mexican salad

Although I’m sure it would earn an enthusiastic What the hell is this? from our dear and authentically Mexican neighbor, this is a new favorite among the authentically non-Mexican Burnham family.

I wish I had a picture because it's really pretty.

Salad

1 head Romaine
1/3 bunch of cilantro, roughly chopped

      Toss together.

2 tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
red onion, sliced, to taste

1 avocado chopped

1/2 can black beans

1/2 can whole kernel corn

1 1/2 c cheddar and/or jack cheese

      Combine into salad.

corn chips

Dressing (My variation of Catalina. Bottled would work fine, I’m sure.)

1/4 c ketchup
slight 1/4 c sugar
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 t paprika
1/4 t Worchestershire sauce
1/2 t minced garlic
s & p

      Whisk together.

1/2 c oil

      Blend other ingredients and slowly drizzle oil while running the blender to emulsify.

Set corn chips and dressing on the side for people to assemble it themselves. This is the trick to not making this into a disgusting and/or soggy taco salad.

Serves 6.

Optional: Grill and slice a chicken breast on top. Fajita seasonings or blackened chicken would be good. Corn chips can be easily made by brushing corn tortillas with oil, lime juice, and salt, slicing and baking at 350 for 10-20 minutes. Watch closely.

christmas and all it's ornaments

For any party, any celebration, for any pre-meditated giving of hospitality there is a normal preparation process: grocery shop, clean the bathroom, vacuum the floors, chop, cook, bake, snap at David, tidy the kitchen, say sorry to David, light the candles and set up the patio or the table and then wait for the first knock.

Last time we were getting ready for guests I got frazzled (as usual) and David asked if it will always have to be that way.

Um........
......
.........
no....

And I realized, hey! No! It doesn't have to be this way! And, good grief, why is it that way? Why do I get snappy? Stress is normal and fine. But two questions--what exactly am I feeling pressure about? And why?

I have this vision of what "right" or "put together" looks like. And then anything less than that is a failure and makes me look bad. Uh...what kind of pretty is that? It's empty and certainly not welcoming.

Desire for a guest to be welcome, blessed, loved--those are good reasons for a pretty home. Those are good reasons to give a pretty present. Those are good reasons for a little pressure, but not good reasons to be rude or snide. A good intention is so easy to accidentally squeeze lifeless. I have to hold the intentions gently, with an openness and joy that generosity requires.

So, I've been wondering about Christmas. Thinking a lot about why we all do what we do. Why am I already feeling stressed and a little snappy about Christmas dinner? Why did I demand a Christmas tree (in the nicest possible way, of course)? Why do I feel like a chicken with my head cut off when I think about the procurement of Christmas gifts?

I think of the celebration. This is one of our happiest times of year. We celebrate Emmanuel--God with us! We celebrate a bright spot in all of eternity, but it's so easy to accidentally get tangled in the lights and ornaments. So easy to accidentally squeeze the life out of it.

Instead, I'm pondering reality.
Pondering the great generosity of our Good Father.
Pondering a heavy Maria riding on a donkey, stumbling into a damp stable toward a scratchy manger.
Pondering a star in the darkest night.
Pondering angels singing over shepherds.

Thinking about how I can give Jesus a good gift. How we can really celebrate him--have a real party for his birthday!

It's a little bit of pressure. A little stressful. And so real, so normal. We will celebrate with family. Celebrate with an unmarried mother. Celebrate with lights in the darkness. Celebrate with rich food and tired people. So profoundly real and true and right. I long for beauty on the inside and the outside. I long for people to be welcome and blessed and loved. I long to give and I long to receive.

pumpkin cheesecake

16 oz cream cheese, soft

1/2 c sugar

1 t vanilla

      Beat til smooth.
2 eggs
      Add one. Blend in. Add the other. Blend in.

1 graham cracker crust (9 inch size)

      Spread 1 1/2 c on bottom of crust.

1/2 c pumpkin puree

1/2 t cinnamon

pinches cloves, nutmeg, ginger, cardamom (use any or all)
      Add pumpkin and spices to cheesecake mixture. Pour as a second layer into pie shell. Set pie in a pan of water and bake at 325* for 40-55 min until golden and center is almost set. Cool and refrigerate.

Top with whipped cream made of ginger, powdered sugar and heavy whipping cream.

Thank you for inviting us to celebrate Thanksgiving with you, dear Stepanians! We love you! 

The recipe is my version of the one found here.

"become a Christian"

As we're reading through the Gospel of Matthew with some friends, I have been trying to figure out what it means to become a Christian. Or how to do it. I've heard the phrases all my life: become a Christian, ask Jesus in your heart. But how? And what do they mean? Where did we come up with those ideas? Does it happen like that?

Those all sound like items on a check list.

And I'm confused because Jesus doesn't talk like that. Last week we read this in chapter 25. Jesus speaking:

When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on his left.

Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, saying 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you? And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'

Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.... Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.

So, there are those that are cursed--"thrown into a fire prepared for the devil and his angels." And there are those that are blessed--"to inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

And then, in his letter to the saints in Ephesus, the Apostle Paul wrote,

You were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace and kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this not of your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Dead in sins, sons of disobedience, children of wrath, goats. He made it clear that all of us start out this way. 

But God made us alive together with Christ. And those of us that are alive, and recipients of great grace and kindness...we should walk in the good works he's prepared for us!

Maybe that's key. Maybe it's not so much that caring for those in need created the distinction between the goats and the sheep, the cursed and the blessed, the dead and the alive, but maybe it's that it shows the distinction between those who know the King and who have received his gift of grace and those who won't.

So what about those who live and love like sheep, but haven't "become a Christian"?

"Praying a prayer" isn't enough to transform a person, is it?
Is it?

This is crazy and inflammatory stuff that Jesus said. And I don't get it. Or maybe I'm starting to get it. I experience it...
but the pieces of this puzzle are all over the floor right now. They were under the rug and we've lifted the rug. I can't quite get pieces back together yet.

Wrestlings? Passages? Thoughts?

hold fast to hope

Though he slay me, I will hope in him...
God breaks me down on every side, and I am gone,
and my hope has he pulled up like a tree. (Job 13, 19)

No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame. (Ps 25)

The war horse is a false hope for salvation...
Behold the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his steadfast love,
that he may deliver their soul from death
and keep them alive in famine. (Ps 33)

For the evildoers shall be cut off,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. (Ps 37)

My hope is in you. (Ps 39)

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God....
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God....
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God. (Ps 42, 43)

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
for my hope is from him. (Ps 62)

Rescue me...
For you, O Lord, are my hope. (Ps 71)

Blessed is he...
whose hope is in the Lord his God. (Ps 146)

The Lord takes pleasure...
in those who hope in his steadfast love.
Praise! (Ps 147)

Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13)

...those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength... (Isaiah 40)

...I am the Lord;
those who hope in me will not be disappointed. (Isaiah 49)

I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for peace and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.... There is hope for your future. (Jeremiah 29, 31)

But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
"The Lord is my portion," says my soul,
"therefore I will hope in him."
The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.
It is good...
it is good...
there may yet be hope. (Lamentations 3)

I will make the Valley of Trouble a door of hope. (Hosea 2)

"It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.... I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the Law and written in the Prophets, having a hope in God, that there will be a resurrection.... And now I stand here on trial because of my hope in the promise made by God to our fathers, to which our twelve tribes hope to attain, as they earnestly worship night and day. And for this hope I am accused." (Paul, Acts 23 to 26)

In hope Abraham believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations. (Romans 4)

Let us rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
and endurance produces character,
and character produces hope,
and hope does not disappoint us,
because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5)

Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. (Romans 8)

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. (Romans 12)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. (Romans 15)

He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.... Since we have such a hope, we are very bold...the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (Paul, 2 Corinthians)

I pray...that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you. (Ephesians 1)

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to ... live godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2)

We who have fled for refuge might have a strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and certain anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the holy place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever... (Hebrews 6)

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
(Hebrews 10)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11)

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you... (1 Peter 1)

-------------------
My Analysis and Synthesis

God delights in our hope.

Hope is called upon, tested in the fire of desire, need, affliction, longing, pain, sorrow, trembling.

Hope is blessing. Hope brings peace. Hope is joy. Hope and praise walk hand in hand.

The Spirit flows peace into our hearts.

Hope in the Lord is also translated Wait on the Lord. Hoping looks like waiting.

Our hope in God will not be disappointed. Hope is certain when it is hope in God--not in circumstances, not in relationships, not in any of a million other things. God-delighting hope, hope which will be fulfilled, hope that is blessing--that hope is in God alone.

-----
I think that hope is a paradox of a gift. A gift that brings gut-wrenching tears. A gift so good and so rich and so horrible that it is often left unopened under the Christmas tree. A gift only embraced by the most courageous, most broken among us. A gift that looks like poverty. A gift that looks a lot like a slut pouring out her entire life-savings on the feet of a carpenter, that looks like a shriveled old woman dropping the last of the grocery money into the offering, that looks like living in a foreign country alone, that looks like waiting too long for two children from Africa to come home, that looks like longing for life as a husband is being eaten by cancer.

O, that we would be the remnant who wholly embrace this gift.

autumn Sabbath

We sat down to eat oatmeal boiled in milk with ginger, honey, apples, cranberries, walnuts. I've finally discovered that I like this mush. The Sunday mugs and coffee. It's bright and sunny and cold outside. The leaves are brilliant.

Today is a day to stop and to worship.

a spirit

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Timothy 1:7)

This is what we've been given. When we believe in him, we've been just GIVEN this; it's part of the package deal.

Nothing we did for it. Nothing we do for it. Except believe it and live like it.

So, when I act all nervous and subservient and slobby and rude--it's me not acting in accordance with the spirit that I've been given. It's weird and unfitting; it doesn't make sense for any of God's people to be slippery or passive or apathetic or self-protective. It's awkward to live like weak, pale tea because it's not in line with the spirit that we have been given. It's in line with the old self, my flesh. But my old me is not it. That doesn't fit with this spirit I've been given.

Deep inside--in the deepest parts of us--God has come and made his home. Of course we would have

power

love

self-control

Luke David Stepanian

Welcome little Luke! We love you and thank God for the gift of you to our family.

education and life

I keep asking myself how school and life fit together.


The last few years I've done a range of long-term, temporary and shorter teaching jobs. I've taught Math, Social Studies, English, PE, Spanish, Health. There have been kids labeled as bilingual, autistic, "Talented and Gifted" and ADHD. Kids that go to Paris for the summer and kids that go to Mexico for Christmas. I've taught little people who are wiggling out of their skins and I've taught middle schoolers that are growing into their lanky limbs. I've taught in a school with a parking lot full of Hybrids and dirt-less SUVs, where kids play golf, do archery and climb in their own rock gym for PE. And I've taught in places with few books, where children have bright, snapping brown eyes and timidly test their English words on me as they eat their free breakfast, warming before school.


There is so much to learn about the art of leading a classroom of people. I now know that I don't actually speak Spanish, but that I'm pretty competent at teaching it. I know that to play hangman with my name at the beginning of class can setup a group to be more productive in the remaining forty-five minutes than they could've in an hour without it. I know how to simultaneously give a nasty snap at the chitter-chatters, and delightedly listen to another. I know that standing at the door and looking each kid in the eyes as they come and go (even when they're too cool to see me!), can earn a teacher a few hugs and a lot of respect. I've learned that bodies sprawl in funny positions when people are really reading. I've learned working usually sounds like a low murmur--the whir of the brain. I know that there are things in life that are way, way, way more important than the grammar worksheet. I've learned that often the more softly I speak, the more clearly I'm heard. I've learned to sparingly and sharply deliver a deadly, evil eye and to find true joy in the quirky doodles of the quietly overlooked boy in the corner. I've learned to let go, not worry so much about being "in control of the classroom" as much as to respect and defend the learner-ship of the people in it. And I've recently noticed that not only do I need a lot of help, but that kids like to help out (if they like you). And that they usually like me if I like them.


Gosh. That's just in these first six weeks, not to mention the lessons over the past two years.


This is my third year of substitute teaching. I can't decide if I like it this way. On one hand, because I don't have my own bins of journals to grade and piles of lessons to plan I have space to think and cook and enjoy life with David and family and neighbors; but on the other hand, I'm frustrated by the in-and-out nature of a substitute's relationships with kids. Funny trade-off. I want to know, are the options mutually exclusive?


---------
I'm thinking about these things because this morning I watched a fascinating video about education, creativity and expectations of and on schools and little people. Sir Ken Robinson said, "Most people are getting educated out of creativity." Is there any hope for the re-imagining of education? Are public schools stunting learning? 

So, after all that, I still think it comes back to the teacher and her thirty kids. Is the teacher a learner? Is the teacher a lover? And then, the big question in my mind, how to allow the teacher enough life-room to be a learner and be a lover?

portland and books

I had some birthday money and I finally decided what I wanted. A copy of The Message and one of my all-time favorite books, The Wise Woman by George MacDonald. Ever read it? I love it. One of the only books that I look forward to reading again every few years.

words and art from 1 Peter

May grace and peace be multiplied to you.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

You were ransomed from the futile ways...with the precious blood of Christ.

You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood,
a holy nation,
a people for his own possession,
that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious.

Christ suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring us to God.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.... Let those who suffer according to God's will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.

Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. Be sober minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.... the God of all grace, who has called you into his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.

To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

burnham berry blast

Not long ago I accidentally picked a whole lot of berries. My friend and I were chitter chattering and--boom, 4 hours later--22 pounds of strawberries, 17 pounds of marionberries and 76 pounds of blueberries. Needless to say, it was quite a shock to our postage-stamp sized kitchen. After much fretting and washing and sharing and eating and cobbling, the berries are safely tucked away in the bellies and the freezer. Fortunately, they were only a buck a pound. David and I decided on a 25 pound max limit from now on.

And just thought I'd tack it on: we have a very favorite crisp recipe. We have it for dessert and then the leftovers are wonderful with coffee for breakfast.

Berry Crisp (serves 9)

4-ish c berries
1/2 c sugar (use more for raspberries, less for very sweet berries)
2 T cornstarch
1 3/4 c quick oats
1 c flour
1 c brown sugar
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 c butter

Crush 1 c berries; add enough water to measure 1cup. In saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and berry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in remaining berries. In bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar and soda. Cut in butter to make crumbs. Press half into a greased 9x9 baking dish. Spread with berries. Sprinkle with remaining crumbs. Bake at 350* for 25 minutes or until it's golden and bubbly. Eat warm or cold. YUM!

8/2011 Now I do 4-6 cups of berries. We like it even better with more! And less sugar if the berries are particularly sweet.

so, we were driving through austria...

Christina recently unearthed this for me. I scowl--and then laugh--every single time. I miss you guys.
May 2005

happy summer

a confession

A few weeks ago David and I were passing Nurture Shock by Po Bronson back and forth. In it, Bronson gives some staggering statistics on kids and lying. I read it and I was just depressed wondering how much of what I hear from kids at school is lie. (Did I mention I've been teaching middle school math?) According to the research kids lie a lot and usually (rather than to avoid punishment) it is in order to please the adults in their life. It sparked great conversation between the two of us about lying, truth and honesty. I didn't really feel like lying is a thing for me. I couldn't remember the last time I'd actually flat out lied.

And then... today, I was walking out to the car. David and I had roped off an area of the lawn for our garden awhile back, but then he got a job and we'll be moving and so we've been uncertain and haven't moved forward with the digging and the lawn has grown a bit out of control and it's ugly and seedlingless and ahhhrgh... Behind the house we have a few beautiful, little seedlings. David is super diligent about tucking them into the garage at night and bringing them out into sunlight during the day. When it was raining really hard he even figured out how they could get light in the garage. At any rate, he has been the major work force behind all garden endeavors this year.

Walking to the car, I ran into some neighbors. They asked if we'd planted yet. Basically, over the course of our three minute conversation, I lied about the garden because I didn't want to tell them we were moving and because I didn't want to appear lazy. I made it sound like I've been twiddling my thumbs waiting for David and we just got busy and we're not sure how we're going to do it and ... whatever--I LIED to them! I think I feel most awful about insinuating that it is David's fault.


You know, it was one of those situations where there was very little actual factual untruth, but I was certainly and purposefully and self-protectively misleading. As I drove off, the Holy Spirit poked me somewhere out on the far edges of my heart, but thankfully I took note <<That's lie.>>

Uff.

Yuck. I apologized and turned back to Jesus--the light of the world. I'll talk with David as soon as I can. It's a painfully good reminder that I must be active in my pursuit of truth and light. Always. I need Jesus. I need truth deeply. Deep truth deeply. Jesus is that.

It also makes me wonder: I thought lying wasn't a thing for me, but by the faintness and real-ness of the Spirit's poke--how often have I done this exact same thing? And how much do I have to learn about truth?

I want truth and light in my deepest parts.

more on water

So, we're reading from 2 Kings in the Burnham household these days. There's a crazy story that I don't remember from Sunday school about some thirsty people:

After a roundabout march of seven days (hmm, sounds familiar), the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them (also sounds familiar). The Israelites were parched. Their animals were parched. They decided to ask the prophet, Elisha, for help. Elisha ends up telling the guys, "This is what the Lord says: Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water... 
This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord."
And then, amazingly, the next morning, the water just started flowing. It filled the land, and subsequently even reflected red so that the army that opposed the thirsty Israelites thought it was blood. Weird. And you'll just have to read the rest of the story yourself (2 Kings 3). It's a crazy adventure! Water to drink and a war won. More than those Israelites would've asked or imagined!


It's been ringing in my head. As we look for jobs, as we wonder what to do next, as we wish we lived in a foreign country--in any and every uncertainty, I can know for certain--
This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord.

water and thoughts

We are going to spend an hour today in following a drop of water on its travels. If I dip my finger into this basin of water and lift it up again, I bring with it a small glistening drop out of the water below and hold it before you. Tell me, have you any idea where this drop has been? What changes it has undergone, and what work it has been doing during all the long ages water has lain on the face of the earth?   (Arabella B. Buckley, 1878)

Yesterday, I spent five hours watching 125 fourteen-year-olds take a test on the Lewis & Clark Expedition. I had a lot of time to think. We were in the library and I picked up a book about water. Did you know that in the teeniest drop of water there are over 300 million water molecules?

I think about how our bathroom faucet drips incessantly. I think about the last National Geographic cover--Water: Our Thirsty World. I think about how Jesus said he was living water, we will never thirst again after we drink him. I think about Arabella's wondering words.

there is such satisfaction...

in correctly balancing a check register. It's been a bit of a process, but I think we finally have a working, up-to-date financial system. I think I'm unduly excited about having a budget and adding up all the little columns of numbers. I love setting up systems and David is amazing at maintaining systems, so I think we're on the road to making this whole thing work out. Time will tell... :)

for moms and people like me

So, I know not everyone is interested in seeing 134 of our wedding pictures, but if you are a person like me (who appreciates good photography and always wants the long version with pictures) or if you are a mother related to this situation (that's you--Mrs. Burnham and Mrs. Stepanian), I am certain that you'll be delighted with this latest link.

Official Wedding Photographs

The password is Burnham.

I would love to hear which are your favorites, so take note as you peruse. We've got to make a list for our picture book soon.

a great and beautiful joy

For years I've loved Mana and prayed for her to be free and know Jesus. She was totally trapped and it was so difficult, so unlikely, so frustrating. We just kept waiting and praying.

And .... JOY! This weekend she was baptized at the church retreat in Croatia. She started a blog and is telling about her new life. Click here to see it. Enjoy!!!

You know, Mana means manna, as in 'bread from heaven.' Who's ever met anyone named manna, but I do believe that there's a perfectly good reason for her to have such a weighty name.

the best day ever

*waking up and talking with Christina, reading Psalm 103-105 together and coffee with Mateja ;)
*seeing an empty, beautiful room for the reception
*getting ready with the girls, feeling so blessed by such dear women
*wearing my dress
*walking down the aisle with my dad
*hearing words of life and the stuff Bob said to David and I
*being so prepared and making a covenant with God and David
*having a little party with the wedding party
*John serving communion and saying, "Let the feast begin..."
*a celebration!!!!
*being married to David Wesley Burnham .pika.


Patrick Wilson, a dear friend of John and Sarah's, did a fantastic job as our photographer. Looking through the pictures, I was flooded with emotions from the day. This is one of our favorites so far.
      Wedding Pictures

And here is a link from the photobooth. Patrick set up a camera and guests took pictures. David and I looked at them while we were in the library. We had a very difficult time surpressing our laughter! Woweee!!!
      Photobooth (the password is Burnham)

Ok, now, I'm going to be bossy. If you look at pictures, leave a comment on this blog! I really, really wish that I could be showing them to you in person, but since I can't...will you please tell me if you looked at them??! Please!

welcome :)

Well...it's still bare bones. But HI!!!

ธนากร แสนโซ้ง

This is a sweet email from David's friend, Jeng. They met while David was on a mission trip in Thailand.

Hey...
Very very very very Happy to hear from You...

I love you friend
Wow.... that is good new ...
Conglatulation! for new family
you are getting married on January 30th 2010

I want to see you on wedding day and take photo with you ..
but.... I don't know How to go to there ...????
I will try swim go to there with my wife ....ha ha ha h aaaaaaaaaaaaa
I hope God will lead us to meet again

Tell Anna your girlfriend I want to tell her
"God give the best boyfriend for you
please,Love and take care his a lot ..." ha ha ha

God bless you

The day the your wedding That is Good day for your both life..

ps. Don't forget send some wedding photo for me ..

L-O-V-E

thirteen days

It's only thirteen days until we get married. I think about our wedding and being married and the giant-ness (and ordinary-ness) of the transition all of the time. However, I must admit, a large part of me is looking forward to the day when each conversation doesn't begin with "How many days?" or "How's the planning?" or "Where are you registered?" (I was initially confused...registered to vote?) It can feel like a tenuous balance--to do the work of the preparations, to enjoy being in this process and to continue living in the real world all at the once.Overall, my prayer is that David and I would be true and whole-hearted worshipers of God.