A Lesson in Brotherly Love . . . by Elijah

"Joseph's brothers were jealous of him. They threw him into a big, deep pit. I would never do that to Alli because I don't know where a big pit is."

More Pictures

Dan's brother Mike and his wife Jennifer and their two boys came to stay with us after Grandma's party and we all went to the zoo.

Alli decided that she would pull her cousin Josiah around in the wagon.Amazingly enough, we were so busy enjoying the beautiful weather while camping (as opposed to other years) that we didn't take many pictures. These were taken the evening that we all headed down to the beach for family pictures. Dan took these.

One more post of pictures and I'll quit boring you! We were able to spend this past 4 days at a cottage on a lake, so we enjoyed boating and swimming - more pics to come soon!

Lots of Pictures

We've had a busy month, and we've taken a lot of pictures. I'll try to update the blog over the next few days with pictures from our hectic life. This is Alli's 2 year pic. A little less than traditional, but I couldn't resist that look and those eyes! We think you are beautiful, baby!

These next pics are from Great Grandma's 80th Birthday party, which we celebrated on the 4th of July.Elijah and Dan and his two brothers, Mike (on left) and Tim (right).

My wonderful Mother-in-Law, Barb, and 2 sister-in-laws, Noelle (center -Tim's wife) and Jennifer (far right - Mike's wife). This isn't the best picture, but we had something like 5 people trying to get a shot of us all at once.

Elijah looking cute.

With these next few pictures, Dan played with the color saturation and made them very vibrant. Between the two of us, we have a lot of fun with our new camera. I like to take photos of people and Dan prefers scenery, but he is much more skilled than I, and has the patience to really work on a photo to make it the best it can be. I just snap away and hope for a decent shot!

Alli is wearing her party dress, a present from her Grandma and Grandpa.

Elijah's feet -hey, they actually look clean here!

Elijah and Alli. Always cracking each other up.

Our week gets pretty busy tomorrow, but I'll try to get some more pics up by the weekend.

"It Smells Like Nothing"

A sad thing happened today. Elijah was trying to describe the scent of car wax to me and said, "It smells like nothing." Cute, to be sure, but sad because he has never, in his 4 1/2 years on earth, said the word "nothing." He has always said "anything." Like after I ask him what is wrong, he pouts and says, "Anything." And when I ask him who taught him something, his answer would be "anyone." I'm sad he figured out the correct grammar.

So, before he gives up all his cute words, I decided to post my favorite mis-pronunciations of my guy.

1. "Sank you" instead of "thank you"
2. "Lose" instead of "use"
3. "Wecause" instead of "because"

Unfortunately, that is all I can think of now, but as he learns to speak more clearly, I am sure I will think of more! And soon I'll be able to post about Alli's cute sayings!

Infidel

We're back from a week of camping, tired and with more than 10 loads of laundry to do, but we had a relaxing time, nonetheless. I had plenty of "down" time to do some more reading, since I have taken a break because of my sewing. One of the books I read was Infidel, the autobiography of Ayaan Hirsi Ali. My sister-in-law recommended it to me and although it isn't the most eloquently book I've ever read, I found it a worthy read.

Ayaan was born in Somalia, but spent most of her childhood moving between Kenya, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and back to Somalia because of the constant political unrest in each country. She was born into a devout Muslim family and chronicles in detail the horrific practices she witnessed and experienced at the hands of those who claim to follow the "peaceful" religion of Islam. Most disturbing was their practice of female circumcision, although I found myself equally disgusted by the overall mistreatment of women in that culture.

Ayaan eventually escapes her destiny of arranged marriage by stealing away to Holland where she lives in a refugee camp and experiences for the first time in her life, civilized society. She chronicles her amazement that city busses arrive on time, to the exact minute, how the government officials actually help her out without bribes and how the police actually protect her, instead of harrassing her. It is amazing to see our every-day life through her eyes. It was shameful for me to think about how much I take these things for granted.

Many parts of the book struck me, but I will dwell on just two. First of all, I was appalled at hearing the logic of blaming a woman for being raped, but Ayaan explains it simply: The Qua ran commands women to be modest and the definition of modesty has constantly been tweaked and redefined by whatever group is ruling. And so the women begin to wear the hidjab, which leaves little, if any, flesh showing. Women who do show their arms or necks are subjected to lewd comments and behavior from men on the street. They are groped and attacked and then blamed because men have no responsibility to control their behavior and sexual desire, and thus it becomes the woman's fault for arousing the man. Often, women who are raped or become pregnant out of wedlock would commit suicide for the family's honor. One such woman that Ayaan knew poured kerosene over her head and lit herself on fire in front of her family.

As shocking as that sounds, I couldn't help but think of our tendency in Christian circles to teach obedience to rules without heart change. The Muslim men in Ayaan's world never learn self-control or discernment, so they act out their natural heart's desire. How often have I known people who were raised with strict rules and had no heart change and when left to their own devices, go headlong into sin without any guilt because their desires were left to fester and grow on the inside, while they obeyed on the outside. As a parent, this scares me beyond belief. It makes me question what am I doing to speak to my children's hearts, and not just require rote obedience without heart change.

Islam's worship of Allah is all about submission, which is familiar territory for the Christian believer, but it falls short because their is no heart change and no help from Allah. He is to be feared and worshipped, but there is no mention of love or relationship with him. Life is simply trying to obey more than you disobey his commands and hope that earns you a place in paradise. There is no grace, mercy or atonement for a Muslim.

This was a difficult book to read. It was deep and depressing at times. I long to give the author the gospel. To give her some hope in a God who is loving and kind, and who extends favor to a thousand generations. Unfortunately, Ayaan now considers herself an atheist and sees as her life goal to expose Islam's terror against women and desire to rule the entire world. She is a loud and outspoken critic of Islam and Muslim culture, which has caused her to have to go into hiding to avoid the death threats she receives from her own people. She is cut completely off from her family and after serving for a time in Dutch Parliament, now lives in the U.S.

As difficult as this book was to read at times, I am grateful that I did. It gave me a better understanding of Islam's beliefs and greater compassion for those who live under it's rule. It also helped me grasp the political problems in third-world countries and renewed my thankfulness for the civil order we enjoy in America.

My sister-in-law commented that there is still hope that she becomes a believer. I agree. I pray that God will open her eyes to true faith in Him, that she will know forgiveness of sins now.

I Got to Mow the Lawn!!!!!

Okay, maybe that doesn't sound very exciting to you. Or maybe it even sounds like a chore to you. Well, I enjoy mowing the lawn for a few reasons:

1. We have a riding lawn mower, so it is easy.
2. The hour that it takes to mow is almost guaranteed to be quiet (other than the sound of the mower, that is) and leave me alone with my thoughts and prayers.
3. It gives me a break from parenting and from hearing "mommy, mommy, mommy" (like I am hearing as I type this).
4. I get to listen to my iPod. And I can listen uninterrupted, so my favorite thing to listen to during this quiet time is a good sermon.

That leads me to the point of this post. When Dan said that I could mow last night so that he would be able to work in the garden, I ran next door and borrowed my neighbor's iPod, because she had recommended a sermon by John Piper just the other day.

The sermon is entitled, "A Broken and Contrite Heart God will not Despise" and I will not diminish it's great truths by trying to synopsize it here. Instead, just go and download it yourself and be blessed.

















Really. I mean it. There is nothing else here to read. Go and do it now. You will not be disappointed.

Lessons from Sewing, part 3 . . .

I cannot learn to sew, read all those great books I have on a list, try the new recipes I've had sitting out on the counter for a month, visit the library once a week, hand stamp greeting cards, organize the basement, clear out junk for a garage sale, read up on taking great photographs, take great photographs, weed the garden, write a witty blog post and read everyone else's, research math and language arts curriculum, go for a bike ride, paint the house, make granola and wheat bread, watch TV shows that I have saved on DVR, watch movies I have on hold from the library, manage the finances, dust every surface, vacuum every floor, call every friend I think about and pray for or go shopping for new summer clothes and still exist as a mildly competant wife and mother. I am only human. So I pick and choose what is important for today. And lately, my sewing is winning that contest.

My Baby Turns 2

I can't believe it has already been 2 years since God graced you to our family. You have been a constant joy to us, Alli, and we love watching you turn into such a little girly-girl. I cherish watching you play dress-up, caring for your babies and making pretend meals for your daddy and me. You have grown into quite a social lady, although you still know how to be shy and how to bury your head into mommy's shoulder when you want to. You are going to be a "go-getter" and afraid of nothing, I think. Those traits are from God and can be used to His Glory, or for your own. We pray that you come to cherish Christ and to seek to spread His Fame.

We love you, Allison Keona. Happy 2nd Birthday.

Lessons from sewing, part 2 . . .

All cutting and sewing of fabric should be performed while children are sleeping or being watched under the careful eye of their other parent, leaving the seamstress free to concentrate. Otherwise one will inadvertently cut with the wrong measurements or cut in the wrong direction, thus rendering fragments of fabric that are useless. Unless, of course, one is extremely creative and can make new projects out of the scraps.

(and if you fall in that category, leave a comment - because one who posts such advice might need it herself)

Lessons from sewing, part 1 . . .

. . . the seam ripper is my best friend.

Storm Front

We've had a weekend of crazy weather. Thunderstorms, hail, tornadoes and flash floods have all gone through our area over the last two days and the forecast for this week doesn't look much better. Dan took this picture tonight just minutes before we got hit with thunderstorms again. He emailed it to a local TV news station, we are waiting for the 10 o'clock news to see if it's featured!

It certainly isn't hard to see God's handiwork in the fury of the storm. Even though this weather can be dangerous, I always pause to thank Him for such beautiful signs of His power. No matter what happens in the storm, I know Whose hand controls every cloud.

Looks like Someone knows her birthday is coming up . . .

Yes, that's an American Girl doll catalog. You know, the one's with $100 dolls. I think she will need to wait until she is older than 2 before we invest in a doll like that!

5 Things

Five Things About Me Meme
Morning Rose tagged me to do a Five Things About Me Meme.


The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
Each player answers the questions about themselves.
At the end of the post, the player then tags five people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read the player’s blog.
Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.


What were you doing five years ago?

1. I was finishing up my first year of teaching 4th through 6th grade at a private Christian school.
2. Dan and I went to Maui on our first exotic vacation!
3. I was pregnant with Elijah.
4. We travelled to Washington state to attend Dan's brother's wedding.
5. I was enjoying my first summer vacation not working! (I have stayed home since ending that school year)



What are five things on your to-do list for today (not in any particular order)?

1. Finish laundry
2. Research sewing machines
3. Try to get the house back to normal after a crazy weekend with houseguests and cookouts
4. Finish watching "Becoming Jane"
5. Did I mention all the laundry?

What are five snacks you enjoy?

1. anything chocolate
2. cheese and crackers
3. ice cream
4. fresh strawberries
5. chips and dip

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?

1. Give most of it away - it would consume me.
2. Redo our kitchen and basement, or . . .
3. Move to a home on the lake.
4. Travel, especially to foreign countries where we know missionaries.
5. Invest and live off of the interest (okay, that's Dan talking)

What are five of your bad habits?

1. Worrying
2. Being critical
3. Being obsessive compulsive about things
4. Wasting time
5. Picking at scabs. Disgusting. I know.

What are five jobs you’ve had?
1. Shoe salesman at Sears
2. Telecounselor for MBBC
3. Pharmacy tech
4. Manager of health and fitness club (anyone who knows me will find this very ironic.)
5. Teacher

What five people do you want to tag?
1. Sarah
2. Gretchen
3. Karen
4. Tina
5. Elizabeth

Healthy Eating?

I'm not sure these 2 recipes fall under the strictest definition of healthy eating, but if you are trying to avoid hydrogenated oils and MSG, then they definately help you do it. Since it seems all pre-packaged food has one or both of these nasty ingredients, I say cut it out where you can and then you feel a bit better when you indulge in Ritz Crackers.

So here are 2 make-ahead mixes that help you on your path to healthy(er) eating . . .

Taco Seasoning
2 tsp instant minced onion
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp crushed dried red pepper
1/2 tsp instant minced garlic
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Combine all ingredients in small bowl until evenly distributed. Store in a foil bag or plastic container in a cool, dry place. Use within 6 months. Makes about 2 T. Use 2 T for every pound of ground beef.
*I triple this recipe and it fits nicely into an old spice container. Then you always have it on hand when you need it.

Buttermilk Pancake Mix
2 c. dry buttermilk powder
8 c. flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
8 tsp. baking powder
4 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. salt
Combine, stir with whisk until evenly distributed. Makes 12 cups and use within 6 months.

Pancakes: 1 egg beaten, 2 T. oil, 1 cup water, 1 1/2 c. mix. Combine egg, oil and water. With wire whisk stir in mix until blended. Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in more water for a thinner batter if desired.

Really? The Office?

I was shocked as the next alum, but laughed anyway. Dan and I have told almost everyone we know about this video, and this seemed like the easiest way to direct them to the link. Enjoy!

The Admission's Office

Bitten

I've been bitten by the sewing bug. It all started out so innocently. I had a mounting pile of clothes that needed mended, and my #1 seamstress had just had a baby, so I decided to try to tackle some of them myself. Only I didn't know what I was doing. This realization led me to ask my good friend Debbie to teach me to sew. You know, just simple stuff like hemming pants and maybe a decorative pillow or two.

Well, after surfin' the web to get some project ideas (after all, to learn to sew you must have projects) I was so overwhelmed and excited at the sewing possibilities that I went kinda crazy. Debbie lent me her machine and I went to town. Here are a few of the things I have made so far . . .

This was my first project. Seeing how simple it was caused me to want to try something more challenging.My first handbag! Okay, okay, I realize it is small, but I did it, and that makes me very happy. I tackled this one on my own, with the help of this great tutorial.
Did you know that you can buy these dresses on the bolt and all you have to do is stitch up the back, hem and attach straps? Alli was very excited to try it on. I'm still deciding what to do with the straps. Alli also desperately needed a belt since even toddler pants are low rise now. This was easy-peasy, so I made one for myself, too.

I found this idea on www.Joann.com. It's an organizer that hangs on the back of your car seat for the kids to put their books and toys in. This is Elijah's (obviously) and I am currently working on one for Alli.

And I have some baby gift ideas, since our church is continually reproducing, so I should stay busy for a while. Dan is excited and very supportive, but is worried that I might get burned out. Who suffers from burnout when there are such a plethora of good ideas out there?

Baby J

This little guy was so happy! We didn't have to work too hard to get some great smiles out of him. He has an infectious laugh. How can you resist this?

I'm loving this one. See those two bottom teeth? They just embody a classic baby picture.

By the way, have you ever noticed that taking a baby's clothes off almost always results in pure happines? This was fun. What can be better than spending time with friends and making their babies smile?

2 Cute Babies!

Before I left for the week, I got together with my friend Sarah, who has her own nine-month-old and babysits another one! I had so much fun trying to follow these two around to get some pictures. They both are extremely happy and busy! So here is a sneak peak of baby A for her parents, baby J's pictures will come tomorrow.

I hope you love them! I know I do!

While the Cat's Away . . .

Apparently this is the mouse's idea of "playing" . . .

You see, we knew we had some carpenter ants at the front of our house, and apparently they love damp wood, which we had because of a gutter problem, so they decided to feast on our cedar siding, as well as the infrastructure beneath.

Dan thought they had damaged just a small area (like 2 or 3 boards) and thought he would take advantage of the time I've been away to complete a couple of projects. Needless to say, this one is gonna take a while.

**Aaahhh - you gotta love owning a home**

Shop till you drop!

Remember when I mentioned that I would have a post on a new company I found,
peas&carrots? Well, here is that promised post! I first heard about this great company when my friend, Summer, took pictures for their marketing. After drooling over their bags and fabrics for long enough, I decided to purchase the two products that I loved the most:

The Quick Change - great for running around town. It holds 3-4 diapers and wipes and is perfect for when you need changing supplies with you, but you don't need to cart around a whole bag. I love it! And I love the fabric, which you get to choose! And one of their unique handbags - they offer 6 different styles, all available to customize with your fabric choices. I really could have bought all of them!

Well, shortly after I recieved my purchase in the mail, peas&carrots unveiled a new little product, the "zippy," which you can get in the matching fabric for your bag. Now how cute is that?!?!

Check out their site - you will definately find something you love, even if you don't have a baby anymore. The bags make great purses, and she also makes some stuff for older kids, too! Not to mention the baby shower gift option . . . Leave a comment and tell me what you like!

Enjoy!

Sentimental

There are some monumental moments with your child that you just don't forget. The first time he crawls, her first word, the first time they say "I love you."

This is a picture of Elijah helping his daddy put up his big-boy bed. He moved into it just a month shy of turning 2. I was pregnant with Alli, and because of my complications, could no longer lift him and so we decided he was ready to sleep in a toddler bed.As you can tell, he liked it instantly and we had no problems with the transition.Well, after putting up a toddler bed in Alli's room about 2 months ago, when we had house guests with a 4-year-old girl, she has wanted to sleep in it. Dan put her to bed in it a couple of times, and she fell asleep with no problems, but I wasn't ready for the transition, so I went back in after she was asleep and moved her into her crib. I guess I was being a bit sentimental and I wasn't willing to move her before she was 23 months, the same age that Elijah was when he moved.

Well, this weekend my resolve to wait wavered a bit, and so we allowed her to sleep in her big-girl bed to see how she did. Of course she did fine, even though she is only 21 1/2 months old, so today I took down her crib (wiping tears as I type) and rearranged her room. Here is the result, with Elijah christening her bed with her.

The complete picture:

Now I just have to decide what to do with this:

Should I put it in the closet? I don't want to lose the storage, but she is getting too big to change up there, and too heavy to lift! Or is it ok to leave it out, even though she is a "big girl" now? Any thoughts?

Big Brother

Elijah is a good big brother. He plays with his sister, shares toys (with a little encouragement), and does an excellent job at keeping me posted if his sister is getting into trouble. He gets visibly upset if we start to walk away and Alli isn't following us and he is always concerned that she will get hurt or left behind.

So when he discovered Alli playing with his safety scissors yesterday, he was rightfully upset that she was holding a dangerous instrument with which she might become injured. But instead of reporting the problem to me, as is protocol, he proceeded to try to take them away from her by himself. Alli responded as most 21 month old's do, and commenced screaming. This further aggravated Elijah and by the time I entered the room he was physically hitting his sister in a desperate endeavor to wrench the scissors from her grip.

All of this in an attempt to keep her from hurting herself. What a good big brother . . .

A Few Updates

I have been itching to update my blog a bit, but I want to add some of my own photographs in the header and such, which I haven't had the time to do! So instead of completing all the changes at once, I added a few new elements that would be fun for you to check out.

1. I've added links to 3 friends - My brother Kevin, my friend and cherished babysitter, Elizabeth, and Sara's Art House. Check them out!

2. I've also added a section for fun sites I like to visit. Although I could probably write a seperate post on each site, I will save you from that now and just direct you to check out the sites.

My world was opened up after I discovered Etsy, so for all of you looking for unique gifts or products for yourself or family, Etsy is all hand made, so meander around a bit and get creative!

Farmgirl Fare has some great recipes and fun pictures of farm life. Read up on her profile to better understand what makes this site so cool.

Splitcoast Stampers isn't new to most of you stampers out there, but if you are looking for inspiration, there is no better site!

And Peas & Carrots - well, let's just say that I should have a post about this fun company soon. I'm waiting for a handbag and quick change to come in the mail, and then I will share!

That's all for now. Let's hope my tulips that Elijah and I planted last fall will come up and they will aid my new blog design.

Respectable Sins

I just finished reading Respectable Sins by Jerry Bridges. We had Jerry at our fall Bible conference last year, and this book was his newest release. I promptly bought it, and then began hearing how convicting it was from my friends who read it right away. I knew that I needed to read it, but kept putting it off in favor of books that wouldn't be so painful to read!

Well, painful it was. It seems that Mr. Bridges doesn't name a single "respectable" sin that I don't struggle with. The term "respectable sins" comes from, of course, those sins which we tend to forget are sinful, or that we tolerate in an air of pride because we don't commit those BIG sins that the rest of the world does. We don't commit adultry, we don't lie (at least not overtly), we aren't guilty of assult with a deadly weapon, but we do act selfishly, we are discontent and we sin with our tongue daily (at least I know I do).

J.I. Packer endorses the book with this quote: "Read this book - we need to - and be ready for a gentle surgeon's sharp knife." And that is exactly how I percieve this book. Bridges literally "cuts to the chase" and names our pets sins, shows how abhorrent they are in the sight of a Holy God, and encourages us to confront them, confess them and turn away from practicing them. But the amazing way he does this is worth pointing out: he doesn't only preach to the reader, he uses his own life to show how he often struggles in the same way. He points us continually to the Cross, the only source of true repentance and forgiveness, and continually reminds us that the faith that saves us is the same faith that will sanctify us. In other words, we DO have the power to say no to sin, we DO have the power, through Christ's sacrifice, to change our behavior and to battle those respectable sins.

It is a book worth owning, and reading more than once, to remind us to constantly be searching our own life for "respectable sins." I'm still recovering from his surgery, but thanking God for an author who speaks the truth, even when it hurts.

Easter Breakfast

One of the traditions our church has on Easter morning is to eat breakfast together before the service. It is a wonderful time to fellowship with one another before we worship together.

I'm always looking for great breakfast dishes that are quick and easy to prepare, and I found this recipe a few weeks ago. You fix it the night before and then only have to pop it in the oven the next morning. I thought you might like to try it for your family on a special holiday, or just a relaxing weekend.

Apple-Stuffed French Toast

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 cup chopped pecans
12 slices Italian bread (1/2 inch thick)
2 large tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
6 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Caramel sauce:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup; cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Pour into a greased 13x9 baking dish; top with half of the pecans, a single layer of bread and remaining pecans. Arrange apples and remaining bread over the top.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and nutmeg. Pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until lightly browned.
In a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened. Serve with French toast.
Yield: 6 servings.

Beyond the delicious breakfast, we had an encouraging sermon about preaching the gospel to ourselves - not only the sacrificial death of Christ, which we usually focus on, but His resurrection, without which, according to I Corinthians 15:14, "our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty." What an excellent reminder.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Easter!

Doggie Blogs

After reading this, Sadie seriously contemplated obeying her herd instinct in starting a blog, but decided it would interfere too greatly with her sleeping, eating and barking.

Inspired by Sara, I tried to create pigtails out of Alli's wispy, fine, baby hair. Yes, I know they are small and I realize they only stayed in for about 5 minutes, but at least she has enough hair now that I can try!Sooner or later, sweetie-pie, there will be enough for me to make a girly-girl out of you!

10 Products That Make My Life a Little Better . . .

(in no particular order)

1. My Mary Kay Timewise 3-In-1 Cleanser. I start and end every day with it, and have never used a better product.

2. My dishwand. You know, the tube with a sponge attached that dispenses dishsoap as you wash. I can't remember the last time I filled a sink with water and used a washcloth. It makes for quick clean up for the dishes that can't go (or won't fit) in the dishwasher.

3. Curl refiner hair product. Either Aveda's Be Curly or Redkin's Curl Refiner. Scrunch it in after the shower and my curls stay soft and frizz-free all day. It makes my hair routine take all of 2 minutes.

4. Huggies baby wipes. How did I live without these for so many years? Not only do they clean up after a diaper explosion, but they wipe dirty faces, clean stamps, and remove makeup. What other all-purpose product does this?

5. Carmex. The original, made in Wisconsin product.

6. Tropical Twist Trident. Tasty gum that freshens my breath when needed. My purse is rarely empty of this product.

7. My Kitchenaid mixer. I use it more than I thought I would!

8. Music by Sovereign Grace Ministries. When I listen to music, one of their CD's is almost always my first choice. I haven't heard many other artists whose lyrics are so rich and theological.

9. Berres Bros. Coffee. What can I say - I like Starbucks, but NOTHING beats a hot cup of Highlander Grogg.

10. Settlers of Catan. I haven't tired of this game and haven't met many people who don't love it as much as Dan and I do. We have stayed up late too many nights playing with friends and never regretted it. Wanna come over for a cup of coffee and a game?

Pride and Prejudice

I know that this may shock some of you, but I just recently saw, for the first time, Pride and Prejudice. I saw the stage production in college (and promptly forgot the story) and I have never read the book. So when I found out that Masterpiece Theatre was running the complete Jane Austen, I decided to DVR them all and catch up to my womanly notions that I should be at least familiar with her writing.

I watched the "classic" version first, the A&E and BBC one with Colin Firth as Darcy. I am glad I did, because if I had seen the newer version first, I probably would not have wanted to sit through the 4 hour version. Boy, am I glad I did! It was wonderful! I disliked Darcy at once, instantly rooted for Jane and Bingley, and felt exactly as Lizzie did in every scene. I couldn't ask for a better movie.

So just for kicks, I decided to rent the 2005 movie starring Kiera Knightly and went into it, I must confess, a bit biased. I knew it would never top the original. And so I wasn't disappointed. Although, it did a good job of condensing the plot to only 2 hours, it missed all the nuances that were so obvious and necessary for a complete story.

Instead of completely dismissing the Kiera Knightly version, let me give you a more detailed response to it:

1. For starters, it did a better job showing the disparity of wealth between the Bennet family and Bingley and Darcy. I didn't get that in the original.

2. Kiera Knightly does well in a strong female role, but couldn't convey the gentleness of Lizzie, or, quite frankly, the beauty. She kinda looked like Cinderella before her transformation for the majority of the movie - dirty and unkempt. Her sisters looked more formal than she did.

3. The only time I believed Kiera as Lizzie was when she was telling off Mr. Collins when he proposed and Darcy after his first offer.

4. Colin Firth as Darcy was much more believable. He was mean and snotty and softened just enough for the viewer to change their mind about him. The actor who portrayed Darcy in the latter of the films (sorry, I couldn't find his name) was too soft from the beginning and came across as almost pitiable. I never once disliked him and kinda felt sorry for him. Although I will concede that his softening at the end of the film was a bit more endearing.

5. Jane was definitely more beautiful in the 2nd film, although I thought Bingley looked like Conan O'Brian.

6. The 2nd film cut so much of Mr. Wickham's storyline that I neither embraced him nor hated him. He was an ancillary character that didn't matter, which is a shame, because I whole-heartedly fell for his lies in the longer version.

7. I did enjoy both actresses who portrayed Mrs. Bennet, although they portrayed her quite differently. Both versions were believable.

8. I was intent on liking the 2nd Mr. Bennet, but he wasn't around enough to enjoy and he garbled most of his memorable lines.

All in all, if you weren't familiar with the first movie, the second wouldn't be bad. In fact, it received really good reviews. But I will side with most P&P fans and take the first version any day!

*By the way, I am aware that the BBC version is not truly the original. But come on, has anyone actually seen the Lawrence Olivier version? These 2 movies are the most well-known productions of the story. And yes, I will also read the entire book now. I know I did this backwards!

This article really hit me. I've been hearing this message a lot lately, and it has me thinking. What radical thing am I doing for Christ? The author states:

The American Dream has permeated this nation, but it has also spilled across the oceans to all nations of the world. Everyone understands the American Dream, and he pursues it with all his might. While we are familiar with seeing images of desperate Cubans endeavoring to land makeshift rafts on the beaches of Florida in their pursuit of this dream, many Americans are no different. They just look better in the pursuit. But under the cover of well-clothed, well-educated, well-cared-for Americans is a relentless pursuit of the same idea—a better, richer, fuller life than what I am currently experiencing. The pursuit leaves every player exasperated for one simple reason—it’s not the way God intended us to live.
God gives us strong admonitions to live for another world, another country. Our mode of operation is to be that of a pilgrim, not a consumer. When pagans compare our lives to theirs, we should look like idiots in their eyes. But I’m afraid most of the time we look pretty normal. We should have different economic strategies (kingdom giving), different time schedules (acts of mercy; times of personal, family, and corporate worship), different family priorities (parenting God’s way, time together), and different pursuits (kingdom of God, glory of God, people of God). However, I’m afraid that when the lives of most Christians are examined, they make complete sense to the average pagan. Materially, we have houses, cars, retirement plans, and five kinds of insurance so that we can have “risk-free” living. When it comes to our time, we spend more time having fun than serving the poor. We spend more time playing with our toys than meeting as believers, provoking one another to love and good works. I’m afraid that our diversions have become our delight in America. When it comes to what we live for, I’m afraid we display Babylonian desires for the latest and greatest . . . just like the pagans.

I know that my mind is more often occupied with how to make life more comfortable for my family, and specifically, me. I know that I spend a lot of time dreaming about what we want to do someday, and it usually involves a house on a lake more than a shack in Africa.

I'm not sure what to do with all these thoughts, though. I realize there are going to be earthly pursuits that don't, on the surface, look like kingdom pursuits. But I also realize that my heart is what matters, and sometimes those earthly pursuits give a window of opportunity to bring about kingdom goals. That time we hired someone to drywall our basement? It led to some great conversations about church and living for Christ, and has established a relationship with a guy that still exists today.

Not everyone will give up their job like the author did, but we all must be willing. So my question becomes, how do you live a radical life for Christ, while still working a 9 to5, having a family and having responsibilities elsewhere?

What do you think?