The other night we watched Food Inc. Definitely biased, but certainly no more biased than the big corporations that control so much of our food supply.
One of many thoughts in the wake of the movie:
A nice, scientific level of control is behind the government oversight of our food supply and of our butchers. Food factories must maintain a certain level of chemical cleanliness. Nutrition (removed through processing) is replaced with chemical versions of vitamins. Science says to eat more of this, less of that. We don't want food to spoil, so we do things to make lettuce shelf-stable for several weeks. We take our corn and soybeans into the laboratory and turn them into all sorts of food items. It's all very scientific.
But food is about life. Food was alive. Meat was alive, walking or swimming or flying. Milk came from a living animal, to be fed to the growing baby. Fruits and veggies came from living plants. Grains came from grasses.
Science doesn't control LIFE. Science doesn't rule life. Science doesn't make life.
Sometimes LIFE even has the audacity to do what science says ain't gonna happen. People who are supposed to die end up living. People who are supposed to live end up dying. Medicines that help some people to heal are the same medicines that harm others who have the same disease.
Food is from life, and food is for life. Food often requires sacrifice: the animal must die, or the seed must be planted into the ground to die and then bring forth new life. Additionally, food engenders fellowship, and food brings pleasure. Food is not cold, hard science. There are things about gardening, ranching, butchering, and cooking that are arts, ruled more by common sense and love and skill than they are controlled by science.
And where will we be when we've lost the common sense and the skill and have to depend only on the scientists for our food?
Monday, March 08, 2010
Today's Laugh
Reilly is walking through a graveyard when he comes across a headstone with the inscription, "Here lies a politician and an honest man."
"Faith now," exclaims Reilly, "I wonder how they got the two of them in one grave."
"Faith now," exclaims Reilly, "I wonder how they got the two of them in one grave."
Sunday, March 07, 2010
New Altar
These were taken on the Thursday that the new furnishings arrived and on Saturday after the introductory meeting.
Today's Laugh
A teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five- and six-year-olds.
After explaining the commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother," she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"
Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."
After explaining the commandment to "honor thy father and thy mother," she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?"
Without missing a beat, one little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."
Saturday, March 06, 2010
Today's Laugh
During a phone conversation, my nephew mentioned that he was taking a psychology course at university.
"Oh, great," I said, "Now you'll be analyzing everyone in the family."
"No, no," he replied. "I don't take abnormal psychology until next semester."
"Oh, great," I said, "Now you'll be analyzing everyone in the family."
"No, no," he replied. "I don't take abnormal psychology until next semester."
Friday, March 05, 2010
New Altar Arriving
Do you remember what it was like when you were little and just couldn't wait for Christmas to arrive so you could open your wonderful, awesome, totally great, beautiful, fantastic presents?
Like Pastor said Wednesday night at choir practice, it felt like Christmas Eve. The new chancel furnishings were due to arrive Thursday morning after Bible class.
Mark and Jim putting the new cabinet into place under the old altar, which stands against the back wall.
Jim, who did a lot of the work on the chancel renovations last spring. (Maybe his wife or daughters will provide some input as to what he helped with on the furnishings.)
The new pulpit.
Mark and Jim carry in the base of the new altar.
Al, Pastor, Mark, and Jim putting the altar into place.
Quite the crowd stayed to watch after Bible class. The excitement and the awe was sure something! Here we have Judy and Bonnie (with Ralph, Kurt, and Frederick the Wise in the background).
And here we have Judy, Erma, Guenther, Shirley, Luise, Bernice, Jim, and Ed.
By the way, just for the record, I'd like to point out something. All y'all who buy CCA materials, take a look at these pictures. These are the folks who collate and bind your books. Some publishing houses have machines to assemble their materials. But we have this crew of saints who do an awful lot of the work by hand, fueled by coffee and laughter and Marcie's baked goods.
Adjusting something for leveling.
Janelle and Marcie. (Aren't they just SO darn cute??)
Andrew, Leah, Maggie, and Bryce.
Kara, looking more serious and ponderous than you normally see her. Maybe it's time for a serious caption, like "Jesus, I will ponder now on Thy holy passion... Grant that I in love and faith may the image cherish of Thy suffering, pain, and death, that I may not perish."
Kara, Kathy, and Jeannine.
And, for the craftsmen...
applause and thanks and
awe-struck dropped jaws and gratitude
(and whatever other words a thesaurus might supply for "thanks") ...
Allan the master, and Mark who helped.
Like Pastor said Wednesday night at choir practice, it felt like Christmas Eve. The new chancel furnishings were due to arrive Thursday morning after Bible class.
Mark and Jim putting the new cabinet into place under the old altar, which stands against the back wall.
Jim, who did a lot of the work on the chancel renovations last spring. (Maybe his wife or daughters will provide some input as to what he helped with on the furnishings.)
The new pulpit.
Mark and Jim carry in the base of the new altar.
Al, Pastor, Mark, and Jim putting the altar into place.
Quite the crowd stayed to watch after Bible class. The excitement and the awe was sure something! Here we have Judy and Bonnie (with Ralph, Kurt, and Frederick the Wise in the background).
And here we have Judy, Erma, Guenther, Shirley, Luise, Bernice, Jim, and Ed.
By the way, just for the record, I'd like to point out something. All y'all who buy CCA materials, take a look at these pictures. These are the folks who collate and bind your books. Some publishing houses have machines to assemble their materials. But we have this crew of saints who do an awful lot of the work by hand, fueled by coffee and laughter and Marcie's baked goods.
Adjusting something for leveling.
Janelle and Marcie. (Aren't they just SO darn cute??)
Andrew, Leah, Maggie, and Bryce.
Kara, looking more serious and ponderous than you normally see her. Maybe it's time for a serious caption, like "Jesus, I will ponder now on Thy holy passion... Grant that I in love and faith may the image cherish of Thy suffering, pain, and death, that I may not perish."
Kara, Kathy, and Jeannine.
And, for the craftsmen...
applause and thanks and
awe-struck dropped jaws and gratitude
(and whatever other words a thesaurus might supply for "thanks") ...
Allan the master, and Mark who helped.
Today's Laugh
Paddy and Mick were nailing up the side of a wooden house. Mick noticed that Paddy was examining the nails and throwing away every second and third. "What's wrong with the nails?" he asked.
"Sure, the heads are at the wrong end."
"You are stupid, you idiot. Can't you see they are for the other side of the house?"
"Sure, the heads are at the wrong end."
"You are stupid, you idiot. Can't you see they are for the other side of the house?"
Thursday, March 04, 2010
Psalm 94:12-13
Blessed is the man whom You instruct, o Lord,
and teach out of Your law,
that You may give him rest from the days of adversity,
until the pit is dug for the wicked.
We so often think that verses like these mean that God instructs us in how to be good, how to follow rules like the Ten Commandments, how to be nice.
But that's not where we find rest.
When we actually look at the law in Exodus and Leviticus, it's full of stuff about sacrifices. It tells about God's arrangements for worship. It tells how God provides the sacrificial system, as well as the animals for the sacrifices. There's atoning blood all over the place in the Law. There are pictures of Jesus all over the Law: the altar, the lampstand, the priests, the sacrificial lamb, the tabernacle, etc.
When we are taught from the Law, we see how there is always need for forgiveness, how we cannot obey the laws of God, how the blood of another must be shed on our behalf. When we are taught from the Law, we are shown the God of the Promise of Salvation.
And that's where we find rest from adversity.
If I say, "My foot slips,"
Your mercy, o Lord, will hold me up.
and teach out of Your law,
that You may give him rest from the days of adversity,
until the pit is dug for the wicked.
We so often think that verses like these mean that God instructs us in how to be good, how to follow rules like the Ten Commandments, how to be nice.
But that's not where we find rest.
When we actually look at the law in Exodus and Leviticus, it's full of stuff about sacrifices. It tells about God's arrangements for worship. It tells how God provides the sacrificial system, as well as the animals for the sacrifices. There's atoning blood all over the place in the Law. There are pictures of Jesus all over the Law: the altar, the lampstand, the priests, the sacrificial lamb, the tabernacle, etc.
When we are taught from the Law, we see how there is always need for forgiveness, how we cannot obey the laws of God, how the blood of another must be shed on our behalf. When we are taught from the Law, we are shown the God of the Promise of Salvation.
And that's where we find rest from adversity.
If I say, "My foot slips,"
Your mercy, o Lord, will hold me up.
Today's Laugh
A little boy at school asks the teacher if he can go to the washroom.
"Okay" says the teacher. "But first you've got to say the alphabet."
They boy says the alphabet: "a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,q,r,s,t,u,v,w,x,y,z."
"What happened to the 'p'?" asked the teacher.
"It's leaking out of my boots now."
"Okay" says the teacher. "But first you've got to say the alphabet."
They boy says the alphabet: "a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,q,r,s,t,u,v,w,x,y,z."
"What happened to the 'p'?" asked the teacher.
"It's leaking out of my boots now."
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
Quarry Coffee
Gary took today off work because he needed to take care of some business at one of those government departments where the wait is usually 2-3 hours around here. (He drove to Elkhorn and took care of the renewal there. Quicker to drive than to stand in line in Milwaukee or Waukesha. And he fetched my piggy from the butcher.) He also wanted to attend the pollworker training that our township conducted this afternoon. We did go on a "date" for the training of how to set up the voting machines. I can't believe how humongous the instruction guide is for how to deal with various situations that will arise on election day!
We started the day with a breakfast date at Quarry Coffee. Our friend Randy took Gary there a couple of weeks ago, and Gary was so impressed that he wanted to take me. (Actually, he wanted to introduce me to baked oatmeal so that I could make some at home; the date was just the excuse. Lucky for me that Erin has a recipe for baked oatmeal.)
Quarry Coffee is a lovely little place. With real food. And a great atmosphere. I kept thinking, "This is the kind of restaurant I want to have." Someday. In my dreams. Either when the government cuts back on the hoop-jumping, or when I resign myself to jumping through a gazillion hoops. I would love to have a restaurant like that: a limited menu that has a bit of variety each day, quality ingredients, and a warm & friendly ambiance. Ah, dreaming ....
We started the day with a breakfast date at Quarry Coffee. Our friend Randy took Gary there a couple of weeks ago, and Gary was so impressed that he wanted to take me. (Actually, he wanted to introduce me to baked oatmeal so that I could make some at home; the date was just the excuse. Lucky for me that Erin has a recipe for baked oatmeal.)
Quarry Coffee is a lovely little place. With real food. And a great atmosphere. I kept thinking, "This is the kind of restaurant I want to have." Someday. In my dreams. Either when the government cuts back on the hoop-jumping, or when I resign myself to jumping through a gazillion hoops. I would love to have a restaurant like that: a limited menu that has a bit of variety each day, quality ingredients, and a warm & friendly ambiance. Ah, dreaming ....
American Players Theatre
Anxious for Richard III this summer. APT-lovers can check out the APT Channel on you-tube.
Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Today's Laugh
A man died and was greeted by St Peter at the gates of heaven.
"Well, I don't have much data on you. Please tell me what you've done that you think you belong in heaven," St Peter said.
"Three Hell's Angels types had stopped a car with a woman in it. I stopped my car and ran up to them. I told them that if they didn't leave immediately, I would stomp them and send them home with their tails between their legs."
St. Peter was a little skeptical about the story and asked, "When did this happen?"
The man replied, "About two minutes ago."
"Well, I don't have much data on you. Please tell me what you've done that you think you belong in heaven," St Peter said.
"Three Hell's Angels types had stopped a car with a woman in it. I stopped my car and ran up to them. I told them that if they didn't leave immediately, I would stomp them and send them home with their tails between their legs."
St. Peter was a little skeptical about the story and asked, "When did this happen?"
The man replied, "About two minutes ago."
Monday, March 01, 2010
Unchangeable Law
In our Bible story today, we heard that Daniel would not pray to King Darius but continued to pray to the Lord. When Darius found out he'd been tricked into condemning Daniel, he "set his heart on Daniel to deliver him; and he labored to the going down of the sun to deliver him" (Daniel 6). But the laws and statutes and decrees could not be changed. So Darius had no option left but to commend Daniel to his God.
Like the laws of the Medes and the Persians, God's law cannot be altered. The law could not be set aside simply because it was going to have ugly consequences; it had to stand. But God is greater than Darius. When the Lord set His heart on us to deliver us, when He labored to the going down of the sun that one Friday, He was able to deliver us.
Like the laws of the Medes and the Persians, God's law cannot be altered. The law could not be set aside simply because it was going to have ugly consequences; it had to stand. But God is greater than Darius. When the Lord set His heart on us to deliver us, when He labored to the going down of the sun that one Friday, He was able to deliver us.
Swelled Head
School auction yesterday. This is a cruddy picture of Vanna Emma, the "MC," and the auctioneer, but hey, it was dark and this is the best shot I got.
Having never been to one of these before, I wasn't sure how it all worked, so what I offered was small: just two loaves of bread a month for four months. But good golly, it went for a lot more money than I expected. And so many different people bid on it ... like as if they anticipate yummy bread from me. Oh boy!
It's going to be fun to bake loaves for the purchaser along with our regular just-for-toast loaves, knowing they will enjoy it.
Having never been to one of these before, I wasn't sure how it all worked, so what I offered was small: just two loaves of bread a month for four months. But good golly, it went for a lot more money than I expected. And so many different people bid on it ... like as if they anticipate yummy bread from me. Oh boy!
It's going to be fun to bake loaves for the purchaser along with our regular just-for-toast loaves, knowing they will enjoy it.
Today's Laugh
If you can't get rid of the family skeleton,
you may as well make it dance.
HT: Kari
you may as well make it dance.
- George Bernard Shaw
HT: Kari
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Rahab
As we read the first couple of chapters of Joshua today in Sunday school, we talked about the spies' escape from Jericho. Rahab hid the spies because she believed in the Promise (Genesis 12 & 15). But what I thought was really nifty was the scarlet cord she used to sneak the spies out of the city, letting them down from the window on the city wall. It was almost like Passover, what with the red sign marking the entry into the home, and the red sign meant everyone in that household would be spared.
See, His blood doth mark our door.
Faith points to it;
Death passes o'er,
And Satan cannot harm us. Alleluia!
See, His blood doth mark our door.
Faith points to it;
Death passes o'er,
And Satan cannot harm us. Alleluia!
Today's Laugh
A nursing home resident, suffering from dementia, decided to shed all her clothes and "streak."
She passed two male residents sitting in their wheel chairs in the hallway. The first male asked the second, "Who was that?"
"I THINK it was Miss Rita," answered his friend.
"Well, what was that she had on?"
"I don't know," he considered, "but I think it needs ironing."
She passed two male residents sitting in their wheel chairs in the hallway. The first male asked the second, "Who was that?"
"I THINK it was Miss Rita," answered his friend.
"Well, what was that she had on?"
"I don't know," he considered, "but I think it needs ironing."
Saturday, February 27, 2010
I Confess
We watched I Confess again last week.
This time I was struck by two things I hadn't noticed before. (Warning: spoilers follow.)
First, everybody knew that the seal of the confessional was not to be violated. The murderer relied on the fact that the priest could not and would not tell. The murderer's wife wasn't completely sure that the priest would keep his mouth shut, but with the reminder about the seal of the confessional, she was pretty sure he would abide by it. The detective pressed the priest for information, but he did not know that he was asking Father Logan to reveal what he'd heard in confession. The priest's former girlfriend and the blackmailer both know that the priest will not tell about sins he knows of. Today we have pastors telling other pastors that there are times when they must reveal what they've heard in confession. But in years past, people had a better sense that the ordination vow, "Do you promise never to divulge the sins confessed to you?" actually meant never.
Second, what brought about Alma's confession? She went through the movie worried that her husband's crime would come to light. She sat through the priest's trial without a word, watching with increased discomfort as her husband lied. But still she bore her own guilt. It was Father Logan's sacrifice and love which finally moved her to confess. It wasn't guilt. It wasn't the law. It wasn't threats that moved her. Her heart was changed as she was the recipient of sacrificial love, as she saw this man silently and patiently bear their sin.
Wow! Compare Hitchcock's theology to much of what we run across today.
This time I was struck by two things I hadn't noticed before. (Warning: spoilers follow.)
First, everybody knew that the seal of the confessional was not to be violated. The murderer relied on the fact that the priest could not and would not tell. The murderer's wife wasn't completely sure that the priest would keep his mouth shut, but with the reminder about the seal of the confessional, she was pretty sure he would abide by it. The detective pressed the priest for information, but he did not know that he was asking Father Logan to reveal what he'd heard in confession. The priest's former girlfriend and the blackmailer both know that the priest will not tell about sins he knows of. Today we have pastors telling other pastors that there are times when they must reveal what they've heard in confession. But in years past, people had a better sense that the ordination vow, "Do you promise never to divulge the sins confessed to you?" actually meant never.
Second, what brought about Alma's confession? She went through the movie worried that her husband's crime would come to light. She sat through the priest's trial without a word, watching with increased discomfort as her husband lied. But still she bore her own guilt. It was Father Logan's sacrifice and love which finally moved her to confess. It wasn't guilt. It wasn't the law. It wasn't threats that moved her. Her heart was changed as she was the recipient of sacrificial love, as she saw this man silently and patiently bear their sin.
Wow! Compare Hitchcock's theology to much of what we run across today.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Hoarding
Why is it that I hate using that last of something?
It doesn't bother me to use hamburger and rice and canned tomatoes freely. I'm fine with getting out plenty of potatoes or tuna or pasta. But using the ONE salmon steak in the freezer? Eeek. Opening those precious jars of chicken meat that came from Katie's pantry? Well, well, ... I might need those later. I can use lettuce freely in summer when I can get gobs from the garden, but using lettuce at this time of year means that it will be gone from the fridge, and there wouldn't be any if I want some tomorrow on my sandwich.
So if there's just a little, I don't touch it. And risk letting it go bad. How dumb is that?
It doesn't bother me to use hamburger and rice and canned tomatoes freely. I'm fine with getting out plenty of potatoes or tuna or pasta. But using the ONE salmon steak in the freezer? Eeek. Opening those precious jars of chicken meat that came from Katie's pantry? Well, well, ... I might need those later. I can use lettuce freely in summer when I can get gobs from the garden, but using lettuce at this time of year means that it will be gone from the fridge, and there wouldn't be any if I want some tomorrow on my sandwich.
So if there's just a little, I don't touch it. And risk letting it go bad. How dumb is that?
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
God Works for Good
On this St Matthias Day, Pr Eckardt writes on whether the Eleven should have chosen a successor to Judas so that they would again be the Twelve, or if they should have waited until God gave them Paul to be the twelfth.
The important point, though, is not about who picked whom and when.
What matters is that the Lord blesses what we do. He even blesses our mistakes. Even when we screw up in the offices into which He has placed us, He does good to those we have been called to serve. I love Pastor Eckardt's conclusion: we too may learn to live without regret. If we might have made decisions that in retrospect could be called ill-advised, we may take confidence in this, that God assumes them into the course of our grace-laden lives, and moves forward with us in His unspeakable mercy.
The important point, though, is not about who picked whom and when.
What matters is that the Lord blesses what we do. He even blesses our mistakes. Even when we screw up in the offices into which He has placed us, He does good to those we have been called to serve. I love Pastor Eckardt's conclusion: we too may learn to live without regret. If we might have made decisions that in retrospect could be called ill-advised, we may take confidence in this, that God assumes them into the course of our grace-laden lives, and moves forward with us in His unspeakable mercy.
Today's Laugh
From Kari, who has some of the best laughs!
LETTER FROM AN EXCELLENT BOSS
Dear Employees:
As the CEO of this organization, I have resigned myself to the fact that Barack Obama is our President and that our taxes and government fees will increase in a BIG way. To compensate for these increases, our prices would have to increase by about 10%. But since we can not increase our prices right now due to the dismal state of the economy, we will have to lay off sixty of our employees instead.
This has really been bothering me since I believe we are family here, and I didn't know how to choose who would have to go. So, this is what I did. I walked through our parking lots and found sixty Obama bumper stickers on our employees' cars and have decided these folks will be the ones to let go. I can't think of a more fair way to approach this problem. They voted for change ... I gave it to them.
I will see the rest of you at the annual company picnic.
THE BOSS
LETTER FROM AN EXCELLENT BOSS
Dear Employees:
As the CEO of this organization, I have resigned myself to the fact that Barack Obama is our President and that our taxes and government fees will increase in a BIG way. To compensate for these increases, our prices would have to increase by about 10%. But since we can not increase our prices right now due to the dismal state of the economy, we will have to lay off sixty of our employees instead.
This has really been bothering me since I believe we are family here, and I didn't know how to choose who would have to go. So, this is what I did. I walked through our parking lots and found sixty Obama bumper stickers on our employees' cars and have decided these folks will be the ones to let go. I can't think of a more fair way to approach this problem. They voted for change ... I gave it to them.
I will see the rest of you at the annual company picnic.
THE BOSS
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Embroidery
Mag mentioned last night wanting to learn to sew. I wasn't sure whether to start with the machine or hand-sewing.
Last night while we read Betsy-Tacy, she embroidered a simple heart on some scrap cloth and did an awesome job! Today we downloaded a simple coloring-book picture of a bird on the branch of a cherry tree, traced it onto a piece of scrap cloth, and she's outlining it in appropriate colors.
We're going to need to buy more colors of thread or floss. Pretty quickly she's going to run through what little I have. Nifty, eh?
Last night while we read Betsy-Tacy, she embroidered a simple heart on some scrap cloth and did an awesome job! Today we downloaded a simple coloring-book picture of a bird on the branch of a cherry tree, traced it onto a piece of scrap cloth, and she's outlining it in appropriate colors.
We're going to need to buy more colors of thread or floss. Pretty quickly she's going to run through what little I have. Nifty, eh?
FOMS
Fear Of Missing Something. It's a fear that I share with a lot of my friends. Online friends and some in-real-life friends.
As I try [again!!!] to get my computer addiction under control, it crossed my mind that I miss something no matter which way I turn. I may miss the online conversations. But if I participate in them to my heart's content, then I'm missing something at home -- the time reading with Maggie, the math play-time with Andrew*, the cleanliness of keeping the kitchen floor properly mopped, watching a movie with Gary, phone chats with Mom & Katie & Paul, etc.
* Okay, so Andrew thinks it's torture. Give me an algebra book and I can't help but think "play-time"!
As I try [again!!!] to get my computer addiction under control, it crossed my mind that I miss something no matter which way I turn. I may miss the online conversations. But if I participate in them to my heart's content, then I'm missing something at home -- the time reading with Maggie, the math play-time with Andrew*, the cleanliness of keeping the kitchen floor properly mopped, watching a movie with Gary, phone chats with Mom & Katie & Paul, etc.
* Okay, so Andrew thinks it's torture. Give me an algebra book and I can't help but think "play-time"!
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Biblical Redundancy
My friend Steve told me once about the Department of Redundancy Department, augmented by the Department of Multivalence Bureau. My pastor (a son of Stephen) talks about how important it is for pastors to be redundant and to repeat themselves and to be redundant.
Okay, but still... Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 are the same thing. It seems pretty weird to me. Why put two of the same hymns in your hymnbook? Wouldn't you like to know what was up with Asaph and his hymnal committee?
And now that we're studying Micah on Thursday mornings, I keep getting jolted by how much Micah sounds like Isaiah. Well, now, they were contemporaries. They must have been going to the same symposia and were probably talking theology at the local Starbucks or pub. Reading Micah (and hearing Isaiah) is almost like listening to some of my pastor-friends and how they all sounds alike.
Okay, but still... Psalm 14 and Psalm 53 are the same thing. It seems pretty weird to me. Why put two of the same hymns in your hymnbook? Wouldn't you like to know what was up with Asaph and his hymnal committee?
And now that we're studying Micah on Thursday mornings, I keep getting jolted by how much Micah sounds like Isaiah. Well, now, they were contemporaries. They must have been going to the same symposia and were probably talking theology at the local Starbucks or pub. Reading Micah (and hearing Isaiah) is almost like listening to some of my pastor-friends and how they all sounds alike.
Rest
The house was cleaned fairly recently.
I'm done editing Karl's book.
I'm going to Woodmans tomorrow, so there was no sense in grocery shopping on Saturday.
More than a week ago, I finished studying the book about a social-skills curriculum.
I went to bed on Friday night not knowing what I was going to do when I woke up on Saturday. Freaky.
I didn't do anything on Saturday. I rested. I got up late. I watched some tv. Itortured Andrew worked on manipulating exponents with Andrew. The kids and I read a little from our history book. I didn't cook; we ordered pizza. I washed only two loads of laundry. I sat with my legs up for much of the day.
I cannot remember the last time I rested like this. It certainly hasn't been since we moved. And I honestly can't remember how long it was before this that I did nothing.
It was a very weird day.
I'm done editing Karl's book.
I'm going to Woodmans tomorrow, so there was no sense in grocery shopping on Saturday.
More than a week ago, I finished studying the book about a social-skills curriculum.
I went to bed on Friday night not knowing what I was going to do when I woke up on Saturday. Freaky.
I didn't do anything on Saturday. I rested. I got up late. I watched some tv. I
I cannot remember the last time I rested like this. It certainly hasn't been since we moved. And I honestly can't remember how long it was before this that I did nothing.
It was a very weird day.
Saturday, February 20, 2010
The Scientific Method Meets the Human Nervous System
We learn that when we do experiments, we must change only one variable at a time. If there are several variations happening, you don't know which one is responsible for the change in outcome.
That's why it's hard to experiment on people. Did the person feel different (or did the medicine or diet have an effect) because of the weather, because of personal or social or emotional issues, because of change in nutrition, because of activity level, because of exposure to germs, or what?
A person who is obviously celiac can't be expected to eat wheat for a couple of weeks to prove to the doctor what effect gluten has on his system.
A person who suspects she is having problems digesting milk can only know for certain if she adds milk back into her diet, and then abstains from milk, and then tries it again. This has to occur several times before she can be sure that the trouble arises from dairy products and not from other environmental factors.
Thing is, testing some of these things hurts. If I, oh, say, get new glasses and within hours begin to have pain in my eyes, how do I know whether the pain is a long-term problem or just the "growing pains" of adjusting? Back and forth, back and forth, testing whether the bifocals are actually causing problems, or if it's just circumstantial. Maybe the eye pain and the headaches are due to some other cause.
Today I am --with much trepidation-- wearing my bifocals again after the pain drove me to tears on Wednesday. After having experienced relief from returning to my old glasses three times, it's mighty hard to put the bifocals back on my face again, anticipating that my current hypothesis will prove correct. Thing is, even if the glasses aren't the cause of the pain, I'm afraid that my expectations may give me problems.
That's why it's hard to experiment on people. Did the person feel different (or did the medicine or diet have an effect) because of the weather, because of personal or social or emotional issues, because of change in nutrition, because of activity level, because of exposure to germs, or what?
A person who is obviously celiac can't be expected to eat wheat for a couple of weeks to prove to the doctor what effect gluten has on his system.
A person who suspects she is having problems digesting milk can only know for certain if she adds milk back into her diet, and then abstains from milk, and then tries it again. This has to occur several times before she can be sure that the trouble arises from dairy products and not from other environmental factors.
Thing is, testing some of these things hurts. If I, oh, say, get new glasses and within hours begin to have pain in my eyes, how do I know whether the pain is a long-term problem or just the "growing pains" of adjusting? Back and forth, back and forth, testing whether the bifocals are actually causing problems, or if it's just circumstantial. Maybe the eye pain and the headaches are due to some other cause.
Today I am --with much trepidation-- wearing my bifocals again after the pain drove me to tears on Wednesday. After having experienced relief from returning to my old glasses three times, it's mighty hard to put the bifocals back on my face again, anticipating that my current hypothesis will prove correct. Thing is, even if the glasses aren't the cause of the pain, I'm afraid that my expectations may give me problems.
Longsuffering and Abundant in Mercy
In the parable of the vineyard (Matthew 21 and Luke 20), the owner of the vineyard sends messengers to his workers. But they refuse to listen. He says, "Surely they will hear my son." But when he sends his son, the workers kill him. The owner will certainly destroy the workers and give the vineyard to others.
Until the last few months, I had never engaged in a really good, deep study of The Acts of the Apostles. As I dug through Acts, one of the things that struck me is how many times God reached out to His people, calling them to repentance, loving them and giving them mercy.
The Jews refused to hear the prophets of the Old Testament and killed many of them. They killed God's Son. But the Father is even more patient than we might expect from the parable. He didn't stomp in and smash His people for killing His Son. Still He sent them prophets. Peter and John preached and were persecuted; Stephen was martyred right away; it wasn't long before James was killed. But still God sent them prophets. When He sent Paul to the Gentiles, Paul always went first to the synagogues, calling the chosen people to repentance, preaching God's love and mercy. But still they persecuted the prophets. They attempted to assassinate Paul. But even after that, it's ten more years before Jerusalem is leveled to the ground.
God gave them forty years [interesting number] after killing His Son.
Psalm 86: But You, o Lord,
are a God full of compassion
and gracious,
longsuffering
and abundant in mercy and truth!
Until the last few months, I had never engaged in a really good, deep study of The Acts of the Apostles. As I dug through Acts, one of the things that struck me is how many times God reached out to His people, calling them to repentance, loving them and giving them mercy.
The Jews refused to hear the prophets of the Old Testament and killed many of them. They killed God's Son. But the Father is even more patient than we might expect from the parable. He didn't stomp in and smash His people for killing His Son. Still He sent them prophets. Peter and John preached and were persecuted; Stephen was martyred right away; it wasn't long before James was killed. But still God sent them prophets. When He sent Paul to the Gentiles, Paul always went first to the synagogues, calling the chosen people to repentance, preaching God's love and mercy. But still they persecuted the prophets. They attempted to assassinate Paul. But even after that, it's ten more years before Jerusalem is leveled to the ground.
God gave them forty years [interesting number] after killing His Son.
Psalm 86: But You, o Lord,
are a God full of compassion
and gracious,
longsuffering
and abundant in mercy and truth!
Today's Laugh
A man lay sprawled across three entire seats in the posh theatre. When the usher came by and noticed this, he whispered to the man, "Sorry, sir, but you're only allowed one seat." The man groaned but didn't budge. The usher became impatient. "Sir, if you don't get up from there I'm going to have to call the manager." Again, the man just groaned, which infuriated the usher who turned and marched briskly back up the aisle in search of his manager.
In a few moments, both the usher and the manager returned and stood over the man. Together the two of them tried repeatedly to move him, but with no success. Finally, they summoned the police. The cop surveyed the situation briefly then asked, "All right buddy, what's your name?"
"Sam," the man moaned.
"Where ya from, Sam?" With pain in his voice, Sam replied, "The balcony."
In a few moments, both the usher and the manager returned and stood over the man. Together the two of them tried repeatedly to move him, but with no success. Finally, they summoned the police. The cop surveyed the situation briefly then asked, "All right buddy, what's your name?"
"Sam," the man moaned.
"Where ya from, Sam?" With pain in his voice, Sam replied, "The balcony."
Friday, February 19, 2010
A Change in Peter
Do you remember the story in Luke 8 and Mark 4, where the disciples' boat was caught in a storm, and Jesus was sleeping through it all? The men accused Him of not caring about them: He was snoozing instead of being panic-driven and frantically helping them save their ship.
Do you remember the story in Acts 12, where Herod executed James and discovered that it pleased the Jews? He decided to earn more brownie-points with the Jews by killing Peter too. But while Peter was in jail, awaiting his death, an angel came and released him. We read:
Constant prayer was offered to God for Peter by the Church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers,...
Peter is sleeping. He is on death row, and he's sleeping. He is no longer panic-driven and frantic in the face of death. Now he's looking more like Jesus, trusting in the Father though the circumstances bode ill.
Entrust your days and burdens
to God's almighty hand.
He cares for you while ruling
the sky, the sea, the land.
For He who guides the tempests
along their thunderous ways
will find for you a pathway
and guide you all your days.
Do you remember the story in Acts 12, where Herod executed James and discovered that it pleased the Jews? He decided to earn more brownie-points with the Jews by killing Peter too. But while Peter was in jail, awaiting his death, an angel came and released him. We read:
Constant prayer was offered to God for Peter by the Church. And when Herod was about to bring him out, that night Peter was sleeping, bound with two chains between two soldiers,...
Peter is sleeping. He is on death row, and he's sleeping. He is no longer panic-driven and frantic in the face of death. Now he's looking more like Jesus, trusting in the Father though the circumstances bode ill.
Entrust your days and burdens
to God's almighty hand.
He cares for you while ruling
the sky, the sea, the land.
For He who guides the tempests
along their thunderous ways
will find for you a pathway
and guide you all your days.
Today's Laugh
When the office printer's type began to grow faint, the office manager called a local repair shop where a friendly man informed him that the printer probably needed only to
be cleaned. Because the store charged $50 for such cleanings, he said, the manager might try reading the printer's manual and doing the job himself.
Pleasantly surprised by his candor, the office manager asked, "Does your boss know that you discourage business?"
"Actually it's my boss's idea," the employee replied. "We usually make more money on repairs if we let people try to fix things themselves first."
be cleaned. Because the store charged $50 for such cleanings, he said, the manager might try reading the printer's manual and doing the job himself.
Pleasantly surprised by his candor, the office manager asked, "Does your boss know that you discourage business?"
"Actually it's my boss's idea," the employee replied. "We usually make more money on repairs if we let people try to fix things themselves first."
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Today's Laugh
A mathematician, a physicist, and an engineer are all given identical rubber balls and told to find the volume. They are given anything they want to measure it and have all the time they need.
The mathematician pulls out a measuring tape and records the circumference. He then divides by two times pi to get the radius, cubes that, multiplies by pi again, and then multiplies by four-thirds and thereby calculates the volume.
The physicist gets a bucket of water, places 1.00000 gallons of water in the bucket, drops in the ball, and measures the displacement to six significant figures.
And the engineer? He writes down the serial number of the ball, and looks it up.
The mathematician pulls out a measuring tape and records the circumference. He then divides by two times pi to get the radius, cubes that, multiplies by pi again, and then multiplies by four-thirds and thereby calculates the volume.
The physicist gets a bucket of water, places 1.00000 gallons of water in the bucket, drops in the ball, and measures the displacement to six significant figures.
And the engineer? He writes down the serial number of the ball, and looks it up.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Today's Laugh
The doctor said, "Jerry, the good news is that I can cure your headaches, the bad news is that it will require castration. You have a very rare condition, which causes your testicles to press on your spine, and the pressure creates one hell of a headache. The only way to relieve the pressure is to remove the testicles."
Jerry was shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He couldn't concentrate long enough to answer, but decided he had no choice but to go under the knife.
When he left the hospital he was without a headache for the first time in 20 years, but he felt like he was missing an important part of himself. As he walked down the street, he realized that he felt like a different person. He could make a new beginning and live a new life.
He saw a men's clothing store and thought, "That's what I need-–a new suit." He entered the shop and told the salesman, "I’d like a new suit." The elderly tailor eyed him briefly and said, "Let's see … size 44 long." Jerry laughed, "That’s right, how did you know?" "Been in the business 60 years!" Jerry tried on the suit. It fit perfectly.
As Jerry admired himself in the mirror, the salesman asked, "How about a new shirt?"
Jerry thought for a moment and then said, "Sure." The salesman eyed Jerry and said, "Let's see … 34 sleeve and 16½ neck." Jerry was surprised. "That's right, how did you know?" "Been in the business 60 years!" Jerry tried on the shirt, and it fit perfectly.
As Jerry adjusted the collar in the mirror, the salesman asked, "How about new shoes?" Jerry was on a roll and said, "Sure." The salesman eyed Jerry's feet and said, "Let's see … 9-1/2 E." Jerry was astonished, "That's right, how did you know?" "Been in the business 60 years!" Jerry tried on the shoes and they fit perfectly.
Jerry walked comfortably around the shop and the salesman asked, "How about some new underwear?" Jerry thought for a second and said, "Sure." The salesman stepped back, eyed Jerry's waist and said, "Let's see, size 36."
Jerry laughed. "Ah ha! I got you! I've worn size 34 since I was 18 years old."
The salesman shook his head. "You can't wear a size 34. A 34 underwear would press your testicles up against the base of your spine and give you one hell of a headache."
Jerry was shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He couldn't concentrate long enough to answer, but decided he had no choice but to go under the knife.
When he left the hospital he was without a headache for the first time in 20 years, but he felt like he was missing an important part of himself. As he walked down the street, he realized that he felt like a different person. He could make a new beginning and live a new life.
He saw a men's clothing store and thought, "That's what I need-–a new suit." He entered the shop and told the salesman, "I’d like a new suit." The elderly tailor eyed him briefly and said, "Let's see … size 44 long." Jerry laughed, "That’s right, how did you know?" "Been in the business 60 years!" Jerry tried on the suit. It fit perfectly.
As Jerry admired himself in the mirror, the salesman asked, "How about a new shirt?"
Jerry thought for a moment and then said, "Sure." The salesman eyed Jerry and said, "Let's see … 34 sleeve and 16½ neck." Jerry was surprised. "That's right, how did you know?" "Been in the business 60 years!" Jerry tried on the shirt, and it fit perfectly.
As Jerry adjusted the collar in the mirror, the salesman asked, "How about new shoes?" Jerry was on a roll and said, "Sure." The salesman eyed Jerry's feet and said, "Let's see … 9-1/2 E." Jerry was astonished, "That's right, how did you know?" "Been in the business 60 years!" Jerry tried on the shoes and they fit perfectly.
Jerry walked comfortably around the shop and the salesman asked, "How about some new underwear?" Jerry thought for a second and said, "Sure." The salesman stepped back, eyed Jerry's waist and said, "Let's see, size 36."
Jerry laughed. "Ah ha! I got you! I've worn size 34 since I was 18 years old."
The salesman shook his head. "You can't wear a size 34. A 34 underwear would press your testicles up against the base of your spine and give you one hell of a headache."
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
The Self-Indulgence of Fat Tuesday
Today is the last humongous party-day before Lent starts. It's our last chance at self-indulgence until Easter-tide, right?
Even for those who go meatless during Lent, very few get rid of the butter and eggs and milk and cheese. The "self-indulgence" of Fat Tuesday used to be getting rid of the fat in the house. Woo hoo! We're going to indulge and feast by using up all the butter and the eggs! (I wonder if they made quiche?)
And now what does today's self-indulgence consist of? It's a little wilder than eating quiche. Come to think of it, society-wide, normal everyday life during Lent today is probably a lot more self-indulgent than Fat Tuesday was in centuries past.
Even for those who go meatless during Lent, very few get rid of the butter and eggs and milk and cheese. The "self-indulgence" of Fat Tuesday used to be getting rid of the fat in the house. Woo hoo! We're going to indulge and feast by using up all the butter and the eggs! (I wonder if they made quiche?)
And now what does today's self-indulgence consist of? It's a little wilder than eating quiche. Come to think of it, society-wide, normal everyday life during Lent today is probably a lot more self-indulgent than Fat Tuesday was in centuries past.
Wishful Thinking
Give me spring, lots of spring,
under sunny skies above --
don't fence me in.
Let me be in the wide open spaces that I love
[in summery warmth] --
don't fence me in.
So, will the sheets actually dry before it's dark and time to bring them in? Probably not. Hopefully, though, they'll retain a little of the outdoorsy scent while they finish drying in the machine.
Today's Laugh
Toward the end of Sunday service, the minister asked, "How many of you have forgiven your enemies?"
80% held up their hands.
The minister then repeated his question. All responded this time, except one small elderly lady.
"Mrs. Neely? Are you not willing to forgive your enemies?"
"I don’t have any," she replied, smiling sweetly.
"Mrs. Neely, that is very unusual. How old are you?"
"Ninety-eight," she replied.
"Oh, Mrs. Neely, would you please come down in front and tell us all how a person can live ninety-eight years and not have an enemy in the world?"
The little sweetheart of a lady tottered down the aisle, faced the congregation, and said, "I outlived all those bitches."
80% held up their hands.
The minister then repeated his question. All responded this time, except one small elderly lady.
"Mrs. Neely? Are you not willing to forgive your enemies?"
"I don’t have any," she replied, smiling sweetly.
"Mrs. Neely, that is very unusual. How old are you?"
"Ninety-eight," she replied.
"Oh, Mrs. Neely, would you please come down in front and tell us all how a person can live ninety-eight years and not have an enemy in the world?"
The little sweetheart of a lady tottered down the aisle, faced the congregation, and said, "I outlived all those bitches."
Monday, February 15, 2010
Progress on Woodmans
Four walls and part of the roof!
Another 6-8 months of traipsing to far-away Woodmans locales and/or fudging by with Aldi & Walmart, and then there will be a Woodmans close. I timed it the other day when I headed to Shorewood: it was less than 20 minutes to the off-ramp near the new Woodmans. And it's right smack-dab on Gary's way home from work too.
Another 6-8 months of traipsing to far-away Woodmans locales and/or fudging by with Aldi & Walmart, and then there will be a Woodmans close. I timed it the other day when I headed to Shorewood: it was less than 20 minutes to the off-ramp near the new Woodmans. And it's right smack-dab on Gary's way home from work too.
Dark Pedestrians
What is it with all these people in dark coats and dark jeans walking around at night, on unlit streets, crossing the road without checking for moving vehicles? No white on them anywhere. No reflective stripes. But they walk, oblivious to where the cars are, or who's turning, or whether they've crossing against a red light.
I don't wanna hit anybody! But I don't know how long it'll be before it happens. Especially during winter, with all the people walking in the road instead of attempting unshoveled sidewalks.
I don't wanna hit anybody! But I don't know how long it'll be before it happens. Especially during winter, with all the people walking in the road instead of attempting unshoveled sidewalks.
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Today's Laugh
Jacob, age 92, and Rebecca, age 89, are all excited about their decision to get married. They go for a stroll to discuss the wedding and on the way they pass a drugstore. Jacob suggests they go in. Jacob addresses the man behind the counter, "Are you the owner?" The pharmacist answers yes.
Says Jacob: We're about to get married. Do you sell heart medication?
Pharmacist: Of course we do.
Jacob: How about medicine for circulation?
Pharmacist: All kinds.
Jacob: Medicine for rheumatism, scoliosis?
Pharmacist: Definitely.
Jacob: How about Viagra?
Pharmacist: Of course.
Jacob: Medicine for memory problems, arthritis, jaundice?
Pharmacist: Yes, a large variety. The works.
Jacob: What about vitamins, sleeping pills, Geritol, antidotes for Parkinson's disease?
Pharmacist: Absolutely.
Jacob: You sell wheelchairs and walkers?
Pharmacist: All speeds and sizes.
Jacob says to the pharmacist, "We'd like to register here for our wedding gifts, please."
Says Jacob: We're about to get married. Do you sell heart medication?
Pharmacist: Of course we do.
Jacob: How about medicine for circulation?
Pharmacist: All kinds.
Jacob: Medicine for rheumatism, scoliosis?
Pharmacist: Definitely.
Jacob: How about Viagra?
Pharmacist: Of course.
Jacob: Medicine for memory problems, arthritis, jaundice?
Pharmacist: Yes, a large variety. The works.
Jacob: What about vitamins, sleeping pills, Geritol, antidotes for Parkinson's disease?
Pharmacist: Absolutely.
Jacob: You sell wheelchairs and walkers?
Pharmacist: All speeds and sizes.
Jacob says to the pharmacist, "We'd like to register here for our wedding gifts, please."
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Sinus Rinse
Stores sell packets of sinus rinse for people with allergies or sinus infections. But if you want to use a neti-pot or a sinus-rinse kit, there's a cheaper way to do it.
The harder way: combine equal parts of baking soda and table salt. Use about 1/4 or 1/3 teaspoon per 8 ounces of water. That would be similar to what's in one of those 11-cents-each packets.
The easy way: just use 1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon of salt in your water.
Much cheaper.
And you don't have to mess with the little packets.
The harder way: combine equal parts of baking soda and table salt. Use about 1/4 or 1/3 teaspoon per 8 ounces of water. That would be similar to what's in one of those 11-cents-each packets.
The easy way: just use 1/8 or 1/4 teaspoon of salt in your water.
Much cheaper.
And you don't have to mess with the little packets.
Today's Laugh
Jim asked his friend, Tony, whether he had bought his wife anything for Valentine's Day.
"Yes," came the answer from Tony, who wasn't usually thoughtful about these kinds of holidays. "I've bought her a belt and a bag."
"Wow, that was sweet of you," Jim added, "I hope she appreciates the thought."
Tony smiled as he replied, "So do I, and hopefully the vacuum cleaner will work better now."
"Yes," came the answer from Tony, who wasn't usually thoughtful about these kinds of holidays. "I've bought her a belt and a bag."
"Wow, that was sweet of you," Jim added, "I hope she appreciates the thought."
Tony smiled as he replied, "So do I, and hopefully the vacuum cleaner will work better now."
Friday, February 12, 2010
Why Theistic Evolution Is Impossible
In public school, they taught me about the Big Bang theory and about man evolving from apes. I believed it.
In Sunday school, they taught me about God's creation of the world in six days, Adam and Eve, and the fall into sin. I believed it.
At school, they told me that the story from the Bible was wrong. I didn't believe that. After all, what else would you expect them say?
But I don't think anybody ever told me that the evolutionary tale they taught me at school was wrong. My Sunday school teachers and parents and pastors told me what was right, but I don't think they ever told me that my school teachers were wrong.
Sometime in my late teens, the conflict between evolution and creation was pointed out to me. For a while I thought theistic evolution -- that God created the world through evolution -- might be a plausible theory. So I do realize that just because somebody believes in evolution does not mean they are damned to hell and standing outside the Church in rejection of Christ's atonement. Christians often live with inconsistencies in their theology and philosophy and worldview.
For a long time, "because the Bible said so" was reason enough to believe that God created the world in six days. And it is reason enough. Not exactly an evangelical, gospel-oriented reason. But definitely a good enough reason. But there was always that little, nagging voice that said, "How do you know for sure that God didn't create the world through evolution? And why does it matter, anyway?"
It matters because of what the Christian Church teaches about sin and grace.
The wages of sin is death.
If that is true, then there was no death before the Fall into sin. If there was no death before Adam sinned, then the whole evolutionary process could not have occurred. According to evolution, amoebas and worms and fish and birds and reptiles and mammals died for millions of years before that first person appeared on the scene.
If you want to believe in evolution, you can do that. It may fly in the face of fossil evidence. But people are free to believe what they believe.
But you cannot believe in theistic evolution and be a Christian. It's an impossibility. It's inherently self-contradictory. If you believe in the triune God who made man and grieved over His creation's turning from Him, then you believe in a God who took man's sin upon Himself and who died in the flesh to satisfy the Law's demand that "the soul that sins shall die."
To believe in so-called theistic evolution means that
you must accept death as a "natural" part of creation,
which would ultimately mean that death is not a result of man's sin,
which would mean the forgiveness of sins has nothing to do with restoring life and undoing "the wages of sin,"
which would make Christ's cross irrelevant and meaningless.
Theistic evolution may fit with some religions. But it cannot mesh with Christianity, where we believe in a God who died to atone for sin and to give life to those who plunged the world into death & decay.
In Sunday school, they taught me about God's creation of the world in six days, Adam and Eve, and the fall into sin. I believed it.
At school, they told me that the story from the Bible was wrong. I didn't believe that. After all, what else would you expect them say?
But I don't think anybody ever told me that the evolutionary tale they taught me at school was wrong. My Sunday school teachers and parents and pastors told me what was right, but I don't think they ever told me that my school teachers were wrong.
Sometime in my late teens, the conflict between evolution and creation was pointed out to me. For a while I thought theistic evolution -- that God created the world through evolution -- might be a plausible theory. So I do realize that just because somebody believes in evolution does not mean they are damned to hell and standing outside the Church in rejection of Christ's atonement. Christians often live with inconsistencies in their theology and philosophy and worldview.
For a long time, "because the Bible said so" was reason enough to believe that God created the world in six days. And it is reason enough. Not exactly an evangelical, gospel-oriented reason. But definitely a good enough reason. But there was always that little, nagging voice that said, "How do you know for sure that God didn't create the world through evolution? And why does it matter, anyway?"
It matters because of what the Christian Church teaches about sin and grace.
The wages of sin is death.
If that is true, then there was no death before the Fall into sin. If there was no death before Adam sinned, then the whole evolutionary process could not have occurred. According to evolution, amoebas and worms and fish and birds and reptiles and mammals died for millions of years before that first person appeared on the scene.
If you want to believe in evolution, you can do that. It may fly in the face of fossil evidence. But people are free to believe what they believe.
But you cannot believe in theistic evolution and be a Christian. It's an impossibility. It's inherently self-contradictory. If you believe in the triune God who made man and grieved over His creation's turning from Him, then you believe in a God who took man's sin upon Himself and who died in the flesh to satisfy the Law's demand that "the soul that sins shall die."
To believe in so-called theistic evolution means that
you must accept death as a "natural" part of creation,
which would ultimately mean that death is not a result of man's sin,
which would mean the forgiveness of sins has nothing to do with restoring life and undoing "the wages of sin,"
which would make Christ's cross irrelevant and meaningless.
Theistic evolution may fit with some religions. But it cannot mesh with Christianity, where we believe in a God who died to atone for sin and to give life to those who plunged the world into death & decay.
For Bible Study
Sometimes the following links come in mighty handy. And they don't have just the text, but you can do word searches too.
A Greek New Testament.
A Vulgate (Latin Bible).
The Septuagint (Greek Old Testament).
A Greek New Testament.
A Vulgate (Latin Bible).
The Septuagint (Greek Old Testament).
Today's Laugh
A blonde walks into the police department looking for a job. The officer wants to ask her a few questions….
Officer: What's 2+2?
Blonde: Ummmmm… 4!
Officer: What's the square root of 100?
Blonde: Ummmm… 10!
Officer: Good! Now, who killed Abraham Lincoln?
Blonde: Ummmm… I dunno.
Officer: Well, you can go home and think about it. Come back tomorrow.
The blonde goes home and calls up one of her friends, who asks her if she got the job. The blonde says excitedly, "Not only did I get the job, I'm already working on a murder case!"
Officer: What's 2+2?
Blonde: Ummmmm… 4!
Officer: What's the square root of 100?
Blonde: Ummmm… 10!
Officer: Good! Now, who killed Abraham Lincoln?
Blonde: Ummmm… I dunno.
Officer: Well, you can go home and think about it. Come back tomorrow.
The blonde goes home and calls up one of her friends, who asks her if she got the job. The blonde says excitedly, "Not only did I get the job, I'm already working on a murder case!"
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Illini Girl Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Last Friday was non-uniform day at our parochial school. The kids were all supposed to wear a Packer shirt (or Bears or Vikings or Cowboys or whatever). It was a choir day, so Maggie would be there, and she decided to wear her Illini shirt from Aunt Karen. Not NFL, but the closest match she had for the theme.
After chapel, as we stood around gabbing, Kara commented on the Illini shirt. Kara is a Wisconsin girl. I don't know what I am any more. I was raised a flatlander. But as of last Thanksgiving, I'd lived more of my life in Wisconsin than in Illinois. (Four more years, and half my life will have been in Wisconsin. Wow.)
Wisconsin is beautiful. My grandpa would go up to the northwoods to fish every year for vacation. He took his family. My mom grew up, and our family went up north. I grew up, and sometimes my mom & dad would take my family up north too. I love it up there (even if the water is too cold for swimming).
Wisconsin is beautiful. The Kettle-Moraine area is lovely to behold. The southwest corner of the state, too, is beautiful in its terrain and fields and woods.
And yet, Illinois is beautiful too. Besides that, I think there's something of a natural love for the place you knew as home. Immigrants talk with fondness of the fatherland. I mean, really, now, how many of you will think this
music is more beautiful than anything by Mozart or Beethoven? Well, I do. The Three-in-One gives me goosebumps just as much as Bach's Largo or Vivaldi's Seasons.
I don't have a clue as to what my own college's song was. I don't know the Badger songs at all. But Oskee-Wow-Wow is a different story. And it doesn't even bother me if my loved ones laugh at me for clapping my hands, thumping my foot in a Chief-like way, and singing Illini songs.
After chapel, as we stood around gabbing, Kara commented on the Illini shirt. Kara is a Wisconsin girl. I don't know what I am any more. I was raised a flatlander. But as of last Thanksgiving, I'd lived more of my life in Wisconsin than in Illinois. (Four more years, and half my life will have been in Wisconsin. Wow.)
Wisconsin is beautiful. My grandpa would go up to the northwoods to fish every year for vacation. He took his family. My mom grew up, and our family went up north. I grew up, and sometimes my mom & dad would take my family up north too. I love it up there (even if the water is too cold for swimming).
Wisconsin is beautiful. The Kettle-Moraine area is lovely to behold. The southwest corner of the state, too, is beautiful in its terrain and fields and woods.
And yet, Illinois is beautiful too. Besides that, I think there's something of a natural love for the place you knew as home. Immigrants talk with fondness of the fatherland. I mean, really, now, how many of you will think this
music is more beautiful than anything by Mozart or Beethoven? Well, I do. The Three-in-One gives me goosebumps just as much as Bach's Largo or Vivaldi's Seasons.
I don't have a clue as to what my own college's song was. I don't know the Badger songs at all. But Oskee-Wow-Wow is a different story. And it doesn't even bother me if my loved ones laugh at me for clapping my hands, thumping my foot in a Chief-like way, and singing Illini songs.
"Keep us marching and singing,
in true Illini spirit,
for our dear old Illinois."
in true Illini spirit,
for our dear old Illinois."
Today's Laugh
During the admission procedure at the hospital, new patients were asked if they suffered from any allergies.
If they did, the nurse printed a special "allergy band" which listed the allergens. This was then placed on the patient's wrist as a reference for all other hospital employees.
On one particular occasion the nurse asked an elderly woman if she had any allergies. The old dear responded by saying that she was unable to eat bananas.
Later that day, the nurse received a considerable surprise when a very irate son came out of the ward demanding, "Who's responsible for labeling my mother 'bananas'?"
If they did, the nurse printed a special "allergy band" which listed the allergens. This was then placed on the patient's wrist as a reference for all other hospital employees.
On one particular occasion the nurse asked an elderly woman if she had any allergies. The old dear responded by saying that she was unable to eat bananas.
Later that day, the nurse received a considerable surprise when a very irate son came out of the ward demanding, "Who's responsible for labeling my mother 'bananas'?"
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Flatlanders
When I was in teen choir at church, we went on tour each year. One year we headed west and visited Pueblo CO and Pikes Peak. When I arrived back home, I bubbled over with how beautiful the mountains were!
Dad told me that, when he came home from his military stint in Texas, he thought he'd never seen anything so beautiful as those flat fields of corn for as far as the eye could see. And let me tell ya, when you're in central Illinois, the eye can see a long, long, long way.
I didn't understand. It's just flat fields of corn. And little silos here and there. And elevators every 10 miles or so. What's so beautiful about that?
And then I went to college. In Chicago. Where there are buildings. Lots of buildings. No horizon. No sunsets. No space. No fields of corn. No stars at night because of all the lights.
One day Gary and I were driving down home to visit the folks. You know what???? There was a horizon out there in the country! You could see the whole sky! And miles and miles and miles of corn. Beautiful fields full of corn and beans.
Dad was right.
Dad told me that, when he came home from his military stint in Texas, he thought he'd never seen anything so beautiful as those flat fields of corn for as far as the eye could see. And let me tell ya, when you're in central Illinois, the eye can see a long, long, long way.
I didn't understand. It's just flat fields of corn. And little silos here and there. And elevators every 10 miles or so. What's so beautiful about that?
And then I went to college. In Chicago. Where there are buildings. Lots of buildings. No horizon. No sunsets. No space. No fields of corn. No stars at night because of all the lights.
One day Gary and I were driving down home to visit the folks. You know what???? There was a horizon out there in the country! You could see the whole sky! And miles and miles and miles of corn. Beautiful fields full of corn and beans.
Dad was right.
Today's Laugh
After passing the bar exam, a man opened his own law office. He was sitting at his desk when his secretary announced that a Mr. Jones had arrived to see him.
"Show him right in!" the lawyer replied.
As Mr. Jones was being ushered in, the lawyer wanted to look busy. He quickly picked up the phone and shouts into it "... and you tell them that we won't accept less than fifty thousand dollars, and don't even call me until you agree to that amount!"
Slamming down the phone, he stood up and said, "Good morning, Mr. Jones, what can I do for you?"
"I'm from the phone company," Mr. Jones replied. "I'm here to connect your phone."
"Show him right in!" the lawyer replied.
As Mr. Jones was being ushered in, the lawyer wanted to look busy. He quickly picked up the phone and shouts into it "... and you tell them that we won't accept less than fifty thousand dollars, and don't even call me until you agree to that amount!"
Slamming down the phone, he stood up and said, "Good morning, Mr. Jones, what can I do for you?"
"I'm from the phone company," Mr. Jones replied. "I'm here to connect your phone."
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Buying Shoes?
I've been in Birkenstocks all day every day for over nine years.
Today I saw the podiatrist. He diagnosed metatarsalgia. Because I have been doing all the right things to keep the problem from getting worse and coping with the pain, the next step is orthotic inserts. The first step in that will be to see if they'll be covered by insurance (probably not) and try to convince them of the necessity. Next step would be getting the inserts. And then comes something that I don't even know how to think about.
Buying shoes.
For nine years, my only choice in shoes was whether I wanted two straps or three straps on my sandals, and whether I wanted them in navy, black, or brown. Now I'm going to have to find some lace-up shoes. The options are overwhelming.
And...
what will I do about church? As the podiatrist and I conversed about my pain and the past solutions and the current options, he mentioned that you can't wear sensible shoes all the time. For instance, you can't wear Birkenstocks to a wedding or to an anniversary party.
Hmm. I guess if your feet hurt badly enough that you're willing to look ultra-dorky by wearing Birkenstocks to your daughters' weddings, then maybe you really do need the orthotics. Do you think the health insurance company will see this as compelling evidence?
Today I saw the podiatrist. He diagnosed metatarsalgia. Because I have been doing all the right things to keep the problem from getting worse and coping with the pain, the next step is orthotic inserts. The first step in that will be to see if they'll be covered by insurance (probably not) and try to convince them of the necessity. Next step would be getting the inserts. And then comes something that I don't even know how to think about.
Buying shoes.
For nine years, my only choice in shoes was whether I wanted two straps or three straps on my sandals, and whether I wanted them in navy, black, or brown. Now I'm going to have to find some lace-up shoes. The options are overwhelming.
And...
what will I do about church? As the podiatrist and I conversed about my pain and the past solutions and the current options, he mentioned that you can't wear sensible shoes all the time. For instance, you can't wear Birkenstocks to a wedding or to an anniversary party.
Hmm. I guess if your feet hurt badly enough that you're willing to look ultra-dorky by wearing Birkenstocks to your daughters' weddings, then maybe you really do need the orthotics. Do you think the health insurance company will see this as compelling evidence?
Today's Laugh
Patient: It's been one month since my last visit and I still feel miserable.
Doctor: Did you follow the instructions on the medicine I gave you?
Patient: I sure did. The bottle said "keep tightly closed."
Doctor: Did you follow the instructions on the medicine I gave you?
Patient: I sure did. The bottle said "keep tightly closed."
Monday, February 08, 2010
New Glasses
Okay, the world is a bit wavy around the edges with these new bifocals. It's a lot easier to be still and read a book or be still and look at the computer than it is to work in the kitchen. I feel like I'm in a science fiction movie and reality is warping and twisting on the fringes. But it's actually easier wearing the no-line bifocals than I expected it would be. I hope I feel the same way by the end of tomorrow!
Wisdom Teeth
Andrew's home from his extractions. At first he was insisting that he didn't go to sleep during the surgery; the doctor and nurse thought otherwise. General anesthesia does tend to put a person to sleep. (Philip and Katie, did you guys have general anesthesia or just local? I don't remember your wisdom teeth being like this.) After Andrew saw the clock and how much time had passed, he thought maybe he did go to sleep for the surgery after all.
Andrew's doing well. He's watching tv and icing his cheeks.
The weirdest thing about the morning was that Maggie fainted. When we were removing Andrew's gauze packs and checking the level of his bleeding, it didn't set well with her. And pretty soon I saw her going. I caught her and broke her fall so she didn't hit her head or become injured in the fall. But that was weird. I've got one home from oral surgery, not barfing, not fainting, coping just fine, and it's the other one who crumples.
Andrew's doing well. He's watching tv and icing his cheeks.
The weirdest thing about the morning was that Maggie fainted. When we were removing Andrew's gauze packs and checking the level of his bleeding, it didn't set well with her. And pretty soon I saw her going. I caught her and broke her fall so she didn't hit her head or become injured in the fall. But that was weird. I've got one home from oral surgery, not barfing, not fainting, coping just fine, and it's the other one who crumples.
Sunday, February 07, 2010
Lofty Goals
Some homeschoolers set lofty goals. They see no harm in shooting for the stars, achieving as much as possible. After all, no harm done if you fail at the goals, right? You've achieved more by setting high goals (and "failing") than you would've achieved if you set lower goals and actually met them.
Other homeschoolers set smaller goals that they're pretty sure they can meet. Whatever they do beyond that is gravy.
Right now I'm reading a book about social-skills curriculum and perspective taking. The author describes that social skills can be learned by folks with autism or VCFS or any number of other impairments. She discusses that the ability to learn these skills is on a continuum: some people just won't get it, some learn with great difficulty, some can learn relatively easily, and then there are the neuro-typical folks who learn social skills and perspective taking naturally. The author discussed recognizing the limitations that some children face:
Some parents express concern that by acknowledging that their child will not completely resolve his or her social/communication challenges, they are giving up "hope" for their child's future. I believe the opposite. Realistic hope helps us focus proactively on how services can help the child progress beyond his or her current level. In my experience, members of the treatment team who have unrealistic expectations often put unreasonable pressure on the child, parents, and supporting professionals. This creates stress and even animosity related to establishing and carrying out the treatment plan.
Thinking About You Thinking About Me: Teaching Perspective Taking and Social Thinking to Persons with Social Cognitive Learning Challenges; Michelle Garcia Winner, 2007, page 4.
Other homeschoolers set smaller goals that they're pretty sure they can meet. Whatever they do beyond that is gravy.
Right now I'm reading a book about social-skills curriculum and perspective taking. The author describes that social skills can be learned by folks with autism or VCFS or any number of other impairments. She discusses that the ability to learn these skills is on a continuum: some people just won't get it, some learn with great difficulty, some can learn relatively easily, and then there are the neuro-typical folks who learn social skills and perspective taking naturally. The author discussed recognizing the limitations that some children face:
Some parents express concern that by acknowledging that their child will not completely resolve his or her social/communication challenges, they are giving up "hope" for their child's future. I believe the opposite. Realistic hope helps us focus proactively on how services can help the child progress beyond his or her current level. In my experience, members of the treatment team who have unrealistic expectations often put unreasonable pressure on the child, parents, and supporting professionals. This creates stress and even animosity related to establishing and carrying out the treatment plan.
Thinking About You Thinking About Me: Teaching Perspective Taking and Social Thinking to Persons with Social Cognitive Learning Challenges; Michelle Garcia Winner, 2007, page 4.
Locusts
Our story in Bible class today was from Exodus 6-8, the plagues on Egypt. Pastor mentioned that blood flowing is always a sign of death. He mentioned the lice and flies which are pesty and disease-causing as a result of the Fall. He mentioned the boils as disease which is indicative of death. He mentioned that locusts are never a sign of anything good in the Bible; they are always destructive.
And then he threw in a side-comment:
I think that's why John the Baptist had the diet he had. Devouring the locusts showed the triumph of the forgiveness of sins over destructive forces.
Cool!
And then he threw in a side-comment:
I think that's why John the Baptist had the diet he had. Devouring the locusts showed the triumph of the forgiveness of sins over destructive forces.
Cool!
Today's Laugh
Two silver-haired women entered a restaurant for lunch.
Each caught the other's look of joyful recognition; they had been college mates 50 years earlier. They spent the afternoon laughing and reminiscing.
Then one looked at the other in obvious embarrassment. "I hate to say this," she confessed, "but what is your name?"
The other one thought a moment, then asked ruefully, "How soon do you need to know?"
Each caught the other's look of joyful recognition; they had been college mates 50 years earlier. They spent the afternoon laughing and reminiscing.
Then one looked at the other in obvious embarrassment. "I hate to say this," she confessed, "but what is your name?"
The other one thought a moment, then asked ruefully, "How soon do you need to know?"
Saturday, February 06, 2010
Qualifying Child
Does anyone else think it's very odd that the instructions for our tax forms specify that your child is not only your son or daughter, but also is younger than you and/or your spouse?
Friday, February 05, 2010
Busy Day, Accomplishing Little
So, is that title a paradox?
Chapel.
Went to the hardware store for a couple of items.
Banking.
Made kombucha.
Watched physics dvd's with Andrew.
Paid some bills.
Hit three different grocery stores.
Stopped in to see if my new glasses had arrived. (They hadn't.)
Got a haircut.
Took Maggie to choir and did Alg2 with Andrew while we waited.
Gassed and washed the van.
Arranged doctor appointments.
Wrote up Leah & Maggie's Greek worksheets for the week.
Began figuring the taxes while watching a weird movie.
But ...
forgot to buy the chicken.
So had frozen pizza instead of gumbo for supper.
Didn't wash dishes.
Didn't catch up on school record-keeping.
Didn't make bread and granola.
Didn't get to the library for the ACT-prep book.
Didn't help Maggie with schoolwork today or grade anything.
May tomorrow be more productive! Hear, hear!
Chapel.
Went to the hardware store for a couple of items.
Banking.
Made kombucha.
Watched physics dvd's with Andrew.
Paid some bills.
Hit three different grocery stores.
Stopped in to see if my new glasses had arrived. (They hadn't.)
Got a haircut.
Took Maggie to choir and did Alg2 with Andrew while we waited.
Gassed and washed the van.
Arranged doctor appointments.
Wrote up Leah & Maggie's Greek worksheets for the week.
Began figuring the taxes while watching a weird movie.
But ...
forgot to buy the chicken.
So had frozen pizza instead of gumbo for supper.
Didn't wash dishes.
Didn't catch up on school record-keeping.
Didn't make bread and granola.
Didn't get to the library for the ACT-prep book.
Didn't help Maggie with schoolwork today or grade anything.
May tomorrow be more productive! Hear, hear!
Today's Laugh
A girl was complaining to her friend that she was constantly being teased about being so dumb.
"Do something to prove them wrong," her friend suggested. "Learn all 50 capitals of the states or something."
The girl thinks this is a great idea, so she locks herself up in a room to study.
The next weekend she goes to a party and says, "I can name the capitals of all 50 states."
One person says, "Okay, what's the capital of Montana?"
"I know this! I know this! The capital of Montana is M!"
"Do something to prove them wrong," her friend suggested. "Learn all 50 capitals of the states or something."
The girl thinks this is a great idea, so she locks herself up in a room to study.
The next weekend she goes to a party and says, "I can name the capitals of all 50 states."
One person says, "Okay, what's the capital of Montana?"
"I know this! I know this! The capital of Montana is M!"
Thursday, February 04, 2010
Online Banking
We are in the process of changing banks. I spent three and a half hours on the computer tonight, setting up how to pay our bills online now that I can no longer do it from the old account. I'm sure I'm not done with this project.
All this online stuff is in the interest of making bill-paying faster and easier. Right? Right???
All this online stuff is in the interest of making bill-paying faster and easier. Right? Right???
VCFS Picture
After posting pictures of Katie and Maggie, these photos add another dimension. Maggie (in the yellow shirt) has VCFS. When she had her curly hair straightened, she looked amazingly like her sister Katie (who does not have VCFS).
Today's Laugh
My wife's psychiatrist just called me and said, "Did you know she was going to poison you?"
I said, "No! What do you suggest?"
"After talking to her for three hours, my suggestion to you is to take the poison."
I said, "No! What do you suggest?"
"After talking to her for three hours, my suggestion to you is to take the poison."
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
Fox & Hounds
Sunday was our birthday dinner party. Laura has fun pictures on her blog. Here's one of them:
(Mom, you'll like the one of Andrew that Laura has. Go peek at her blog.)
(Mom, you'll like the one of Andrew that Laura has. Go peek at her blog.)
Braces
Woo hoo! I heard from the orthodontist's office that our dental insurance pays more than what we thought. The bill for Andrew's braces will be $700 less than anticipated!
James 5:16
Confess your trespasses to one another,
and pray for one another,
that you may be healed.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
"That you may be healed." This is kind of an amusing verse for the week when our church school was canceled for a day due to massive numbers of sick students & teachers.
Now to the non-silly stuff from chapel:
Pastor asked how prayer is "effective." The answer? When it is grounded in God's word and His promises. When we speak back to Him what He has first spoken to us. Isaiah 55 tells us that God's word accomplishes what He intends.
Pastor asked how prayer is "fervent." The answer? When we cling to Him in faith and let nothing get in the way, but keep our eyes only on Him (and not even on the blessings He gives).
And most importantly, Pastor asked what "avails much" means. The answer? Accomplishes what God intends. Hey! Wait a minute! I never heard that before! What God intends? I always heard this passage used to say that the prayer will accomplish what the one doing the praying intends. What God intends? That puts it in a whole different light!
and pray for one another,
that you may be healed.
The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
"That you may be healed." This is kind of an amusing verse for the week when our church school was canceled for a day due to massive numbers of sick students & teachers.
Now to the non-silly stuff from chapel:
Pastor asked how prayer is "effective." The answer? When it is grounded in God's word and His promises. When we speak back to Him what He has first spoken to us. Isaiah 55 tells us that God's word accomplishes what He intends.
Pastor asked how prayer is "fervent." The answer? When we cling to Him in faith and let nothing get in the way, but keep our eyes only on Him (and not even on the blessings He gives).
And most importantly, Pastor asked what "avails much" means. The answer? Accomplishes what God intends. Hey! Wait a minute! I never heard that before! What God intends? I always heard this passage used to say that the prayer will accomplish what the one doing the praying intends. What God intends? That puts it in a whole different light!
Today's Laugh
A lady came to the hospital to visit a friend. She had not been in a hospital for several years and felt very ignorant about all the new technology.
A technician followed her onto the elevator, wheeling a large, intimidating-looking machine with tubes and wires and dials. "Boy, would I hate to be hooked up to that thing," she said.
"So would I," replied the technician. "It's a floor-cleaning machine."
A technician followed her onto the elevator, wheeling a large, intimidating-looking machine with tubes and wires and dials. "Boy, would I hate to be hooked up to that thing," she said.
"So would I," replied the technician. "It's a floor-cleaning machine."
Tuesday, February 02, 2010
Done
Tonight I finished an editing project that I've been working on since August 2004. Well, I'll still have to take a peek at it after Pastor finishes up the part I leave in his hands, but that's speedy stuff. I wonder what I'll do in my free time now?
Today's Laugh
New Lutheran homeschoolers often want to know where to find "Lutheran curriculum." Because there are a variety of Reformed, Baptist, and Catholic curricula, among others, it's not an entirely unreasonable question. But there isn't a "Lutheran curriculum."
In response to the concept of a Lutheran math curriculum, my friend EC suggested this:
♫ 99 bottles of beer on the wall,
99 bottles of beer.
You take one down and pass it around,
98 bottles of beer on the wall.
98 bottles of beer on the wall,
98 bottles of beer... ♫
Sounds pretty Lutheran to me!
In response to the concept of a Lutheran math curriculum, my friend EC suggested this:
♫ 99 bottles of beer on the wall,
99 bottles of beer.
You take one down and pass it around,
98 bottles of beer on the wall.
98 bottles of beer on the wall,
98 bottles of beer... ♫
Sounds pretty Lutheran to me!
Monday, February 01, 2010
Orthodontia
This morning was the consultation with the orthodontist. Tomorrow we have a consultation with the oral surgeon to discuss the easy little Step 1 -- extraction of Andrew's wisdom teeth.
Step 2 is expansion of his upper palate. Although this works 100% of the time in preteens, the orthodontist says it also works in about 90% of adult patients. The growth plates in his wrist show that he's done growing (hooray for not needing bigger shoes!!!!) so the "suture" in his palate is firming up but hopefully can be treated without surgery. After he heals from the removal of his wisdom teeth, he will spend 2-4 weeks with this appliance on the roof of his mouth, widening his palate.
Assuming the appliance works and he grows a nice big fat space between his front teeth, he will then have braces for about 3 years to improve his bite. His teeth will not be completely corrected after the braces but should be much improved. We consulted with two orthodontists; both said correction will be impossible given what a mess he has in his mouth, whether he has surgery or not. But today there was good news from the in-depth examination a couple of weeks ago. In spite of the crossbite and openbite, everything else looks like it's in alignment with itself and should respond to treatment fairly well.
If the appliance doesn't work to widen his palate, then we will have to consult again with the oral surgeon about palate surgery and costs and risks.
Overall, because there are so many things wrong with his mouth, the orthodontia will be a step-by-step procedure. If everything goes as it should, the repairs will be long but relatively simple. But there are so many variables that could present kinks. So for right now, we're going to get rid of those wisdom teeth and then try the expander ... and pray that the expander does what the doctor wants it to do! Hopefully by summer we will have Andrew in nice, boring braces with no prospect for palate surgery.
Step 2 is expansion of his upper palate. Although this works 100% of the time in preteens, the orthodontist says it also works in about 90% of adult patients. The growth plates in his wrist show that he's done growing (hooray for not needing bigger shoes!!!!) so the "suture" in his palate is firming up but hopefully can be treated without surgery. After he heals from the removal of his wisdom teeth, he will spend 2-4 weeks with this appliance on the roof of his mouth, widening his palate.
Assuming the appliance works and he grows a nice big fat space between his front teeth, he will then have braces for about 3 years to improve his bite. His teeth will not be completely corrected after the braces but should be much improved. We consulted with two orthodontists; both said correction will be impossible given what a mess he has in his mouth, whether he has surgery or not. But today there was good news from the in-depth examination a couple of weeks ago. In spite of the crossbite and openbite, everything else looks like it's in alignment with itself and should respond to treatment fairly well.
If the appliance doesn't work to widen his palate, then we will have to consult again with the oral surgeon about palate surgery and costs and risks.
Overall, because there are so many things wrong with his mouth, the orthodontia will be a step-by-step procedure. If everything goes as it should, the repairs will be long but relatively simple. But there are so many variables that could present kinks. So for right now, we're going to get rid of those wisdom teeth and then try the expander ... and pray that the expander does what the doctor wants it to do! Hopefully by summer we will have Andrew in nice, boring braces with no prospect for palate surgery.
Today's Laugh
Homeschooling mommies often hear complaints about how we let our kids do "whatever they want." With that in mind, I proffer a recollection from my Uncle Ray about our family reunions once upon a long time ago.
Roger Ebert is one of our family relations. I can never keep straight the connection; I think he might be Mom's second cousin. And yes, I mean that Roger Ebert.
So all the aunties are sitting around talking. "Hasn't Roger gotten a real job yet? Will he ever grow up? When is he going to stop watching movies all day and make something of himself?"
Roger Ebert is one of our family relations. I can never keep straight the connection; I think he might be Mom's second cousin. And yes, I mean that Roger Ebert.
So all the aunties are sitting around talking. "Hasn't Roger gotten a real job yet? Will he ever grow up? When is he going to stop watching movies all day and make something of himself?"
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Update on the Mundane
I'm getting close to finishing an editing project I've been working on for nearly two months now. I've got to get it completed so that we can get back to regular school-school instead of putzy attempts at school.
Andrew and Maggie had friends over yesterday. One of them spent the night. Maggie spent the afternoon with another friend. School at Peace is canceled tomorrow due to 1/3 of the kids & teachers being sick, so we will be sleeping in tomorrow instead of going to chapel.
Leah and Maggie and I got back to our Greek study last week.
The cats are enjoying the warm weather. In other words, I haven't had to clean the litter box in more than 48 hours. Hooray!
Laundry is caught up. Housecleaning is not.
Gary and I went out with two other couples tonight to celebrate birthdays. We have three birthdays within four days, and it's fun to celebrate together (even if we're rather late for our own birthday party). It's so good to sit with friends and talk. Something possessed me this afternoon, and I made a cherry pie and a banana cream pie so that we could have dessert at home instead of at the restaurant. Yum.
The sun has been shining 4 out of the last 5 days. That's a lovely change after two weeks of sunlessness.
In another day or two, we should have all the 1099s and W-2s and I'll "get to" start on the taxes and Paul's financial aid forms. But at least there's leftover pie...
Andrew and Maggie had friends over yesterday. One of them spent the night. Maggie spent the afternoon with another friend. School at Peace is canceled tomorrow due to 1/3 of the kids & teachers being sick, so we will be sleeping in tomorrow instead of going to chapel.
Leah and Maggie and I got back to our Greek study last week.
The cats are enjoying the warm weather. In other words, I haven't had to clean the litter box in more than 48 hours. Hooray!
Laundry is caught up. Housecleaning is not.
Gary and I went out with two other couples tonight to celebrate birthdays. We have three birthdays within four days, and it's fun to celebrate together (even if we're rather late for our own birthday party). It's so good to sit with friends and talk. Something possessed me this afternoon, and I made a cherry pie and a banana cream pie so that we could have dessert at home instead of at the restaurant. Yum.
The sun has been shining 4 out of the last 5 days. That's a lovely change after two weeks of sunlessness.
In another day or two, we should have all the 1099s and W-2s and I'll "get to" start on the taxes and Paul's financial aid forms. But at least there's leftover pie...
Today's Laugh
Stolen from an introduction at symposium:
It's been a really cold winter!
How cold is it?
It's so cold that the politicians have their hands in their own pockets for a change.
It's been a really cold winter!
How cold is it?
It's so cold that the politicians have their hands in their own pockets for a change.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Unconditional Love
Sometimes I HATE unconditional love. Sometimes, you don't know whether someone befriends you because they're being kind and are [sigh...] tolerating you, or whether they genuinely like you. Maybe this is terrible, but sometimes I want to know that my friends like me for me and not just because they're supposed to.
I've been wondering about this for a while, but seeing The Blind Side the other day renewed the questions. There were things about the mom in the story that I definitely recognized in myself. But she was confident. She did what needed to be done; she told people what she thought; she made things happen. I'm always scared of imposing; I try to watch myself so that I don't accidentally run over people. But that makes me scared tointerfere with get involved in other people's lives -- surely they already have friends and responsibilities and commitments enough.
Jesus delights in sacrificing Himself for us, taking on our sin, loving the unlovable ones. But humans? They're sinners. Sinful people sometimes resent impositions. So how does a person gauge whether friendships are being welcomed or tolerated?
I've been wondering about this for a while, but seeing The Blind Side the other day renewed the questions. There were things about the mom in the story that I definitely recognized in myself. But she was confident. She did what needed to be done; she told people what she thought; she made things happen. I'm always scared of imposing; I try to watch myself so that I don't accidentally run over people. But that makes me scared to
Jesus delights in sacrificing Himself for us, taking on our sin, loving the unlovable ones. But humans? They're sinners. Sinful people sometimes resent impositions. So how does a person gauge whether friendships are being welcomed or tolerated?
Friday, January 29, 2010
Store Bread
The last time I made bread was more than two weeks ago. Andrew and I were out of town in Fort Wayne for symposia, and then we trekked over to Mankato and were gone for another two days. The freezer was gradually emptied of its loaves of frozen homemade goodness. I actually resorted to buying bread from the store yesterday.
This morning I'm mixing and kneading away, and Maggie comes in, takes a look, and asks about the rest of the store-bread. She likes it. You can taste the cheese in the grilled cheese. You can taste the peanuttiness of the peanut butter. You can taste the delicious jam on the toast. In other words, the home-made bread has too much flavor, and she prefers the air-bread.
Kids....
Sheesh.
This morning I'm mixing and kneading away, and Maggie comes in, takes a look, and asks about the rest of the store-bread. She likes it. You can taste the cheese in the grilled cheese. You can taste the peanuttiness of the peanut butter. You can taste the delicious jam on the toast. In other words, the home-made bread has too much flavor, and she prefers the air-bread.
Kids....
Sheesh.
Today's Laugh
Give a man a fish, and he has food for a day.
Teach a man to fish, and he has to buy a bamboo rod, graphite reels, monofilament lines, neoprene waders, tackle box, spinners, 20-pocket vest, fish-finder, depth gauges, radio, boat, global positioning system, cooker, trailer, and a six-pack.
Teach a man to fish, and he has to buy a bamboo rod, graphite reels, monofilament lines, neoprene waders, tackle box, spinners, 20-pocket vest, fish-finder, depth gauges, radio, boat, global positioning system, cooker, trailer, and a six-pack.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
The Blind Side
Gary and I went on a date tonight. Yes, we did. We went to the optician and picked out bifocals for each of us. (As Kathy said, this is what's known as growing old together!) Then we used movie passes to watch The Blind Side, and then used a gift card to get a treat at Applebees. How 'bout that for some excitement? And I'm not being facetious. Those of you who think I am, just wait till you're as old as we are. So there.
The movie was great. I can't think of any movie I liked better; it's as good as Anne. Everybody told us we'd like this movie, that it was exactly our cup of tea, and they were right. It was funny. It was sweet. It was encouraging. It was decent. It had sports to root for. It had Ferdinand. But the funniest part was Sandra Bullock's portrayal of a no-nonsense Southern momma. She was perfect. I wonder if the movie would've been as funny if we hadn't spent that year in Mississippi and seen mommas exactly like the heroine in the story. It was such a crack-up!
Even though we pulled off a trip to the theatre to see this movie, it's staying on our Netflix queue so we can watch it again as soon as it's available on dvd.
The movie was great. I can't think of any movie I liked better; it's as good as Anne. Everybody told us we'd like this movie, that it was exactly our cup of tea, and they were right. It was funny. It was sweet. It was encouraging. It was decent. It had sports to root for. It had Ferdinand. But the funniest part was Sandra Bullock's portrayal of a no-nonsense Southern momma. She was perfect. I wonder if the movie would've been as funny if we hadn't spent that year in Mississippi and seen mommas exactly like the heroine in the story. It was such a crack-up!
Even though we pulled off a trip to the theatre to see this movie, it's staying on our Netflix queue so we can watch it again as soon as it's available on dvd.
Today's Laugh
There is a terrible disease called kleptomania. When it gets really bad, one should take something for it.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Stinky Kitchen
When I arrived home from Fort Wayne on Friday night, the kitchen stunk. Nobody else smelled it. I looked for dead mice. I took out the trash and washed the garbage can. I wiped the counters, expecting to find a sticky & stinky spill. Nope. Still smelled it.
When I arrived home from Minnesota on Monday night, the kitchen still stunk. Still, nobody else smelled it. I scrubbed the garbage can that holds the recyclables. We looked through all the potatoes, expecting to find a rotten one, but they were nice, unstinky, unslimy potatoes. I took the kitchen towels and washcloths to the laundry room in case there had been a milk spill that had been wiped up with an inappropriate cloth. And the kitchen still stunk.
But now I've found it! I tried scrubbing the kitchen sink. While at it, I used cleanser on the screen-like drain-traps and scrubbed them with a brush. Black gunk spritzed from the screen all over my clean sink. After I rinsed all that stuff down the drain and scrubbed the drain-hole too, the smell began to disappear.
So now I'm wondering what it is that I do in the kitchen, different from what Gary and Maggie were doing, that prevents food and gunk from sitting and rotting in the tiny holes of the drain-trap. Is it the heat of the water I use? Is it my anal desire to dump the gunk from the trap multiple times each day? Is it how long dirty dishwater sits before being thrown out? And the other thing is -- why couldn't anybody else smell it???
When I arrived home from Minnesota on Monday night, the kitchen still stunk. Still, nobody else smelled it. I scrubbed the garbage can that holds the recyclables. We looked through all the potatoes, expecting to find a rotten one, but they were nice, unstinky, unslimy potatoes. I took the kitchen towels and washcloths to the laundry room in case there had been a milk spill that had been wiped up with an inappropriate cloth. And the kitchen still stunk.
But now I've found it! I tried scrubbing the kitchen sink. While at it, I used cleanser on the screen-like drain-traps and scrubbed them with a brush. Black gunk spritzed from the screen all over my clean sink. After I rinsed all that stuff down the drain and scrubbed the drain-hole too, the smell began to disappear.
So now I'm wondering what it is that I do in the kitchen, different from what Gary and Maggie were doing, that prevents food and gunk from sitting and rotting in the tiny holes of the drain-trap. Is it the heat of the water I use? Is it my anal desire to dump the gunk from the trap multiple times each day? Is it how long dirty dishwater sits before being thrown out? And the other thing is -- why couldn't anybody else smell it???
Today's Laugh
It was a time of terrible flooding. A rescue helicopter arrived. It winched up ten men and one woman, all hanging onto a looped rope dangling below the helicopter. The weight was too much; the helicopter struggled to gain height to take the people over the swirling waters. A plea was made that one person had to sacrifice for the good of the others, and fall off the rope. Immediately the woman gave a short speech, "I will let go of the rope because I am a woman and I am accustomed to give everything for my husband, kids, and men in particular with little chance of anything in return."
At this declaration, the men all started to clap their hands.
At this declaration, the men all started to clap their hands.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Kneeling
During Weinrich's presentation at symposium last week, he mentioned that worship in a mosque involves the Muslims kneeling on the ground, faces to the ground, but that Christians are free sons and stand before their God.
I kept wondering about that. We kneel. We do.
Then it came up in Sunday's sermon here. So I asked about it.
Pastor pointed out two things. Simplest first: yes, Christians would kneel before their Lord. The disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. The Canaanite woman. The wise men. The Israelites who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon (Nehemiah 8). But what does He do? He raises us up. Muslims start their worship with their faces to the ground, stay that way throughout worship, and end that way. Christians kneel in worship, but our Lord does not leave us in the dirt.
Second: Muslims kneel because of the grandeur and majesty that they believe is glorious beyond their reach. When do Christians kneel? At the homo factus est and at the Words of Institution and when receiving the Sacrament. Christians kneel for Jesus' condescension. Christians kneel at the words which proclaim how our Lord came down to us, not because He is majestic and glorious and awesome.
Hmmm. This may be the answer to another question I've had. Some pastors genuflect during the Sanctus at "Holy, holy, holy." Other pastors kneel during the Sanctus at the words "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." Maybe this is why???
I kept wondering about that. We kneel. We do.
Then it came up in Sunday's sermon here. So I asked about it.
Pastor pointed out two things. Simplest first: yes, Christians would kneel before their Lord. The disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration. The Canaanite woman. The wise men. The Israelites who returned to Jerusalem from Babylon (Nehemiah 8). But what does He do? He raises us up. Muslims start their worship with their faces to the ground, stay that way throughout worship, and end that way. Christians kneel in worship, but our Lord does not leave us in the dirt.
Second: Muslims kneel because of the grandeur and majesty that they believe is glorious beyond their reach. When do Christians kneel? At the homo factus est and at the Words of Institution and when receiving the Sacrament. Christians kneel for Jesus' condescension. Christians kneel at the words which proclaim how our Lord came down to us, not because He is majestic and glorious and awesome.
Hmmm. This may be the answer to another question I've had. Some pastors genuflect during the Sanctus at "Holy, holy, holy." Other pastors kneel during the Sanctus at the words "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord." Maybe this is why???
Today's Laugh
A student answered a question at the geography bee. Mrs Hughes told him it was wrong. "But the right answer is what I meant! And what I said was close!" responded the student.
Mrs Hughes answered, "Close only counts in horseshoes."
And a small group of kids added, "And hand grenades."
And a few more kids added, "And detonating nuclear weapons!"
I laughed!
Gary says this is an old joke, but I never heard it till this year's geography bee.
Mrs Hughes answered, "Close only counts in horseshoes."
And a small group of kids added, "And hand grenades."
And a few more kids added, "And detonating nuclear weapons!"
I laughed!
Gary says this is an old joke, but I never heard it till this year's geography bee.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Today's Laugh
What if there were no hypothetical situations?
- - - - - - - - - -
If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?
- - - - - - - - - -
Clones are people two!
- - - - - - - - - -
If the police arrest a mime, do they tell him he has the right to remain silent?
- - - - - - - - - -
Clones are people two!
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Today's Laugh
Why do kamikaze pilots wear helmets?
- - - - - - - - -
If someone with multiple personalities threatens to commit suicide, is it considered a hostage situation?
- - - - - - - - -
Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?
- - - - - - - - -
If someone with multiple personalities threatens to commit suicide, is it considered a hostage situation?
- - - - - - - - -
Why is it called tourist season if we can't shoot at them?
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Your Bank
Barbara had a blog post recently about banks. She wrote about bank failures and gave some information on how to evaluate the safety of your bank. Don't be put off by the language about using this as an economics lesson for your homeschooled teenagers; this is something we should all check out. Our community bank in Darien had a 5-star rating, but our current bank is going downhill with an increasing "troubled asset ratio." Barbara has several links; the easiest one just tells how many stars your bank rates.
Today's Laugh
Where do forest rangers go to get away from it all?
- - - - - - - - -
What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant???
- - - - - - - - -
Whose cruel idea was it to have an "S" in "lisp"?
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What do you do when you see an endangered animal eating an endangered plant???
- - - - - - - - -
Whose cruel idea was it to have an "S" in "lisp"?
Friday, January 22, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Bulllies
Some people complain that homeschoolers will never learn to deal with bullies. Hey, I went to public school, and I don't know how to deal with bullies either.
Ignoring them doesn't work.
"Tattling" (also known as "going to the authorities") works insofar as the authority is able to keep watch and is willing to act against the bullying.
Retaliation through physical force or other means is usually not appropriate, besides the fact that it's usually ineffective.
I've heard that the only way that stands a chance is to speak out clearly against the bullying, calling it what it is, in a voice loud enough to bring attention to the bully's misbehavior, and having the whole group agree on certain consequences for the bully, such as being shunned. In other words, those who observe the bullying must side with the victim and not become intimidated themselves.
The thing I struggle with is attitude. I know that behavior follows attitude. If a person behaves inappropriately and clearly has had no change of heart, I struggle with saying "I forgive you" when their apology doesn't take responsibility for what they did. "I'm sorry you were hurt" or "I'm sorry you can't take a joke" is not the same as "I was wrong." Works flow from faith. Good works flow from a right faith; not-nice works flow from a false faith or a me-centered faith. So if you see that the antagonizer has had no change of heart, you can't reasonably expect the bullying behavior to stop.
But I guess --in the Kingdom of the Left-- we don't care about faith. We don't care about attitude. We don't care about outlooks. We only care about behavior. Ill behavior is punished; good behavior is rewarded; we don't care what the motivation is; we just care about the actions. It's just so hard when you know the hurtful actions aren't going to go away.
Ignoring them doesn't work.
"Tattling" (also known as "going to the authorities") works insofar as the authority is able to keep watch and is willing to act against the bullying.
Retaliation through physical force or other means is usually not appropriate, besides the fact that it's usually ineffective.
I've heard that the only way that stands a chance is to speak out clearly against the bullying, calling it what it is, in a voice loud enough to bring attention to the bully's misbehavior, and having the whole group agree on certain consequences for the bully, such as being shunned. In other words, those who observe the bullying must side with the victim and not become intimidated themselves.
The thing I struggle with is attitude. I know that behavior follows attitude. If a person behaves inappropriately and clearly has had no change of heart, I struggle with saying "I forgive you" when their apology doesn't take responsibility for what they did. "I'm sorry you were hurt" or "I'm sorry you can't take a joke" is not the same as "I was wrong." Works flow from faith. Good works flow from a right faith; not-nice works flow from a false faith or a me-centered faith. So if you see that the antagonizer has had no change of heart, you can't reasonably expect the bullying behavior to stop.
But I guess --in the Kingdom of the Left-- we don't care about faith. We don't care about attitude. We don't care about outlooks. We only care about behavior. Ill behavior is punished; good behavior is rewarded; we don't care what the motivation is; we just care about the actions. It's just so hard when you know the hurtful actions aren't going to go away.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Split Heels
Winter means split, cracked, painful heels. Taking good care of your feet prevents the worst of the problems, but the dry air from the furnace still wreaks havoc on your feet as you get older.
This year I decided to try comfrey. Comfrey is an herb that encourages skin-cell production; it's good for healing cuts and other skin wounds. I had good luck with it before. I poured olive oil over a shot glass full of comfrey leaves and let it soak for a few days. Using a drop or two of that oil on my heels every day [well, you know how it goes, maybe it's actually 4-5 times a week] has done wonders for the cracking and splitting!
The only problem is that the cat likes to sneak onto my dresser and slurp up the olive oil. Weird Rosie!
This year I decided to try comfrey. Comfrey is an herb that encourages skin-cell production; it's good for healing cuts and other skin wounds. I had good luck with it before. I poured olive oil over a shot glass full of comfrey leaves and let it soak for a few days. Using a drop or two of that oil on my heels every day [well, you know how it goes, maybe it's actually 4-5 times a week] has done wonders for the cracking and splitting!
The only problem is that the cat likes to sneak onto my dresser and slurp up the olive oil. Weird Rosie!
Today's Laugh
I was waiting tables in a noisy lobster restaurant in Maine when a vacationing Southerner stumped me with a drink order. I approached the bartender. "Have you ever heard of a drink called 'Seven Young Blondes'?" I asked. He admitted he'd never heard of it, and grabbed a drink guidebook to look it up. Unable to find the recipe, he then asked me to go back and tell the patron that he'd be happy to make the drink if he could list the ingredients for him. "Sir," I asked the customer, "can you tell me what's in that drink?"
He looked at me like I was crazy. "It's wine," he said, pronouncing his words carefully, "Sauvignon blanc."
He looked at me like I was crazy. "It's wine," he said, pronouncing his words carefully, "Sauvignon blanc."
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
For the Joy Set Before Him
Once upon a time, Pastor Wieting arranged an evangelism festival. He asked a Pastor Vetter to come speak. It was awesome! Not about what we should "do" to obey some command to "evangelize" people, but it was all about the Gospel promises to us and to our neighbors. One tidbit has stuck with me these past 20+ years since I heard Pr Vetter.
Some people wonder why God allows evil to continue in this world. "If there really were a God," they say, "He wouldn't have allowed evil to continue." Couldn't God have killed off Adam and Eve, and just started from scratch and gotten it right on His second try?
That's when Pr Vetter pointed out that, if God had done that, He wouldn't have had YOU.
We are sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. If our parents had been wiped out, WE wouldn't BE. If there could have been perfect people on the world, they would have descended from somebody besides our first parents, and so WE would not exist at all.
Come, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (from Hebrews 12:2)
Pr Vetter said that the Lenten verse tells us that WE are the joy set before Jesus, the reason He endured the cross. To have us as His own is His loving motivation.
Some people wonder why God allows evil to continue in this world. "If there really were a God," they say, "He wouldn't have allowed evil to continue." Couldn't God have killed off Adam and Eve, and just started from scratch and gotten it right on His second try?
That's when Pr Vetter pointed out that, if God had done that, He wouldn't have had YOU.
We are sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. If our parents had been wiped out, WE wouldn't BE. If there could have been perfect people on the world, they would have descended from somebody besides our first parents, and so WE would not exist at all.
Come, let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (from Hebrews 12:2)
Pr Vetter said that the Lenten verse tells us that WE are the joy set before Jesus, the reason He endured the cross. To have us as His own is His loving motivation.
Monday, January 18, 2010
To the Fort
Finished up the bulk of the work on my current editing project. The last steps can be accomplished while I'm out of town this week.
Van is packed full of CCA material. I'm off to symposia to fill in for the deacon for the week ... and to see old friends! The hard part is always the self-discipline -- making ourselves sleep at night instead of trying to squeeze in every last minute of visiting we can.
With hopes of coming home at the end of the week both
-- satiated with the joy of being with buddies, and
-- not drop-dead exhausted.
This is my goal! (And it would be all the cheerier if I hit good traffic through Chicago. But I don't want to wish for too much and push my luck....)
Van is packed full of CCA material. I'm off to symposia to fill in for the deacon for the week ... and to see old friends! The hard part is always the self-discipline -- making ourselves sleep at night instead of trying to squeeze in every last minute of visiting we can.
With hopes of coming home at the end of the week both
-- satiated with the joy of being with buddies, and
-- not drop-dead exhausted.
This is my goal! (And it would be all the cheerier if I hit good traffic through Chicago. But I don't want to wish for too much and push my luck....)
Today's Laugh
The teacher asked the children to draw a picture of Mommy at work. This is Sarah's drawing:
The next day, Sarah's mommy sent this note to the teacher:
Dear Miss Greenwood,
That is not a dance pole on stage in a dancing club. I work at Wal-mart, and that's me selling a shovel.
Yours faithfully, Nancy Anderson.
The next day, Sarah's mommy sent this note to the teacher:
Dear Miss Greenwood,
That is not a dance pole on stage in a dancing club. I work at Wal-mart, and that's me selling a shovel.
Yours faithfully, Nancy Anderson.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
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