Finally Dawned on Me

One of my dreams has always been to start my own business. Lately I've been thinking that this will have to be one of the things I do once our children (I hope!) are graduated from high school and moved on and out. My priorities are my husband and family; there will be plenty of time for starting my own business later on in life (and if there isn't time, or time is cut short, then I will be glad that I didn't spend all my years busy with a business when my top priority was my family).
I used to say that I wanted to run a coffee shop, especially after such a good time working here. Love the idea of creating a space for people to meet with friends, or work on their own projects while enjoying a hot beverage. BUT, unless you are a major coffee chain, it doesn't seem like the best business plan, to open a shop where people spend hours of their time and only $3 from their pocket. That hardly pays to keep the lights on, or to have a barista to make the drinks. Most Ma&Pa coffee shops that I know have to do other things in order to keep afloat (sell other merchandise in their shop, or include a lunch menu, or cater, or, or, or, or). I also thought it would be fun to have a bookstore, but we all know how well bookstores are doing these days, sadly.
Another idea that I have thought of is a slow-food restaurant. Where you come in, order off of the limited and changing menu, and then I make you your meal from scratch. The menu would probably contain all of my comfort foods (soups, sandwiches, pizzas, pastas, bread, cheese, etc). There would be a greenhouse attached to the back of the kitchen that grew some of our produce. And in both of these dreams we would roast our own coffee, of course. But I've always thought it would be too stressful to run a restaurant. So many regulations, and as always working with perishable items seems risky to me. Order too much and you end up wasting. Order not enough, and you're constantly running out of food and running out of customers. I do like the idea of restaurants who are only open until they run out of food each day. That does ensure a freshness, and probably less waste, I would guess.
Another idea I've more recently had, that doesn't include perishable items (at least not very many) would be a handicraft shop, that would provide three services.
1. It would sell handmade items made by myself and other local people.
2. It would sell crafting supplies.
3. It would provide space for people to work on their projects.

Fun, right? Maybe that is how I will spend my retirement?

And then it dawned on me. I can do all these things without having to try to figure out the business-side of things AND while making my family my first priority (well, actually Jesus is my first priority, but that is regardless of whether I have a family or a job or where I live or what I do. It is a given for me).
In raising a family, I definitely can plan and make healthy and from-scratch meals and work on whatever my craft is to benefit my family. I can support my husband in his work and ministry by opening our home and providing space for people to meet with a friend, read a book, drink a hot beverage, eat a good meal, be creative, study, think, etc. You guys, in just a shade over half a year, we will have the privilege of working with 20-30 young adults in a new Discipleship Program. Why is this just now dawning on me? Perhaps this is what all these dreams are about?

Here is a promotional video for the new discipleship program. Perhaps you know of someone who would be interested in applying? They should go here to find out more information and apply!

My heart's desires

I spent a little time this evening (a very little, actually, when I think of the amount of time I could have spent) reading through old blog posts of mine.

Ran across this one, and was very encouraged to see how God has worked in my life over the past few years. I turned 30 this past November, and am happy to report that I was able to finish seminary and have a baby right before 30. 

Looking forward to seeing what God has in store for the current desires of my heart over the next five (or so) years.

Also was reminded that I used to be a much better, thoughtful, and more consistent blogger.

Productivity

I'm working on a project...a Lent project! It will look verrrry similar to my Advent/Christmas/Epiphany project, and will start, Lord willing, on February 10: Transfiguration Sunday! Ash Wednesday isn't until the 13th of February, but like the other project, sometimes it's nice to get started a couple days in advance.

As always, I hope you enjoy (and even if you don't, I enjoy. So this is what you get, dear blog reader!).

Looking ahead

As you may or may not remember, I am terrible when it comes to blogging in Summer. Perhaps you also remember that I spend a lot of Summer dreaming about Fall, Winter, and Spring. Anyway, today is no different, and here I sit getting excited for the Christmas Markets that are close by, coming in November.

This year Pittsburgh is going to have a holiday market in Market Square. I am super excited. First annual. From November 24-December 23. Every day! Come visit us, people. We'll go to the Pittsburgh Christmas Market. Here are some pictures of Market Square in the summer. Just picture it being winter and you'll get the idea. Also, there will be Christmas decor and vendors selling Christmassy things. And ice skating.

Secondly, the Toronto Christmas Market. We failed to go last year, due to scheduling conflict, but this year we will try, try again!  We have a smaller window (every day from November 30-December 16), and a little bit further to drive, but it just looks so lovely. Ahhhh. If you come visit us then, bring your passport! Here are some pictures of Toronto's Distillery District in Spring. Like before, just imagine it being Winter, and you'll get the idea. Or just watch the video, and prepare to get your heart warmed.

(Ok, this is not the Distillery District, it's Nathan Phillips Square, where ice skating takes place. But the following pictures are where the Christmas Market is)

And here is the video. I think I've posted it a few other times on this blog...but in case you missed it (it should work in your reader just fine...but if you are watching it straight from the blog it is better to watch it on youtube, to get the whole picture).

The start of a project

I've been getting some ideas via Pinterest for some DIY baby decor. A mobile, to be specific. After combining a bunch of ideas, I decided to try my hand at making some felt owls of various colors that will hang from the mobile. Here are some pictures of the first one:

Going for complementary colors.

With wings.

Just need to sew the back on and add a little stuffing.

Perhaps a picture when the whole project is done. Don't hold your breath though, I'm hand-sewing these bad boys, and I am SLOW at it. Might be a few days.

Summer

Back in February, I was dreaming of a time where I would have hours a day to devote my time to hobbies. I was also hoping, fingers-crossed, that by this time, my morning (and afternoon....and evening) sickness will have alleviated (it has, thank God) and I would be able to also eat and be awake for the summer. Of course I didn't mention all this, because we hadn't publicly announced our pregnancy at that time. Yes, we are old-fashioned and waited awhile to share our exciting news with the public. Yes, we are old-fashioned, and are not going to find out the baby's sex until the baby is born. And though we have a few names picked out, we are not settled on any yet, and will probably wait to meet the baby before we officially give a name, to make sure the name fits. Soapbox aside, we are excited, and we won't blame you if you want to do all the opposite things of us, announcing your pregnancy the day you find out, and the name on the same day you find out the sex. A parent's prerogative. And this post is about summer, anyway. Not about opening Christmas presents in August.

And I need some motivation. Apparently when I have hours a day and no structure, I lean toward spending a lot of time playing Angry Birds. Not only is that not on my list, but it is not fulfilling in any way. Also, even though doing nothing and having nothing pressing to do sounds awesome....it can get old fast. I need some structure. So back to my old list. Also, I will add some more things and give some explanations (in purple).

Here is the list I made in February:

1. Figure out container gardening. Because our yard is not our own...and because the idea of planting and growing some of your own food is so appealing. I pinned it awhile ago, and there is some information here. I need to get started on this. Also, if all else fails, there is a Farmers Market in my city every Monday. I just need to remember it sooner than Monday at midnight (when it is apparently no longer open).
2. Relearn to crochet, and practice with the giant hook you bought (perhaps you know that I crochet extra tightly. I would like to crochet in such a way that it is enjoyable (more crocheting less wrestling to get the hook through my tight tight knots), less painful for my hands, and more productive (it takes me forever to accomplish anything. See the parenthetical thought next to "enjoyable."). I think I will make a couple of cute baby hats. If I can get the hang of it in a non-tightly-wound way.
3. Finish that mini-quilt you started a last year. The quilt is tiny and fall-themed and gender neutral, just like the Babe! Who would have known?
4. Master making your own laundry-detergent (using a bar of soap you made). I did actually do this already, and have used it several times. It works just fine, thank you. For next time, I will grate the soap even smaller, so it blends better with the other ingredients. It takes some effort, all that grating, but other than that it is super easy to make your own laundry detergent.
5. Read for fun. So far I have been mostly rereading for fun. I have read the first two book in the Chronicles of Narnia (The Magician's Nephew and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe), and plan to finish them all soon. Then I will move on to rereading the Harry Potter books.
6. Canning. If I ever grow anything, or remember to go to the Farmers Market, I will have something to can.

Things I am adding to the list:

7. Make soap outside. Other than feeling sick and tired and busy for much of the semester, I also haven't been making soap lately because, even though our apartment is quite drafty, it is not well ventilated when it comes to making soap. I am a cautious preggo, and don't want to breathe in any unnecessary fumes (that may or may not come from soap-making) and cause unnecessary injury to the Babe. But now that it is summer, I think I will try to bring the fume part of soap-making out on the stoop and make it there.

8. Get the Babe's room ready. We aren't going to paint or anything (not planning on living in this apartment for the next 50 years), but still need to get the appropriate baby furniture set up (still need to make some room in there, since it is currently both a guest room and an office....and a secret closet).

9. Sort through all of our stuff and see which things we really need to keep, and which things can be given away/tossed/sold. Spring cleaning, in other words. This might help with number 8.

10. Read up on parenthood. My instincts on parenthood are low-ish, and I would still like to figure out a way to make cloth diapers work (and which ones will work best for us). Since we share laundry with students, we are wondering if it is an ok idea to hold a monopoly on the machines to wash poopy diapers on a regular basis. I still think we can figure this one out. Just need to be creative.

Well, I better get on some of this stuff. It is always in the back of my mind that I should be searching for  jobs, because I just graduated and all. And even though I am obvs preggo, people still ask me what my plans are now that I've graduated. Well, my plans are to be an awesome stay-at-home mom with a Masters degree, for the first year at least. 

I sometimes wonder if I should get a summer job, but then I remember that we are planning on going to visit our family in the middle of summer, so I would need to take off then, and I am not getting any less pregnant as the summer goes on. If you would like to hire me for something temporary, that allows me to take a couple weeks off in July, does not require heavy lifting or coming in contact with potentially toxic material, then let me know! Also, I need frequent breaks to eat. And pee. I will need to be done by September. Thank you for your consideration.

The last batch of successful soap I made. In January. Before we knew we were preggo. Because all blog posts are better with a picture.

Fun!

The most fun picture of the day. I didn't technically take it, but since this is my blog, I think it's ok.

winnings

Just read this article, about the 3 teachers in Maryland who won the mega lottery, and are not only planning to keep their jobs, but also planning on remaining anonymous.

Without reading the comments (which are always the negative, squeaky wheel types), I came away from the article thinking:

1. Wow, how noble that they love their jobs so much that they still want to keep them after winning millions of dollars. Their schools and students are lucky to have people that love to teach so much. I think this is also a wise decision, because it will help them to keep some sort of normalcy in their lives (though if they hated their jobs, this is their chance to go do the job they felt they couldn't afford to do). Remaining anonymous will also help them to maintain normalcy as well. Of course they have plans to travel, buy houses, and put their kids through school, but nothing that will send them over the deep end.

2. My second thought was, how on earth are they going to remain anonymous? The article gave away so many details about them, they could have just as well said their names. The article gave genders, approximate ages, general job descriptions, and their plans for how they wanted to spend the money. If I were a student or other teacher at the school, I would probably have it figured out.

After reading the comments, I am going to maintain my thoughts, even though there were a lot of disparaging comments about how rich people don't want to help people get jobs, and that if these three would quit their jobs, they would be providing some young teachers with jobs. They are being selfish by keeping their jobs, is what a few people implied. Silly, foolish people. How are three people who each hold multiple jobs going to create many jobs by quitting theirs? At most, they will create a small handful of jobs (a couple of them had to work multiple jobs). But it seems that the young hopeful teacher that would pick up these jobs would also then have to have a second or third job. I'm not trying to say there isn't anything wrong with the situation of people not being able to find a job, but that three teachers who won the lottery giving up their jobs that they love is not the solution. Plus, they will be providing jobs in other ways, by buying new houses (and selling their old ones), putting their kids through college, and traveling. Think things through, people.

Anyway, squeaky-wheels aside, I think, off the top of my head, that I too would want to remain as anonymous as possible if I won the lottery. Of course, if CNN described me in the same way that they "anonymously" described these three teachers, I'm sure it would be hard to keep it a secret. And even though I don't really have a job right now, I would like to say that I would still want to be productive with my time.

Here is what I would do with my millions (sorry I'm so boring. But it is seriously what I would want to do)....Top Ten:

1. Pay off school loans (and any debts that our immediate family might have).
2. Repay the amount of the generous scholarship that I received in order to be able to go to seminary, so that the school can send someone else to seminary. Probably would give 2-3 times that amount, because why not?
3. Fund a couple of people to go and work or teach here for 5 years. Probably would send us too, after a few more years.
4. Fund Steve to get a PhD.
5. Donate some to this school, with specifications that they have to use it on student housing repairs.
6. Set up some sort of program where people who want to do some sort of year or two long mission commitments can give up their home to long-term missionaries who are home on furlough. Not sure how this would look. It just came to me.
7. Start a business that employs, trains, and treats well, single mothers (daycare provided as a benefit).
8. Oh man. It is so hard to spend this money. I guess "invest some of it" should go here (as if these other ones aren't investments!).
9. College funds for our kids (and a few others...perhaps set up some sort of scholarships for those who need it).
10. Cottage in Estonia (had to have one frivolous one in there).




Can you tell that Learning is my number one strength?  Ironically I'm sitting here spending money I don't have instead of doing the homework that so desperately needs to get done. Futuristic is my number two, so it keeps me dreaming. Nothing ever gets done though.

How would you spend your lottery winnings? (If lottery isn't your thing, pretend you are related to an old, rich benefactor).

Check

Perhaps you remember what I wanted to accomplish in Arizona:
1. Black Queen with Grandma.
2. Sun. Warmth.
3. In-n-out Burger.
4. Avocados aplenty.
5. Pool. (swimming, not billiards)


Success.

1. Black Queen with Grandma.

2. Sun. Warmth.

3. In-n-out Burger.

4. Avocados aplenty.

Ok, ok. We ate the avocados before we could document it. But here is the start of a potential avocado tree for Grandma's yard!

5. Pool. (swimming, not billiards)

Taken with my phone. We actually swam here every day. Just never took the camera over.

A few things to get you through.

1. Here are a few songs to listen to while you read.  You are welcome.

2. Here's my latest from Twitter, if you aren't already into that kind of thing: Philippians 1:18 is what I think about whenever anyone brings up Tim Tebow, which is all the time. http://goo.gl/IvTyd

3. I need to go and get my ears checked. Not because I suspect that I have hearing loss, but because I know it. I've been putting it off for a while because: a) I am pretty good at lip reading, b) Hearing aids cost the same as a nice computer and are not covered by insurance, and c) I am pretty horrible about going to the doctor in general. Lately though, I feel I've been missing out on a lot of conversation details, and the constant ringing in my ears never fails to remind me that I probably should have an audiologist figure it out. This past summer a doctor prescribed some allergy medication to see if that would help me to hear better. I am not sure that it worked. The doctor never tested my ears in the first place to see what level my hearing was at, and then I never went back to get them checked again after a month of the medication (and really, what would they compare it to?). We were probably both at fault. Really though, I think I need to just go to a place that knows what they're talking about when it comes to hearing.  In the meanwhile, here are some misconceptions that I would like to clear up.

          a) People who are hard of hearing didn't hear you because they weren't paying attention. On the contrary, we probably pay twice as much attention just to be involved in a conversation. Especially a conversation with a group of people. Sometimes when someone laughs at me because they've been apparently talking to me/trying to get my attention for a little while, and I haven't heard them...sometimes I will say, "sorry, I wasn't paying attention," since they are clearly already feeling uncomfortable at this point. But really, I just didn't hear them because they didn't already have my attention (or were talking softly, or not speaking clearly, etc). Being bad at hearing is way different than being bad at listening.

          b) People who didn't hear you must be dumb and not understand the content of what you were trying to say. Not true either. Dumb and smart have nothing to do with whether or not people can hear. Some people that can hear perfectly well are not so bright. Anyway, it is kind of insulting when you furrow your brow and say, "what?" and people start speaking in a slow, loud voice, dumbing down what they originally said....and some get confused when you simply ask for enunciation.

          c) I am judging your snaggle-tooth and want you to cover your mouth when you speak. You wouldn't think this is a problem, but it is! Stop covering your mouth when you speak, people. If I can't read your lips, and you are already a soft talker, covering your mouth is not going to help me hear what you are trying to communicate. I don't care if your teeth are crooked. I'm looking at your mouth because I can't hear you, not because I am judging you.

          d) People who can't hear must just need to clean their ears out. Well, that might be partially true. That certainly could be the cause of some people's hearing loss. But not everyone's. More than one doctor has remarked about how clean my ears are. Well, thank you for noticing. I clean them quite regularly because I don't want wax to block my already dull hearing. My hearing loss is likely hereditary, as a large percentage of people I am related to has a hearing aid. I almost never listen to music with headphones, or do anything else to cause my poor hearing. On the contrary, I try to preserve what little hearing I have, thank you very much.

Sorry. Just realized that this has become quite the rant. Just trying to raise awareness, people. And please don't look at me like I killed your grandmother's dog when I confess to you that sometimes I don't think it is worth saying "what?" and instead pretending like I know what's going on in the conversation. Sometimes it isn't worth it for someone else to get all frustrated because you can't hear them. And I've heard people talk about other people who can't hear, and how annoying it can be to communicate with them. Why would I want to bring that on myself?

Anyway, communication is a two-way street. I will go get my ears checked if you promise to speak clearly and look at me when you're talking (and to be more sensitive in general to those who can't hear).

4. It's that time of year, people. The time of year where I automatically start to think about where we will be living next fall and who our friends will be (if any) and which friends we will try to keep in touch with for a little while, and which friends will unfortunately slip through the cracks.  Since we've been married, Steve and I have moved every two (school) years. We are now at the beginning of the second semester of our second (second) school year here at Geneva, and I've naturally started thinking about friendships. This is the time of year in Higher Education when people have to start making decisions about their future (the next school year). Will I stay here, or will I move on? And while we have no real plans to move on just yet, I still have to think these thoughts, because A) this has been our pattern, and I have had to think about this sort of things every two years, and B) as is the nature of working (or shacking up with someone who works) in Higher Education, even if we stay put, there is a really great chance that some of our good friends will be moving on and out. It happens every year. Which gets me to thinking about a profound speech I heard toward the end of my freshman year of college. It has really stuck with me all these years, probably because it is always always practical. The speech was on friendships, and how there are those who are "friends for the road," and those who are "friends for the journey." Friends for the road are those who are friends (close friends even, but not always) for a time. They are not necessarily lifelong friends, and that is ok. It does not diminish your friendship now, and its importance. You should not stop being friends with someone because you suspect that they might be friends for the road (though it is sometimes hard during this time of the year). Friends for the road are still important for now. You need them. They need you. Don't miss out on something good, even if it is probably temporary. It is ok to have seasonal friends. Friends for the journey are those lifelong types. The ones where, even if they live halfway across the world, you will both make a point to communicate with each other, and carve time out of your schedule to see them, even if it is only once or twice a year, or via skype.  Sometimes, unfortunately, you can even lose touch with those who you thought were friends for the journey. Life just happens that way. Sometimes there are friends for the road that stay on the road with you for a little longer than others, and they can seem like friends for the journey. This analogy was much more beautiful when I heard it 10 (10!) years ago. But you get the gist. Anyway, this time of year, I start to wonder who my friends for the road are, and who my friends for the journey are. I hope that I don't give some friends for the road (or even those who are in it for the long haul) the shaft as we transition out of each other's lives. I will have to work extra hard to show my appreciation for their friendship, and wish them well in future endeavors. I don't know who this season's friends for the road and friends for the journey are yet. And that's ok. It's probably something that's better figured out in hindsight.  Plus I don't want to diminish friendships with people who will also be sticking around for another year...and with those who we don't yet know. You never know when you will meet another wonderful friend.

5. Sorry for the snark, lately. I deleted a couple of posts that I thought were too snarky. Sorry if you liked them. And sorry for my snarkiness in #6 of my resolutions. If you don't want to follow me in a reader, that is your perogative. I should just be thankful that you take the time to think of me. So thank you for that. I still probably won't heavily promote my blog, if it's all the same to you. You can promote it, if you want though.

6. On a lighter note, I am getting a haircut tomorrow night!  Woohoo!! For someone who loves getting haircuts as much as I do, I am a bit of an enigma (in the past few years I've only gone to get a haircut...twice a year tops). But it makes it a treat. Here are some of my ideas.

7. No new pictures, so you will have to settle for some old ones, made in Toronto's distillery district. I love red brick buildings with green doors.

My Favorites from 2011

Thanks to stats, I can see how many people are reading the old blog from day to day, which posts they're reading, and what country they are in. The best part is seeing how they got to the blog (some funny google searches out there, people. Keep em coming). Anyway last March I did a post of my top ten most visited posts. I'm pretty sure Pause, for whatever reason is still number one by a landslide. It gets read weekly, and has, at this typing, been read 99 more times than the second place post.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun (for me) to go through and make a list of some of my favorites from 2011. Here they are, in chronological order:

1. A brief history of some of my people.

2. Some comparisons from my resume. My temporary residency with the Anglican church is almost up. I still feel out-of-place sometimes in chapel, but it is getting better (though still not ready to become a card-carrying member).

3. Thoughts on Lent. Over the summer, we went through this same passage every Sunday in church. Apparently it is a passage I need to keep going back to.

4. Some wintery pictures. It would be a shame to have a list of favorites that didn't contain many pictures.

5. I still like this illustration. I used it in at least one paper last semester.

6. A great idea for the name of a blog.

7. When we were home for Christmas, I acquired a hymnal with this song in it. My heart is warm.

8. On sleep cycles. Well it's after 10:30pm as I type this sentence, and while I did cut some fabric for a sleep mask, that is as far as I got with making one. I do however try to sleep facing the sunlight when I'm hitting the snooze button in the morning, so that has to count for something.

9. I had forgotten about this one until recently. Still clever.

10. I still think of this Haiku quite a bit.

11. We're currently still at the church we were at when I wrote this list. Feeling pretty good about it, but not members yet.

12.  City recommendation. Want to go back soon.

13. A picture story of a sewing project.

14. Some book recommendations.

15. On authenticity.

16. This post makes me want to watch Away We Go again.

17. Just made some chicken stock yesterday, as a matter of fact.

18. We are still eating this sauce. Frugal city.

19. August was a pretty good month for blogging, if I do say so myself.  Here are some links that I was digging then.

20. So happy I discovered Dag and his Markings.

21. Self-analysis.

22. A glimpse into why I can't go to bed at a decent time and some pictures.

23. A post about soap.

24. On Gettysburg.

25. Thoughtfulness.

26. This list wouldn't be complete if it didn't contain a post that quoted Lewis Carroll.

27. So many ramblings.

Wow, 27 blogposts to read. Good luck with that. Some of these are more my favorite than others. But I like them all, and now when I want to refer back to one of them, I only need to consult this handy list.

Some recent soap pictures

Recently acquired a cute little green plate that I intend to use as a soap dish. Luckily I have a ton of soap laying around just waiting to be photographed.

The ever-scrubby coffee and walnut soap that I posted about a couple of months ago.

Just this afternoon I went ahead and ordered a silicone mini-loaf baking pan to use as a soap mold. Did you know those things are nearly impossible to find in stores? Me neither until just recently.

To show size.

Some cinnamon and coffee soap, specially ordered!

Small bars. Good for washing hands. Kind of looks like MN.

Some oddly shaped cinnamon and coffee soaps. I still like them. The silicon mold will help me with consistently shaped bars of soap. Hopefully.

My favorite picture. An accident of sorts.

Too big for the soap plate. This is a recipe I invented...one of my favorites so far!

Merry Christmas to you and yours

The semester is over, people!!

I should be packing, as we leave for the airport in 7 hours, but who can resist a blogpost? Not this girl.

Granted by the time you read this, it will already be a few days later (thanks, scheduled posting!).

Anyway, I hope you are hanging out with some loved ones and not reading this blog on Christmas day, but if you are reading...Merry Christmas!

Here are some Christmassy pictures from our living room.

The top (better) half of our Christmas tree, nativity scene in the background.

Some brown paper packages tied up with string. Thanks, Steve!

Also, a classic Christmas clip.



Cheers! See you in 2012!

(If you're looking for a recap of 2011, I didn't really do much more than what was talked about here).

Thanksgiving

November. My favorite month.

My birthday, Thanksgiving, the unofficial changing of seasons.

The beginning of Advent.

What's not to love?

In order to decorate my blog for Thanksgiving, I am going to try to include at least one thing I am thankful for in each post this month. How many posts this month? We shall see.

What am I thankful for? 

1. Being so well taken care of. I have a place to live, food to eat, community, good books to read, and a wonderful husband. 

2. I get to be a full-time seminary student, one of my long-time dreams.

3. My first batch of soap that I made all those weeks ago....works! And works well!

Lathers well, smooth, and doesn't smell like anything.

I am testing the one that I accidentally cut to look like cheese. It still works!

Love your neighbor.

It seems that I have been going through some sort of blogging slump lately. Not too many pictures or meaningful posts. The same goes with certain other social media venues that I employ (except Twitter, which I have no problem using on a minutely basis). Facebook is becoming more and more like email to me. Checking it only to see if there are any notifications, or if I need to get ahold of anyone (and skimming through pictures of people's kids...and quickly skimming through all the political unrest, etc). Little blurbs about what is going on in my life, but nothing too thoughtful. I have really yet to see the use for google+, as I forget to check it, and don't really know what service it provides that I can't get elsewhere. Ho hum. Doo dedoo.


Anyway, since I have no problems coming up with things to say on Twitter, I went there to see if I could find something to blog about. Last Sunday, I posted this tweet:

Thinking about what it really means to "love our neighbor." Considering Galatians 5:13-15, 6:1-10 (esp 2), Romans 13:8-9, &; Luke 10:25-37.

Sounds like the perfect thing to blog about, thought I don't have too many solutions to offer. Just thoughts and some Scriptures.

I have been failing at taking pictures lately, though have enjoyed the occasional impromptu stovetop photo shoot to try to illustrate something. These two are neighbors. And saltshakers. If you think the girl is salt, you would be mistaken.

There's probably little disagreement among Christians that we need to love our neighbor as ourselves, it is in the "how" we love our neighbor, and the "who" is our neighbor question that we can't seem to figure out/agree on. 


Jesus, when He was asked the question, "And who is my neighbor?," launches into the familiar story of the good Samaritan. Now, there is a lot that could be said about this particular story, of the history of why the Samaritans weren't liked by the Jewish people, or why the priest and temple assistant didn't even want their shadow to touch the man who was beaten and robbed, but let's look at the answer of who the neighbor is.  The neighbor is the one who showed mercy on the person who needed it. Jesus says that this is what we are to do in order to be a good neighbor. So, who needs mercy? Probs everyone at some point, right?  Even ourselves!


Ok. I have lots of thoughts that I've typed and then deleted. They are merely speculative, and not sure if they are helpful.  I guess a lot of what I have been thinking about lately has to do with two things (that could have to do with each other, but not necessarily).
1. How do we care for the poor, both among us, and in the world. If we just give them the resources we think they need, are we really helping? What can we do on a relational level with people before we just give them yesterday's t-shirts? If we go downtown and start up 10 businesses, will it really help, or will it just force the poor to live somewhere else? If we know the people, and what businesses they would shop/work at, it would be better. But that takes a lot of time, and we are not creatures that are known for their patience. If we are doing relational ministry, there are a lot less statistics that we can give to people who want to give us money to help.  What do we base our "success" on?
2. How do we care for and show love to people who are difficult to love/care for? It is easier to love our neighbor who is just like we are, for better or for worse. How can we show love for those who drive us crazy, or who have a different worldview, or whose sins are seemingly different from our own? Is it ok if one person's style of loving his/her neighbor is different from our own?


Lots to consider. There is a lot, a la-hot, of Scripture that is all about loving our neighbor. The last 6 of the Ten Commandments are all about loving our neighbor. Both old and new testament talk about loving our neighbor. There must be something we can glean from this and apply to today. Here is the tip of the iceberg:


In Deuteronomy, the people are told to leave some of their hard work behind during the harvest time, so that the poor can come and take what they need afterward.


In Leviticus, the idea of leaving part of your harvest behind and following the neighborly part of the Ten Commandments is discussed (This is not meant to discredit the first four commandments. Loving God and loving your neighbor tend to go hand in hand).


Galatians 5:13-26 points to the entire law being summed up in, "love your neighbor as yourself" and gives examples of how to live in the Spirit.


Galatians 6:1-10 also talks about harvesting, but harvesting good. I especially like verses 2-3, "Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important." How can we practically share each other's burdens? This could start in the home/family, and reach out to the community, and to the world. Sharing burdens implies that both parties take on each other's burdens. It isn't just one important person with seemingly no burdens helping out the poor person they don't know. No one has the upper hand when burdens are being shared. There are probably implications that joys are being shared as well in this scenario.


Romans 13:8-9. Sorry Mr. Ramsey, but I don't think these verses are so much about being a good steward with your money as they are about loving your neighbor.


Hebrews 13:15-16 says that sharing with those in need and doing good are ways that we can give a pleasing and continual sacrifice of praise to God.


Ok. Lots to think about. What do you think it means to love your neighbor? How does that look? What verses help you to think of this?

Dreamy

Awhile back, I read this story. And I was thinking about it again today, or the last couple of days, because I recently acquired a book about Soap-making at a local antique/consignment mall (so small, so new, so local that they don't have a website, not even a social media page...but if you come and visit me, I will take you there).

This book, actually. It was just under three dollars. Score.

After reading through this book, I really wish that I had the space to make some soap! It seems like the perfect pairing of science and creativity...as well as frugality.  I think I will do a little more research though, and wait a while before I start my soap hobby.  For one, I am back at school and need to devote my brain to homework. Two, our kitchen is small-ish, and I feel that I would need more space to work on/let my soap sit for the necessary length of time. Three, after reading the reviews for this book, I  think I will have to get another more up to date book on soap-making. For one, I'm not necessarily into making highly scented bars of soap that look like various shapes (shells, flowers, etc), I'm more into fragrance-free (or naturally scented) rectangles of soap. And for two, there are some dangerous errors in my edition of the book that I would not have known about, had it not been for the warnings on amazon.  For example, in the book it says to pour water into lye. In actuality, that would cause an explosion. Luckily someone caught these, and other errors before I experimented with making my own soap.

Here are the other corrections, in case you ran out and bought this book before finishing reading this blog post:

From the Publisher

CORRECTIONS to The Complete Soapmaker, by Norma ConeyNote to the reader: the changes on page 34 are particularly important and should be noted for reasons of safety.

On page 34, step 5 should read:

5. Make sure that the pitcher with water in it is resting on a protected surface. Carefully and slowly pour the lye into the water. Use your wooden spoon to lessen any splashing of the lye solution caused by chunks of lye dropping into the pitcher. Don’t make the mistake of adding the water to the lye.

On page 34, the first sentence of step 6 should read:

6. After you’ve added all the lye to the water, stir the solution gently with a wooden spoon until you’re sure that all the lye has dissolved.

On page 50, the first sentence of step 6 should read:

6. Continue to stir periodically until the soap has reached a pudding-like consistency.

On page 50, the first sentence of step 7 should read:

7. When the soap has reached a pudding-like consistency, remove it from the heat and stir it gently as it cools. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
___
Anyway, error-full book or not, go back and read the etsy article, in the link above. How can you not be inspired?!

Excuses, excuses, and a discovery.

Based on the number of days left in August, and the plans for those days, and the number of posts left to make 31...I might not make it. Now let's not get all Pharisaical about this. The important thing is that I blogged frequently in August. Also, how on earth am I supposed to start going to bed early when midnight arrives so quickly out of the blue! I need to start setting an alarm for 9pm, so I can go to bed on time.
Also, today I discovered Dag Hammarskjöld.  I was looking for quotes about loneliness (I'm not lonely currently, but I have been in the past, and was reflecting on it...I wanted to find something like, "The only cure for loneliness is to realize that other people might be lonely too, and reach out to them." But I couldn't find it. Or, I stopped looking), and found this one:
‎"Never, 'for the sake of peace and quiet,' deny your own experience or convictions. The only kind of dignity which is genuine is that which is not diminished by the indifference of others. Pray that your loneliness may spur you into finding something to live for, great enough to die for. Never measure the height of a mountain until you have reached the top. Then you will see how low it was." Dag Hammarskjöld

So I did a little bit of research and found that Geneva's library has this book that was published after his untimely death (this description is better of the book, I think). So I immediately walked over and checked it out.  I am only a little ways into the forward, but I already like it!

Top Three Things I Have Liked Online This Week

3. Great Depression Cooking
This is just wonderful and precious.  My brother shared a video of Clara's with me, and then I went and watched a few more. I love listening to her stories about what it was like to live through the great depression (puts our "boo-hoo, I can't afford netflix" recession woes to shame!).  I love how her recipes use mainly onions and potatoes.  I will certainly be watching more in the future (how wonderful for her family to have these videos of her!).
Here's the one that got me hooked:



2. Toronto Christmas Market
Ever since spending the two Christmases we were in Europe in beautiful Tallinn, Estonia, I have loved Christmas markets.  Though we were exceptionally blessed to be with family this past Christmas, I secretly wondered how we could try to make it to both Estonia and to our family (did not happen).  After visiting Toronto over Easter, we discovered that Toronto has a Christmas market, and it is only 5 hours north of us!  Score!  This year for Christmas, all I want for my present is to spend a couple days in Toronto at the Christmas market (in addition to seeing family).


1. This musical masterpiece.
I don't know why this 25 seconds of pure genius has resonated with me so much.  By the time I tried to show it to Steve I had already seen it a few times, but was in tears when it was over.  Enjoy.

Not a call to budget your money, but a call to love your neighbor, and do what is right.

Love Fulfills God’s Requirements 

Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. 

If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. 

For the commandments say, 

“You must not commit adultery. 

You must not murder. 

You must not steal. 

You must not covet.” 

These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: 

“Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law.

This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is;
time is running out. 

Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 

The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. 

So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. 

Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. 

Don’t participate in the darkness of 

wild parties and drunkenness, 

or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, 

or in quarreling and jealousy. 

Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.