Start Here: Doing Hard Things Right Where You Are by Alex & Brett Harris

In this "sequel" to Do Hard Things,Alex and Brett show youth how to, well, START doing hard things. They answer questions they've received from teens at their conferences and online forums.


Alex and Brett wrote Start Here, after their Sophomore year in college.

Do Hard Things lays the groundwork for a "rebellion against low expectations" of teenagers. 

This book is full of stories of how God has used young adults in His service. Discussion questions make  this an easy book to work through in a group setting.

If you're looking for an encouraging, faith-building book for your youth to read, this may be the one.


This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Language Lessons

The kids have been practicing and hearing Nihongo (Japanese) all month. I've been traveling. I'm rusty. I expected to be rusty for tonight's Japanese lesson. I did NOT expect to be the comedy relief.

We had fun talking about all the places I traveled in March. Akiko had to point out that I was pointing to NORTH Korea. ::snort::

Funnies:

Akikosan - De'Ettasan, ashta wa tabimasu ka?  (Or something similar)  (De'Etta what will you feed these kids tomorrow?)

De'Etta - Ashta wa pitsu o tabimasu. (Tomorrow, they'll eat pencils!)

Pitsu (peet su) and Piza (PeetZA)....ah well.

She wrote the symbols for "no agricultural medicine" - ORGANIC for me.

I was on a roll so asked about the house repair that our landlord hasn't taken care of. She told me I need to keep calling them....I still think I'll take the piece of gutter in to make it clear.

I told her that my laundry is blowing, literally, all over the neighborhood... I asked her to write the phrases out for me to ask about getting the bars for my roof like many Japanese homes have or to ask if I could put concrete on my laundry rack. She wanted to see. It HAPPENED to be STANDING with laundry - nice and sedate on my patio. She looked. She smiled. She said, "De'Ettasan....." and I could tell she was trying not to laugh. I beat her to it....."You're going to tell me this isn't a laundry rack?" She told me it's for inside. We had a great laugh imaging what our friendly farmer was thinking as the thing kept blowing over and I chased it - and the laundry - around the yard.

There are much bigger and heavier ones for outside laundry. She told me that it WON'T blow away, and I won't need to tie sand or concrete to it....She says it's heavy.  She told me I'd better take Jared with me to buy it.  THEN she offered to go shopping with me on Saturday...so we will. Another chance to build a bridge.

I told her my Coach bag was, "yasui desu" and she gave me that, "try again look".  I told her I bought it in Korea (it's a knock off) and she understood and laughed. LOL
Akikosan loved the little mirror I got her in Seoul and the snow globe from Detroito.
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

The rest of the story

Other than chasing laundry, ponies and school, what did we do today?

Nolan and Zander were bothered by a news clip they saw while we are on base. I balk at not having TV from time to time, but I think this may be a good season not to have easy access to news. ::snort:: They had seen a clip where some yokels (and I've calmed down since this a.m. when I had to explain this) were protesting a funeral and in particular had a sign that said, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers." Imagine the talk I had to have with 8 and 10 yo sons.  It was hard to explain and remain gracious. We managed. It was rough.

I tend to bake when "dealing" and today was the first hard "dealing" day of this deployment. It really did upset me to think of the way these poor families are being treated by so-called representatives of God.  We made 2 loaves of bread, 20 Cinnamon rolls, 6 buns and 2 bread sticks from the Seven Grain dough.

Josiah - I hope you read this - Stacia is following in your footsteps. She was kneading dough, while I shaped Cinnamon rolls. I told her she could start to work on the buns.  She was happy as a clam...and then I heard, "Mom, look! I made a bohonkus!" - Yep, she'd made realistic "buns"....nice replica of a rear. I'd said buns. I didn't get a good photo. Maybe she'll do it again....it was HILARIOUS...and realistic.

We moved the basketball hoop down to the common area. Great suggestion, Mike. This gives the kids much more room to play, removes the chance of it falling on neighbor's cars (they parked under it), and makes the common area more communal.

This is Nolan, mom.

This was so cute! Zander was willing to be the basket so Stacia could get one in. Believe me - we don't always have this sort of team work.

I headed in to make dinner. Stacia asked to make brownies. Why not? We bake when we're dealing. ::snort:: I've learned that if I measure everything she is more than happy to assemble.  She's very intent.

Stirring is hard work.

While I made popcorn chicken and garlic bread, she dumped and stirred and CHATTERED.  I took a couple of the chicken breasts and adapted the Nikujaga recipe (chicken broth, breasts, broccoli instead of beef and taters). Jared added slivered almonds at the table and it tasted suspiciously like Almond Chicken. Yum.   But WAIT...what is THIS????? When did the chocolate get on her mouth?

She's gotten the batter into the pan, grabbed spoons and invited all to come lick the bowl. ::snort::  All I had to do was measure oil, water, crack an egg and put it in the oven.

Stacia cracked us up at dinner. She was very proud to have made brownies. She could barely contain herself and kept wanting to bring out the brownies. It was finally time.

I cut the brownies, and asked her which piece she would like.

This was our first real 'at home' day since Mike left. I suppose that's why the fact that he's gone for a good long time hit today. We're settling into a very nice routine. We're accomplishing a lot in our school realm. Arielle sprained her ankle and I made her stay down most the day. Jared is making a conscious effort to spend time playing with us. I had a few ministry calls and emails. I found my Bible study workbook so I won't have to do it over before Friday. I told the older kids that I'm at a deficit for adult conversation and they have to begun TALKING TO ME.....no deficit with the younger set. ::snort::

All in all a full and fulfilling day.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

"Our" Ponies

So sweet.....

They used to be happy with hay.

No longer

Now, they pull the hay out and wait for apples when they see the kids. ::snort:: The kids are less than impressed with the applish slobber this produces.....maybe carrots next time.
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

PLAYING

Our neighbor GAVE us this. It's not in great shape...but it's FUN. In the midst of re-establishing our school routine...we ARE finding time to play.

Our neighbor across the street keeps parking under the hoop. The wind is FANTASTIC here...and I couldn't sleep last night thinking of it falling over on their new car. Mike suggested we move it to the common grassy area. SO.....I asked the neighbor next to the big common area if it wouldn't be nice to have it there. She thought it fine if we kept it where it was (end of the street and I love it for the kids to play - but there are garage doors and cars to think about)....but then agreed that when they had it set up it did fall over on a car they'd borrowed. We'll move it to the common area...more room for the kids to play than the end of our street and I can still watch.....benches to watch. We won't have the gorgeous horses in the back ground but that's o.k. No  crunched cars.

We'll move all that sand and hoop when all are done with school today. Muhahahahaha They'll love the work...it's good for us. PE.
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

PACKAGES!

Amid exclamations over REAL salt, Late July cookies, Nature's Path Cornflakes and Rapadura....I heard...what's this?  Um...first I thought I'd made a costly mistake. Maybe I thought I was ordering a really BIG can of hot chocolate???? A packing slip.....

Um...that would be Bob's whey protein, animal somethingorother and Casein. Now what? Vitacost hasn't responded. I let them know I'M in Japan and Bob's in OK and I don't want to pay to get him his things.....meanwhile, we're missing a few items....maybe tomorrow.....we love our Vitacost days but they usually aren't THIS exciting.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Forty Pounds of Sand

The wind is fantastic. (3 carps = 3 sons at home)

I thought the 40 lbs of sand would hold the laundry rack in the back yard. It didn't.

I moved it to the patio - a bit of a wind break...sand bags redone.....

I'm deciding what the next option is. Maybe concrete? Watching laundry wave in the wind is relaxing and peaceful. Chasing it across the yard and now patio is WRONG.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...