I wanna be a blank slate

You might think I mistyped my title. Maybe thinking I meant to say "I want a blank slate". But as you know...today is Sunday and ONCE AGAIN Pastor Jim was speaking directly to me! I swear that man sits down every week and thinks to himself, 'Ok, what lesson does Becky need to learn this week?'. I'm sure he does.

So if you recall, last week was all about being present. Without being present how are we to hear what the Lord has for us to hear? This week was about coming to Him as a blank slate so we are able to fill up with Him. There's an awesome song by a former American Idol contestant who came out with a Christian album a couple years back. Empty Me by Chris Sligh. I LOVE his music! In this particular song he sings;
"Empty me
Of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition
And the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me
So i can be
Filled with you"
This is the lesson I took from today's sermon as well. It's so important in our walk with God to not show up with our own agenda, our own expectations, our own conditions. We need to be open to receive Him, to learn what He teaches, to grow in His love, to pass on His word.

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living scrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." -Romans 12:1 & 2

I'm guessing that the next chapter will be about listening. We can be present and be open but without listening...well, what's the point?

I found a video of the aforementioned song...take 4:33 minutes and listen. It's beautiful!

Kindergarten Graduation

I just love how school and church go out of their way to make the kids feel special.

Luke graduated from kindergarten today with a GLOWING report card (of course). They celebrated with a Teddy Bear Picnic for the kids and their family. It was super cute! He's very excited to now "officially" be a 1st grader! We've been hearing all about the "big playground" for a week now! lol!

Luke and Mrs. Clancey. We told her, ok...you have ONE more! We love her!
Luke and his little friend Amy. She is cute as a bug!! Their relationship reminds me so much of my brother and his friend (ironically enough) Amy when we were kids! Luke and Amy hang out together all the time and she's all we hear about! Sweet little girl!
With his teddy and his diploma!
Now it's official.
Singing for the crowd.


Silly Daddy and his Cheetos
Gracie and Daddy waiting for the party to start!

Are you Present?

"Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us." - Acts 10:24

There are weeks that God is speaking to me directly through our pastor. Every word that comes out of his mouth was put there for the soul purpose of teaching ME, showing ME what I need to be shown in a way that MAKES me listen! I haven't felt very spiritual the last few weeks. After everything that we've gone through and all the blessings that have been showered onto my family in the last three months you'd think I would do nothing but thank God and feel blessed every second of every day. But the truth is, everyday life takes over. I get into my ruts, I forget to enjoy the simple things, I clean my house, do my laundry, pick up the kids from school, check my blog and facebook friends...I forget to watch my children play outside, to hug my husband for 30 seconds a day, to enjoy the dinner with the family instead of use it as an uninterrupted 20 minutes of good lecturing time. It seems incredible to me even as I type this how quickly that happened again! It was less than three months ago I was in the hospital watching my husband struggle to breathe and praying every second of every day for God to heal him!

I get lost. I forget to be 'present' in my faith. I forget to take that "me time" to pray; to thank God for the ABILITY to be in my ruts! He has given me the gift of forgetting! If I think about it, I can put myself right back in that place we were three months ago. But I do HAVE to think about it! It hasn't stayed with me...I have forgotten! How amazing is that! But in that gift from Him I struggle to stay out of the ruts I know He is trying to get me to fill in. I have to work at hearing Him, at LISTENING to Him, at being 'present'.

I woke up this morning to a text from Mom. "Are we going to church this morning?" My desire was to stay in bed and go back to sleep and I found myself typing "ya"...*send*. Hmm...odd cuz that's not what I WANTED to say. Then this sermon about "showing up and being present". How can we hear, how can we listen, how can we learn if we aren't there? God spoke to Cornelius in Acts 10. He tells him to send some men to Joppa, to find a man named Simon who is also called Peter, staying with Simon the tanner in a house by the sea. Now that is PRETTY specific! Then God spoke to Peter and told him there are men at your house, go greet them and go with them. Two parties that listened to God, they were 'present' in their walk with Him and therefore were able to do their part in his plan. Peter went on to share God's word with people who did not think they were worthy of God's love because they were not the chosen ones.

I want to be 'present'. I want to hear God speak to me and act on what he wants from me. I have changed so much this year and I know it's because I am finally walking the path that is for Him. My outlook on life, on raising children, on my marriage, on my extended family, on my home, even on my pets has changed SO MUCH. It astonishes me. But then again, I think I've finally just shown up.

Becky Bagenski, present.

"To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy--to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, befrore all ages, now and forevermore! Amen" - Jude 24

A couple weeks of pictures!

We had a very cool thunderstorm last night. I remember when I was a little girl we'd have thunderstorms like every night in the summer time (or maybe that's just the exaggerated memory of a 5 year old, but it seemed like every night!) but my kids have only experienced them once or twice. It started about 7ish, so it was still light out. Was VERY cool! I wasn't lucky enough to get the lightning in a pic, but got some cool ones of the clouds!


Swirling action going on! lol
Gracie was staying very close to Big Brother. She was a little freaked out!
This one just makes me laugh!! She wasn't scared...just looks that way!
Watching the show.
A pretty sunny day view from our patio. I love our view.
Mark discussing our weed whacker with our neighbor, Hal. He whacked our hill for us since Mark is neutropenic and the grass was about waist height! Did I not tell y'all we have THE BEST NEIGHBORS EVER? :D
They wanted a pool. I got them a pool. The pool was cold so they layed out on the driveway. Go figure.


Messing with my flash at Allie's recital. Isn't this a cool pic?
Allie waiting for the recital to start. She made us SO proud. She really has a passion for music and it shows when she plays. She loves it so much.
Gracie girl sitting so still and proper. What a pretty girl!

BBQ Etiquette

Thank you to my neighbor Kathy who obviously watches our house when we're bar-b-que'ing in the summer, made notes of her observations and then put this list together for everyone to enjoy and learn from! She's got our number boy!.....

BBQ RULES

We are about to enter the BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity. When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:

Routine...

1. The woman buys the food.
2. The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
3. The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - soda in hand.
4. The woman remains outside the compulsory three meter exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman.

Here comes the important part…

5. THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.

More routine…

6. The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
7. The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another drink while he flips the meat.

Important part again…

8. THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.

More routine...

9. The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
10. After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.

And most important of all…

11. Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.
12. The man asks the woman how she enjoyed 'her night off.' And, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women.

Allie's recital was in our local paper! :)

Recital, awards night showcases piano students

Published: May 27, 2009

Click this picture to view a larger image. Top: Performing during Part One of the Spring Recital by Mary Ellen Yost's piano students were (from left): top row: Olivia Powell, Tiernan Pietsch and Lauren Heater; middle row: Walker Carroll, Zachary Culp, Grace Litchfield, Claire Litchfield, Allison Bagenski and Kyra Hanson; and front row: Delaney Pietsch, Jarod Von Flatern, Jacky Gong and Kaitlin Culp. Photo Therese Brubaker Bottom: Advanced students performing during Part Two of the Spring Recital by Mary Ellen Yost's piano students were (from left) Hanna Shumate, Jennifer Fincher-Beard, Savannah Howard, Meghan Jordan and Erick Hendricks; and Ralyn Case in front. Photos Therese Brubaker

By Gini Davis

A spring recital for piano students of former Creslane Elementary School music teacher Mary Ellen Yost showcased 19 local youth, ranging in age from elementary school through high school students.

The two-part recital, along with the presentation of individual awards, was held at Yost's Eugene studio on May 18.

Featured during the first part were first-year students Jacky Gong and Claire Litchfield; second-year students Kaitlin Culp, Jarod Von Flatern, Zachary Culp and Grace Litchfield; third-year students Kyra Hanson, Walker Carroll, Delaney Pietsch, Lauren Heater, Tiernan Pietsch and Allison Bagenski; and fifth-year student Olivia Powell.

Advanced students performing during part two of the recital were sixth-year student Ralyn Case; eighth-year students Savannah Howard, Jennifer Fincher-Beard and Erick Hendricks, 10th-year student Meghan Jordan and 11th-year student Hanna Shumate.

During the awards portion of the evening, Oregon Music Teachers' Association (OMTA) trophies, recognizing performances over at least three years in OMTA events, were presented to Shumate, Jordan, Hendricks, Fincher-Beard and Case.

Piano Performance trophies, earned by accumulating qualifying points for performing in OMTA recitals and competitions, syllabus testing, studio recitals and Oregon Music Educator Association (OMEA) district and state competitions, were awarded to Case and Hendricks.

Receiving syllabus exam recognition were Fincher-Beard (Level VII), Case (Level V), Kaitlin Culp, Gong, Zachary Culp, Heater, Grace Litchfield, Powell, Delaney Pietsch, Carroll, Bagenski and Tiernan Pietsch.

All students also received certificates and flowers. A Piano Graduation cake was also presented to CHS senior Hendricks, whose mother, Rita Mensinger, was also honored for her support and encouragement of Hendricks' musical studies.

Jordan received a 10-year Piano cake, while Powell received a five-year cake.

Original program art for part one was by Delaney Pietsch, while part two original program art was by Shumate. Jan Johnson served as recital usher.

Part one of the recital, which featured solos by all the younger students, opened with a duet by Heater (primo) and Bagenski (secondo) of The Old Rocking Chair by Martha Mier.

Claire Litchfield played Firefly, At the Game Room and Beethoven's Ode to Joy. Von Flatern played Hush Little Baby, Ferris Wheel and Sailing in the Sun. Kaitlin Culp played Waltz, My Valentine Gift and Time to Celebrate.

Gong played Indian Drumbeats, Duet in G and Honky-Tonk Ride. Zachary Culp played Grumpy Old Troll, The Juggler and No Moon Tonight. Delaney Pietsch played Anyone Home? Op. 117, No. 8 and Scarborough Fair.

Bagenski played Allemande and Minuet. Heater played Dance, Light and Dark and Shadows. Grace Litchfield played March and Kite in the Sky. Hanson played Bagatelle, Melodic Tune, Op. 218, No. 20 and A Little Porcupine, Op. 89, No. 8.

Tiernan Pietsch played Mozart's Bourlesq and A Tale, Op. 98, No. 1. Powell played Menuet in G, from the Notebook for Anna Magdalena Bach, Make up Your Mind and Light and Blue. Carroll played The Shepherd Pipes and the self-arranged, The Taj Mahal, by Dennis Alexander.

Part two of the recital opened with a duet by Shumate (primo) and Jordan (secondo) of Ravel's Laideronnette, Imperatrice des pagodes.

Case performed Ballade, Op. 100, No. 15 and Toccatina. Fincher-Beard performed Victor's Piano Solo (from Corpse Bride) and a self-arranged Waltz Medley including Magnolia Waltz, Valse Melancolique and Schubert's Waltz, Op. 77, No. 9. Shumate played Improvisation, from Twelve Virtuoso Studies, Op. 46.

Howard played By the Seaside and My Heart Will Go On (theme from Titanic). Jordan played Ravel's Menuet from Sonatine. Hendricks performed Sonata #31, K.345, Allegrissimo, by Domenico Scarlatti and an original composition, Turning Point.

Shumate (primo) and Jordan (secondo) closed the program with another duet, of Dmitri's Dream by Stecher, Horowitz and Gordon.

"It was a lovely evening of music showcasing our fine piano students of Creswell," Yost said, noting the recital was well received by its audience. "I am so proud of my students," she added.

The final event of the year for Yost's students will be Hendricks' performance at the State OMTA Honors Recital on May 30 in Portland.

"How fortunate I have been to be able to work with him," Yost said of Hendricks, who will enter the jazz studies program at the University of Oregon in the fall, focusing on jazz piano.

This made me happy today!

Thanks Mikey!