm wind blows and I can feel the gritty sand beneath my feet. I have to sqint the sun is so bright and my skin is covered with dried salt from walks along the shore...

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:24 AM | Comments (0)

January 08, 2009

Accountability

(Originally published by Nattie on April 26, 2004)

My aunt and I have decided to keep each other accountable in different areas of our life. We both have things we want to change, but sometimes lack the "umph" to get them done. So we picked five small goals each in different areas like spiritual, physical, mental, organizational, etc. We are going to review our goals once a month and reward ourselves for completing them.

Here are my five goals—

1. Read one parenting book a month.
2. Drink 16 oz. of water a day.
3. Finish one cross-stitch project.
4. Write for 20 minutes a day.
5. Memorize one verse a week.

• I picked my first parenting book— Making Childern Mind Without Losing Yours by Kevin Leman. I chose this as a goal because I have a stack of parenting books that I've never finished and I really think it I could glean some good information and ideas if I could just finish the silly book. :-)
• I picked the 16 oz. water goal because I know I need to drink water, but I'm just horrible at it. So I figured I would start small. I have a few 16 oz water bottles and I'll start there. Then once I've got 16 oz. down, I'll move on to 32 and then 64.
• I picked the cross-stitch project goal because I have scads of cross-stitch supplies yet haven't completed a project in ages. I've decided it is time to fish or cut bait (whatever that means). I'm going to finish this one project and then decide whether I need to dispose of my cross-stitch supplies or continue to cross-stich.
• My writing is lacking lately. I intend to write about that later. I feel like my passion for writing has flown out the window. So I thought if I disciplined myself to write the "bones" for 20 minutes a day maybe it would spark something.
• And the last one is obvious—scripture memory is just plain good. :-) I did a lot of memory when I was younger and can still recall most of it. So I plan on reviewing that and building onward and upward.

Now that you are bored to death with my goals, I'll go fix breakfast.

TTFN,

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:24 AM | Comments (1)

January 07, 2009

Dreaming...

(Originally published by Nattie on April 24, 2004)

I was reading a book a while back and the author said that we needed to remember how to dream and realize our dreams. She asked the reader to finish this sentence, "I always wanted to..." and then do it. In this instance, she wrote that she had always wanted to learn how to belly dance. So she signed up for classes and learned how to shimmy.

I realized that I had a lot of things I've always wanted to do. So here is my list. We'll see which one I can actually nail down and do.

I've always wanted to...
~ learn how to paint.
~ I've always wanted to learn how to speak French.
~ I've always wanted to learn how to dance.
~ I've always wanted to study Hebrew and Greek.
~ I've always wanted to learn how to do a cartwheel.
~ I've always wanted to write and publish a book.
~ I've always wanted to wander the streets of London.
~ I've always wanted to learn self-defense.
~ I've always wanted to get my nose pierced.
~ I've always wanted to go on a cruise.
~ I've always wanted to be organized.
~ I've always wanted to be a librarian.
~ I've always wanted to be able to drink coffee black without gagging.
~ I've always wanted to climb a mountain.
~ I've always wanted to be able to stand on my head.
~ I've always wanted to be a gymnast.
~ I've always wanted to finish a cross-stich project.
~ I've always wanted to learn how to hand piece a quilt.
~ I've always wanted to be able to crochet and knit.
~ I've always wanted to have more hours in the day.

What have you always wanted to do?

TTFN,

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:24 AM | Comments (0)

January 06, 2009

It must have worked

(Originally published by Nattie on April 23, 2004)

The rain went away for a bit, so my son's repeatedly singing "Rain, rain, go away!" must have worked. We were able to go outside for a bit yesterday. Then had to come back in because someone doesn't like it when I enforce boundaries. :-( When will they learn? After we came inside I stood at my kitchen window and watched a birdy couple build a birdy nest. The other day we got to watch a momma robin digging for worms while papa robin stood guard. I'm not a bird person, but I do enjoy watching nature as it should be. :-)

And this morning I woke up to a bright blue cloudless sky. According to the weathercasters, more rain is coming this evening, but I'm enjoying the blueness of the sky while I can. I like a little rain, but I would never make it in Seattle. Too gray too many days of the year!

Well, I'm going to be crafty today. It has been too long since I've done anything craft related. So long that my craft area is a disaster.

I have three more questions to answer. These are from Sparrow:
1. If you could change into one animal at will, for a certain amount of time, which one would it be and why? A wild horse. They seem so free and so wild. Something I am not. :-)
2. What was your last (sleeping) dream about and did it have any special meaning for you? You don't even want me to go there. My dreams are often like carnival freak shows. They are bizarre. Occasionally I have a dream that appears to have some meaning, but rarely.
3. In your walk with Him, what way has God answered specifically a prayer that you were waiting on an answer for? There was one instance two years ago when I was working and yearning to stay at home, but my husband was against it. He isn't a bad guy, but he is very much about the money and the comforts. I was having problems at work. I was having problems with depression and I kept praying for God to show me a way out. He did. I got fired. And the amazing thing, my husband did not make me go back to work. Not that he hasn't hinted, but I've been able to stay home for twp years now when I thought I would never have that joy or privilege. At the time I thanked God for what I thought was an unanswered prayer, but really it was answered in a much different way than I had ever thought possible.

Well...have a blessed day,

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 09:40 AM | Comments (0)

January 05, 2009

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

(Originally published by Nattie on April 23, 2004)

Please continue to pray for Mel. I received an email today that the doctor has told her she is losing the baby.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. ~ Psalm 34:18

Copyright Natalie Rose York

(Daddy's note: This photo was taken in 2006 on the occasion of Natalie's last visit with her high school friend Melanie in California. Given the date of the entry above, it appears that your prayers were answered...If my assumptions are incorrect, Nattie's Mom will let me know. Stay tuned.)

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:24 AM | Comments (3)

January 03, 2009

April Reads

(Originally published by Nattie on April 22, 2004)

1~ A Day to Pick Your Own Cotton by Michael Phillips
2~ Thou Shalt Not Grill by Tamar Myers
3~ Discipline - The Glad Surrender by Elisabeth Elliott
4~ Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe
5~ The Secret of the Old Clock by Carolyn Keene
6~ Down the Garden Path by Dorothy Cannell
7~ Sometimes, I Wake Up Grumpy...And Sometimes I Let Him Sleep by Karen Scalf Linamen
8~ Mrs. Jeffries Dusts for Clues by Emily Brightwell
9~ Booked to Die by John Dunning
10~ The Master Quilter by Jennifer Chiaverini
11~ Miss Julia Meets Her Match by Ann B. Ross
12~ Life Goes On by Philip Gulley
13~ Guardian of the Horizon by Elizabeth Peters
14~ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
15~ Evanly Choirsby Rhys Bowen
16~ Death at Bishop's Keep by Robin Paige

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 01:22 PM | Comments (0)

January 02, 2009

TGIF

(Originally published by Nattie on April 30, 2004)

Not much going on in Small Town, USA today. Except more rain. I did go to the library and picked up some books on the sale table.
~ Alpine Decoy by Mary Daheim
~ The Anodyne Necklaceby Martha Grimes
~ The Coming Home Quilt by Joanna Hampton
~ The Secrets of Sadie Maynard by Linda Anderson
~ The Gift of Honor by Gary Smalley and John Trent

Not a bad deal for a dollar.

I also picked up a movie to watch after the kidlets are in bed—"Agatha Christie's Seven Dials Mystery"

Not much else on the docket. I have been tackling one big project a day. Yesterday I cleaned under my couch and under the cushions. That may not sound like a big deal to those of you who don't have kids, but my kids like to hide things in the couch—including food. Yuck!

Tomorrow I'm going to my aunt's to borrow her serger and sewing machine so I can make some doo-rags for my daughter and me. I have lots of fabric scraps and thought I'd make good use of them.

I have to brag just a bit on my son. Yes, he was driving me insane yesterday with his version of "Rain, rain, Go away," the why questions and this new laugh that he has developed that is a cross between a lamb bleating and Fran Drescher's laugh from "the nanny." But then he did something sweet. I was playing my Media player and Rebecca St. James' song "Song of Love" came on. He said, "Mommy, they sing that at church. That's about Jesus." I told him that it was about Jesus and that Jesus loved for us to make a joyful noise to him. So Jonathan started singing along. He never sings like that. It was heaven to my ears. And he made me play the song over and over and over again. *sniff* My little boy is growing up.

The other day when we had tornado warnings and such he told me that he wanted the potatoes (tornadoes) to go away and that he wanted to go to California because there are no potatoes there. LOL! When did he get to be such a big boy.

One more thing...how could I forget?! I just wanted to share my gratitude list. I haven't posted one in a while...
~ Scholarship funds at preschool (big PTL!)
~ Gift certificates to Family Christian Store, Shell and Olive Garden
~ Fundraiser prize money that I knew nothing about
~ Librarians that know my name
~ Book sales
~ Too many potatoes in my pantry (better than too few)
~ The tomato plants that are growing in my back yard
~ Minute Maid Fruit Punch
~ Fig Newtons
~ Cookouts with neighbors
~ Kids who love to sing about Jesus

Have a blessed day,

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:24 AM | Comments (0)

January 01, 2009

Forgot to answer...

(Originally published by Nattie on April 22, 2004)

a few more questions I've received:

From Jamie—
1. Worst movie ever? Why? Just about anything by Adam Sandler. No, I guess that isn't right, because I have enjoyed his gentler comedies like "the Wedding Singer," but most of his others make me want to stab my eyes out with knives so I can stop the pain. I'm just not into his brand of humor. Yet I can watch "SNL." Go figure.
2. What is something you collect and why? Cows, Tiggers and Books are the three things I collect most. I don't remember how I got started on cows. I guess I just love the black-and-white jersey cow. I received my first Tigger for my 16th birthday from my then boyfriend. There is no turning back. Tigger represents something I want to be—bouncy, trouncy and fun. Books have been my constant and faithful friends for years. I can't get enough of them. Parting with them is painful.
3. How does the knowledge that you have access to God affect your daily life? Since being diagnosed with chronic depression I've had to rely more on God every day. I would never have made it this far without God and his grace. In fact I sometimes wonder if God didn't allow this thorn because I was so good at clipping along at my own pace and only paying him service at my convenience. I'm thankful then if that is the case because the reward of being one of God's chosen ones is so much greater than any other reward that the world offers.

From Tiff—
1. Favorite animated film For years I loved the Disney movies such as "Beauty and the Beast," "The Little Mermaid," "Lion King," "Aladdin," etc. But my-all time favorite that stands the test of time is..."Pete's Dragon."
2. Favorite author/book Oy! Do I have to pick just one? If so, I'd have to pick...Laura Ingalls Wilder. I collect her works. Not just the Little House series, but her articles she wrote for the local paper. I've also visited her home in Missouri. I keep a picture of her writing desk next to my desk. She is a major role model for me.
3. Favorite singing group Again, just one?! I don't listen to many "groups." I tend to like single artists, but my favorite groups are Mercy Me, No Doubt, The Dixie Chicks, and Third Day.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:49 AM | Comments (0)