Kids will say the darndest things...

South Street...with the kids?

Blondes do have more fun.
Met up with my uncle and four children- two boys, two girls- last night at Rittenhouse Square in Philadelphia. We wanted to give them a real Philly experience by taking them to get cheese steaks. Surely they would have cheese steaks in or near the historic Rittenhouse square, where the lights are beautiful this time of year. But, no. They didn't.
We asked the locals who directed us to South Street. Reminder: this was a Saturday night.
South Street is known for is night life, it runs from Academy Ave down to the Delaware River. The more towards the river you go, the more raunchy South Street gets. We piled in the mini van to find a place to park on South Street to get cheese steaks. We were able to find a place to park- from which we walked to Jim's Cheese steak. We went and did what we wanted, then my uncle got the car and picked us up in the front of the busy restaurant. The girls were just about sleeping. Here are some sweet shots from our rockin' philly trip:

F-A- -I-L-Y

So a few weekends ago I traveled to VT to work a women's expo for a local photography business. Before I left, the family took this picture- thanks to Teejs for his long arms. What a guy. Unfortunately, we are missing the M in family since we are missing one of our members and his spouse.

I'm Thankful For....

Thanksgiving!!

Thanksgiving wouldn't be Thanksgiving without more than 30 people in the Riordan house. This year we had 34.
I brought my friend J and she actually wasn't overwhelmed...I was surprised!
There was Turkey bowl at 11, after the girls' potato peeling class held in the kitchen at 10:30. Dinner was at 5, but snacks were ALL DAY! Teejss birthday was that night- so we partied with gifts and chocolate CAKE!
I made out with the pumpkin bread for my trip home... :-)
Praise God for safe travels!!

I'm thankful to God for FAMILY-

MANY OF YOU KNOW I COME FROM A LARGE EXTENDED FAMILY. ON MY MOM'S SIDE, (MOM, BEING ONE OF ELEVEN) I HAVE 30 FIRST COUSINS. A FEW OF WHOM I WILL SEE THIS THANKSGIVING. MANY OF MY FAMILY BELIEVE IN THE SAVING GRACE OF JESUS CHRIST. ONE FAMILY IN PARTICULAR SENT ME THIS MESSAGE CONCERNING THANKSGIVING:

Greetings from just a few miles from where the FIRST (U.S.) THANKSGIVING Festival took place:

Some of you have visited us and have driven the road in front of our home that was the trail between the PLIMOTH COLONY and the MASS BAY COLONY. John Adams was born and raised his family just a few miles north of our riverside home. Revolutionary and Civil War troops marched by, hundreds of sailing ships were built in our North River that sailed throughout the world and many little New England churches erected during those days still hold services. Given the challenges our nation faces now, the lesson of our nation's earliest THANKSGIVING celebration may be even more appropriate.

"In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV

The Executive Director of the PLYMOUTH ROCK Foundation, here in MA, is a local pastor. He e-mailed a devotional today which included much of the following: Giving thanks is being grateful for who God is in the midst of everything. Its' focus is on God and who He is, not on what we have or think we deserve. Unfortunately, the entitlement mentality has swept our nation and is in turn reflected in our experience with the body of Christ. What we really deserve is judgment ... but instead, we receive much mercy.

When we realize who we are and what we deserve in contrast to who God is and what He has given us, we awaken a "grateful spirit" in the midst of whatever circumstance we find ourselves in.

When the Pilgrims arrived in November of 1620, they brought with them, as children of the Reformation, the Biblical doctrine of giving thanks. They gave thanks to God in the midst of difficulties (banishment, jail, persecution and loss of material possessions, and storms at sea, including being blown off course to Cape Cod.) They gave thanks to God in the midst of death when half their company died the first winter. They gave thanks to God for providing an English speaking, Christian Native American who the LORD used as an instrument to spare them from salvation and fatal Indian attacks. They gave their heavenly Father Thanks during their three day harvest festival, probably in the month of October, 1621, which is the origin of our modern Thanksgiving holiday.

The 51 surviving Pilgrims were the minority as they were unexpectedly joined by 90 Native Americans for a three day feast. They ate seafood, fowl and venison, along with the native wild turkeys. Only four adult women had survived the first year to host the three days of meals for 140! [And we complain about the work to host guests for ONE meal?] The children served the adults (now that's an idea you could try to make your holiday meal much more authentic) and athletic competition was a part of the three day feast (football fans should love this) !!

CONSIDER reading excerpts from William Bradford's Of Plimoth Plantation or Edward Winslow's Mourt's Relation around the dinner table this weekend for lessons on gratefulness!

The origin of giving God thanks in the midst of difficulty was rooted long before the New Testament was written, however, for it finds its roots in the Feast of Tabernacles. The traditional English harvest festival is quite probably rooted in the converted Celtic traditions of honoring the Jewish festivals by the 2nd century AD and throughout English history.

The Feast, described in Leviticus 23:34, took place for a week in October, and involved feasting and giving thanks to God for one's provision though mixed with suffering (like God's provision in the wilderness for 40 years). It has been called the Feast of Ingathering (or harvest), the Feast of thanksgiving, and the pilgrim feast (due to the wandering of the Israelites). It was a celebration of joy despite any suffering.

We had gathered in our harvests, and stored the yellow grain,
For God had sent the sunshine, and sent the plenteous rain;
Our barley-land and corn-land, Had yielded up their store,
And the fear and dread of famine, oppressed our homes no more.

As the chosen tribes of Israel, in the far years of old,
When the summer fruits were garnered, and before the winter's cold,
Kept their festal week with gladness, with songs and choral lays,
So we kept our first Thanksgiving in the hazy autumn days.

Henry Morton Dexter (19th century)

May you and your family pause this THANKSGIVING in a memorable way. Focus on who GOD is in your life ... and like the Pilgrims.... Be THANKFUL !!

~ From all the D FAMILY~

Lord, make me an instrument of your grace...

Fun times... blonde.

Reading, PA

Last weekend I made a trip to see my friend's. I was in their wedding three years ago January. They're starting a family as R is 6 months pregnant :)
We worked on getting them settled in. I don't know if I was more of a help or hindreance as I wanted to read almost every book we needed to put away and picked up the instrument laying around- THE ACCORDIAN??!

"His Yoke Is Easy"

In rehearsing for Handel's Messiah, I came across a vocally difficult and challenging choral piece. Desiring to sing the piece well and vocally healthy, I decided to bring it to my voice lesson (you know the one I got for dog sitting?). Upon singing it, working it, singing it, working it and finally singing it well, I again realized the text of this difficult piece that I used to take to heart. It said, "His yoke is easy and His burden is light". The song is anything BUT easy, and, the harder I try to sing, the heavier my sound becomes. This dichotomy was something to be grasped in my singing. Not only in my singing, however. And as much as I would have liked to brush it aside, the thought came back to me through this Psalm:

Psalm 94:18-19
"When I said, 'My foot is slipping',
Your love, O LORD, supported me.
When anxiety was great within me,
Your consolation brought joy to my soul."

The dichotomy also needs to be grasped in my life. A yoke joins two ox to make them one force, both ox must be of similar build. Ox's yokes are simple, yet strong. Though seemingly constraining, they are more than necessary. The burden upon the ox, though still a burden, is light. Like the psalmist said, though I slip, Your love supports me. Though I have anxiety, you lighten it with joy.

I HAVE yokes, I HAVE burdens, I HAVE slipped and I HAVE anxiety... But You, Oh LORD, have become my fortress, the rock in whom I take refuge.

The song is still difficult for me but it will continue to bring increasing joy no matter how challenging it is.

A Time To Laugh And A Time to Weep...

Tonight I said good bye to one of my favorite men in my life- my brother, closest of kin. Tomorrow he leaves for Iraq. I will pray for him everyday.
Our skype visit was full of laughter and catching up on details, and that's how I want to leave it. Though sad to see him go, I am glad he can serve our country in that way.

Thanks to skype for making it happen.

Budget cuts for Philly

Philly is making city budget cuts. One cut is to deny plowing side rodes in Philadelphia unless the snow piles to 1 ft. As a Vermonter, I highly recommend they cut something else. Otherwise town budget money will be pouring into hospitals for the need of more hired hands as people will be getting into more car accidents. "Good morning Philadelphia" indeed. Start getting used to driving on ice ladies and gentlemen.

One good thing about this- Philadelphians may finally be able to learn how to drive in the snow. One of my critiques about Philadelphians is their disability on the snow covered roads.

A blonde's advice: Invest in snow tires now.

Sitting for Singing

Tonight I watched Misty again. It was raining so when I took her out side, I put her doggie coat on. Did I just say "Doggie Coat"? Yeah. Do I get to watch her so that I can get voice lessons. Good deal!

Rest Assurred

Election Day/Night:

After a very disheartening election review from Fox29, 7:45 pm to 11:00 pm, I retreated to my room for the night. As I did I thought-
"God, how could this happen? I really believed McCain would win!"
I starred blankly at my laptop which was shut down for the evening, as I too would do soon. But before I did, I began to remove my jewelry. My earrings... necklace...... then reaching to my other hand to remove my ring, I hesitated.
I read,
"Life is precious"
It was my pro life ring I got at a rally in Vermont. Vermont was the first state to be won by Sen. Obama. Feeling defeated, yet not undone, I left THAT ring on my finger for the night as if to say-
"I'm still fighting"

I will not be shaken. Though tempted to sob that night, I clung to the promise of NEW life.
My new life has been found in Christ. HE is THE Savior for all mankind. He has already won the victory over sin and death.

So last night I rest assured knowing that everything is in the hands of the Almighty God.

Closing thoughts:
My friend, do not despair. Life is an instant,but life with God is eternal.
I urge you, as I do myself, to make a difference with that dash between dates. (1985-20?)
Today I tell you that I still stand pro life. In America I can voice my stand.

My sincere regards to McCain and Palin and their families. You fought so hard and fought til the end, even campaigning on election day. You in many ways have not lost. You have not "lost" in my eyes because you have influenced so many on the truths that our Nation was founded on. For this, I thank God for you. I thank God for giving you strength and endurance in the running as President and Vice President of the United States of America.

Blonde on Politics:

Don't let your excitement WANE- vote for MCCAIN!

Caps Off For The Blonde...

Blonde's tip of the week... or something:

When unscrewing your car tire's air-valve cap thing-a-ma-gig, hold opposing hand directly UNDER the loose cap. Not to do so may result in the cap falling in the the hub cap crevasse, in which case you could try to squeeze your fingers in there to pick it out. Even so, it probably will never return again.

Thanks for tuning in...
(I WAS able to get air, by the way...)

From Princess to Pumpkin and Back Again...

On Halloween I dressed up as a pumpkin and went to work. That had to be THE oddest feeling EVER. I wore a large coat to cover it up as I went to work. Little did I know it would be 65 degrees that day. Let's just say I was a hot pumpkin. Here's a shot to prove that blondes have more fun in pumpkin costumes: