i hadn't walked since friday morning. i was too tired on saturday after the day we had on friday and sunday just didn't work. yesterday i got up and got dressed, headed downstairs and opened the back door to see what it was like outside and saw a duck float by. well, not really, but it was pouring. this is good since we needed the rain, but i had hoped that it would wait to fall until later in the day.
this morning i wanted to stay in bed, but decided that i had to get up and walk. the only thing that would keep me from it would be the same kind of rain as yesterday. it was drizzling out, but that was it. i asked hubby if he thought i would get sick if i walked and he told me no, according to scientists, but yes, according to everyone else. so i went.
there was only one person fishing and two people walking. it wasn't raining at first, but it was definitely damp out and thankfully the water level of the pnd had drastically increased. it stared to rain when i hit 2 miles, but today i kept going. i walked 3 miles!!! and though i expected 2 miles to be hard since i hadn't walked since friday it wasn't hard at all to go 3 miles!
now if i could just get over the sugar cravings...
God's peace y'all
searching for the sacred
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
my own private cheering section
the princess kitty had her tonsils and adenoids out yesterday, but surgery wasn't until 1pm so she and hubby decided to come with me for my walk. i made certain that they understood that what i was doing was not a leisurely stroll and that they had to take it seriously. so we got in the car and drove to the pond where there is also a playground and tennis courts.
hubby had never been there before though the kitty often goes there on field trips with day care during the summer. i put on my ipod and headed out for my walk while the two of them leisurely walked around and stopped to observe nature. as i passed them on my first of 6 laps they stood to the side and started to cheer me on. i laughed and kept moving. each time i passed them they did something a little different. the kitty held out her hand like she was holding a microphone to interview me and hubby did a one person wave.
one my 5 th lap another woman walking noticed them and mentioned to me that i had a nice cheering section. i told her i should bring them with me every time i walked. when we finished, hubby the kitty, and i cheered her on when she passed us by the parking lot.
the poor kitty was pretty hungry when we got home. all she could have was water and apple juice before 11am. she got very angry at me when she walked into the kitchen and found me eating breakfast, but she was a trooper.
she had agreed to be part of a study at the teaching hospital where she had her tonsils out. the study measured stress factors in children having surgery. the good news was that this meant that i could go into the OR with her.
typically they give kids a liquid med that makes them very sleepy and relaxes them before they take them (sans parents) to the OR. instead i got to don a paper gown and surgical hair net and walk the princess kitty into the OR with the resident who is working on the study and the anesthesiologist. the kitty was amazing. she didn't even walk with me but skipped ahead to walk with the doctor. she got into the OR, hopped up onto the table, and took the mask from the dr all by herself.
they were amazed by her bravery and she and i have probably thrown off the study results.
unfortunately she threw up from the anesthesia after the surgery while they were still in the OR, the again several times in recovery. this blew all our chances of leaving by 4pm, which was a possibility. a little before 5pm we thought we would be going home and we had slowly started to make arrangements to that effect when she said she need to go to the bathroom. she made it there and back just fine, but then suddenly all the color in her face drained and the anesthesiologist came in and said she couldn't leave until she had eaten a popsicle and kept it down. they put her on more meds for the nausea and i left to go pick up the silent prince from grandmom and grandpop's house.
by 7pm they released her and i picked her and daddy up from the hospital and took them home.
poor thing needs some pain killers now.
God's peace y'all
hubby had never been there before though the kitty often goes there on field trips with day care during the summer. i put on my ipod and headed out for my walk while the two of them leisurely walked around and stopped to observe nature. as i passed them on my first of 6 laps they stood to the side and started to cheer me on. i laughed and kept moving. each time i passed them they did something a little different. the kitty held out her hand like she was holding a microphone to interview me and hubby did a one person wave.
one my 5 th lap another woman walking noticed them and mentioned to me that i had a nice cheering section. i told her i should bring them with me every time i walked. when we finished, hubby the kitty, and i cheered her on when she passed us by the parking lot.
the poor kitty was pretty hungry when we got home. all she could have was water and apple juice before 11am. she got very angry at me when she walked into the kitchen and found me eating breakfast, but she was a trooper.
she had agreed to be part of a study at the teaching hospital where she had her tonsils out. the study measured stress factors in children having surgery. the good news was that this meant that i could go into the OR with her.
typically they give kids a liquid med that makes them very sleepy and relaxes them before they take them (sans parents) to the OR. instead i got to don a paper gown and surgical hair net and walk the princess kitty into the OR with the resident who is working on the study and the anesthesiologist. the kitty was amazing. she didn't even walk with me but skipped ahead to walk with the doctor. she got into the OR, hopped up onto the table, and took the mask from the dr all by herself.
they were amazed by her bravery and she and i have probably thrown off the study results.
unfortunately she threw up from the anesthesia after the surgery while they were still in the OR, the again several times in recovery. this blew all our chances of leaving by 4pm, which was a possibility. a little before 5pm we thought we would be going home and we had slowly started to make arrangements to that effect when she said she need to go to the bathroom. she made it there and back just fine, but then suddenly all the color in her face drained and the anesthesiologist came in and said she couldn't leave until she had eaten a popsicle and kept it down. they put her on more meds for the nausea and i left to go pick up the silent prince from grandmom and grandpop's house.
by 7pm they released her and i picked her and daddy up from the hospital and took them home.
poor thing needs some pain killers now.
God's peace y'all
Monday, April 21, 2008
day 8
yesterday ended my first week on the detox which means today begins my second week. i'm feeling very good except that i haven't lost one ounce yet. in fact when i got on the scale yesterday i had gained 2 pounds! if someone could explain that one to me i would appreciate it.
i found a really nice place to walk yesterday about a 2 minute drive from the house. i would walk there, but i live on a very large bump on a serious hill. if i walked at this point in the game i would wind up calling someone to come pick me up after i arrived there. there's a little pond where people can fish with a track around it. every lap is 1/3 of a mile. half-way through my 5th lap i was really excited with myself that i only had one more lap and i would have walked 2 miles. i hit the point where i could take a step forward on the track and do that last lap or take a step to the right and go to the parking lot and get back in my car when i suddenly felt very dizzy. i knew if i tried to do that last lap i would wind up passing out and one of the fishers would call an ambulance that i didn't need.
so i went back to the car, drank the rest of my water and headed home to eat the rest of the breakfast i guess i should have eaten before walking.
today i purposefully woke up at 8am so that i could get a walk in before other things had to happen. for those of you who know me personally: no, there are no pods in the basement. i haven't been taken over by aliens. i really did get up at 8am to go exercise.
at about the same point on lap 5 i thought the same exact thing as yesterday: 1 more lap to go and i've walked 2 miles. then at the same point in lap 5 as yesterday i started to feel dizzy and light-headed. i walked back to the car and had a big drink of water and the rest of my morning shake then walked that last lap!!!
as i finished i had the strange desire to do the rocky dance on top of the art museum steps. i didn't though, figuring the fishers would find it way too odd and wonder what was wrong with me. instead i got in the car and called my brother, lrns. the voice mail picked up right away and i chastized him for not waiting by the phone in case i might call at 9:30am for the first time ever in our lives.
then i called idad on his iphone and had to talk to his phone as well. feeling deflated that i couldn't share my accomplishment with anyone i ran into hubby on the road a block and 1/2 away from home. we pulled up to one another and i rolled down my window thinking, he loves me, he'll listen and be proud of me when he pointed to his ear to signal that he was on the phone with someone else. i made the sign for i love you with my hand, which was nicer than that other sign i could have made with my hand and drove around the corner.
i then stopped in church, the head teacher, mag, is also on a fitness kick and so i told her my news and she very nicely supported my ego, which was all i really wanted.
happy sigh, now i think i will go shower and get moving on with my day.
God's peace y'all
i found a really nice place to walk yesterday about a 2 minute drive from the house. i would walk there, but i live on a very large bump on a serious hill. if i walked at this point in the game i would wind up calling someone to come pick me up after i arrived there. there's a little pond where people can fish with a track around it. every lap is 1/3 of a mile. half-way through my 5th lap i was really excited with myself that i only had one more lap and i would have walked 2 miles. i hit the point where i could take a step forward on the track and do that last lap or take a step to the right and go to the parking lot and get back in my car when i suddenly felt very dizzy. i knew if i tried to do that last lap i would wind up passing out and one of the fishers would call an ambulance that i didn't need.
so i went back to the car, drank the rest of my water and headed home to eat the rest of the breakfast i guess i should have eaten before walking.
today i purposefully woke up at 8am so that i could get a walk in before other things had to happen. for those of you who know me personally: no, there are no pods in the basement. i haven't been taken over by aliens. i really did get up at 8am to go exercise.
at about the same point on lap 5 i thought the same exact thing as yesterday: 1 more lap to go and i've walked 2 miles. then at the same point in lap 5 as yesterday i started to feel dizzy and light-headed. i walked back to the car and had a big drink of water and the rest of my morning shake then walked that last lap!!!
as i finished i had the strange desire to do the rocky dance on top of the art museum steps. i didn't though, figuring the fishers would find it way too odd and wonder what was wrong with me. instead i got in the car and called my brother, lrns. the voice mail picked up right away and i chastized him for not waiting by the phone in case i might call at 9:30am for the first time ever in our lives.
then i called idad on his iphone and had to talk to his phone as well. feeling deflated that i couldn't share my accomplishment with anyone i ran into hubby on the road a block and 1/2 away from home. we pulled up to one another and i rolled down my window thinking, he loves me, he'll listen and be proud of me when he pointed to his ear to signal that he was on the phone with someone else. i made the sign for i love you with my hand, which was nicer than that other sign i could have made with my hand and drove around the corner.
i then stopped in church, the head teacher, mag, is also on a fitness kick and so i told her my news and she very nicely supported my ego, which was all i really wanted.
happy sigh, now i think i will go shower and get moving on with my day.
God's peace y'all
Saturday, April 19, 2008
rhymes with witch
i couldn't have been in a worse mood yesterday. no one could do anything that was pleasing to me and everything they did do just really made me mad as anything.
i know that it is the detox that's making me crazy, but i'm beginning to feel bipolar with the mood swings from the cravings that my body is having. today wasn't much better except that i had to be at a conference which meant that i had to wear my game face anyway. usually that isn't too difficult of a problem except that i was certainly pushed to my limit when i realized that there were hershey's kisses spread on the tables we sat in for lunch.
i thought i could handle it, but i was already hungry and we had to listen to people talk before i could pull out my non-dressed salad for lunch. the only thing that saved me from scooping up every kiss and eating them wrapper and all was that there were people at the table who knew i was detoxing and therefore couldn't have any chocolate.
the worst part is that it is the silent prince's birthday (no, not a bad thing that he turned 6 today) but it was very hard to watch him and his sister eat cupcakes after eating brown rice and unseasoned and un-fried flounder. (at least it was something other than chicken.) and here i am complaining aboout detoxing rather than talking about his turning 6! some mom i am!
but day 5 is almost over. there were moments today when i felt good about what i was doing like at the grocery store when i looked into my basket and saw all the healthy, lovely fruits and veggies (of course i forgot the baby carrots) and earlier when i realized that i do want to continue to eat well after day 21 is over.
i'm also realizing that i need to find replacements for all the bad things i put into my system for comfort. a banana just isn't as good as a bag of m&m's and carrot sticks just aren't as good as a bag of doritos. and i gotta do that before day 21 or i'm just going to go back to eating the way i did a week ago. mmm doritoes and m&m's.
i am planning to go out for mexican once i'm done. i am fantasizing about that meal like a politician fantasizes about call girls.
and on that note...
God's peace y'all
i know that it is the detox that's making me crazy, but i'm beginning to feel bipolar with the mood swings from the cravings that my body is having. today wasn't much better except that i had to be at a conference which meant that i had to wear my game face anyway. usually that isn't too difficult of a problem except that i was certainly pushed to my limit when i realized that there were hershey's kisses spread on the tables we sat in for lunch.
i thought i could handle it, but i was already hungry and we had to listen to people talk before i could pull out my non-dressed salad for lunch. the only thing that saved me from scooping up every kiss and eating them wrapper and all was that there were people at the table who knew i was detoxing and therefore couldn't have any chocolate.
the worst part is that it is the silent prince's birthday (no, not a bad thing that he turned 6 today) but it was very hard to watch him and his sister eat cupcakes after eating brown rice and unseasoned and un-fried flounder. (at least it was something other than chicken.) and here i am complaining aboout detoxing rather than talking about his turning 6! some mom i am!
but day 5 is almost over. there were moments today when i felt good about what i was doing like at the grocery store when i looked into my basket and saw all the healthy, lovely fruits and veggies (of course i forgot the baby carrots) and earlier when i realized that i do want to continue to eat well after day 21 is over.
i'm also realizing that i need to find replacements for all the bad things i put into my system for comfort. a banana just isn't as good as a bag of m&m's and carrot sticks just aren't as good as a bag of doritos. and i gotta do that before day 21 or i'm just going to go back to eating the way i did a week ago. mmm doritoes and m&m's.
i am planning to go out for mexican once i'm done. i am fantasizing about that meal like a politician fantasizes about call girls.
and on that note...
God's peace y'all
Thursday, April 17, 2008
happily-ever-after-life
cinderella the cat is dead. she must have died sometime last night on my closet floor. which was a pleasant suprise for me this morning when i went to pick out clothes before i took my shower.
"cindy..." nudge nudge... "oh, $#@&."
luckily hubby was in the backyard already and could go dig a hole. she was completely stretched out and wouldn't fit in a box so i had to wrap her up in a cut up paper bag. hubby has also volunteered to break the bad news to the princess kitty later tonight. i wonder if i shouldn't go get ice cream to help the news go down.
sigh
God's peace y'all
"cindy..." nudge nudge... "oh, $#@&."
luckily hubby was in the backyard already and could go dig a hole. she was completely stretched out and wouldn't fit in a box so i had to wrap her up in a cut up paper bag. hubby has also volunteered to break the bad news to the princess kitty later tonight. i wonder if i shouldn't go get ice cream to help the news go down.
sigh
God's peace y'all
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
i want a cookie
today was my official start date for the detox. i used yesterday as a transition day. by 3pm i had a migraine from lack of caffeine and made myself a cup of tea (i wasn't going to brew a whole pot of coffee.)
i picked up all the stuff this morning and met with the nutritionist, c'marie. it took me 20 minutes to organize all the supplements that i have to take in a day: 48 to be exact. thank God for the pill case she gave me or i would be a mess trying to remember it all. it's kinda cool with a sticky pad inside so i can remember what's what.
i can drink all the green tea i want even the kind with caffeine! whoopie! i can even have salt so long as it is sea salt! whoo-hoo! i can even use organic unsalted butter! the grocery store doesn't sell unsalted organic butter, just the salted. boo-hoo!
i actually feel really good today except for all the cravings i am experiencing... like my deep deep desire for a cookie. i'm thinking that by the end of this sugar will still be the one thing i want on a daily basis.
all well, think i'll go much on some grapes and pack lunch for the princess kitty.
God's peace y'all
i picked up all the stuff this morning and met with the nutritionist, c'marie. it took me 20 minutes to organize all the supplements that i have to take in a day: 48 to be exact. thank God for the pill case she gave me or i would be a mess trying to remember it all. it's kinda cool with a sticky pad inside so i can remember what's what.
i can drink all the green tea i want even the kind with caffeine! whoopie! i can even have salt so long as it is sea salt! whoo-hoo! i can even use organic unsalted butter! the grocery store doesn't sell unsalted organic butter, just the salted. boo-hoo!
i actually feel really good today except for all the cravings i am experiencing... like my deep deep desire for a cookie. i'm thinking that by the end of this sugar will still be the one thing i want on a daily basis.
all well, think i'll go much on some grapes and pack lunch for the princess kitty.
God's peace y'all
Saturday, April 12, 2008
driving observations
i had a road trip yesterday to pennsylvania. i stopped and visited the parents of my soon-to-be-adopted godchild and then went to visit a college friend and her intended to do a pre-marital visit with them.
there were a few things i noticed on the trip there and back.
1. i am not a timid or slow driver. if you really feel you need to pass me, you are driving too fast. slow the you-know-what down and get off my butt.
2. the left lane is for passing. if you are steadily going the speed limit or slightly under it, get out of the left lane.
3. north jersey smells. especially around exits 13&14 of the new jersey turnpike. yesterday it smelled like someone had made a salad of rotten eggs and old socks then dressed it with petrol.
4. the north jersey smell can penetrate into your car even if you have all the windows shut and no fans blowing. breathing through your mouth helps, but only enough to keep you from gagging.
5. the sign over the george washington bridge that said i wasn't allowed to take pictures while driving across the bridge is missing (either that or i missed it.) this might mean the end of my dream to get a picture of that sign someday.
6. new york needs to turn off their street lights during the day. they are useless during the daytime, even when it is overcast.
7. i hate, with a passion, driving at night in the rain. this might not have been so bad in new york if perhaps the street lights that were on during the day were also on at night.
8. spending almost $100 on gas just to see a few friends for a short time is still worth it.
God's peace y'all
there were a few things i noticed on the trip there and back.
1. i am not a timid or slow driver. if you really feel you need to pass me, you are driving too fast. slow the you-know-what down and get off my butt.
2. the left lane is for passing. if you are steadily going the speed limit or slightly under it, get out of the left lane.
3. north jersey smells. especially around exits 13&14 of the new jersey turnpike. yesterday it smelled like someone had made a salad of rotten eggs and old socks then dressed it with petrol.
4. the north jersey smell can penetrate into your car even if you have all the windows shut and no fans blowing. breathing through your mouth helps, but only enough to keep you from gagging.
5. the sign over the george washington bridge that said i wasn't allowed to take pictures while driving across the bridge is missing (either that or i missed it.) this might mean the end of my dream to get a picture of that sign someday.
6. new york needs to turn off their street lights during the day. they are useless during the daytime, even when it is overcast.
7. i hate, with a passion, driving at night in the rain. this might not have been so bad in new york if perhaps the street lights that were on during the day were also on at night.
8. spending almost $100 on gas just to see a few friends for a short time is still worth it.
God's peace y'all
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
toxic
the bursitis is back. i was at the chiropractor today and we are certain that, while it isn't as bad as the first time that's exactly what it is.
the question is why do i have it again.
the obvious answer is stress.
it started during holy week, which, let's be honest, is a stressful time. but if i am completely honest then i also have to admit that i don't take very good care of my body. i don't eat or sleep well and i never get any exercise...
so, her suggestion: go through a detox.
i've seen the nutritionist and we have agreed that i should start a 3 week program of cleaning out my system.
i don't know when i will start, but clearly i'd better do it soon before i lose my nerve. 3 weeks without caffeine or sugar is going to take some willpower.
so wish me luck. i'm sure there will be plenty to write about during this.
God's peace y'all
the question is why do i have it again.
the obvious answer is stress.
it started during holy week, which, let's be honest, is a stressful time. but if i am completely honest then i also have to admit that i don't take very good care of my body. i don't eat or sleep well and i never get any exercise...
so, her suggestion: go through a detox.
i've seen the nutritionist and we have agreed that i should start a 3 week program of cleaning out my system.
i don't know when i will start, but clearly i'd better do it soon before i lose my nerve. 3 weeks without caffeine or sugar is going to take some willpower.
so wish me luck. i'm sure there will be plenty to write about during this.
God's peace y'all
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
autism awareness
apparently today was autism awareness day. and apparently since i am the mom of an autistic child i am too busy to really observe that fact since there are only 35 minutes left in the day.
so here is the face of autism... in all his bubbly glory:
and with just 4 minutes to spare before the end of the day i checked my email to find this from uncle jefro:
Help make a difference without even reaching into your pocket - use your mouse and keyboard! For every person who takes a virtual "test drive" of the new Chevrolet Malibu online at www.autismspeaks.org during the month of April, Chevrolet will donate money to Autism Speaks. They have made a commitment of a minimum of $500,000 but your "test drives" can drive the donation amount up - all the way to $1,000,000!. Can I count on you to do so?
Please spread the word to all your friends and neighbors.
click here to take the test drive.
God's peace y'all
so here is the face of autism... in all his bubbly glory:
and with just 4 minutes to spare before the end of the day i checked my email to find this from uncle jefro:
Help make a difference without even reaching into your pocket - use your mouse and keyboard! For every person who takes a virtual "test drive" of the new Chevrolet Malibu online at www.autismspeaks.org during the month of April, Chevrolet will donate money to Autism Speaks. They have made a commitment of a minimum of $500,000 but your "test drives" can drive the donation amount up - all the way to $1,000,000!. Can I count on you to do so?
Please spread the word to all your friends and neighbors.
click here to take the test drive.
God's peace y'all
Sunday, March 30, 2008
29 again
tomorrow is my birthday or shall i say the anniversary of my 29th birthday (i won't tell you how many of those i have had.)
i have nothing special planned except that i am taking the day off and taking th eprincess kitty for an appt with the ent that did the tubes and adenoids for the silent prince.
today we will go to my parent's house for dinner. she's making oven fried chicken which is a special treat. we haven't had that in a long time.
so happy birthday to me a day early!
i hope it gives you a good reason to have a great day tomorrow and maybe do a little celebrating in my honor.
God's peace y'all
i have nothing special planned except that i am taking the day off and taking th eprincess kitty for an appt with the ent that did the tubes and adenoids for the silent prince.
today we will go to my parent's house for dinner. she's making oven fried chicken which is a special treat. we haven't had that in a long time.
so happy birthday to me a day early!
i hope it gives you a good reason to have a great day tomorrow and maybe do a little celebrating in my honor.
God's peace y'all
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
if you want my two cents
well, now that holy week is over i still don't have time to write anything, but i decided i would take the time anyway.
so much has been going on in the world, but the thing i would make mention of (in the short time i have to write anything) is the whole fiasco surrounding the sermon soundbite that we've been hearing over and over again.
you know which one i'm talking about don't you?
there are a few things i would say about the whole thing. (and for the sake of this post i'm going to use the terms "pastor" and "preacher" to refer to all religious leaders, not just christian ones.)
the first thing is that the media does a terrible job of portraying any religion and if you form your opinon about one particular preacher, church member, or theology on a 30 soundbite on the news you are going to have the wrong opinion. i don't care who the preacher is, what religion he or she is from, what culture they come from, or what ugly words come out of their mouth. you will get it wrong. period. because i know that there are plenty of things i have said in my preaching that if put into a 30 second soundbite would make me look all kinds of bad.
i've heard lots of christian conservative leaders say far more horrible and offensive things than, "God damn America." and they have gotten far more air time than a 30 second soundbite. in fact some of them are now employed by 24 news stations as experts in religion and politics.
racism and every other ism is just plain bad for everyone. i think i mentioned this before. the only way to deal with isms is to get them out in the open and talk about them honestly. isms will still run people's lives, but at least if we talk about them openly and respectfully (which also means listening) we have a chance of making a difference.
as a pastor i think i have an important message to share. it's part of my job. it is a radical message and will offend people. love your neighbor, turn the other cheek, give to the poor... that's radical and offensive stuff because we are taught to mistrust our neighbor, fight back, and get as much stuff for ourselves as we possibly can. so why is it that the only time religion gets any press is when some clergy person has a gay affair, has a politican as a member of their organization, or issues a religious fatwah?
no one should be told that they should disown their pastor just because of something they said. pastors are human. sometimes we make huge mistakes in judgement, say things we shouldn't say, preach sermons that would have been better left unpreached. but many times we do significant things for people that make a difference in their lives.
no one should be judged based on something that their pastor said. we have our own opinons. i don't share all of mine with everyone, but certainly people can guess things like my political party by some of the things i share out loud on sunday mornings and in meetings and on other ocassions. but they are my opinions and i am not under any notion that everyone who attends my church is going to agree with all my opinions.
in order to hear the good news we also need to name the bad news. this is part of the preaching task. life isn't happy all the time. people are angry, hurt, suffering, and full of resentments. those things have to be put out in the open and named otherwise the good news is meaningless drivel.
and that's all i have time for right now.
God's peace y'all
so much has been going on in the world, but the thing i would make mention of (in the short time i have to write anything) is the whole fiasco surrounding the sermon soundbite that we've been hearing over and over again.
you know which one i'm talking about don't you?
there are a few things i would say about the whole thing. (and for the sake of this post i'm going to use the terms "pastor" and "preacher" to refer to all religious leaders, not just christian ones.)
the first thing is that the media does a terrible job of portraying any religion and if you form your opinon about one particular preacher, church member, or theology on a 30 soundbite on the news you are going to have the wrong opinion. i don't care who the preacher is, what religion he or she is from, what culture they come from, or what ugly words come out of their mouth. you will get it wrong. period. because i know that there are plenty of things i have said in my preaching that if put into a 30 second soundbite would make me look all kinds of bad.
i've heard lots of christian conservative leaders say far more horrible and offensive things than, "God damn America." and they have gotten far more air time than a 30 second soundbite. in fact some of them are now employed by 24 news stations as experts in religion and politics.
racism and every other ism is just plain bad for everyone. i think i mentioned this before. the only way to deal with isms is to get them out in the open and talk about them honestly. isms will still run people's lives, but at least if we talk about them openly and respectfully (which also means listening) we have a chance of making a difference.
as a pastor i think i have an important message to share. it's part of my job. it is a radical message and will offend people. love your neighbor, turn the other cheek, give to the poor... that's radical and offensive stuff because we are taught to mistrust our neighbor, fight back, and get as much stuff for ourselves as we possibly can. so why is it that the only time religion gets any press is when some clergy person has a gay affair, has a politican as a member of their organization, or issues a religious fatwah?
no one should be told that they should disown their pastor just because of something they said. pastors are human. sometimes we make huge mistakes in judgement, say things we shouldn't say, preach sermons that would have been better left unpreached. but many times we do significant things for people that make a difference in their lives.
no one should be judged based on something that their pastor said. we have our own opinons. i don't share all of mine with everyone, but certainly people can guess things like my political party by some of the things i share out loud on sunday mornings and in meetings and on other ocassions. but they are my opinions and i am not under any notion that everyone who attends my church is going to agree with all my opinions.
in order to hear the good news we also need to name the bad news. this is part of the preaching task. life isn't happy all the time. people are angry, hurt, suffering, and full of resentments. those things have to be put out in the open and named otherwise the good news is meaningless drivel.
and that's all i have time for right now.
God's peace y'all
Friday, March 21, 2008
holy week
this is the holiest week of the year for me and therefore the most stressful.
i've wanted to write about all sorts of things, but usually i can't bring myself to expend any creative energy here since it's mostly been wrapped up in the 3 sermons i have had to write this week.
and if that was all i had to do...
maybe next week when i can think and relax i will share something more than this.
in the meantime you can certainly read the sermons i've written at my sermon site.
God's peace y'all.
i've wanted to write about all sorts of things, but usually i can't bring myself to expend any creative energy here since it's mostly been wrapped up in the 3 sermons i have had to write this week.
and if that was all i had to do...
maybe next week when i can think and relax i will share something more than this.
in the meantime you can certainly read the sermons i've written at my sermon site.
God's peace y'all.
Sunday, March 09, 2008
things that suck - in no particular order
racism. racism sucks. there is not one good thing about it. there are no redeeming qualities within it. it just sucks.
white guilt. white guilt sucks. it especially sucks when it causes a person to do something they think is not racist at all, when in fact it is actually worse than overt, in your face, white-hooded racism.
vomit. vomit sucks. or perhaps it does the exact opposite. no, i don't mean it is actually great. but who wants to suck vomit?
children's vomit. children's vomit sucks. especially when it is your child and your child is developmentally impaired and it is impossible to explain to them where they should aim if they need to vomit again or where they should sit until you have cleaned up said vomit.
day light savings. day light savings sucks. i don't care if we leap forward or fall behind, my internal clock is now off and won't completely readjust until it is time to change the clocks again.
mornings. mornings suck. with all due respect to morning people... what is wrong with you?
mornings when you haven't gotten enough sleep. mornings when you haven't gotten enough sleep suck. this is especially true when you have spent the night cleaning up children's vomit, slept in a bed that is not comfortable so you can be near said child just in case they vomit again, and you lose an hours sleep.
wow, i feel better... and that doesn't suck.
God's peace y'all
white guilt. white guilt sucks. it especially sucks when it causes a person to do something they think is not racist at all, when in fact it is actually worse than overt, in your face, white-hooded racism.
vomit. vomit sucks. or perhaps it does the exact opposite. no, i don't mean it is actually great. but who wants to suck vomit?
children's vomit. children's vomit sucks. especially when it is your child and your child is developmentally impaired and it is impossible to explain to them where they should aim if they need to vomit again or where they should sit until you have cleaned up said vomit.
day light savings. day light savings sucks. i don't care if we leap forward or fall behind, my internal clock is now off and won't completely readjust until it is time to change the clocks again.
mornings. mornings suck. with all due respect to morning people... what is wrong with you?
mornings when you haven't gotten enough sleep. mornings when you haven't gotten enough sleep suck. this is especially true when you have spent the night cleaning up children's vomit, slept in a bed that is not comfortable so you can be near said child just in case they vomit again, and you lose an hours sleep.
wow, i feel better... and that doesn't suck.
God's peace y'all
Friday, March 07, 2008
some t and a
first, get your heads out of the gutter. i'm not talking about that kind of t and a.
secondly, the silent prince and his very tired parents are home from the hospital where he had his Adenoids taken out and Tubes put in.
the day started early (especially for me because i am NOT a morning person.) we were supposed to be at the hospital, which is a good 45 minutes away, at 8:35am. we gave ourselves an hour to get there but at 8:20 we were still a good 20 minutes away because of an accident. i called the hospital in a panic, but was told that his surgery wasn't scheduled until 9:35 and we could just take our time.
there were a few other minor hiccups, which are inconsequential. the prince did great despite the fact that he kept trying to find sippy cups and food in my pockets and in his book bag. poor kid was hungry. he didn't like the meds they gave him to start with, but by the time the anesthetists came to take him back for the surgery he let one of them carry him to the o.r. without assistance from mommy or daddy.
it only took about an hour before the dr came to tell us it was over and take us back to see him. he woke up the moment i put on my coat to go out and call the grandparents and find some food for hubby and me. originally the dr thought he would have to spend the night, but the nurse in the recovery room agreed that there was no need for an overnight. grandpop even had time to come and visit and take me for lunch.
so, here we are. grandmom is on her way to pick up the princess kitty for a sleep-over. there is a special event being held at the same hospital tomorrow for siblings of autistic children. there will be a sculptor there and clay for them to make their own masterpieces and the grandparents have agreed to take her. thank God for grandparents.
tiem to go pack her bag. thanks for all the prayers out there!
God's peace y'all
secondly, the silent prince and his very tired parents are home from the hospital where he had his Adenoids taken out and Tubes put in.
the day started early (especially for me because i am NOT a morning person.) we were supposed to be at the hospital, which is a good 45 minutes away, at 8:35am. we gave ourselves an hour to get there but at 8:20 we were still a good 20 minutes away because of an accident. i called the hospital in a panic, but was told that his surgery wasn't scheduled until 9:35 and we could just take our time.
there were a few other minor hiccups, which are inconsequential. the prince did great despite the fact that he kept trying to find sippy cups and food in my pockets and in his book bag. poor kid was hungry. he didn't like the meds they gave him to start with, but by the time the anesthetists came to take him back for the surgery he let one of them carry him to the o.r. without assistance from mommy or daddy.
it only took about an hour before the dr came to tell us it was over and take us back to see him. he woke up the moment i put on my coat to go out and call the grandparents and find some food for hubby and me. originally the dr thought he would have to spend the night, but the nurse in the recovery room agreed that there was no need for an overnight. grandpop even had time to come and visit and take me for lunch.
so, here we are. grandmom is on her way to pick up the princess kitty for a sleep-over. there is a special event being held at the same hospital tomorrow for siblings of autistic children. there will be a sculptor there and clay for them to make their own masterpieces and the grandparents have agreed to take her. thank God for grandparents.
tiem to go pack her bag. thanks for all the prayers out there!
God's peace y'all
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
doctors and diagnoses
yesterday we had a meeting at the princess kitty's school with her principal, teacher, school psychologist, school social worker, special ed teacher, and speech therapist. these meetings are also known as ppt's (which stands for planning and placement team). we all agreed that we needed to have the princess kitty tested for a learning disability and we were getting the results of those tests.
as it turns out she does indeed have a learning disability. for the most part she scored at an average intelligence. which is just fine. she doesn't have to be a super genius for me to be proud of her. her problem is in something called her working memory index. according to all the paperwork they gave us the working memory index (WMI, not to be confused with WMD) involves the ability to attend to information, to hold it in short-term memory while attempting to process it in some way, and to then give a response either orally or in written form.
this affects her ability to read and spell words. and it affects her ability to do math, which she is actually pretty good at.
she's also a sensitive kid and wants to please others, so her ability to do well in school affects her self-esteem.
the good news... and there is good news here, is that now she is going to get extra help. currently they are doing the cmt's or mastery tests. instead of doing them with the rest of her class and being timed to do them she is doing the testing in a small group, with a reader (someone to read her the questions so she isn't struggling to figure out what she is trying to do), and she won't be timed.
it also means that she has a chance to focus on the things she's good at while at the same time work on those things she doesn't do well. for instance, her expressive vocabulary is excellent, but she has trouble writing down her thoughts. this way she'll be able to express herself in writing assignments.
honestly, i am thrilled. she's also going to be able to talk to the social worker once a week about life, which she needs. it isn't always easy being her and now she has another person who she trusts to be able to talk to.
and then there is the silent prince. on friday he is having his adenoids out and tubes put in. we spent time today at a pre-op visit and are feeling pretty comfortable with the whole thing. tomorrow he sees the developmental pediatrician. the last time we saw her was a year ago. it will be interesting to see what she says about his progress because he is doing really really well. (except for the fact that he has regressed yet again with potty training. he refuses to go for me anymore at home and i'm starting to get frustrated like you wouldn't believe!)
he now waves hello and good-bye. he can sign "more" and "eat." when you ask him where his nose is he points to his nose. when you ask him where his belly is he pulls up his shirt and then expects to get tickled. he can put on his own jacket and shirt. and he can get undressed all by himself and put his clothes in the hamper. and he is a puzzle wiz!
he has also learned how to climb over the gate between the tv room and the kitchen and occasionaly he can even open it. (which is why his mom-mom calls him a monkey)
and just because i've burdened you all with all this talk about them both i'll treat you with a picture:
as it turns out she does indeed have a learning disability. for the most part she scored at an average intelligence. which is just fine. she doesn't have to be a super genius for me to be proud of her. her problem is in something called her working memory index. according to all the paperwork they gave us the working memory index (WMI, not to be confused with WMD) involves the ability to attend to information, to hold it in short-term memory while attempting to process it in some way, and to then give a response either orally or in written form.
this affects her ability to read and spell words. and it affects her ability to do math, which she is actually pretty good at.
she's also a sensitive kid and wants to please others, so her ability to do well in school affects her self-esteem.
the good news... and there is good news here, is that now she is going to get extra help. currently they are doing the cmt's or mastery tests. instead of doing them with the rest of her class and being timed to do them she is doing the testing in a small group, with a reader (someone to read her the questions so she isn't struggling to figure out what she is trying to do), and she won't be timed.
it also means that she has a chance to focus on the things she's good at while at the same time work on those things she doesn't do well. for instance, her expressive vocabulary is excellent, but she has trouble writing down her thoughts. this way she'll be able to express herself in writing assignments.
honestly, i am thrilled. she's also going to be able to talk to the social worker once a week about life, which she needs. it isn't always easy being her and now she has another person who she trusts to be able to talk to.
and then there is the silent prince. on friday he is having his adenoids out and tubes put in. we spent time today at a pre-op visit and are feeling pretty comfortable with the whole thing. tomorrow he sees the developmental pediatrician. the last time we saw her was a year ago. it will be interesting to see what she says about his progress because he is doing really really well. (except for the fact that he has regressed yet again with potty training. he refuses to go for me anymore at home and i'm starting to get frustrated like you wouldn't believe!)
he now waves hello and good-bye. he can sign "more" and "eat." when you ask him where his nose is he points to his nose. when you ask him where his belly is he pulls up his shirt and then expects to get tickled. he can put on his own jacket and shirt. and he can get undressed all by himself and put his clothes in the hamper. and he is a puzzle wiz!
he has also learned how to climb over the gate between the tv room and the kitchen and occasionaly he can even open it. (which is why his mom-mom calls him a monkey)
and just because i've burdened you all with all this talk about them both i'll treat you with a picture:
God's peace y'all
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
a new favorite
the princess kitty came home sick yesterday. i think we need a germ exorcism done in my home because this is getting ridiculous. i picked her up from school and stopped at the cvs to pick up necessities for a sick child and she asked for puffs plus. her little nose gets so red and she knows that these tissues feel better than some of the other brands.
apparently tissues have come a long way. you can get tissues that are antibacterial, tissues with lotions, and tissues with vicks vapor rub.
all last week i kept thinking i should get some vicks for my cold, but never did so i jumped at the idea of puffs plus with vicks.
apparently tissues have come a long way. you can get tissues that are antibacterial, tissues with lotions, and tissues with vicks vapor rub.
all last week i kept thinking i should get some vicks for my cold, but never did so i jumped at the idea of puffs plus with vicks.
the princess kitty, of course, doesn't like the smell of them, but OMG do i love them!!!
since i am still blowing my nose from the cold that i got a week ago they are like heaven. i keep sticking my nose in the box and breathing in.
who knew tissues could make me so happy.
you can even decorate your own box and print out a template when your head starts to clear and you are feeling creative again.
God's peace y'all
Sunday, February 24, 2008
fave fours
i’ve played this game before, but here it is again for kat-kat
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. video store clerk (and yes, there was a back room)
2. assistant manager of a women’s accessory store
3. director of a inner city summer program
4. pastor
Four movies I've watched more than once:
1. man of la mancha
2. crash (just yesterday in fact)
3. buffy the vampire slayer
4. the princess bride
Four places I have lived:
1. philadelphia, pa
2. lynchburg, va
3. newark, nj
4. atlantic city, nj
Four places I have been:
1. the grand canyon
2. antigua
3. chicago
4. hoboken, nj
Four of my favorite foods:
1. shell fish
2. chocolate
3. my mom’s mac and cheese
4. marsha, marsha, marshmallow ice cream by ben and jerry
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. bed
2. any warm beach
3. on vacation
4. bed (did i say that already)
I am looking forward to this year:
1. vacation at the obx
2. doing 2 weddings for 2 wonderful women
3. 10 year anniversary from seminary and seeing all my old friends
4. celebrating my 29th birthday all over again
Four T.V. shows that I watch:
1. M*A*S*H
2. heros
3. lost
4. american idol with the princess kitty
God's peace y'all
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. video store clerk (and yes, there was a back room)
2. assistant manager of a women’s accessory store
3. director of a inner city summer program
4. pastor
Four movies I've watched more than once:
1. man of la mancha
2. crash (just yesterday in fact)
3. buffy the vampire slayer
4. the princess bride
Four places I have lived:
1. philadelphia, pa
2. lynchburg, va
3. newark, nj
4. atlantic city, nj
Four places I have been:
1. the grand canyon
2. antigua
3. chicago
4. hoboken, nj
Four of my favorite foods:
1. shell fish
2. chocolate
3. my mom’s mac and cheese
4. marsha, marsha, marshmallow ice cream by ben and jerry
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. bed
2. any warm beach
3. on vacation
4. bed (did i say that already)
I am looking forward to this year:
1. vacation at the obx
2. doing 2 weddings for 2 wonderful women
3. 10 year anniversary from seminary and seeing all my old friends
4. celebrating my 29th birthday all over again
Four T.V. shows that I watch:
1. M*A*S*H
2. heros
3. lost
4. american idol with the princess kitty
God's peace y'all
Saturday, February 23, 2008
what are they teaching our children?
before email, in order to send a letter to someone, one had to write words down on a piece of paper, fold it and put it into an envelope. one would then have to place information on the outside of the envelope with a stamp and place it in a big blue box called a mailbox where a person called a mail carrier would pick it up and take it back to a place called the post office where it would be sorted by the information on the envelope, given to another mail carrier, and then be delivered to the person to whom it was addressed.
i know this because i was taught how to do it in grade school, before email became my primary means of sending information to another person. however, i do still on occasion need to put something in the mail where i use the above technique.
last weekend hubby and i went on a confirmation retreat with 20 kids grades 6-9. we wanted to teach them about how they had gifts that they could share with others and part of the process was to have them do a service project. the service project was to send appeal letters to other churches asking them to participate in something called God's Global Barnyard which is the ELCA's (my denomination) version of heifer international.
i made the service project as simple as possible... they basically had to stuff and address envelopes with information that i gave them and then they had to come up with a project to do in their own church.
had i known that many of them didn't know how to address an envelope properly i would have told them about return addresses and where the stamp had to go and where on the envelope the addresse's information went. silly me, assuming that they would have learned this in school by the 6th grade.
hubby says that we are old. afterall, mail is sent electronically now. in fact, when i did a google image search of "mail" this is what i got. of the 20 images of "mail" there was only one picture that showed an envelope (and that was clip art) and 1 picture of what looks like the inside of a post office. there were 2 pictures of george w and somehow i can't help but think that there is a correlation between his no child left behind and the fact that kids almost in high school have no idea how to address an envelope!
sigh, they aren't teaching cursive writing anymore either.
God's peace y'all
i know this because i was taught how to do it in grade school, before email became my primary means of sending information to another person. however, i do still on occasion need to put something in the mail where i use the above technique.
last weekend hubby and i went on a confirmation retreat with 20 kids grades 6-9. we wanted to teach them about how they had gifts that they could share with others and part of the process was to have them do a service project. the service project was to send appeal letters to other churches asking them to participate in something called God's Global Barnyard which is the ELCA's (my denomination) version of heifer international.
i made the service project as simple as possible... they basically had to stuff and address envelopes with information that i gave them and then they had to come up with a project to do in their own church.
had i known that many of them didn't know how to address an envelope properly i would have told them about return addresses and where the stamp had to go and where on the envelope the addresse's information went. silly me, assuming that they would have learned this in school by the 6th grade.
hubby says that we are old. afterall, mail is sent electronically now. in fact, when i did a google image search of "mail" this is what i got. of the 20 images of "mail" there was only one picture that showed an envelope (and that was clip art) and 1 picture of what looks like the inside of a post office. there were 2 pictures of george w and somehow i can't help but think that there is a correlation between his no child left behind and the fact that kids almost in high school have no idea how to address an envelope!
sigh, they aren't teaching cursive writing anymore either.
God's peace y'all
Friday, February 22, 2008
8 inches addendum or how to make a hot toddy
i'm now losing my voice so i decided to do what the mucinex will not...
make one of my mother's hot toddy's.
here's how:
in one mug full of scotch whiskey add a tea bag and just enough hot water to heat the booze stir in honey (no honey had to use sugar) and drink... repeat as necessary.
still sick, but now i don't care as much.
God's peace y'all
make one of my mother's hot toddy's.
here's how:
in one mug full of scotch whiskey add a tea bag and just enough hot water to heat the booze stir in honey (no honey had to use sugar) and drink... repeat as necessary.
still sick, but now i don't care as much.
God's peace y'all
8 inches
i have had a cold since waking up on wednesday. everyone and their mother has told me that i should take mucinex, "it's the wonder drug" "nothing else works for me."
it is also the most expensive over-the-counter cold medicine on the shelves of the cvs and even though i have been taking it religiously it has not helped ONE LITTLE BIT!!!
meanwhile there are up to 8 inches of snow outside. hubby and the princess kitty shovelled earlier and you can't tell that they did anything.
i'm going to go make some tea and collapse in front of the tv now.
God's peace y'all and remember to wash your hands.
it is also the most expensive over-the-counter cold medicine on the shelves of the cvs and even though i have been taking it religiously it has not helped ONE LITTLE BIT!!!
meanwhile there are up to 8 inches of snow outside. hubby and the princess kitty shovelled earlier and you can't tell that they did anything.
i'm going to go make some tea and collapse in front of the tv now.
God's peace y'all and remember to wash your hands.
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