Nattie Writes!

What Sort of Artist Should You Be?

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 09:01 AM | Comments (0)

September 25, 2009

this reminds me of something

(Originally published by Nattie on March 06, 2007)

Dana mentioned something about 21 days of no complaining and I googled it and came across this article which led to this website. It reminds me of something I read in Calm My Anxious Heart:A Woman's Guide To Contentment by Linda Dillow

• Never allow yourself to complain about anything—not even the weather.
• Never picture yourself in any other circumstances or someplace else.
• Never compare your lot with others.
• Never allow yourself to wish this or that had been otherwise.
• Never dwell on tomorrow—remember that [tomorrow] is God's, not ours.

That was found in the diary of a missionary to Africa named Ella.

Yet again...I feel very, very, very...small.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:47 AM | Comments (1)

September 24, 2009

Bridge to Terabithia

(Originally published by Nattie on March 05, 2007)

I finished my second book in the TBR challenge. Actually I finished it in one afternoon. It was Bridge to Terebithia by Katherine Paterson. I had a multitude of reasons for including this book in my challenge.

1. 1. I had never read it and I don't know why?!
2. They now have a movie out and I cannot see a movie without reading the book.
3. My son wanted to see the movie and I must then read the book and see the movie first because that is the type of parent I am.

So one afternoon late last month I sat down with BTT and could not put it down. I finished by the end of the evening. I was wrapped up in the lives of Jess Aarons and Leslie Burke. Having not read it as a child maybe I see a lot more in it than a child would, but I see a son who wants to be loved my his father (maybe this is more intense right now because I'm also reading The Five Love Languages of Children) but I also so understood the girl whose imaginations was fed by books. Sound like anyone you know?

Then last night I went to see the movie. They took huge Hollywood liberties, but I think they stayed true to the heart of the story. *sob*

Bring a box of kleenex with you to the reading and the watching.

Here is an interview with Ms. Paterson on "Christianity Today." I also enclosed a favorite part of the interview for me. Note: there are some spoilers so if you have not read the book or seen the movie...do so first! You will not be disappointed.

There's a trend lately to provide books and films for Christian audiences that are "safe for the whole family." Perhaps your books have been challenged because they're not necessarily "safe" for children. What do you make of the idea that children's books should be "safe"?

Katherine Paterson: Well, don't give them the Bible, then, because it's certainly not a safe book. Safety and faith are different things. If you want everything to be safe, then you can probably just totally do without the imagination. If you're so afraid of your imagination that you stifle it, how are you going to know God? How can you imagine heaven?

Copyright Natalie Rose York

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

September 23, 2009

Does the US do anything like this?

(Originally published by Nattie on March 01, 2007)

I stumbled across this British website—World Book Day when reading an article about the top 10 books that people cannot live without. Sounds interesting. What were the top 10 books?

1. Pride and Prejudice—Jane Austen 20%
2. Lord of the Rings—JRR Tolkein 17%
3. Jane Eyre—Charlotte Bronte 14%
4. Harry Potter books—J K Rowling 12%
5. To Kill A Mockingbird—Harper Lee 9.5%
6. The Bible— 9%
7. Wuthering Heights—Emily Bronte 8.5%
8. 1984—George Orwell 6%
9. His Dark Materials—Philip Pullman 6%
10. Great Expectations—Charles Dickens .55%

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 11:01 AM | Comments (0)

September 22, 2009

It bears reapeating

(Originally published by Nattie on February 28, 2007)

This song bears repeating and humming...and singing at the top of your lungs while doing the glory dance....

Blessed Be Your Name
by Matt Redman

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Copyright Natalie Rose York

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

September 21, 2009

pondering

(Originally published by Nattie on February 26, 2007)

I've been pondering on why we as humans are never happy where we are. A few weeks ago, I wanted a real winter with snow and all that jazz. I've had it now and I'm over it. Now I want spring. Why can't I live in the moment? And I know I'm not the only one who does this. Why can't we be happy in the here and now?! Life is too fleeting to be wishing away today in search of tomorrow.

So I'm going to try to take a page from Paul's book...

I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am.—Phillipians 4:11-13

And all God's children said...

Copyright Natalie Rose York

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

September 18, 2009

times that try (wo)men's souls

(Originally published by Nattie on February 23, 2007)

I am thankful that I am not God. I couldn't handle the pressure. But there are times when I wonder what He is thinking. I know in His infinite wisdom He does know what he is doing, but still...there are times that try the soul.

Times when you wonder why do mommies lose three-month-old babies? Why do other mommies not even get to birth their babies? Why do I have a son with special needs? Why does a husband think that another woman can meet his needs when he can't even look outside of a beer can? And the list goes on...but God is God and I am not. So I cling to one of His many promises...

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

Amen

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:42 AM | Comments (0)

September 17, 2009

hee hee

(Originally published by Nattie on February 22, 2007)

my nickname in high school was hippie chick...

You Are Grass Green

Down to earth and a bit of a hippie, you are very into nature and the outdoors. You accept the world and people as they are. You don't try to change things. You are also very comfortable with yourself, flaws and all. Optimistic about the future, you feel like life is always getting better.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

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

September 16, 2009

give the girl a break

(Originally published by Nattie on February 20, 2007)

This might not be a popular opinion, but I just have to get this off my chest. First know this...I am not a Britney Spears fan, but I do have one of her songs as a ringtone for my son's school...Oops, I Did It Again. It seems apropos.

On to my rant that no one will listen to...let the girl be. Yes, she asks for some of the slams and snide remarks, but I can not imagine living my life in a fishbowl the way she does.

She has been under a lot of stress and being a single mom myself without mannies or nannies I've been tempted to go a little wild, too. And if I did I'd like to suffer the consequences without every little action being dissected in the evening news.

So freaking what if she wanted to shave her head. She isn't hurting anyone. The only one she is hurting in all this wildness is herself. Her kids seem to be better cared for right now than a lot of children.

She needs time to heal and American society isn't going to let her by hounding her every little step. If I were Britney I'd probably be tempted to shave my head and flip off the camera too. Give her a break and give her some room to breathe!

/rant

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:39 AM | Comments (0)

September 15, 2009

Check it out

(Originally published by Nattie on February 17, 2007)

My first review is up at armchair interviews—All Will Be Revealed by Robert Anthony Siegel.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:26 AM | Comments (0)

September 14, 2009

Snow day(s)

(Originally published by Nattie on February 16, 2007)

Nothing like 17" of snow and blizzard-like conditions to make you go a little mad and let you get a lot of reading done. I only just got the car dug out of three-foot snow drifts yesterday and tried driving it today to find that it has a mad knock. So I'll go back to my stack of books. Yes, I've read 10 books so far this month. It's been cold out. And a smidge snowy. *muah*

Copyright Natalie Rose York

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

September 12, 2009

Valentines and other firsts remembered

(Originally published by Nattie on February 02, 2007)

I have no idea why, but something prompted me to remember a Valentine's Day First last night.

It was 1987 and I was a gawky 13-year-old. I still wore glasses, but was very vain that day and didn't wear them so I saw everyone through a near-sighted haze. And it was raining. It rarely rained in Sunny California, but it did that February 14th. And I wore a Tweetybird T-shirt and red stretch pants with Jelly shoes. It was 1987 for pete's sake.

I remember feeling weird and awkward in so many ways because I knew things weren't right at home with my parents. My dad had sent my mom 17 yellow roses, but something still wasn't right. Little did I know that a few months later they would separate and divorce.

I was on the student council at my junior high and we sucked the helium out of the red heart balloons we were supposed to be sending as Heart Grams.

It was also my first Valentine's dance and my first slow dance. I danced with Erik what's his name. And it was awkward too. Because as is common in the 7th grade I was already 5'7" and he was probably all of 5'. He probably thought the dance was great. He got to stick his head in my already 38B chest while my friend Kim whispered, "Lean in to it," as we swayed side to side to Tiffany.

My first kiss two years later wasn't any better. Gag me with a spoon. Seriously, I think that was what he was trying to do. Thankfully my second kiss on New Year's Eve 1991 was much better and I decided not to swear off on kissing all together. Although I should have been more selective. These are lessons I will pass to my daughter.

Don't dance with boys who only come up to your armpits.

Don't wear Jelly shoes on rainy days.

Always wear your glasses because you want to remember what the boy you danced with looked like.

And don't be afraid to say, "Eww, back off. Your tongue is hairy."

Copyright Natalie Rose York

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

September 11, 2009

mama said

(Originally published by Nattie on February 01, 2007)

Mama said there'd be days like this...

Sing with me!

I love my children. I really really really really do.

But there are days that I don't like them much.

The days when I feel like I have to mold and reprimand and discipline ever step I take. Those are the days when a vacation a deserted Fiji island with a stack of books and case of diet coke would be great. And today is one of those days.

So sing with me.

Mama said there'd be days like this. There'd be days like this.

Mama said. Mama said. Mama said.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 08:09 AM | Comments (0)

September 10, 2009

Stop the whirlwind! I want to get off!

You may have noticed the rapid passage of these archives. It was only about a month ago that we posted Natalie's June 6-8, 2006, entries. Only God knew at that time that we had but one fleeting year to enjoy her earthly companionship. And because the scarcity of money became more and more of a problem for her, she and her blog were offline for longer and longer periods in those closing months, making the end come even more quickly.

As we are now able to gaze into the past we can see the first few months of 2007 roaring toward us as a giant snowball, an avalanche, faster and faster, ever larger and more ominous. Destructive as a volcanic mountaintop that flattens everything it meets. And as all of this is happening, we lie in the sun at the bottom of the hill, blissful in our ignorance.

I can do nothing to stop it. In a few days we will have re-posted all of the "Nattie Rose Writes" archives that we have been able to salvage. But I can slow it briefly when little things such as this enter my life.

This article came in an email newsletter yesterday. And every time I stumbled over it throughout the day I wanted to share it with Natalie. I know she would have loved it. It isn't at all inspirational, but it still made me feel as though we were able to connect again, if only for a moment. I hope you enjoy it, too.

Love you, little girl! And miss you even more!—Daddy

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 12:04 AM | Comments (1)

September 09, 2009

website I discovered

(Originally published by Nattie on January 31, 2007)

Thanks to Pattie, I found this website.

She reviews books for them and now I do too.

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 09:17 AM | Comments (0)

September 08, 2009

Winter has truly come to small town, usa

(Originally published by Nattie on January 30, 2007)

So what better reason to stay home and read!

But what am I doing? I am trapsing all over kingdom come running cold errands in a cold car because it never does warm up!

I need my head examined. Surely when the windchill is 9 degrees BELOW zero I have the right to stay home and read The Thirteenth Tale?!

Copyright Natalie Rose York

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

September 07, 2009

I need a vacation

(Originally published by Nattie on January 09, 2007)

Not a blog vacation or an internet vacation just an oh-my-gosh-my-life-is-driving-me-nuts-and-I-can't-seem-to-change-it vacation. I watch the news and I know I'll hate myself for saying this when we finally have snow on the ground here, but I think I'd rather be in Colorado than in Small Town USA right now. At least Colorado has oodles of snow and snuggly fires and you have an excuse for snuggling up and hibernating. I have not that excuse right now.

It is bitterly cold right now, but the sun is shining and I'm cranky. And I shouldn't be. No, everything isn't going my way but...it could be worse...

• I only have .19 cents to my name, but I'm alive.
• I don't have a microwave that works or a can opener that doesn't break your hand, but I have neatly organized cabinets full of food that my church gave me and with a little time and effort I can make a meal on the stove. I was born in 1973 not 1993. Microwaves weren't staples until I was an early teen in our households.
• I have no gas in my car, but I don't really have to go anywhere.
• My hobbit apartment is a pigsty no matter how much I clean (I seem to have 2 pigs not 2 children), but I have a hobbit apartment.
• I have a headache because I couldn't sleep and I'm out of some of my medication but again...I'm 80 pounds lighter than I was 2 years ago. I have breathe in my lungs. I am alive!
• My income comes out faster than it comes in, but God is still bigger than the boogeyman. I know he will see us through. I just have to hold on tight.
• I can't afford a vacation, but I can curl up at the end of a day (or maybe the middle if I don't want to face the carpet that needs vacuumed for the millionth time this week) and visit Mitford or Narnia or Hogwarts or St. Simons Island or Prince Edwards Island or wherever my little heart desires because God gave me a brain and I know how to use it.
• Okay, maybe things aren't all bad.

But I still wouldn't mind a roaring fire in a fire place. Maybe, I can find one of those dvd's that simulates a crackling fireplace. ;)

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 09:30 AM | Comments (1)

September 04, 2009

She lives, she learns, she loves

(Originally published by Nattie on January 04, 2007)

It is a new year and I'm going to try to blog more often.
I am still internetless at home, but I have access 6 days a week at the library so there really is no excuse except...
work
kids
ya know
life
and I still seem to have all of the above
and I've already battled a serious case of S.A.D.
and it is only January!
But God is good
all the time.
All the time.
God is good.
More news from Small Town USA soon!!!

Copyright Natalie Rose York

Posted by Nattie's Daddy at 06:01 AM | Comments (0)

September 03, 2009

a tisket, a tasket

(Originally published by Nattie on October 13, 2006)

a tisket, a tasket
a life is full to overflowing basket
what's up in Nattie's life right now?
still working
still single parenting
still volunteering at church
and indoor soccer started a few weeks ago
I coach both Jonathan and Anna's teams
And there is always the challenge of trying to...
keep my temper
keep my head on straight
keep focused on God
not drown in the mundane ickiness of life
and dealing with Mr. Jonathan and the Asperger's
and Miss Anna and the Drama Queen Syndrome which I've been told she'll never grow out of
So what is up in your collective lives?

Copyright Natalie Rose York

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

September 02, 2009

kidnapped

(Originally published by Nattie on September 04, 2006)

An all-points bulletin was placed shortly after 11:30 am EST when a large white metal contraption that two-legged creatures call cars parked on a country road in Small Town USA, IN, and abducted two of our children. three of the two-legged creatures were seen with empty plastic bottles in the vicinity of 500 N. Shortly thereafter two of our children went missing.

The youngest is one-inch in length with orange fuzz and answers to the name of Willie. The oldest is two inches in length with auburn fuzz and answers to the name of Wendy. They are believed to be in grave danger. If you know of their whereabouts please call 1-800-BUGNAPPED.

***disclaimer—Anna had a bug show-and-tell at school tomorrow so we bugnapped some woolie worms. I hope their families will forgive us. No bugs were injured in this experiment.****

Copyright Natalie Rose York

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

September 01, 2009

slayed

(Originally published by Nattie on August 30, 2006)

...Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him... ~ Job 13:15

Copyright Natalie Rose York

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