This afternoon while running errands, the lady checking receipts commented on how cold it was for May. (and while the high 60s/low 70s are cool for this month, it's not unheard of either) Then she said "You know what the Bible says about that, don't you?" And for the life of me, I couldn't think of anything she could possibly construe about the weather, so I asked "No. What?" And she told me the Bible said in the end times the seasons would all be the same and houses would burn, and that we were seeing that now. I was so speechless, I couldn't ask her where the Bible said that, and I couldn't figure out a polite way to tell her I've never come across that anywhere when I've read the Bible. As we were leaving, I commented to Bobby that I wanted to know what version of the Bible she reads. He nodded, then said he'd heard things like that all his life growing up, and was surprised to find out it wasn't in the Bible.
I'm continuously amazed at how people make statements that "The Bible says..." when it really doesn't. Which tells me there are a lot of people who simply don't read it. From people becoming angels when they die to "God wants me to be happy" I'm flabbergasted at the made-up theology people have. I wish I had said something, or invited her to our church, but I was just so shocked. And she was so sincere, which is even scarier. As my older sister told her high schoolers once, "You can be very sincere, but still be sincerely wrong."
Showing posts with label ideas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ideas. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Thursday, January 7, 2016
book review and musings
The other night I FINALLY finished reading A Plague of Frogs by William Souder.
The first chapter or two was riveting, giving background details to what I remembered hearing on the news many years ago. It was horrifying to think about. Because so many scientists and areas and viewpoints were involved, Souder's book simply follows the timeline of the story, meaning a LOT of jumping around from viewpoint to viewpoint and area to area. It was a little hard to remember who was in what area if you're only reading the book a little at a time like I was. The last 125 pages of the book are probably the best. The pace has picked up and you think an answer is finally in sight. Only, it's not. Well, at least not in the way readers are accustomed to have endings. Basically, there are multiple reasons to the decline/extinction of the frog population, scientists don't agree on all of the answers, the tests are inconclusive, and other than the fact that frogs are dying in massive quantities and some breeds have become extinct in the last 15 years, that's about all the resolution you're going to get.
Climate chaos, climate change, global warming, (and my older cousins and aunts laugh that it had different names but same meaning back in the 1960s and 1970s) does play a factor in the environment, regardless of what we believe about its causes (or even its existence). The irony of the whole situation to me is the reaction from the various worldviews. Some of the scientists in the book were clearly Darwinists, and yet, they seemed to be the most concerned about the result. If the whole concept of evolution is that the fittest will survive whatever is thrown their way, then isn't extinction of some animals a good thing? And for the record, there were many scientists interviewed in the back, mainly biologists, who saw this as a very small part of a larger picture, one that was too complex to bullet point certain answers. I gathered from my reading (and my conclusion here could be totally wrong) that while they were very concerned, they were also somewhat acquiescent about whatever nature doles out.
To me the irony comes not only in the panic of those who believe this is how nature is supposed to play out - some make it; others don't - but also in the mirror image attitude of Creationists. Some deny the whole concept of earth warming and changing (yet to hear any explanation for why species are dying out or temperatures are clearly changing as any gardener will tell you), which means they're also denying the reality of Scriptures that there will come days of famine, a day when the sun will clearly die out (and if you remember middle school science, stars get hotter before they die) and they see no cause for concern or change in behavior - whatever comes, they'll accept. That whole mindset reminds me of the acquiescent biologists. And then there's the others who are concerned and think we should modify our behavior and fulfill our command to "tend the earth" and stop things from getting worse. They're very concerned, and like the Evolutionists, I can't help but wonder if they've forgotten their theology that will come to pass.
I'm not sure what camp I belong to. I do believe the earth is warming. What percentage is man-made and what is natural demise, I can't say, but it's quite obvious that it's happening. Bobby has commented that the frog population in the pond (which he helped his Dad build at age 5) is miniscule compared to what it was in his younger years. While we've not seen the deformities found elsewhere, in my adult years I've also not played with the frogs enough to notice such things. I have heard many bird watchers and older people comment lately about certain birds they always enjoyed hearing or watching when they were younger no longer being around. And I know there are certain trees that used to be everywhere you almost never see anymore. There's a small part of me that makes me wonder if the Amish didn't have it right. Granted, I have no desire to give my up heat, AC or electricity, but I also know that in China their source of heat is one of the many factors that is giving them excessively dangerous air quality these days. I can't imagine having to choose between being slightly warm (when I lived there I had "heat" and still wore 3-4 layers inside in the winter) and the ability to breathe.
So while I was disappointed with the book's ending, even in my own life I don't have definitive answers or thoughts about the issues and potential causes themselves. Perhaps that is why I found the lack of conclusion so unsettling - I was looking for a conclusive answer to an endlessly vague issue.
The first chapter or two was riveting, giving background details to what I remembered hearing on the news many years ago. It was horrifying to think about. Because so many scientists and areas and viewpoints were involved, Souder's book simply follows the timeline of the story, meaning a LOT of jumping around from viewpoint to viewpoint and area to area. It was a little hard to remember who was in what area if you're only reading the book a little at a time like I was. The last 125 pages of the book are probably the best. The pace has picked up and you think an answer is finally in sight. Only, it's not. Well, at least not in the way readers are accustomed to have endings. Basically, there are multiple reasons to the decline/extinction of the frog population, scientists don't agree on all of the answers, the tests are inconclusive, and other than the fact that frogs are dying in massive quantities and some breeds have become extinct in the last 15 years, that's about all the resolution you're going to get.
Climate chaos, climate change, global warming, (and my older cousins and aunts laugh that it had different names but same meaning back in the 1960s and 1970s) does play a factor in the environment, regardless of what we believe about its causes (or even its existence). The irony of the whole situation to me is the reaction from the various worldviews. Some of the scientists in the book were clearly Darwinists, and yet, they seemed to be the most concerned about the result. If the whole concept of evolution is that the fittest will survive whatever is thrown their way, then isn't extinction of some animals a good thing? And for the record, there were many scientists interviewed in the back, mainly biologists, who saw this as a very small part of a larger picture, one that was too complex to bullet point certain answers. I gathered from my reading (and my conclusion here could be totally wrong) that while they were very concerned, they were also somewhat acquiescent about whatever nature doles out.
To me the irony comes not only in the panic of those who believe this is how nature is supposed to play out - some make it; others don't - but also in the mirror image attitude of Creationists. Some deny the whole concept of earth warming and changing (yet to hear any explanation for why species are dying out or temperatures are clearly changing as any gardener will tell you), which means they're also denying the reality of Scriptures that there will come days of famine, a day when the sun will clearly die out (and if you remember middle school science, stars get hotter before they die) and they see no cause for concern or change in behavior - whatever comes, they'll accept. That whole mindset reminds me of the acquiescent biologists. And then there's the others who are concerned and think we should modify our behavior and fulfill our command to "tend the earth" and stop things from getting worse. They're very concerned, and like the Evolutionists, I can't help but wonder if they've forgotten their theology that will come to pass.
I'm not sure what camp I belong to. I do believe the earth is warming. What percentage is man-made and what is natural demise, I can't say, but it's quite obvious that it's happening. Bobby has commented that the frog population in the pond (which he helped his Dad build at age 5) is miniscule compared to what it was in his younger years. While we've not seen the deformities found elsewhere, in my adult years I've also not played with the frogs enough to notice such things. I have heard many bird watchers and older people comment lately about certain birds they always enjoyed hearing or watching when they were younger no longer being around. And I know there are certain trees that used to be everywhere you almost never see anymore. There's a small part of me that makes me wonder if the Amish didn't have it right. Granted, I have no desire to give my up heat, AC or electricity, but I also know that in China their source of heat is one of the many factors that is giving them excessively dangerous air quality these days. I can't imagine having to choose between being slightly warm (when I lived there I had "heat" and still wore 3-4 layers inside in the winter) and the ability to breathe.
So while I was disappointed with the book's ending, even in my own life I don't have definitive answers or thoughts about the issues and potential causes themselves. Perhaps that is why I found the lack of conclusion so unsettling - I was looking for a conclusive answer to an endlessly vague issue.
Friday, January 16, 2015
job bank ideas
In my mind, I've always (okay, the last ten years or so) thought about owning/running a quilt shop. Whenever I see an empty building in our area, I mentally think about how that spot would/would not work as a space. And whenever I enter a new quilt shop, the back of my mind is storing ideas or rejecting layouts. The reality is, this will always be a dream. One of those things I think about, but will most likely never do.
In the last two weeks an airline called Frontline has made news in the SCI world, and not in a positive way. They were fined $50,000 for refusing to allow a passenger to fly because he was a quadriplegic and couldn't hold himself upright in the seat without extended seatbelts (which he had made the staff aware of when the bought the ticket and had even brought his own belt extensions) and then a second man was boarded after the plane was full (wheelchair users are always first on, last off because staff needs the extra room to transfer them in out of the boarding chair and into the passenger seat), so the staff did not have room to maneuver as much as they usually do and they dropped the passenger during the transfer (someone didn't remember to put the armrest on the plane chair up and out of the way). Thankfully he wasn't hurt (other than bruising), but he did complain, as well he should have, and requested that attendants be re-trained (or trained, period) in how to handle wheelchair bound passengers. So here's my new idea deposited in my mental job bank: an airline that's main customers are wheelchair users and their families and friends. Airplanes will have every other three rows (one row of seats, then the next three rows removed) and will have runners in the floor where electric chairs or scooters can be "locked" down into the floor, just like a passenger van for wheelchair users. Since wheelchairs are heavy, there will be less passengers on each flight, and flights would be limited to the number you could have a day (due to the amount of time boarding and deplaning). There will also be a luggage/storage space in the back for walkers, canes, and larger-sized carry-on bags since many wheelchair users need medical supplies throughout the day. Restrooms on-board will be wheelchair accessible. Granted, you wouldn't be able to fly to as many places, but I think if you had international flights going out three times a week and to main cities in America daily, I think they'd easily fill up. Manual wheelchairs would still have to transfer into regular seats,(for safety purposes) but their chairs could be stored in the top of the plane storage area and not underneath. The profits probably wouldn't be anywhere near what regular airlines make, but with 1 million SCIers in America alone (and that doesn't count other disabilities, that's just spinal cord injuries), and knowing how bad of a rep the airline industry has among this group, I bet people would flock to it.
Just another thing to think about while cooking supper. :)
In the last two weeks an airline called Frontline has made news in the SCI world, and not in a positive way. They were fined $50,000 for refusing to allow a passenger to fly because he was a quadriplegic and couldn't hold himself upright in the seat without extended seatbelts (which he had made the staff aware of when the bought the ticket and had even brought his own belt extensions) and then a second man was boarded after the plane was full (wheelchair users are always first on, last off because staff needs the extra room to transfer them in out of the boarding chair and into the passenger seat), so the staff did not have room to maneuver as much as they usually do and they dropped the passenger during the transfer (someone didn't remember to put the armrest on the plane chair up and out of the way). Thankfully he wasn't hurt (other than bruising), but he did complain, as well he should have, and requested that attendants be re-trained (or trained, period) in how to handle wheelchair bound passengers. So here's my new idea deposited in my mental job bank: an airline that's main customers are wheelchair users and their families and friends. Airplanes will have every other three rows (one row of seats, then the next three rows removed) and will have runners in the floor where electric chairs or scooters can be "locked" down into the floor, just like a passenger van for wheelchair users. Since wheelchairs are heavy, there will be less passengers on each flight, and flights would be limited to the number you could have a day (due to the amount of time boarding and deplaning). There will also be a luggage/storage space in the back for walkers, canes, and larger-sized carry-on bags since many wheelchair users need medical supplies throughout the day. Restrooms on-board will be wheelchair accessible. Granted, you wouldn't be able to fly to as many places, but I think if you had international flights going out three times a week and to main cities in America daily, I think they'd easily fill up. Manual wheelchairs would still have to transfer into regular seats,(for safety purposes) but their chairs could be stored in the top of the plane storage area and not underneath. The profits probably wouldn't be anywhere near what regular airlines make, but with 1 million SCIers in America alone (and that doesn't count other disabilities, that's just spinal cord injuries), and knowing how bad of a rep the airline industry has among this group, I bet people would flock to it.
Just another thing to think about while cooking supper. :)
Friday, March 22, 2013
free but unusual advertising
Last month (yes, I'm finally downloading pics off my camera) we ate at IHOP, but due to the crowd had to park in the back. (You know, their two handicap spots are almost always taken!) As we got out of the van, this is what we saw:
I was expecting this to be typical graffitti with a girl's phone number or curse words, but no.
Can you read it? Acts 2:38, in both Spanish and English, along with the words: Church Phone: 919.834.8892. I was more than a bit shocked. Granted, it's empty space, not being used, but it seems a bit strange to advertise your church via graffitti. I'm now over the shock of seeing it, but I still can't seem to wrap my head around the idea, nor would it make me want to ever visit that church. What type of person/church vandalizes someone else's property in the name of the Gospel? I'm still shaking my head in befuddlement on this one.
I was expecting this to be typical graffitti with a girl's phone number or curse words, but no.
Can you read it? Acts 2:38, in both Spanish and English, along with the words: Church Phone: 919.834.8892. I was more than a bit shocked. Granted, it's empty space, not being used, but it seems a bit strange to advertise your church via graffitti. I'm now over the shock of seeing it, but I still can't seem to wrap my head around the idea, nor would it make me want to ever visit that church. What type of person/church vandalizes someone else's property in the name of the Gospel? I'm still shaking my head in befuddlement on this one.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
dongxi
Dongxi (pronounced dong - she) is the Chinese Mandarin word for "stuff". I think it's one of my top five favorite Chinese words.
Sometimes I think I have entirely WAY too much.
As in, I'm prepping for a trip and am thinking I might not ever fit it all in the van.
Or I need to clean off the kitchen table and I'm wondering where everything came from.
But yet, we're also blessed with it as well.
A friend called me this morning. He was excited because his five hour chemo treatment (according to the receptionist) is actually a 2-3 hour treatment (according to the nurse who gives it). So after we got off the phone and I shot up a quick prayer, I immediately started thinking through all the things I would take to a long appointment like that. My ipad, a book, a sketch book, quilting squares a magazine, some water and gum. And the reality is, I'd be doing good if I used one of them. I guess I over-prepare, or overpack my dongxi. Always have.
Last night at the funeral home for Bobby's uncle, they had a table out of things the family associated with him: Bojangles, Snickers, the teddybear postman (he was a retired postal worker), a Duke cap, his Navy medals, along with a few other things. I asked Bobby on the way home what we would put out for him and he just shrugged. I thought of a few things, but probably not as many as he immediately listed for me.
Is that his way of politely saying I have and can be associated with too many things?
It's nice to be blessed. :)
Sometimes I think I have entirely WAY too much.
As in, I'm prepping for a trip and am thinking I might not ever fit it all in the van.
Or I need to clean off the kitchen table and I'm wondering where everything came from.
But yet, we're also blessed with it as well.
A friend called me this morning. He was excited because his five hour chemo treatment (according to the receptionist) is actually a 2-3 hour treatment (according to the nurse who gives it). So after we got off the phone and I shot up a quick prayer, I immediately started thinking through all the things I would take to a long appointment like that. My ipad, a book, a sketch book, quilting squares a magazine, some water and gum. And the reality is, I'd be doing good if I used one of them. I guess I over-prepare, or overpack my dongxi. Always have.
Last night at the funeral home for Bobby's uncle, they had a table out of things the family associated with him: Bojangles, Snickers, the teddybear postman (he was a retired postal worker), a Duke cap, his Navy medals, along with a few other things. I asked Bobby on the way home what we would put out for him and he just shrugged. I thought of a few things, but probably not as many as he immediately listed for me.
Is that his way of politely saying I have and can be associated with too many things?
It's nice to be blessed. :)
Monday, July 2, 2012
juke
A juke is a football term, meaning a player makes a move intended to deceive (an opponent). In other words, if you have the foot ball and move like you're going to run to one side of the field and then abruptly run to the other side, you have juked the other team.
I first heard this word over the weekend, courtesy of my niece, who introduced me to the term "Jesus juke". I had to google it to find out what it was, and the more I read the more bothered I became. It's basically when someone hijacks a non-spiritual conversation and makes it spiritual. The examples given were quite abrupt, in my opinion more than a little rude and insensitive, and made me think of Proverbs 25:11 "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."
I'm certainly not one to handle social occasions with finesse, and that's probably why I'd just as soon avoid them altogether. But life cannot be avoided, meaning invariably I find myself struggling. Once I was accosted by that person on a bandwagon and I desperately scanned the room for someone else nearby so I could excuse myself. She called me on it. I was already fighting the anger inside, but later I realized she had a point. Just because I found her rude in coversation choice didn't mean my response had to be rude as well. It might make sense by today's standards, but not by God's. I'm called to be kind and tenderhearted, even when I want to snarly reply "You have NO idea what you're talking about it, this is personal for us and I really wish you'd quit bringing this subject matter up every time you see me."
And I think that's why I struggle with the whole Jesus juking terminology. Such comments are made for a variety of reasons: an awkward attempt to fit into a conversation, the original comment actually revived something hearer had been thinking about a LOT lately, that person is truly concerned and is fulfilling the command to rebuke in love, the comment was not a juke but because it convicted you it made you angry, OR that person has simply not learned the rich art of communication.
I am the poster child for words NOT fitly spoken. It's an area I have struggled with all my life and probably will continue to fight until the day I die. Hearing or reading other Christians mocking fellow belivers for their communication skills (or lack thereof) makes the immature child in me want to stay away from even Christian circles or forums. There's simply no love displayed by either part, the hearer nor the speaker. It's odd that Christ told us "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) and yet our very conversation is unloving. Or should I say "juked"?
I first heard this word over the weekend, courtesy of my niece, who introduced me to the term "Jesus juke". I had to google it to find out what it was, and the more I read the more bothered I became. It's basically when someone hijacks a non-spiritual conversation and makes it spiritual. The examples given were quite abrupt, in my opinion more than a little rude and insensitive, and made me think of Proverbs 25:11 "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."
I'm certainly not one to handle social occasions with finesse, and that's probably why I'd just as soon avoid them altogether. But life cannot be avoided, meaning invariably I find myself struggling. Once I was accosted by that person on a bandwagon and I desperately scanned the room for someone else nearby so I could excuse myself. She called me on it. I was already fighting the anger inside, but later I realized she had a point. Just because I found her rude in coversation choice didn't mean my response had to be rude as well. It might make sense by today's standards, but not by God's. I'm called to be kind and tenderhearted, even when I want to snarly reply "You have NO idea what you're talking about it, this is personal for us and I really wish you'd quit bringing this subject matter up every time you see me."
And I think that's why I struggle with the whole Jesus juking terminology. Such comments are made for a variety of reasons: an awkward attempt to fit into a conversation, the original comment actually revived something hearer had been thinking about a LOT lately, that person is truly concerned and is fulfilling the command to rebuke in love, the comment was not a juke but because it convicted you it made you angry, OR that person has simply not learned the rich art of communication.
I am the poster child for words NOT fitly spoken. It's an area I have struggled with all my life and probably will continue to fight until the day I die. Hearing or reading other Christians mocking fellow belivers for their communication skills (or lack thereof) makes the immature child in me want to stay away from even Christian circles or forums. There's simply no love displayed by either part, the hearer nor the speaker. It's odd that Christ told us "By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35) and yet our very conversation is unloving. Or should I say "juked"?
Thursday, May 24, 2012
an exciting day
Last week I excitedly and nervously took a quilt top to a quilting store in Cary. Last month I took an hour long lesson so I could rent their quilting machine frame. I was so nervous I actually had dreams about messing up the quilt. I arrived ten minutes before the store opened (don't want to be late and loose time I've paid for!), and was greeted with this peaceful scene:
I've always loved water fountains, and as I was staring at this one, I realized what made it so awe-inspiring is the outward flow of water back into the fountain. The upward spout and drains of the side are cool, but it wouldn't look quite as impressive without the water pouring back in on itself. I find such trivial details interesting.
And inside? It took an hour to fix the backing (I had measured incorrectly, but thankfully had way more than we needed so it could be trimmed!), attach the batting, and smooth the quilt top onto the frame, but once quilting it took a tad over 3 hours to quilt the whole thing. THREE HOURS!!! Last year the twin size quilt on my machine took 5-6 days, and my neck, back, arms and machine paid for it dearly. I still have to bind the quilt, and there's a ton of stitches and things I don't know, both about machine quilting and this machine itself, but I'm looking forward to learning. Hopefully next week I'll be able to post pics of the finished project, along with the new stitches I've learned on the quilt I'm doing today and next week. Fun times ahead! :)
I've always loved water fountains, and as I was staring at this one, I realized what made it so awe-inspiring is the outward flow of water back into the fountain. The upward spout and drains of the side are cool, but it wouldn't look quite as impressive without the water pouring back in on itself. I find such trivial details interesting.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
my new jokes
During the slow elections yesterday, one of the polling places I had to inspect shared a "Joke" a voter showed them. I found it VERY funny and shared it at another precinct. The poll workers my age and older really liked it. The college kid Chief Judge stared at us like we had three heads and DIDN'T FIND IT FUNNY NOT ONE LITTLE BIT. Although, I don't think he had quite recovered from the shock that grown-ups were carrying around change when I started telling it. Either way, I'm sure he had a lot of crazy stories to tell his whipper-snapper friends when he got home. (But I was very impressed with the job he did and his seriousness and energy toward the job.)
Look closely at the penny. Check it out slowly. Ready?
What is its smell?
(It's just a plain cent). hahahahahahahaha
Think carefully.
What fruit is this?
(Oh, come on! It's a pear!)
Don't give up! You know this!
What three animals are here?
(Watch out! Three copperheads!!!)
And last but not least...
What four cars are here?
(Seriously! You don't see four Lincolns?)
If it makes you feel any better, both Bobby and I missed all four questions, too. :)
Look closely at the penny. Check it out slowly. Ready?
(It's just a plain cent). hahahahahahahaha
Think carefully.
What fruit is this?
(Oh, come on! It's a pear!)
Don't give up! You know this!
What three animals are here?
(Watch out! Three copperheads!!!)
And last but not least...
What four cars are here?
(Seriously! You don't see four Lincolns?)
If it makes you feel any better, both Bobby and I missed all four questions, too. :)
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Friday, May 28, 2010
perseverance
What is it with the "p" words that they are always filled with emotion? Perspective, promise, possibility, potential, and perseverance: all a viewpoint we strive towards, place hope inside regardless of reality, and struggle with on a frequent basis.
Can you tell I've been quilting this morning? I'm about four hours shy of having 1/5 of Bobby's quilt finished. Yes, sadly, you read that correctly. I've found a blogger in Raleigh who is not only a Christian, but also machine quilts. While reading and looking at all the beautiful work she does, I'm impressed with how much any hobby or activity requires a lot of practice (there's another p word!) and learning to master all the intricate techniques. In short, everything takes a lot of time.
Parenting (yep, another p word) usually demands a Mom or Dad sacrifice their own pursuits in the interest of the child and his or her development. We were laughing Sunday at how I had told Lydia we'd meet them at the hospital at a certain time, only to be there an hour later. I had forgotten how much longer everything takes when little ones are involved! It was a great reminder to send those upward thoughts on behalf of my friends who are parents. Their job is not a simple one!
Weight loss is another area that seems to be taking FOREVER! It's one of those "disciplines" where I find it's as much a battle of perseverance as it is a mental battle. Did someone say chocolate? Bread? Dr. Pepper? See, it doesn't take much for me to get off track in this area.
Devos. Yeah, those things we're supposed to do every day. It never fails that whenever I stop and think "I need to get this done." something sidetracks me before I make it to the dresser where my Bible and books are. Sad, but true. For seven years I faithfully did my devotions every day. Then for reasons I won't go into, I decided to switch things up and started attempts to have my Bible study time in the mornings. It has been a struggle for me ever since, even with trying to move it back to night. Perseverance.
Practice - whether it be the piano or the clarinet, practice time usually comes about because I have a piece I need to play, not a disciplined activity I do every day. And it shows in my playing.
Housework...do you ever feel like throwing up your hands and saying "What's the point?" We make up the bed only to undo it at night. We wash dishes and clean up the kitchen only to turn around and cook another meal. We sweep the floors, only to work outside and track in a ton of dirt (or mud from the rain). Housework definitely requires perseverance (or else a mental evaluation, I'm not quite sure which).
I've been reflecting on that verse "Don't be weary in well-doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not." a lot today. I think that's why we persevere in things, whether it be our faith, a hobby, housework, or a relationship...there's a reward at the end if we don't quit. It's selfish, I know, but I think if we're all honest we'll admit the truth behind it. We normally only finish something because we have a vision of the end result and what we want that to look like. And for me today, that's just enough to keep going.
Can you tell I've been quilting this morning? I'm about four hours shy of having 1/5 of Bobby's quilt finished. Yes, sadly, you read that correctly. I've found a blogger in Raleigh who is not only a Christian, but also machine quilts. While reading and looking at all the beautiful work she does, I'm impressed with how much any hobby or activity requires a lot of practice (there's another p word!) and learning to master all the intricate techniques. In short, everything takes a lot of time.
Parenting (yep, another p word) usually demands a Mom or Dad sacrifice their own pursuits in the interest of the child and his or her development. We were laughing Sunday at how I had told Lydia we'd meet them at the hospital at a certain time, only to be there an hour later. I had forgotten how much longer everything takes when little ones are involved! It was a great reminder to send those upward thoughts on behalf of my friends who are parents. Their job is not a simple one!
Weight loss is another area that seems to be taking FOREVER! It's one of those "disciplines" where I find it's as much a battle of perseverance as it is a mental battle. Did someone say chocolate? Bread? Dr. Pepper? See, it doesn't take much for me to get off track in this area.
Devos. Yeah, those things we're supposed to do every day. It never fails that whenever I stop and think "I need to get this done." something sidetracks me before I make it to the dresser where my Bible and books are. Sad, but true. For seven years I faithfully did my devotions every day. Then for reasons I won't go into, I decided to switch things up and started attempts to have my Bible study time in the mornings. It has been a struggle for me ever since, even with trying to move it back to night. Perseverance.
Practice - whether it be the piano or the clarinet, practice time usually comes about because I have a piece I need to play, not a disciplined activity I do every day. And it shows in my playing.
Housework...do you ever feel like throwing up your hands and saying "What's the point?" We make up the bed only to undo it at night. We wash dishes and clean up the kitchen only to turn around and cook another meal. We sweep the floors, only to work outside and track in a ton of dirt (or mud from the rain). Housework definitely requires perseverance (or else a mental evaluation, I'm not quite sure which).
I've been reflecting on that verse "Don't be weary in well-doing for in due season you shall reap if you faint not." a lot today. I think that's why we persevere in things, whether it be our faith, a hobby, housework, or a relationship...there's a reward at the end if we don't quit. It's selfish, I know, but I think if we're all honest we'll admit the truth behind it. We normally only finish something because we have a vision of the end result and what we want that to look like. And for me today, that's just enough to keep going.
Monday, February 15, 2010
wrappers
This past week I've thought a lot about packaging.
Outward appearance isn't everything, but it does make a big difference. As an idealist teen it always aggravated me that boys gravitated toward the pretty girls, whether they had brains or not. I could understand why they were interested in the girls who had a nice personality and were pretty, but the mean ones? By college I realized I was interested in outward appearance much more than I ever dreamed possible. One of my fellow first shift cafeteria workers would show up downstairs at 6:30am in clothes that had not been ironed (and mind you...they looked as if they had been wadded up wet and then stuffed in a drawer!), and her hair brushed but not fixed. Her mindset was that her clothes were clean, they matched, she was clean, her face was washed, so what else did she need to worry about? Mind you, she was very smart and very nice, but her appearance drove me crazy!!! I wanted her to at least look like she cared about herself. (and to be fair, the last time I saw her she had "grown up" and had on neat clothes and her hair was combed into place).
At a funeral I attended this past week, one of the family members showed up in blue jeans and a t-shirt. Most of the family was aghast. You know, that's just not the southern thing to do. If you don't have black or grey dress clothes, then you wear your Sunday best. It's one of those unwritten laws that are floating around out there. It was interesting to see the different reactions. Some people thought it was downright indecent. It's not like the person couldn't afford dress clothes even if they didn't own any. But I could also hear my great-uncle saying, "Why buy clothes I'm only going to be made to wear one time?" (He would wear a brand new pair of overalls to weddings and funerals.) A part of me thought the person was brave. You're emotionally miserable, so why be physically miserable as well? (Can you tell I'm not crazy about dress clothes?) Others wondered if he was trying to make a point, and if so, what it was. Meanwhile a small part of me was wondering what all the fuss was about.
Packaging...in design they say how you package and market a product will determine how it sells in the beginning. After the initial purchase, then the product has to sell itself. You can have the most appealing design and packaging and an irresistible marketing campaign, but if the product itself isn't worth anything then people will never buy it again.
And it makes me wonder how people perceive me. Do I come across as friendly or stuck-up? Are people willing to give me a try? Is there any substance past my outward appearance to make me interesting?
As a child I used to worry about being given robes of white to wear in heaven. I am a very messy person, and anything I own that is white inevitably winds up stained. Can't you just see me standing before Jesus with a fruit stain from the Tree of Life on my robe?
Wrappers...wouldn't it be cool if we didn't have any in heaven at all?
Outward appearance isn't everything, but it does make a big difference. As an idealist teen it always aggravated me that boys gravitated toward the pretty girls, whether they had brains or not. I could understand why they were interested in the girls who had a nice personality and were pretty, but the mean ones? By college I realized I was interested in outward appearance much more than I ever dreamed possible. One of my fellow first shift cafeteria workers would show up downstairs at 6:30am in clothes that had not been ironed (and mind you...they looked as if they had been wadded up wet and then stuffed in a drawer!), and her hair brushed but not fixed. Her mindset was that her clothes were clean, they matched, she was clean, her face was washed, so what else did she need to worry about? Mind you, she was very smart and very nice, but her appearance drove me crazy!!! I wanted her to at least look like she cared about herself. (and to be fair, the last time I saw her she had "grown up" and had on neat clothes and her hair was combed into place).
At a funeral I attended this past week, one of the family members showed up in blue jeans and a t-shirt. Most of the family was aghast. You know, that's just not the southern thing to do. If you don't have black or grey dress clothes, then you wear your Sunday best. It's one of those unwritten laws that are floating around out there. It was interesting to see the different reactions. Some people thought it was downright indecent. It's not like the person couldn't afford dress clothes even if they didn't own any. But I could also hear my great-uncle saying, "Why buy clothes I'm only going to be made to wear one time?" (He would wear a brand new pair of overalls to weddings and funerals.) A part of me thought the person was brave. You're emotionally miserable, so why be physically miserable as well? (Can you tell I'm not crazy about dress clothes?) Others wondered if he was trying to make a point, and if so, what it was. Meanwhile a small part of me was wondering what all the fuss was about.
Packaging...in design they say how you package and market a product will determine how it sells in the beginning. After the initial purchase, then the product has to sell itself. You can have the most appealing design and packaging and an irresistible marketing campaign, but if the product itself isn't worth anything then people will never buy it again.
And it makes me wonder how people perceive me. Do I come across as friendly or stuck-up? Are people willing to give me a try? Is there any substance past my outward appearance to make me interesting?
As a child I used to worry about being given robes of white to wear in heaven. I am a very messy person, and anything I own that is white inevitably winds up stained. Can't you just see me standing before Jesus with a fruit stain from the Tree of Life on my robe?
Wrappers...wouldn't it be cool if we didn't have any in heaven at all?
Saturday, January 2, 2010
vanity of vanities
The week before Christmas an item that I have been wanting went on "sale". Three different stores had this electronic gadget for its regular price BUT all three had extra incentives to go with it. Wal-Mart was throwing in a free $50 itunes giftcard, BestBuy, for an extra $20, was offering $50 worth of merchandise, and Target was offering an extra pair of headphones for half-off. I didn't have time before leaving to thoroughly investigate prices and items, so when we got to AL and my sister was heading to Wally World late Christmas Eve, I sent her with my credit card and driver's license. (Our handwriting looks close enough and my DL pic is an old one so we could pass for each other on it.)
She came back with the item in tow and I was so excited...until I saw it. It was green. I hate green. I like green in nature, but that's about it. So we stopped at Wal-Mart at 40/42 on the way home to see if we could exchange the item for a blue or black one, only to be told they had sold out of EVERY SINGLE ITEM!!! Today while out and about we stopped at the Wal-Mart in Garner, and they not only had the same item, they had it in BLUE!!! (black was my second choice)
In my simple mind, all they had to do was swap the unopened nano for a different nano. 45 minutes, three managers and three sales clerk later, it was a done deal. I understand that technology complicates things (they couldn't figure out how to ring up the exchange because there was a free gift card included in the original transaction), but it made me a little sad that what should be common sense and straightforward required so much consultation and approval for a simple swap. When we finished, my dear not-so understanding husband looked at me and said, "All this for your vanity?" I simply smiled and said "Yes." What more could I say?
Now, if they had insisted I give up or pay for the free gift card that went with since the promotion was no longer taking place, I would have stuck with a green nano.
But thankfully that didn't have to be. Did I mention that this one is blue and shiny?
I probably won't blog tomorrow as I'll be charging the battery and surfing itunes. :O) Music suggestions anyone?
She came back with the item in tow and I was so excited...until I saw it. It was green. I hate green. I like green in nature, but that's about it. So we stopped at Wal-Mart at 40/42 on the way home to see if we could exchange the item for a blue or black one, only to be told they had sold out of EVERY SINGLE ITEM!!! Today while out and about we stopped at the Wal-Mart in Garner, and they not only had the same item, they had it in BLUE!!! (black was my second choice)
In my simple mind, all they had to do was swap the unopened nano for a different nano. 45 minutes, three managers and three sales clerk later, it was a done deal. I understand that technology complicates things (they couldn't figure out how to ring up the exchange because there was a free gift card included in the original transaction), but it made me a little sad that what should be common sense and straightforward required so much consultation and approval for a simple swap. When we finished, my dear not-so understanding husband looked at me and said, "All this for your vanity?" I simply smiled and said "Yes." What more could I say?
Now, if they had insisted I give up or pay for the free gift card that went with since the promotion was no longer taking place, I would have stuck with a green nano.
But thankfully that didn't have to be. Did I mention that this one is blue and shiny?
I probably won't blog tomorrow as I'll be charging the battery and surfing itunes. :O) Music suggestions anyone?
Saturday, June 27, 2009
the future
There will come a day when my feet do not hurt,
When I can find every piece of paper I need without having a search party,
When as I get ready my clothes will be hanging in my closet instead of the dirty basket,
When I can enter a new situation without fighting panic inside,
When I will never lose train of thought mid-sentence,
When I will be organized.
There will come a day.
Meanwhile, I'll continue to daydream.
When I can find every piece of paper I need without having a search party,
When as I get ready my clothes will be hanging in my closet instead of the dirty basket,
When I can enter a new situation without fighting panic inside,
When I will never lose train of thought mid-sentence,
When I will be organized.
There will come a day.
Meanwhile, I'll continue to daydream.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
a month long vacation
It's not uncommon for people in Europe to get a whole month off for vacation. Now, I know people who here who get four weeks of vacation, but I imagine if any of them tried to take them all at one time they would be looking for another job! Yet, at this moment, the thought of a month-long vacation sounds very appealing.
I know there would still be laundry and cooking to do, but could you imagine 3 weeks of reading, sleeping, sewing, walking, and writing at either the mountains or the beach? (Yes, I know I left a week out, but you have to reserve some time for stuff around the house!) How fabulous would that be?
I think growing up on a traditional school calendar spoiled me quite a bit. It doesn't matter what job I've been in, come summer time I feel like I should be at home, working outside and reading books. Unfortunately in adult life it doesn't happen that way. In some ways I think children who are in year-round schools have a better understanding of how the real world operates as far as schedules are concerned. They won't have to adapt to the year-long work mentality.
But seeing as how there won't be a month-long vacation, I'll just hunker down and snatch a few vacation breather moments here and there. And just think...in 2 weeks I'll actually have breather moments every single day! Whoohoo!
I know there would still be laundry and cooking to do, but could you imagine 3 weeks of reading, sleeping, sewing, walking, and writing at either the mountains or the beach? (Yes, I know I left a week out, but you have to reserve some time for stuff around the house!) How fabulous would that be?
I think growing up on a traditional school calendar spoiled me quite a bit. It doesn't matter what job I've been in, come summer time I feel like I should be at home, working outside and reading books. Unfortunately in adult life it doesn't happen that way. In some ways I think children who are in year-round schools have a better understanding of how the real world operates as far as schedules are concerned. They won't have to adapt to the year-long work mentality.
But seeing as how there won't be a month-long vacation, I'll just hunker down and snatch a few vacation breather moments here and there. And just think...in 2 weeks I'll actually have breather moments every single day! Whoohoo!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
when the norm becomes strange
I did some outside work Tuesday afternoon. Add that to the frantic quilting taking place at my house, being at a computer 6 hours a day, and my hands and shoulders are quite sore. Last night one of my hands was really hurting, and I was afraid the muscle had knotted up. It's strange how you can look at your hands all your life, but once you start hurting you're suddenly not sure if that's how they've always looked. If I hold both hands flat, they look the same. If I tighten them into a fist, one has a small knot/bump on it. It's very possible it's just a big wad of fat, or that it's been there forever, but given the intensive work I've been doing with my hands this week and the pain I had yesterday and some today it kind of makes me wonder. I don't mind doing physical labor, but I don't want muscular hands.
And I find myself in the same dilemma at work. For example, I'm working on things for the Missions Revival at the moment, and after typing and seeing the word "foreign" umpteen hundred times, I'm suddenly not sure if it's spelled right. I've spelled it all my life and never gave it a second thought, but now I'm not so sure and it looks strange.
Now if I can just get to the point where eating chocolate seems strange, I'll be set!
And I find myself in the same dilemma at work. For example, I'm working on things for the Missions Revival at the moment, and after typing and seeing the word "foreign" umpteen hundred times, I'm suddenly not sure if it's spelled right. I've spelled it all my life and never gave it a second thought, but now I'm not so sure and it looks strange.
Now if I can just get to the point where eating chocolate seems strange, I'll be set!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
my best ideas
In response to Sara M's blog, here's my crazy answers:
My best writing/drawing ideas come to me when:
My best writing/drawing ideas come to me when:
- I'm in church
- I'm in the shower
- I'm supposed to be working on something else that has a deadline
- I'm asleep
and if I don't forget and have time, I'll post on the bearded ladies conversation tomorrow.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
dream fodder
I like today's kind of shopping. Our first visit was to a place I'd never been before, but saw advertised in a catalogue. Called the Logan Trading Company, it's a gardener's haven with a wide variety of items to tie up your time and cause you to daydream. Like their products, their prices are out of this world, but it was well worth the time to drive to downtown Raleigh and browse. And they had everything, from the serious to the whimsical, from indoor plants or patio and terrace things to outdoor dig in the dirt and make a statement plants. I was totally intrigued.
And of course we followed it up with a visit to Lowe's (in the midst of trying to find a gas station under $4 that still had gas). I did buy a few plants there, and browsed through several sections gathering even MORE ideas for projects that I really don't have time to do, but I left with that "ahh" satisfied feeling. Sometimes I think I like looking and researching a project even more than I like the projects themselves.
And if I ever get brave enough to tackle anything else, I'll try to remember to take photos so I can post the before, during, and after.
Praise God for weekends!
And of course we followed it up with a visit to Lowe's (in the midst of trying to find a gas station under $4 that still had gas). I did buy a few plants there, and browsed through several sections gathering even MORE ideas for projects that I really don't have time to do, but I left with that "ahh" satisfied feeling. Sometimes I think I like looking and researching a project even more than I like the projects themselves.
And if I ever get brave enough to tackle anything else, I'll try to remember to take photos so I can post the before, during, and after.
Praise God for weekends!
Sunday, May 25, 2008
the fuel debate
I am scared of propane. When I was in HS, we felt the neighborhood shake. I thought a train had de-railed downtown, but then a few minutes later we heard sirens heading our way. We went outside, and there were flames and smoke billowing about a block away. Turns out the house had a gas leak. The lady in the kitchen died; the man in the living room had 80% of his body burned, and died several months later. It was never determined whether his smoking or her cooking caused the explosion.
In China, we had to cook with gas. Our propane tanks were almost as tall as me. There were countless stories of them catching fire as people hauled them up and down the many flights of steps, or wrecked their bikes (with the tank strapped on the back bar, of course).
So now we are thinking (yes, we're still discussing it after several years) of purchasing a grill. Several years ago my brother-in-law bought me the cheapest grill he could find so we could have grilled hamburgers while he was here. It was charcoal, and other than cleaning it (and only having one lesson on how to cook on it) it was okay. Now, my father and brother both have invested in gas grills and love them. Bobby thinks it will be easier to clean. But I still struggle with the fact that there'll be this little gas tank underneath where I'm cooking, that they can spring leaks, or get cobwebs in them causing the gas to back up, or I'll have to haul the stupid thing in my car when it empties and haul a FULL tank back home. That just doesn't appeal to me. So the fuel debate continues. Do we purchase a nice charcoal grill like my Dad had when I was growing up and teach myself how to grill, or do we go with the gas and its horrors and the easy clean-up? My brother-in-law is coming back to visit the first week in July, so I ought to make a decision before then. Decisions, decisions.
In China, we had to cook with gas. Our propane tanks were almost as tall as me. There were countless stories of them catching fire as people hauled them up and down the many flights of steps, or wrecked their bikes (with the tank strapped on the back bar, of course).
So now we are thinking (yes, we're still discussing it after several years) of purchasing a grill. Several years ago my brother-in-law bought me the cheapest grill he could find so we could have grilled hamburgers while he was here. It was charcoal, and other than cleaning it (and only having one lesson on how to cook on it) it was okay. Now, my father and brother both have invested in gas grills and love them. Bobby thinks it will be easier to clean. But I still struggle with the fact that there'll be this little gas tank underneath where I'm cooking, that they can spring leaks, or get cobwebs in them causing the gas to back up, or I'll have to haul the stupid thing in my car when it empties and haul a FULL tank back home. That just doesn't appeal to me. So the fuel debate continues. Do we purchase a nice charcoal grill like my Dad had when I was growing up and teach myself how to grill, or do we go with the gas and its horrors and the easy clean-up? My brother-in-law is coming back to visit the first week in July, so I ought to make a decision before then. Decisions, decisions.
Friday, February 29, 2008
oddities
Once when touring a musuem, I saw this rusty item that resembled a PVC joint (you know, one of the L-shaped tubes). I stood there wondering why that was in a museum. Then I read the description, and it read something like, "utensil from 315B.C." Yeah, right.
Did it ever occur to the sun-stroked, volunteer-student archealogist, or the loopy college professor who never got fresh air, that the item could be any number of things? It could have been part of a handle on a water pitcher, or a pipe for running water, part of a machine, a spigot, or even a meat grinder! Sometimes I look at the things in my bathroom, and wonder what an excavator might label them 2,000 years down the road. I mean, look at a hairdryer. Would they consider that a weapon? The shape isn't all that different from a kitchen mixer. So how do all these people come up with such stuff?
I don't always ponder such stuff, but my brother's comment about cave drawings got me to thinking. For some bizarre reason I always thought cave drawings were maps or teachings or something. But what if they weren't? What if it was actually some kids drawing on the walls of the house? Or a housewife tired of looking at plain rock?
Speaking of plain things, I've got two projects I had really wanted to finish before the end of February. Seeing as the day is almost over, which means the month is almost over, I had better go get busy.
Did it ever occur to the sun-stroked, volunteer-student archealogist, or the loopy college professor who never got fresh air, that the item could be any number of things? It could have been part of a handle on a water pitcher, or a pipe for running water, part of a machine, a spigot, or even a meat grinder! Sometimes I look at the things in my bathroom, and wonder what an excavator might label them 2,000 years down the road. I mean, look at a hairdryer. Would they consider that a weapon? The shape isn't all that different from a kitchen mixer. So how do all these people come up with such stuff?
I don't always ponder such stuff, but my brother's comment about cave drawings got me to thinking. For some bizarre reason I always thought cave drawings were maps or teachings or something. But what if they weren't? What if it was actually some kids drawing on the walls of the house? Or a housewife tired of looking at plain rock?
Speaking of plain things, I've got two projects I had really wanted to finish before the end of February. Seeing as the day is almost over, which means the month is almost over, I had better go get busy.
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