Entries from March 1, 2010 - April 1, 2010
Parenting Teens: A Chip Off The Block
Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at 02:14AM This is a story Skyler wrote for her writing class.
So my idea for the blog post is about the time I had just finished watching some horror movie (a dumb idea considering I was home alone and supposed to be doing school anyways,) when I hear a car door slam. Since we live next to an inn, this isn’t unusual. Then my dog starts barking her head off, again this isn’t unusual, my dog is a spaz. However when she started growling viciously at the door, that started to freak me out since she never growls. I heard the basement door bang and footsteps coming up the stairs, all the worst case scenarios and scenes from the movie I had just watched were running through my head… so I grabbed a wooden baseball bat that was lying by our stairs and headed to the basement door ready to attack whoever had broken in. (The thought of calling the police never occurred for some reason.) So I’m holding the bat ready to swing when the door starts to open, I closed my eyes and yelled as loud as I could. In my head this was a ferocious battle cry, in reality it was a high pitched girly shriek. To my surprise, it was greeted with another girly scream…. Coming from my sister! Turns out the only reason my dog had been growling is because her boyfriend had dropped her off and my dog didn’t recognize him from the window. My sister wasn’t expecting to be ambushed by some crazy screaming girl waving a bat in her face, we’re both just standing there screaming as she runs straight past me and locks herself in the bathroom. It took us both about a minute to realize what happened before we died laughing. I figure next time my parents are out and it’s late at night, I’ll skip the horror movie.
I am very proud for her.
Parenting Adults: My Generation
Sunday, March 14, 2010 at 12:00AM Having Haggai home was interesting as usual. We were food shopping for Igor’s party and Haggai asked if we had any Ranch dressing, 'Kraft' Ranch dressing to be precise. I thought that was weird because he had just convinced me there was no point in serving a salad because none of his friends would eat it, so why dressing?
“Ranch dressing is the ketchup of my generation”, he replied.
That got me thinking of other generational differences he has mentioned from time to time. My generation joined either the Republican or Democrat party when we registered to vote. His almost to a man or woman among his friends have registered Independent.
None of his friends have landline phones. They don’t have cable or dish connections for TV. They use Hulu or NetFlicks for their TV content.
Music is stored on laptops or MP3 players. CDs are for “grandmas” (which is ageist because most of my friends that are grandmas use MP3 players).
Most of his friends don’t have health insurance period. Of those that do it is more likely because their parents pay for it than through their jobs.
It should be noted that Haggai and his friends are in their early to mid 20s.
Have you observed or been informed of a generational difference you would like to add to the list?
No Knead Bread Is Amazing!!!
Friday, March 12, 2010 at 12:00AM Mark Bittman’s famous U Tube video for no knead homemade bread will show you how to make the most amazing bread. The bread is beyond sublime. Easy, cheap, not quick, but not labor intensive. I use a 5 quart cast iron pot. Lisa at Alterity uses a a stainless steel dutch oven. These pots are so much cheaper to buy than the cast iron enamel clad pot used in the video. I would not recommend letting your 6 year old make the bread without adult supervision. Iron pots heated for 30 minutes at 450 degrees are dangerous. Use an instant read thermometer to test for doneness, 200 degrees is the magic number. If you are a home baker this is amazing bread.
The magic ingredients are 3 cups flour, ¼ teaspoon instant yeast (not a typo ¼), 1¼ teaspoon salt and 1 ½ cup of water. Wheat brand or corn meal for dusting.
Beyond sublime, truly.
I Couldn't Write It Any Better: The Case For Christianity
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 12:00AM This is a post from my good friend Stacey at All Stace, All The Time. I though about writing on the same topic but I think she did an exceptional job, so why reinvent the wheel? Please visit her at All Stace, All The Time. Every Friday she does a chick flick movie review just in time for your weekend viewing pleasure.
Back in February of 1996, I became a Christian. I was raised Catholic - not a practicing Catholic, but we went to church for weddings, funerals, and occasionally on Christmas or Easter. When we moved to NC, we had some friends invite us to church - a Baptist church. The experience was amazing and changed my life.
Here's the thing that some people don't get: Being a Christian does not equal being perfect. God works on each of us individually, he grows us in our faith individually. When I first was saved, I had a mentor who told me "Hold on to your hat" because basically, life was going to get harder. That's another misconception about Christianity, that now life is going to get easier because you have the Lord on your side. Not true.
Being a Christian in an un-religious family, has not been easy. Being married to a man who does not go to church is not easy. Raising two children - one who loves going to church and one who does not, is not easy. But I have to remember that I have to take responsibility for ME and who I am - I can be an example to others with my faith, but I cannot force people to change.
I still curse. I still get angry. I still offend others. And you know what? GOD KNOWS THAT! One of the first Christians I had ever met was a really nice woman. She lived a very conservative, faith-filled life. Years later, she left her husband because he was not wealthy enough to make her feel secure. She met another man at the gym or somewhere and started a relationship with him. He had money, he makes her feel secure. She left her husband. I had lost touch with her by the time this happened and only heard about this situation through mutual friends but what shocked me the most was that NO ONE attacked her faith. No one seemed to remind her that her behavior was not something that would be pleasing to God.
Okay, but then one could say that sin is sin - there is no degree of sins. You can commit murder of cheat on your spouse and though popular culture would say that murder is the bigger crime, in God's eyes they are equal. So my cursing and bad behavior are just as bad as committing adultery. That's kind of eye opening, isn't it?
Do you know what makes me feel better? Is that God loves me. He knows me, he knows my heart. I don't read my bible every day, I haven't memorized the Scriptures but you know what? The church is FULL of people who do and have that are horrible human beings! Reading your bible or being able to quote Scripture do not make you a good person.
It's been a long running discussion in my house about people who go to church. Frank doesn't like to go because he feels that the church is full of hypocrites. He's right. No one can argue that but many try. What is important to remember, well several important things to remember are A.) Who are you there for on Sunday mornings? Are you going to church because of your faith and to learn more about God and having a relationship with Him or are you there so that people will see you? While it is great to see friends on Sunday morning or perhaps have lunch with them afterwards, but if that is the only reason you are in church, you've missed the boat. B.) the church is just a building. Being in there does not make you a believer and finally, C.) What are you like Monday-Saturday? Are you the same person 7 days a week or do you act one way Sunday morning and another the rest of the week? Do you have a church voice that comes out once a week? If so, you're missing the point.
In the past people have said to me that I was not a good Christian. My words offended them and therefore I could not possibly be a good Christian. I would have been hurt by the words but God tells us that we will be persecuted because of our faith. The ones who have said that are not Christians, they have no idea what it means to be one. Their view is that if you are a Christian, you should be meek, quiet and basically be a doormat to humanity. Um...no. I will have to answer to God for the things that I have done, I accept that. I don't really care about someone else's opinion of my faith. It's none of their business; that is between me and God.
At the end of the day, I am so thankful that I HAVE God in my life. I am thankful for the family that I have through Him. I am most thankful that He brought me to North Carolina and in doing that brought me to Him.
That's my preaching for the week. Thanks for listening...God Bless!
If you have a post you would like considered to be highlighted in my sporadic I Couldn't Write It Any Better posting, please leave the link to the post in a comment or contact me via e-card. I am looking for interesting family friendly posts on a wide variety of topics. If you are a better speller/proofer than I am that would be good also.
The Plot: Taking Advantage
Monday, March 8, 2010 at 12:00AM I am beginning to suspect the idea of putting the house on the market is a plot by my husband to have me declutter the house. I suspect this because there is now a notable lack of enthusiasm on his part to get the house prepped for sale.
I confess I am taking advantage of the house for sale situation to get some of the repair work done that I have wanted to see completed, but you know how it is - you never have the money right now. The house fans are new, the ugly white carpet in the living room (what was I thinking!) is gone, and the hardwood floor under it has been refinished. We have a claw foot tub that now has a hand-held shower attachment. Why we didn’t think to add one when we had 3 kids under 5, I do not know. It would have made bath time so much easier.
Even if it never gets on the market, it will be easier and nicer to live in.
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