chelan rene’ russ

on ministry, motherhood, marriage, music, munchies…

22 Jan 2012

The Voice

Tonight we hopped in Rick’s car to go pick up mine, which had been sitting in the Panera Bakery parking lot for about 24 hours…to my surprise, with the overhead light on.  He zoomed out of the lot just as I tried turning my key to this gawdawful clicking sound. With no time to spare – none to even check my purse for my cell – I jumped out, spotted his car still within reach, ran down the hillside (of muddy grass) with my heels on might I add, and  HAD to get his attention. FAST. But how? I started waving my arms about like a crazy woman in the middle of opposing traffic lanes & approaching the middle of a busy intersection. When I was still 50 ft. away & gaining on him as he sat at the red light to turn left, I was determined to not let him get away. I started yelling.

“Riiiiick!”

“Riiiiiiiiick!”

And in a blessed moment of relief, I watched his light turn green & his car U-turn back toward me.  He pushed mine into a spot where he could help Braylon maneuver some jumper cables onto it, and before you could say “Psychotic Yelling Woman with a Dead Battery”, I turned that key again & heard the vroooomy growl I was yearnin’ for.  Later, I asked Rick if it was my hysterical run-dance that got his attention, or if it was my voice, and to my surprise, he replied, “it was your voice”.  He knew my voice.

I was just thinkin’, as I was reading to Braylon & Angel (from John 14) about how God has been speaking to me lately. And how great it feels to be able to communicate with my Heavenly Father…about anything. Any time. How special I feel in those moments that I actually hear his Spirit gently turn me away from harmful situations, reactions or thought patterns.

Maybe I can hear Him better because I’ve been on a fast. Maybe not. Maybe it’s because I’ve been worshiping more. But maybe not.

Ya know, maybe it’s because I’m a forgetful, needy, silly little sheep.

But hey, at least The Lord is my Shepherd. And I have all I need. I’m listening. The noise of this world is not going to have my attention. It will not drown Him out like it has before. I will take him at His word: His sheep follow him because they know his voice.

God, help me to stay conscious of your Spirit in me, day in and day out. To follow you without distractions. To listen & obey your majestic whispers immediately. No delay. Help me to follow your voice so that my children can follow mine with confidence and joy.

 

John 10:3-5 (NIV)

3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5But they will never follow a stranger; in fact, they will run away from him because they do not recognize a stranger’s voice.”

Psalm 28:8-9 (NLT)

 8 The LORD gives his people strength.
He is a safe fortress for his anointed king.
9 Save your people!
Bless Israel, your special possession.[a]
Lead them like a shepherd,
and carry them in your arms forever.

Posted in About Chelan {or Ricky}, Ricky & Chelan ~ memories of a love-life since 1995 and tagged , , , , , | Leave a Comment
13 Jan 2012

Muffins – Devourable Blueberry Muffins: Breakfast of Champions

So easy, even a 9 year old can make it! (if watched like a hawk) – These muffins are the bomb. I like using frozen blueberries but can subst. with frozen blackberries & raspberries too… which thaw out & get all juicy in the baking process, making the muffin even moister.

Totally stole the recipe from online – but since we liked it so much here, thought I’d blog on it!  Here’s a photo I took as I pulled them out of the oven…

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup butter, cubed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.
  2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.
  3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.
  4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.
PS – I always cut 3 minutes off the lowest oven time – so baked mine for 17 minutes and they were perfect. I left a few in there for 3 more min.s to see the difference, and they were too done.
Enjoy ‘em like we did:
Slice one open shmear a slab of cream cheese on it & closed it up again. Hang out for a minute while the cheese softens and …devour.
Posted in About Chelan {or Ricky}, Recipes and tagged , , , , , , | Leave a Comment
08 Jan 2012

You Always Have a Way

Today my husband got the kids ready for church just like he always does when I’m singing that morning. It’s so cute. Braylon showed up in an awesome new hair style he came up with, to look like Freddie from iCarly. He was simple adorable.

He did what he could with Angel … she came  in a matching summer dress (mind you, it’s January 8th), tights and white summer wedges (which she still calls “marches”). Her hair wasn’t brushed, but it was pulled away from her face with a pink headband & she donned a print, fleece jacket so she wouldn’t get cold.

It’s always entertaining to see how the kids show up on Sundays I’m ‘”on”. :)

The song I sang today was “I Will Worship You Lord” by David Crowder. I was happy to have been asked to sing this one. It was anointed & the last one of the set, so I got to have everyone “hang out” on it for a minute after it was supposed to end. After some adlibbing, I looked @ the lyrics and noticed a part in the 2nd verse, I wanted to revisit.  The instruments quieted for a moment as we sang:

be all my hopes

be all my dream

be all my delight

be my everything

…and we sang that 4 times and then went back into the chorus, “I will worship you, Lord, only you, Lord. And I will bow down before you, only you Lord”…ending it in one last chorus with just the voices of all the worshipers there. It was so peaceful. And so beautiful to hear those few hundred voices expressing worship to the same great God. What an honor it was to lead that song. Sometimes I just get lost up there. In the best way.

~~~~~~~

Ricky’s & my relationship lately has been… well, the best word I can think of right now for it is fragile. So after service, at home in our kitchen when he came up to me quickly with a smile, it made me smile too. Then he held me close to him for a second and told me, “you always have a way of blessing me when you sing”. And he finished the moment off with a kiss.

That feeling I felt when I heard him say that and really mean it … just…

melted my heart.

Posted in Ricky & Chelan ~ memories of a love-life since 1995 | Leave a Comment
31 Dec 2011

Music, Never Leave Me

Right now it is Lauryn Hill. Stirring my soul.

Yesterday, Maroon 5.  Made me dance in the kitchen.

The day before, Watermark.  Ushered me in to a peaceful place and time, alone with my God.

I must have music as a part of my life. I have to hear it in the car while driving…more often than I have to have a beverage in my right hand. And that’s a lot. I have to have it on in the living room when the TV is not on. Music helps to remind me that there are more songs to be written. The arrangements, styles & experiences out there remind me of the boundless creative reservoir out of which music is born. It helps me to never give up. Music will always be my heart. Not in my heart. It will always be my heart. A key element that makes it keep beating…keep striving…keep believing that I have an irreplaceable purpose in writing and singing and expressing all that God has put inside me.

The week of Christmas, it was Brook Fraser I listened to for a just a few moments. She inspired me to write more, to keep it simple and pure, and to express my ideas with meaning. To write with a global perspective.

Two weeks ago it was Christina Aguilera. I was missing my band from the three years we lived in Austin. She pushed me to keep singing. To try to sing higher, and lower, and with more control. She helped me to keep my focus. And also helped me find my inner-sexiness when I needed to.

A month ago it was Casting Crowns – a Christmas song of theirs that reminded me of the names of God, right when I needed that to hold on to and give me hope.

Music, stay within me.

You help everyone believe me.

Awaken the places

That’ve fallen complacent.

Never leave me, please

Never leave me.

 

Posted in My Music, with a dash of Poetry and tagged , | Leave a Comment
06 Dec 2011

5 Years of Angel

Five years ago yesterday, we were living in Eagle Point, Oregon in a cute little 1700 sqr ft. home on Devonwood, Ct.  Braylon was all into Captain Jack Pirate gear at 5 yrs old, & we were attending Valley Christian Fellowship, gettin’ a room painted & decorated & gettin our brains & our home all ready for a new baby girl. After debating on the names “Lyrica” & “Angelina”, We’d decided on a name Ricky came up with, a simpler version… “Angel” (as long as I got to pick out her middle name, L’ryn).

L’ryn was a unique way to spell Lauryn – derived from a favorite singer of mine, Lauryn Hill. I think it sounds great with “Angel”, too…and maybe, just maybe Angel will become a singer like me & my Diva, Ms. Lauryn Hill. No pressure girl! Just a thought.

Here are some of my faves of Angel ~ beginning with the most recent. Let it be KNOWN that I really do believe her to be my favorite little girl in the whole wide world. And that she IS a princess. She is a child – a daughter – of the King of Kings. Royalty in in her blood & life is in her mossy-green eyes.

Summer '11 in Gigi's Backyard

A video of Angel’s “Best Frog Face” – taken on an autumn walk with her cousin, Gabby after finding – you guessed it, a frog. What a couple a goofs!

Spring of ’11 @ Bray’s Baseball game

.

FOUR years old, just after spending Christmas with the Reeves & Russ family

Here, is Angel getting her new Toddler Bed (while we lived on Altamont) age almost 3 (Sept. ’09). I think she liked it!

Angel (2 1/2 ?) and I – greeting Braylon at the bus stop – a typical windy afternoon on Orgain St. in TX. She always loved to give him hugs at the bus stop.

And one more – this is from the Daphne season – when we had a wiener dog for a year – the video Ricky made to document Angel’s Introduction to Pop Rocks! We absolutely LOVE this – and laugh every single time we watch it. Any video is instantly better when put to a G & R song.

Still going back in time… Here’s a lil clip of Angel that I LOVE, of her trying to learn a few words, like “Shoot“. And another one here – bein’ a lil copy cat of me. She was about 2, & we’d just moved to Orgain St in the fall of ’08.  Hutto, TX.  I think that there are FEW things as cute as a little person learnin’ how to talk!

  • Her 2nd birthday~ some favorite shots of the McAngel Party…w/the Todd’s, McConnells (Ava), and McIntiers – Sophie and Chaney were her closest friends.
A hot, fall day – great for a car washin’. She’s wearing my Gramma Carol’s pearls.
  • Tyler Texas Pics of Zoo time & the County Fair ~ Yee Haw, that was FUN!  Ms. Corndog Girl’s 1st carnival ride.

  • Angel, still in diapers (just 2 years old) tryin’ to poo. – Not fun. Then she totally denies it.
  • Angel has always been pretty eager to help! Even before she could talk, she was signing that she wanted to Sweep the Floor MORE.  Hope that lasts for… til she moves out! Here’s another one about a year earlier (at Kothman) – again, wiping up the floor for me…and lovin’ it.
  • Also taken at Kothman, the 9/’07-9/’08 year in Tx, here’s a great example of why we called her “Mophead” – as she slurps up her drink in a tired & sick stuper.
  • After watching this CLASSIC – “Toddler Tradition” you’ll never think of mini-marshmallows the same.
  • Just after moving to Texas, Angel turned ONE. Here’s a photo I love of her Daddy lovin’ on her.

~ We actually got her 1st steps on video! ~

  • As a baby, this girl made some of the weirdest noises.(taken 9 ’07, 1 mo. after moving to TX)  They were pretty entertaining. ;)
  • Before we moved to Tx, Daddy got his baby girl on video tryin to eat a mushy banana….Just PRECIOUS.
Posted in About Angel - our little girl | Leave a Comment
04 Dec 2011

Rick & Chelan’s lil Seattle Getaway

As the Lord is helping us build up some weaker parts in our relationship, He gave us this opportunity: a 2-day, 1-night stay in Seattle where we got to go (kid-free) to a football game, eat some great food, stay at an adorable (well-heated!) Bed & Breakfast, share a delicious latte from Seattle’s Best, shop Pike’s Market, & just enjoy each other’s company. On the drive home, I was just in awe of the how the sunlight hit a truly majestic Mr. Ranier & made it shine.

Rick could’ve chosen someone else to go with him, but he chose me this time ~ bought me a special Eagles jersey-T shirt & then called me his “Sea Gal”  (?!)  I’m just  happy that we got to go together. Who knows?  Maybe it’ll become a tradition.

Posted in Ricky & Chelan ~ memories of a love-life since 1995 | Leave a Comment
14 Nov 2011

The Case of the Unidentified Panties

Friday night, Ricky took Braylon with him to the Woodburn outlets while I stayed at home with Angel to do some housework. Not a typical Friday night, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. So I’m taking the clean clothes out of the dryer (mostly Ricky’s clothes he’d transferred from the wash, to dry) and I come across a pair of panties I don’t recognize. Read more…

Posted in Ricky & Chelan ~ memories of a love-life since 1995 | Leave a Comment
11 Nov 2011

That’s the Way to Think

When Bray was in 3rd grade at Boones Ferry Primary, Mrs. Parent & I had a talk about how we can come together to help him remember all his homework, as school lets out each day. I thought we crossed that creek, but here we are again in 4th grade & Mrs. Banet & I are saying the same things. We’re trying to come up with strategies to not just remind him when needed, but to help him think of ways he can remind himself…or simply put, remember what he needs to remember. This week we were particularly challenged, as something was forgotten 3 out of 4 days. But as Angel & I picked him up from school in our Mercury Villager, I went down the list (this time, before leaving the parking lot. Do I get a mini York Peppermint Paddy for that?). Each item was replied to with a proud & verbal “Check!” I said, “OK then. Are you sure you have EVERYTHING? You didn’t even leave your reading log?”

Then as we drove home between the tall colorful trees that line Wilsonville Rd, Braylon said back to me, “That was the OLD me.”

I smiled and high-fived him for that one. And I said THAT’s the way to think. Picture how you want to change – what you want to be & decide that the old habits are not YOU, anymore. Speak out loud what you want to become. Even if you’re a 4th grader who wants to be more responsible. Visualize it. Speak it. And don’t be afraid to ask others to help you reach it. Grown-ups, parents… it’s true for really anyone. You’ll probably surprise yourself and everyone around you with how close you come to that goal.

Posted in Bray Says... | Leave a Comment

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