SS Blog Challenge #19

This challenge is brought to us by Beth! It was a challenge for me, but I guess that's redundant!

If you had to make your ultimate MIX TAPE (er, mix CD) what would be the top 10 songs on it, and why would you choose those songs?

Mine would be a revolving mix tape. It would definitely change from day to day. Oh, there are a few songs that would likely be on the list every single time. Others? They would rotate off and on depending on my mood. 10 songs is hard to narrow down to, but here goes!

1. Be Thou My Vision. A favorite hymn that speaks volumes to me every single time I sing it. It expresses my desire.

2. I'd Rather Have Jesus. It is my heart's desire.

1. I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
   I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
   I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands;
   I’d rather be led by His nail-pierced hand
   • Refrain:
     Than to be the king of a vast domain,
     Or be held in sin’s dread sway;
     I’d rather have Jesus than anything
     This world affords today.
2. I’d rather have Jesus than men’s applause;
   I’d rather be faithful to His dear cause;
   I’d rather have Jesus than worldwide fame;
   I’d rather be true to His holy name
3. He’s fairer than lilies of rarest bloom;
   He’s sweeter than honey from out the comb;
   He’s all that my hungering spirit needs;
   I’d rather have Jesus and let Him lead

3. How do I narrow down my favorite Monkee songs??? Impossible! I'll try! While I Cry by The Monkees from their album, Instant Replay. I love that song!

4. Piano Man by Billy Joel. I've gotta have me some Billy Joel on my ultimate mix tape. This song would change frequently based on my mood and the day.

5. I'll Be There for You by Bon Jovi. Hard to pick one cheesy Bon Jovi love song. And while I'm currently obsessed with Make a Memory, ultimately, I'll Be There for You takes me back to a different time. When I hear the very first notes of that song, I'm snagged!

6. American Tune by Simon and Garfunkel. Love the lyrics

7. American Pie by Don McLean. How can one live without this song? And it's long, for a more extended listening experience!

8. Penny Lane by the Beatles because you can't be somewhere without any Beatles!

9. She by Harry Connick, Jr. because it's cool, jazz funk and fun to dance to!

10. Nessum Dorma by Paul Potts. Not only is the song beautiful, but I love the story behind this man singing this song. It was such an amazing performance and my heart soars when I hear it!

Okay...can't I just take my Touch along with me and call it good? It's smaller than a CD!

Well, that's my list for the moment. Ask me again tomorrow and it just might change!

SS Blog Challenge #18: Change the World!

This challenge was brought to us by MandaPanda!

With all the issues going on in the world today, earthquakes, tornados, tsunamis, etc., I thought it would be nice to take some time to take a look at the bigger picture. This weeks challenge? Blog a list of 30 things you can do in 30 seconds each to change the world.

Here are my 30 things, thought of on the spot and in no particular order:
1. Pray
2. Hug and kiss my kids and Scot!
3. Listen
4. Hug a friend
5. Send a one sentence e-mail to tell someone I'm thinking of them
6. Call my Na-na (the conversation won't last for just 30 seconds, but making the call takes just a few!)
7. Compliment someone
8. Hug a child in the West Bank
9. STOP myself from losing my temper
10. Smile at a stranger
11. Greet a store clerk and tell them thank you
12. Leave a big tip to a kind waiter/waitress
13. Give food and water to the person who comes to my door
14. Hug that child in Sunday school that drives me MAD!
15. Tell someone that they are good mother in spite of how they feel
16. Compliment my children...OFTEN!
17. Sing at the top of my lungs with my kids
18. Begin singing a praise song. It lifts my spirits and always lightens my burdens
19. Let someone else take his or her right-away at an intersection, even when it was clearly my turn.
20. Let the kids eat candy before supper!
21. Pick up some trash on the road on my way to pick up the kids from school.
22. Talk to my kids about why we don't litter~because this is God's world that he created for us to care for an enjoy.
23. Encourage my children to teach their friends the same lesson.
24. Say YES! when my kids ask me to join them on the Gamecube. And then take the time to do it!
25. Laugh out loud
26. Purposefully determine to forgive
27. Put some shekels in our Disney fund bucket
28. Look up at the sky and thank God for his love and blessings in my life
29. Pet my cats
30. Thank Jesus for the work he's done in my life and for his sacrifice that allows me to stand perfect in God's eyes.

Wildlife around here

I need to learn not to be too surprised when Scot walks through the door. He is often carrying something strange...and often something living! This weekend was no exception. He called from the front door, "Look what I found!" Sometimes I want to run in the opposite direction. But I'm too nosey to do that. Instead, I ran to see what he had with him this time. I should know better! Meet UB. Don't worry...he was returned to his natural habitat after he was put on display for the Dressler kids! Scot keeps talking about how he wishes he could've kept him. Me? Not so much...though he was kind of cute!









































In other animal news, while traveling home from a meeting in the Negev the other day, we encountered this on the road. Not something you see everyday back in central PA!














Living here certainly is an adventure!

SS Blog Challenge #17: Something small I cherish

We all cherish our families and our homes and many of the bigger things in our lives. . .but what about something small? What is your most prized possession? Is it a picture? Is it a your great great Aunts tea set? Is it a family recipe? Is it something silly or sentimental? Tell us about it and why you value it and what makes it special to you. Please post a picture of the item if you can!

I didn't even hesitate when I read this blog challenge! I knew immediately what I wanted to blog about. A quilt, but not just any quilt. A quilt my Na-na made. I have several of Na-na's quilts. This fact led to an interesting discussion with my younger sister, Reg. She asked how I ended up with so many of Na-na's quilts. I honestly can't remember, but I'm not giving any of them back!

I cherish them all. But this one, in particular, is one of my most prized possessions. Na-na pieced this together when she was pregnant with my mother sometime in late 1951 or early 1952. She never quilted it. She found it again in her attic in the mid-90s and decided it was time to quilt it. Upon finishing it, she offered it to me. Little did I know how precious this quilt would become. I displayed it in my dorm room and in our home after Scot and I got married. I loved it because it was lovingly pieced together by my Na-na. I loved it because of the story it told. And because Na-na's stitches aren't perfect and I can see part of her in every stitch.

We found out we were coming to live here at the end of 2003. Jerusalem. The quilt had a special place in our first apartment in our new home, once again on display. That was when it hit me. The name of the pattern of this quilt? The Road Around Jerusalem! And here was Na-na's quilt, on display in Jerusalem! This quilt truly is a family treasure!

What I did yesterday...

I wrote about this on Scrapshare...and rather than reinvent the wheel, I'm posting it here pretty much as it was written!

It isn't always easy to work where I work and to see what I see. But there are days, that even in the midst of stress, we see pure joy. Yesterday was one of those days!

I travel to the West Bank every Thursday to give English lessons. This is the highlight of my week. I love teaching! I love my students! Each week I teach two classes in 2 villages.

Yesterday was the commemoration of what is known by Palestinians as The Nakba. It is celebrated as Independence Day by Israelis. Nakba means catastrophe in Arabic. It is not a happy day for Palestinians. Instead of giving into the sadness that can consume them, the staff and volunteers at our community outreach center deep in the Northern West Bank decided to make it a happy day for children. They brought their show, which includes puppets, Debka (traditional Palestinian dance), athletics, acrobatics, and clowns, to a small village. The event was open to the community children, and the place was packed! My goodness...we could not have fit another person into that place!

I was just a bystander for this event because the man who drives me to my English lessons is the manager of the community center. He asked if it was okay if I stayed after my lessons for the children's festival. So, it became an 11 hour work day. No problem! I'm so glad I did stay! There was lots of laughter and smiles! It was precious to see so many kids and their mothers enjoying themselves! And to see that many people turn out for this event...

It is such a privilege to live and work where I do. Some days I want scream for something familiar! Some days I'd give anything to catch the next plane back to the US, where I understand how life works and I can effectively communicate. But most days I thank God for bringing me here. If I can share love and joy with the Palestinian people, then any sacrifice I might be called on to make is worth it! You just can not put a price tag on that!

A Taste of Home!

Visits from family and friends are always an amazing blessing to us! Our friend, Dave is visiting from Pennsylvania. He is taking a course with one of the local colleges here, but had some free time to hang with us. And he brought presents! Ooodles of stuff sent from family and friends back home! His wife, my dear friend Jennifer, packed up his suitcases good! She's a fellow scrapbooker, so she understands my obsession and hooked me up with tons of fun scrapbooking stuff! Can somebody say STICKLES???? I never even knew they came in colors! Well, now I know it! Yeah...just a few bottles of Stickles...and chipboard...and ribbon...and cardstock...and rub-ons...Love you, Jen!

The kids were bouncing off the wall excited to see Uncle Dave! We did manage to get them to sit still long enough for a picture:














Not only was Dave loaded down with scrapbooking supplies and gifts for the kids carefully picked by his own two children, but he also brought us several tastes of home! SOUPY sent by my Mom! And Hershey Kisses of all stripes and flavors! Mega M&Ms sent by Na-na! And, this amazing bag of FUN that I have been jonesin' for for a long, long time:
The first taste since 2004!!!!!! How did I survive so long without Middleswarth BBQ chips? The weekender bag? That's supposed to last an entire weekend? It didn't even last an hour here!

We get homesick for a lot of things. It isn't always easy being away from the things that are familiar to you...the people and places and things that you love. What a special treat to be able to hug an old friend! And the simple joy found in eating your very favorite chips in the whole wide world for the first time in nearly 4 years? God loves to spoil us, doesn't he?

This Week in Palestine

I'm sitting here reading the paper copy of the monthly magazine, This Week in Palestine. It's an excellent, thought-provoking edition. I thought I'd recommend the online copy to anyone who is interested.

This month is the celebration of Israel's independence day. And while anyone can appreciate the excitement that comes with celebrating the declaration of a state, there are often two sides to every story. Palestinians know this day at the Nakba, or the tragedy. So, as Israelis celebrate 60 years of statehood, many Palestinians mourn the loss of the life they had known. This edition of This Week in Palestine is written in commemoration of the Nakba.

This Week in Palestine gives a Palestinian perspective on issues affecting the Middle East. It is usually well written and intriguing. This month is one of the best issues I have read. Check it out. It is not light reading, but it does help me understand things a little better...

This Week in Palestine

**Please be aware that this magazine deals with controversial political issues.

Mother's Day started early in our house!

I love surprises! That is no secret! I got a little surprise today when Scot and Thomas went to buy a new tire for Thomas' bike. They returned with these:Thomas loved being in on the secret! Aren't they beautiful flowers? And since I am rarely in photos, even on Mother's Day, I thought I should have Scot snap a few pictures of me and my gorgeous bouquet! Georgia Kate wanted to get in on the action too!




















It certainly feels great to feel loved! I definitely have myself a wonderful husband and some pretty amazing kids!

Husband Tag?

I've been tagged! When I first read the title on Brynn's blog, I could not figure out what kind of game this was! TAG! You're IT! :)

I've been tagged with Husband Tag... keep reading to see if YOU have been tagged!

So here we go...

What is his name? Scot, Daddy, and Baba (Arabic for Daddy)

How long have you been married? 11 years this month! May 31 is our anniversary!

How long did you date? We started dating in May of 1996, were engaged in October, and were married May of the next year. But ask how long we've known each other! We met when I was 5 and he was 4 in the church nursery! :)e

How old is he? 32...just 51 weeks younger than me!

Who eats more? He does.

Who said I love you first? He did.

Who is taller? He is. He's 6'3" and I'm 5'7"

Who sings better? I'd say that's a tie!

Who's temper is worse? Before kids I would have said mine, hands down. But he now blows his cork too. I tend to fly off the handle more quickly, but his temper is bigger. Does that make sense?

Who does the laundry? Me.

Who does the dishes? We both do. I think I do them a little bit more than him. I definitely unload the dishwasher more than he does. But we sort of do the dishes based on who's cooking, etc.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed (when you are facing it)? Right now, him.

Who pays the bills? Me. Scot knows next to nothing about our finances. And he doesn't really care to know. He knows enough that he could take over the responsibility if necessary. Nothing more.

Who cooks dinner? Since we both work weird schedules, I'd say it's 50/50 right now. There are certain things he always cooks and certain things I always cook. If he's home and I'm not, then he cooks. And if I'm home and he's not, I ask him to bring home take-out! Just kidding! He actually enjoys cooking more than I do.

Who mows the lawn? We have no lawn. When we did have a lawn, a friend from the church cut the grass and Scot did the hedges. I'm guessing if we really had a lawn, that would mostly be his job.

Who drives when you are together? 95% of the time, him. I don't necessarily enjoy driving and he doesn't usually mind, so it works out well. I always think of a quote from Scrubs. Dr. Cox is having one of his rants and he says something like "and don't offer to drive to give us a break! It doesn't really give us a break!"

Who has more friends? Me for sure. I'm an extreme extrovert. And while he's an amazing preacher and teacher, he is an introvert on the more personal level. He counts on me to break the ice and social settings, and most of the relationship he develops are as a result of things we've done together. He is happy to sit back and observe at social events. Me? Not so much! I've gotta be talking to someone! Hey, Brynn...what do you mean, "if you count my internet friends????" Of course we count!

Who has more siblings? It's a tie! He's got an older brother and I've got a younger sister!

Who wears the pants in the family? We work as a team in decision making. But, if there ever was a time where a decision had to be made and we couldn't come to an agreement, I would defer to him. He is wise. He thinks things through. And I trust him implicitly to have the best interests of our family at the forefront of all of his decisions. And since I know that I can be impulsive and irrational, I am comforted to know that I can rely on Scot's wisdom. This has happened so rarely, that I can only thing of one instance right now.

Ok, I'm tagging... Sherry and Joanie and Kaye!

SS Blog Challenge #16: Perfect Picture

Sadly, we lost my Papa Joe today. I didn't have the emotional energy to blog, but I thought I'd pull out this post I wrote over a year ago.

Joseph Andrew Stoschack: May 19, 1918-June 26, 2009. Rest in Peace, Papa Joe. I miss you already. :(

This blog challenge is brought to us by Joanie!

So the challenge this week is to post a picture of someone you love. It can't be just any picture, it should be one of those pictures that you look at and you really see something about that person.
Once you find that special picture, post it in your blog and tell us what it is that makes it special.

This is certainly not the world's best picture. Or even what most would consider a perfect picture. But it captures not just the person I love dearly, but part of who he has always been in my life.
Papa Joe and Farmer, circa 2002.

Papa Joe is my maternal step-grandfather. I'm not sure I when I cognitively knew he was a step grandfather, because as long as I can remember, he's the only real grandfather I've ever had. He married my Na-na after her first husband passed away, years before I was born. I'm so glad he did! I can't imagine a better grandfather!

Nevermind the poor quality, this picture captures a part of what made Papa Joe special. I have so many memories of working alongside him on his farm. He taught me how to gather eggs, forcing me to put my hand under that clucking hen, even though I was scared. He sat and fished with me in his pond, which was well-stocked with catfish. He told me stories and was always ready to listen to mine. He put us to work in the fields, and we got to ride tractors and lawn mowers and use other dangerous equipment. He taught me about gardening and how to pull weeds. And he taught me about being kind to animals.

One silly memory I have is from when I was pretty small. Barry Manilow's "I Can't Smile Without You" came on their old, little radio. And Papa Joe, in his not-so-great voice, sang along, serenading me. Every time I hear that song I think of Papa Joe. He isn't a warm and fuzzy kind of grandpa. Oh, there were hugs from time to time, but I never once doubted how much he loved me.

I grew up, got married, and had my own kids. Papa Joe got older. The farm work got scaled back until all the remained was a small garden and lots of grass. He wasn't able to do what he used to do. But when Thomas was small, one thing Papa Joe still did was mow the lawn. And I remember the first time he took Thomas, whom he affectionately called Farmer, for a ride on the tractor. I was scared, as only a mother of a 2 year old could be. Papa Joe wasn't so agile anymore. His memory wasn't so good. What if Thomas fell? What if the mower toppled over?

And then I saw Thomas' face. The complete joy he was experiencing on that lawn mower with Papa Joe! It was worth any anxiety I might have been feeling. And I knew that as long as Papa Joe wanted to take Farmer with him on that mower, Farmer would go.

Papa Joe'll be 90 this month. His memory is going. He's confused a lot of the time now. I'm not even sure he'll recognize me when we go back to the US in December. And that makes me sad. Time has a way of robbing us of things that are precious to us. But it can never take away the memories I have of my time with Papa Joe. And I'm so grateful that my oldest children have some similar memories of this man who might not be related by blood, but is most certainly my grandfather in every sense of the word. I love that man...