Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Klinkenbergs Unite

The Klinkenbergs all descended on Silver Falls into quaint cabins perched in a park like setting in the middle of Oregon, from all over the country, for our family reunion. No agenda other then to eat and visit. I spent 3 days learning more about what my roots are, soaking in the love of family everywhere, and noting characteristics that I have seen in myself and brother and dad walking around in many other Klinks that I never even knew where Klinks.

Flashing from the eyes of all my dad's siblings and cousins was a consistent twinkle that spoke of happy lives and content spirits. That twinkle expresses itself in some as a quiet smile and in others as a boisterous laugh.

My roots do not contain any famous people or men and women noteworthy enough to appear in any history books, but what it does contain are hardworking folks that love their family, their country, and God. Many came from very poor families (my own dad never had running water in his home until he arrived on Oregon State's campus as a freshman) and yet they have college degrees ranging from bachelors to PhDs and worked as civil, nuclear, and mechanical engineers; biologists; doctoral research scientists; teachers; and in the Marines. It's a large family as my great-grandparents had 5 children all of which had large families ranging from 6 to 11 children each. I count myself immensly blessed that God chose to put me amongst their descendents.

Their children rise up and call them blessed and all of the older generation speak of having had such a full and wonderful life that they hope no one cries for them when they die but instead rejoices over a life lived with blessings overflowing.

George Eliot's novel Middlemarch, in speaking of the main character Dorothea, pens a beautiful prose to this effect:

Her finely-touched spirit had its fine issues, even though they were not widely
visible. Her full nature spent itself in channels which had no great name on the
earth. But the effect of her being on those around her was incalculably diffusive: for
the growing good of the world is partly dependent on unhistoric acts; and that things are not so ill with you and me as they might have been, is half owing to the number who lived faithfully a hidden life and rest in unvisited tombs.
May I never forget the lesson I learned this reunion: to be someone who never desired status but instead spent my life caring for and loving others.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Wisdom while raising onions

I am loving eating fresh lettuce from our garden. Wow! I forget how much yummier even the simple lettuce leave is when fresh. I came home from our 10 day trip to Bishop (yes, I can hardly believe it myself - I was just at 10,000 plus feet high in the Sierra mountains with no less then 13 rugged granite peaks 13,000+ feet high surrounding us. Backpacking is so rewarding in the Sierras!) and found potato plants almost as tall as my 6 year old...tomato plants thriving and lush and cute bundles of carrot sprouts bursting forth.

I couldn't wait to get home and weed my herb and onion garden...mound the potatoes....plant a double row of beets....and build some more cages for our zucchini.

Broccoli sprouts have poked their head out and my onion patch had green scallions growing towards the sky that are nearly 2 feet long. So, on this observation I thought, "can I just snip off a few inches and have myself some yummy scallions for sauteeing?" I don't know. Will this kill the onion? Will it keep growing more green sprout? Do you just leave it alone? They are all toppling over they are so tall?


So, I called my dad. The green thumb. The guy that can grow anything, and does. The biologist. Plus, my dad, like so many dads, seems to know facts and how tos on anything. He has always been my walking and talking, live encyclopedia. And it is Father's Day - so I will call the ever wise one - my dad.

"Dad, my onion patch has gone nuts...." I explained the onion predicament.

"Well, what's growing out of your onion is simply a scallion."

"I know Dad. Can I eat it?"

"no...no that wouldn't be good for the onion. I am sure of that. You oughta leave it alone."

"But all 50 onions are bent over and top heavy - this couldn't be good?"

"No, it probably isn't."

"So, I can't just trim off the greens?"

"No, I wouldn't recommend that."

"So you are sure 'bout this? Are you growing any onions this year?"


"OH no. I've never grown a good onion bulb in my life."

Well, what more could I say. I quickly hung up and laughed for at least the better half of dinner recalling this wise dad of mine that had just talked to me about raising a good onion for at least 7 minutes to conclude with that zinger.

I'll let you know if I can grow an onion any better then my dad can, using his sage advice.

Good dads just come with an aura that says I can protect you from all things, I can fix everything, talk about anything, I know all things, and I will love you no matter what.

A good dad makes it easy to understand the nature of an unconditionally, loving Father.

Don't you just love dads!!?

Happy father's day daddy. You are still the wisest man I know.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Introducing Seeds - awesome family worship music



My kids are loving the first album we got from them. Verses straight from the Bible set to really great melodies - songs good enough for adult church but simple enough for kids to love. Singing verses implants them deep in kids hearts.

Seeds Family Worship was planted when worship leader, Jason Houser, was asked to write some songs to help kids remember the verses from his church’s summer Bible school.

Jason began writing songs and singing them for the kids and families at church. The songs were well-crafted, catchy, and taken straight from scripture. Families liked them. . . a lot.

From just a handful of songs, Seeds Family Worship was planted – providing God’s Word set to music for thousands of families all over the world. We are gladdened by stories of worship times at home, scripture memorized, and object lessons taught using Seeds songs. The fifth Seeds

Family Worship album – The Power of Encouragement – has just released. In total, Seeds has grown to 58 portions of scripture set to music!

The team at Seeds Family Worship continues to create great, scripture-based music. But, we also see God’s call to further equip churches and homes with ways to encourage families to worship together. We want to hear the needs, joys, and hopes for family worship in your church.

While we plant and water, we know that God is the grower of seeds. We can’t wait to see what happens!

We are excited to make Seeds Family Worship Live events available to your church. The mission of a Seeds Family Worship Live event is to provide an opportunity for families of all ages to worship and spend quality time together as a family unit, fellowship with other families in the church, and learn the Word of God.




Here’s How It Works:
The Worship Leader: A Seeds Family Worship leader will come to your church and lead a high-energy, powerful night of worship with the songs contained on the Seeds Family Worship CD’s.


Your Worship Team: Your own worship team will be the musicians to back up the Seeds Family
Worship Leader.

Your Kids: Three to five children/youth (8-15 years old) from your church will sing as part of the worship team. This is a confidence builder for the kids.



Getting Ready: We provide all the CD’s, music charts, for the concert to the worship team at least 2 weeks prior to the worship concert and encourage you to schedule one rehearsal before the worship leader arrives.

Promotions: The worship leader will fly in the day before the event and rehearse with the worship team. We provide promotional posters in advance and power point the night of the concert. Then there will be an additional rehearsal two hours prior to the concert.

Our Goal: TO PLANT THE SEEDS OF GOD’S WORD IN THE HEARTS OF FAMILIES AND CHILDREN.

Bringing Seeds to your Church
If you are interested in booking an event, please contact Michelle Uhri at michelle@seedsfamilyworship.com or call us at 615-463-7398.







Sunday, June 7, 2009

Shout outs to all of you Bloggin mamas in love with your man

In the real world, I tend to stay pretty quiet about how in love I am with my man as so many ladies are struggling in their marriages...

but here in the blogosphere I get so excited to read of all the twitterpated wives that are still on this planet. Yay for marriage!! We'll be swooned together over these men that God has blessed us with! My Rennaisance man has me so swooned that I often call him Mr. Swooney.

Shout outs to all you in love ladies that proclaim it to the world that you and your man are in it for the long haul called forever. Keep it up as you encourage us all to keep working hard to have a great marriage when you boldly brag on your hubbies.

Holly at MooBee is quite swooned with the love of her life, Hot Husband himself: http://moobeefarm.blogspot.com/2008/06/twenty-one.html

At We are That Family, I found 21 posts labeled "I love my hubby" some of the sweetest love letters, stories, and braggin in one spot! http://www.wearethatfamily.com/search/label/I%20love%20my%20hubby

Kristin at Stepping Heavenward, in love since 1990: http://stepping2heaven.blogspot.com/2009/02/valentines-day-1990.html

Sweet Heather at Simple and Deliberate, widowed at 39 from the love of her life shares her love story and God's grace in the midst of losing her soul mate: http://lazydranch8.blogspot.com/


Cathy at Dancing in the Rain can't wait to get alone with her date that she warns us, "don't hate me because he's so handsome and he's all mine!" I love it!! Go Cathy!: http://cathycordero.blogspot.com/2009/05/i-have-date.html

Can't leave the men out of this grand Marriage love affair: Mike so sweetly proclaims the beauty of his wife Melissa as he first sees her in her pjs in the hospital while recovering from her recent colon cancer surgery. Please pray for this dear family: http://easterbrooksfamily.blogspot.com/2009/05/eye-of-storm.html

Bo over at Bo Stern's Blog can't stop telling us all the reasons she loves her man: http://bostern.wordpress.com/2009/02/24/true/

Jen at Diary of 1 recounts the sweetness of getting married in this anniversary post: http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/22/the-anniversary/

Amanda at A Thousand Words often tells of how she is married to her best friend - living out a dream she had since she was little to be married to a wonderful man and be a mommy - Couldn't find the exact post I was looking for where she talks of a sweet date, but her blog is full of love everywhere so check it out when you can! http://pslittleworld.blogspot.com/

Mandy and her beloved Mountain Man: http://creatinggoodsoil.blogspot.com/2008/12/my-mountain-man.html

Karyn at A Beautiful Mess is still getting butterflies in her stomach as she smells her hubbies cologne wearing his sweatshirt: http://braat-spot.blogspot.com/2009/05/my-boyfriends-song-sweatshirt.html

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Girls weekends

I can hardly keep up with the weeds in the garden, the mounting pile of mismatched socks, or the mail so blog posts don't seem to happen in sync with life either...but I just wanted to take a sec and reflect on some recent girl time!

In April, some 3 other girlfriends from my town and I spent the weekend in Florence together. Gorgeous blue sky, warm sunny weekend without a picture to show for it. We were too busy talking, walking, eating out, laughing, and not "doing" anything to pull the camera out.

Last week I got to go to a lunch at one of the members of my bookclub's house with one of my favorite authors: Jane Kirkpatrick. Unbelievable time. She is brilliant in all she says - inspiring!!

And last weekend, some long time friends from my early married years spent the weekend in Portland together. Rose garden, comedy club, IKEA, great restaurants and old friends - what a perfect formula to restore this weary soul!!




Girl time is so key to balance for me!! 2 girls weekends and a brunch with Jane Kirkpatrick all in 6 weeks! I am spoiled, loved, and deeply restored!

We had lunch at the Rose Garden, then went shopping in boutiques in NW Portland, then off to dinner at a yummy downtown restaurant before going to the comedy club that night. The funnest thing too was that they all stayed at my parent's house - my mom is on a trip to Chicago - so I got to have a girls weekend with my dad and husband and kid

dos too!! Perfect fun!!

Friends that you can just let your hair down with and know that who you are is loved unconditionally by are the best kinds of friends ever...I am blessed indeed! These gals are ones that encourage, think about all kinds of things, and ultimately inspire me to keep being better at mommyhood, citizenship in my community, and wife hood.

Ultimately, I love that these gals love to SMILE and laugh. They aren't critical on the things around them - just perceptive.


Happy Birthday Lori!! I couldn't love you any more than I do!