In conjunction with my previous post, I found this article that helps explain how we got in this mess.  It pretty much says what I was thinking, but I wasn't sure if I was right.

crash!

Maybe some of you have a better understanding than I do and can help me out.

First of all, I'm not worried or even anxious, I just want to know what is practical.  I believe God is in control of all things and I trust Him.  He never promised everything would be good or easy, but He promised to be with us and see us through.  So, I'm cool with that.

I read an article today where the guy was insisting that this crash is nothing like the crash in 29 that caused the Great Depression.  What I'm wondering is if that guy is an idiot or not.  He says that during the depression thousands of banks failed, people lost their life savings, employment rates were dismal and people were living in tent towns.  Well... yeah.  But did all of that happen the same day the market crashed?  And if these major banks keep failing, isn't it probable that thousands of smaller banks will, too?  Thus, people will lose their savings and on and on?

Already the BBC is reporting the effects on the European and Asian markets.  Things could right themselves, though, couldn't they?  Or not?

I'm not trying to be dismal or pessimistic, I just want to understand what is wise for me today.  I don't want to walk around with my head in the clouds and fall into a pit.  I'm trying to be realistic and wise.   Should I continue living as I have been, spending money the same way and therefore contributing to the economy?  Or should I cut back now, saving money for the day that we might really need it?  My husband works for the cable company doing computer stuff.  If the economy gets worse, cable is going to be one of the first things people cut.  How long will he be secure in his job?  So what do you guys think about all this?  Is there cause for any concern?  Should we just go on as we have been?  Or should we all cut back and start making due now?  

By the way, I want to say that for us to keep on as we have been means a cash only system.  We don't do any credit.  I very much believe that people should stop buying on credit.  I think that will just compound the mess, myself.  

We took a small loss in the crash yesterday.  The kids' college funds are the only thing we have and they fell.  I'm actually glad we don't have a lot of money to worry about losing!

I also want to point out that I am not in favor of the bail out.  I think it would help, but only temporarily and in the long run, just make the problem worse.  The government is already trillions of dollars in debt.  How does that work??

Admittedly I am very naive and uneducated in these matters.  So I am asking for your intelligent opinions.

bye bye mr. newman

Not many movie stars stay married to the same woman for decades. 

Not many make a great salad dressing and give all the money to charity.

Not many love acting more than "being an actor."

I don't know much else about him except that he had some pretty blue eyes.

about your name

I have just started a Bible Study in my home with a few friends.  It is on Kay Arthur's book LORD I Want to Know You.  It is a study of some of the names of God.  Fabulous!  You should read it.  

Names have power and meaning, I think.  Our names are our identity. They are who we are.  

Do you know what your name means?  When naming my children I looked at the meaning of every name we liked.  I wanted to make sure the  meaning was something I wanted for that child to bear the rest of their life.

My name means nothing.  But most sources refer back to the name Kathryn, which mean Pure One.  I am more tainted by this world than I would like to be, but I do have a deep, unrelenting desire for purity and holiness in my life.  I wonder if my name has anything to do with that.  And is that passion there because my name is Kay, or is my name Kay because of that passion?

Do you see a connection between the meaning of you name and who you are?  

One friend is disappointed in the meaning of her name, but the thing is, when we get to Heaven, God is going to hand each of us a stone and on that stone will be a new name.  A secret name known only to God and ourselves.  So if you are stuck with a less than ideal name down here, remember that God has already re-named you.  Maybe that name is what you are living up to even now.

calling all lurkers.

Lurkers, come out.  I lured one out today.  I think I made her feel guilty.  I called her "one of those creepy people that read my blog but I don't know they are there."  Was I too harsh?  She had actually mentioned to me in person that she read it, but I had forgotten.

If you read my blog, say so.  Just this once.  Say, Hi, I read your blog.  Names would be nice, but are not required.

If you don't have a blogger account, just sign up for one.  You don't have to though.  You can just click on comments, then leave your comment as anonymous.  You can sign your name at the end of your comment if you don't want to be truly anonymous.

Come on.  Say hi.  It will make me so happy!

thursday thirteen

Thirteen things about fall.

1. Gold

aspens, grass, leaves, flowers

2. Crisp

air, apples, leaves

3. Brilliant

colors, sky

4. Cool

temperatures, and cool as in cool

5. Orange

leaves, pumpkins

6. Crunch

leaves, apples

7. Smoke

burning leaves, fireplaces

8. Clear

air, sound, sky

9. Pungent

rotting apples, moldering leaves

10. Sweater

for those cool temperatures

11. Red

leaves, apples, cheeks

12. Apples

fresh, crisp, sweet

13. Moon

harvest, hunter, amazing

field trip

I haven't had a lot to say partly because I have had a headache for a week and that is very abnormal for me.  

Today I went on a field trip with my son to a place called Young Ameritowne.  It was very cool.  The kids have been preparing at school by doing job interviews, learning how to write checks, training for their jobs, electing town officials and voting on laws.

The town has little shops and such and the kids are assigned a job.  They were busy all day!  They have checkbooks they use to pay for goods and services from the shops on their breaks.

The laws of the town were:

~When exiting the bathroom you must say "I'm a big kid now."

~ When the Chicken Dance song plays, you  must stop what you are doing and chicken dance.

~ When the Addams Family Theme plays you have to snap along.

Also, no chewing gum, no running, boring stuff like that.

If a police officer caught someone breaking the law, the criminal had to go before the judge for sentencing and possibly be sentenced to sing I'm a Little Teapot and pay a fine.

I would have loved it as a kid.  There is a radio station and a TV station and a bank and all kinds of fun shops.  I helped in the medical clinic.

It was mostly fun, but there were a lot of decibels in there and I am not very decibel tolerant.

class of...

Angie Hunt had this on her blog and I also saw it on Jen's Facebook page.  You can Yearbook yourself here.

This is me in 1952.

Me in 1964.

Me in '66.  Actually that's when I was born.

Me in 1994.

Which looks a lot like....

Me in 1988 for real in my first college senior picture.

My second college senior picture taken in 1991.

This is what I looked like in '84 when I graduated high school.  The yearbook site's 84 hairstyle looks nothing like this!

I have a lot to say, but I don't feel like saying any of it.

If you got a weird comment from me - it wasn't me.

Author: Elisabeth Elliot
Source: A Lamp For My Feet
 

Seed and Yeast

When we see things we believe need to be changed, most of us are impatient to see them done at once. The kingdom of God does not operate spectacularly, with a sudden rush of irresistible force, but rather like seed and yeast. These are small and wholly unimpressive and go to work only when buried. They need an appropriate medium in which to generate change, but the life-principle is there, latent but powerful, ready to begin the slow and marvelous process of transformation.

Our prayers for change--in people, in situations--are summed up in the old petition, "Thy kingdom come"--but when we ask for that we are asking for what may seem an excruciatingly drawn-out business. We will need the patience of the farmer and the baker who, having done the one thing needful, then quietly (and with calm faith) wait for the thing to happen.

random randomness

Baby gorilla at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo a few years ago.

~ I can cook.  I almost always change recipes - I consider them guidelines. I can cook without a recipe.  I can taste something and determine that it needs, say, a touch of thyme.  I am inconsistent as to quality, I will admit.

~ I prefer the yolk to the white of an egg.

~  I can't have tomatoes or chocolate.  I actually miss tomatoes more.

~ I can't bake so well.  Quick breads and cakes almost always sink in the middle.  I can do some good biscuits, though.  

~ I prefer cats to dogs.

~ I saw some gold trees today.  Fall is here!

~ My son has his first case of strep throat.

~ I really need to start exercising!

~ Squirrels are goofy.

~ I like fairy tales.

~ I've had a headache since Tuesday.  I don't like it.  It makes me grumpy.

~ I am looking forward to Thanksgiving.

thursday thirteen

Thirteen places I have never been, that I would like to visit.

*1. The entire UK

2. Greece

4. Israel

5. Morocco

6. British Colombia

7. Prince Edward Island

8. Glacier National Park

9. Alaska

10. Italy

11. France

12. Austria

13. Poland

*I edited this -- I had Ireland, Scotland, etc listed separately, but realized I had forgotten Greece, Israel and Morocco!

colorful colorado in my yard

learning to ride

A few posts ago I compared writing a book to learning to ride a bike.  Noting the fact that my father is there, encouraging me and cheering me on.  He knows I can do it.  And He is there to guide me along the way.  

As I was looking for a picture, I was overwhelmed by them.  The universality of the postures.  Always dad is holding on, or running along beside.

I found them so sweet and so encouraging.  I am going to remember these pictures.  And the memories I have of my own dad running along beside my bike.  And my hubby running along beside our kids.  And I'm going to remember that if God calls me to do something, He will be right there, holding on to the seat and helping me along.

all about moms

My aunt sent me this in an e-mail and I thought it was really cute.

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions: 

Why did God make mothers? 
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.

3. To help us out of there when we were getting born. 
How did God make mothers? 
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring. 
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me.  He just used bigger parts. 
What ingredients are mothers made of ? 
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and  one dab of mean. 
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think. 
Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom? 
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me. 
What kind of little girl was your mom? 
1. My Mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy. 
3. They say she used to be nice. 
What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?  
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores? 
Why did your mom marry your dad? 
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world.  And my Mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on. 
Who's the boss at your house? 
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed. 
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad. 

What's the difference between moms & dads? 
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's. 
4. Moms have magic; they make you feel better without medicine. 

What does your mom do in her spare time? 
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long. 

What would it take to make your mom perfect? 
1. On the inside she's already perfect.  Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Dye it. You know her hair. I'd dye it, maybe blue. 

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be? 
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean.  I'd get rid of that. 
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me. 
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head. 

big what?

Have you seen the Big Bang machine?

I'm almost at a loss for words over it.  What an astronomical waste of money.  (pun intended)

I would laugh if I didn't think it was so sad.  They are hoping to find the "God Particle."  That one minute thing that formed the fabric of our universe.  Well, I hope they do find it.  Because I know what "it" is and He can't be found in a big machine.

Apparently there was a lot of concern about what might happen when they turn this thing on.  Makes sense.  Seems to me if they could reproduce the Big Bang that it would be cataclysmic.  It that can create an entire universe, then I wonder what it would do to the planet it is buried in?  They talk about these particles producing incredible amounts of energy - sounds potentially dangerous to me.  

They fired it up on Wednesday.  We didn't explode.  So does that mean they failed?  They consider whatever happened on Wednesday to be a success.  I admit it is all beyond me - I mean these are physicists we are talking about.  

Also, it sure is taking a lot of work, precision, and time to imitate this thing that supposedly just randomly happened.

It must break God's heart.  The lengths people will go to in order to explain Him away.  

In case you haven't realized, I am a creationist.  Or a believer in Intelligent Design.  More to the point, I believe the Bible.  My great God spoke a word and the universe came into being.  There is nothing cooler than that.  

I love science by the way.  But what I love about it is the way it often reveals God.  You should go read Complimentary Thoughts - in my sidebar, if you also like science.  Loretta does a great job of merging science and faith.

thursday thirteen

There are a lot of voices out there saying ridiculous things about the attacks on our country. I knew that this faction was out there. I didn't realize how vocal it is. Conspiracy theories are plastered all over. When I tried to find a photo for this, almost every site is spouting off anti-American drivel. I didn't see any sites dedicated to remembering the dead or honoring the heros. Not even any sites bashing the terrorists. Nope, just sites full of lies and hatred. Now, realize that I didn't look at every site on the web. But of those I did look at, this was the case.

Well, I for one will not forget what happened and why it happened.

Things I remember from seven years ago.

1. My husband called to tell me a plane had hit the World Trade Center. I thought he meant a small plane and wondered why he was bothering me in the middle of trying to get my daughter off to school.

2. When he said the Pentagon was hit, too, then I knew it was deliberate. We were being attacked.

3. I gave my kids ice cream for breakfast.

4. I didn't even think to keep my daughter home from school. I was on auto-pilot, I guess.

5. I tried to organize a prayer group but only one lady showed up. We prayed for a while together that morning.

6. Empty blue skies. Gorgeous. No contrail, no planes. Just the sound of fighter planes patrolling the air beyond our view.

7. Concerns that one of the installations near us would be hit. We were in Colorado Springs.

8. Anxiety over what would happen next. How far would it go?

9. Shock when the buildings fell. I was stunned. It seemed so unreal.

10. Horrified at what the passengers on the plane and the people in the buildings must have felt in their last minutes.

10. We were still unpacking from a move and I found a broken piece of china. It was so trivial. I thought about how people in New York, even miles from "ground zero" had probably more damage than that. What's one plate?

11. Hope. I was so sure that there was a pocket of survivors under all the rubble. I held to that for days.

12. Walking around with my hand over my mouth. I remember noticing that.

13. We went out for lunch that day and I remember how quiet everyone was. People were speaking in hushed tones. Everyone had a strange expression on their face. We were all so stunned.

and the winner is....

I forgot to tell you guys that my local writers' group had a Devotional contest.  And I won!  There were two categories -- published writers and unpublished writers.  I won for unpublished and my friend Robbie won for published.  I have yet to read her entry about pie, though.

If you would like to read mine, go to Words for the Journey blog.  It was such a nice validation when I really needed it.  Of course, just because I can write a devotional doesn't mean I can write a novel.  

Oh yeah, I forgot God says I CAN!

learning

I have had a bit of a writing break-through lately.  It has only recently occurred to me that I CAN do this.  I can write that book and finish it.

I have spent over a year being overwhelmed and just constantly hearing the words in my head, "I can't do this!"

I never would have called that fear, but today at a prayer group I shared this and two different people interpreted it as fear.  I kinda thought that they had misunderstood me, but as I sat and listened I realized that they are right.  It doesn't feel like I think fear usually feels, but that is exactly what it is. 

We prayed about it and I am trusting that God is going to keep this new feeling of confidence alive.  I can do this.  Why?  Because those whom He calls, He also equips.  

I see myself as a young child teetering on a bike -- without training wheels!  And it is very difficult and the words fly out, "I CAN'T!"  But there is God, not pointing His finger and demanding that I must, but smiling and cheering and saying "Oh yes you can!"

whose mind are you on?

Sometimes people cross my mind.  People I knew as a small child.  People I was friends with.  Acquaintances.  People that I didn't even know, but maybe admired from afar.  All kinds of people parade through my  mind.

The thought occurred to me, if I think about other people, then quite likely, they also sometimes think about me.

What if there is someone I don't even know who thinks about me sometimes?  I wonder whose mind I cross?

Kinda creepy, really.

sunflower

I've always loved Sunflowers.  They are abundant around here this year.  I love them because they are cheerful and bright. They are pretty and sunny!  

They keep their faces always toward the sun; following it's arc across the sky.

The lesson for us is simple and obvious.

But now and then you will find one that has lost it's bearings.  This one I photographed in our yard, for example, had the sun behind it.

Sunflowers are a good reminder -- where is my head?  Has my gaze turned away from that which gives me Life?  Has my face turned to follow something other than the Son?

8 years

I have a memory as a little girl of riding in a car with a lady who had poofy black hair.  She took me to a 7-11 near my aunt's house for an Icee.  I liked her. I had no idea who she was, but she was nice to get me an Icee.

I also have a memory of going to a church to hear a lady with poofy black hair sing He Touched Me.  

Turns out the poofy - haired lady was most likely my cousin Gail.  She was probably home from college for vacation.  She was fifteen years older than me, so very old to a four or five year old.  The only thing I remember being aware of about her back then was that there were two of them.  Two girls I never saw who had the most wonderful dolls.  Oh, how I loved those precious dolls.  They came in little red suitcase kind of things and had wardrobes full of clothes and they were beautiful!  I seldom was allowed to play with them because they belonged to those two invisible girls.  One of those girls is now QOTW.  Actually, she may have been back then, too, but I didn't know.

The other girl was Gail.  When I was about nine or ten Gail moved to our town to teach at the Christian school we went to.  She was fascinating to me.  She lived in her own apartment - alone.  I think maybe, other than my grandma, I hadn't ever known a lady who lived alone.  It was so cool.  And sometimes I could go over and spend the night!  And once, she let me watch SNL, even though I wasn't supposed to.  It was gross.  Gilda Radner was making a commercial for a can of Phlegm.

Anyway...

She taught me in that school for maybe five years.  She also hired me to clean her house once a week.  She taught me how to do a manicure with all of the little tools she had in her cool box from AVON.   Her hands were one of the things I liked about her.  So different from mine.  

And when I was almost sixteen and she was engaged to be married, I went on my very first date.  It was a blind date with her and her fiance' and their best man, who was just a few years older than me.  

After I was grown and married, we lived in the same town again and I frequently visited with her at her house.  She became one of my best friends.  

I learned a lot from her, and sometimes I think about how I would like to talk to her about this or that.  Sometimes, though, I can imagine what she might say, and so I know that her influence in my life will never go away.  I guess it's true what they say, about how a person lives on in us, or that their presence is always with us.  It's not the same, though.

thursday thirteen

A double dipper today!  My cousin at To Know Me is to Love Me listed her favorite restaurants last week so I copied her idea!

The first list is places I used to like.  But we  have changed our way of eating so that we want food to be as natural as possible.  Less chemicals, less processing, etc.  We don't eat trans-fats and that eliminates a lot of places, although they are catching on.  I also have some food sensitivities that make it difficult to eat at some places.  I can't have pork for example, and Texas Roadhouse uses pork even on their baked potatoes.  We still like the place, it just isn't a favorite for me anymore because it is difficult.

Also, my tastes have changed and since I prefer to eat meat that has been raised on a vegetarian diet and has no hormones or antibiotics, it makes my throat feel kinda funny to think of eating a burger from some places these days.  So, I'm not bashing my "before" list.  They just aren't my favorite places anymore.  

You may  notice that trying to eat better also increases the cost!  We don't eat out as often!

1. Red Lobster

2. Taco Bell

3. Almost any Mexican food - can't have now because of sensitivities.  Still love it, though.

4. Black Eyed Pea

5. Country Buffet

6. Fazoli's

7. Texas Roadhouse

8. Mc Donald's

9. Burger King

10. Sonic

11. Popeye's

12. Mimi's

13. Red Robin

1. Macaroni Grill

2. Carrabba's

3. Cheesecake Factory

4. Chick- fil- A  - not natural meat, but they use good oil for frying, so it's the only fast food I do anymore.

5. Indochine - a local Thai/Vietnamese place

6. Good Indian places

7. Good Greek places

8. Jason's Deli

9. Warhorse - local place 

10. Pei Wei

11. P.F. Chang's

12. Elephant Bar

13. Ted's Montana

flying

We are surrounded by robins.  Hundreds.  I have never seen robins in a flock before.  It is cool and breezy and they are frolicking and twittering.  

They chase each other and seem to be having a grand time.  Perhaps it is a reunion.  More likely a migration - it feels very  much like fall today.

Makes me think about freedom.  We use the term, "Free as a bird" for good reason.

But the thing about freedom is that it can't be absolute.  You see, there is a house sitting here.  And no matter how much they may want to, they cannot fly in this bit of space that is occupied by my house.  

As I sit here I am facing a large window and was quite startled a while ago when a robin nearly flew into the glass!  It caught itself and veered away just in the nick of time.  A few moments later we heard a loud thud from a different part of the house.  I looked outside, but didn't see any dead or wounded birds, so it must have recovered.

Freedom is wonderful!  But always there are restrictions and limits.  Whether because of natural boundaries, or because of lawful boundaries there are certain things we just cannot do.  And usually those boundaries are for our own good.

And sometimes, like the window, those boundaries can be deceptive.  They may appear to lead to a way of freedom, but they don't.

So, spread your wings and fly today!  Enjoy the freedom you've been blessed with.  But keep your eyes peeled for plate glass!

writing aid

I have a new tool in my writer's basket.  My tiara.  Well, it almost borders on being a crown.  It is perfect for a three-year-old girl's birthday or for helping a writer feel special.

Remember the "Thinking caps" we put on for Romper Room?  Well, this is similar.  I am hoping that it's very presence will stimulate my brain to produce wonderful new thoughts and plot points and dialogues and character depths, etc, etc.

At the very least it is fun.  And anything I can do to make the writing process more fun -- I'm going for!

Besides, I'm doing this whole writing thing for God anyway, and He says I am his princess!

small rant

One of the most blessed parts of being a woman is the fact that we can give birth.  We are able to cooperate with God in bringing a new life into this world.  

A woman nurtures it.  She carries it within her own body.  Whatever she eats affects it.  How she feels affects it.  It is a part of her for nearly 10 months, sharing her blood and falling asleep to the rhythm of her heartbeat.

Men cannot have babies.  It is physiologically impossible.

Every time I see something about the "Australian man" who gave birth, I literally want to hurl.  It sickens me.  It is depraved and goes against God's perfect design.  And, honestly, it royally ticks me off.  It makes me feel very angry.  Don't mess with this beautiful sacred act of womanhood.  Don't mess with it, man.

What we have there is a woman who mutilated herself and then chose to have a baby.  I don't care what she had done to her body, or what hormones are dominate in her system, she is still a woman.   She still does not have a Y in her DNA.  She is and always will be female.  The fact that she gave birth should verify that.  Instead we get all these sensationalists proclaiming that a man has finally given birth.

Poppycock!

Stepping down now.