she never said my name

"Romper, bomper, stomper, boo.

Tell me, tell me, tell me do.

Magic mirror, tell me today.

Did all my friends have fun at play?"

I see Suzy and Betty and William and Lauri.

I see Lupe and Leslie and Megan and all you boys and girls out there.

1800's remedies - just in case

Musquito Bites: (that's how they spelled it, not me)

Salt wetted into a paste, with a little vinegar and rubbed on bite will stop the itch.

(Ok, this really might be worth knowing)

To Stop Blood:

For a prick with a pin, or a slight cut, nothing stops bleeding better than old cobwebs compressed into a lump and applied to a wound.

(Here I was wasting money on band aids)

In Case You're Struck By Lightening:

"For a couple of hours shower in cold water. In case there is still no sign of life, add a cupful of salt and continue for another hour."

-19th century Swiss remedy

(I'll try this next time)

Tooth Powder:

Take pulverized chalk, and twice as much charcoal; make very fine and add castile soap suds and spirits of camphor to make a thick paste.

(mmm. Mothball breath)

Drawn Sinews (is that a pulled ligament?)

An ointment made from the common ground-worms which boys dig to bait fishes, rubbed on with the hand, is said to be excellent when the sinews are drawn up by any disease or accident.

(ok, even the author is taking someones word for it)

I won't even share the one that suggests treating chapped lips with ear wax.

These came from a cookbook called Log Cabin Cooking by Barbara Swell. She has some great little books filled with old recipes and many helpful hints from days of yore.

possibilities

I am considering attending a conference at which Michael Card will be doing the music.

So, if I go, maybe I could tell him that his music inspired my story.

Then, maybe he would be really thrilled.

Maybe he would tell everyone he ever talked to about my book.

Then I guess I would definitly have to finish it, wouldn't I?

two questions

1. Have you seen the Apple vending machines? I don't mean the kind you get fruit out of. I mean the kind you get IPODS out of. Weird.

2. Ladies, where do you keep your purse while at home? I used to keep mine by the door, but now I tend to used all the doors so I don't know where to keep it.

think about it

“Abundance is not so much something to acquire, but something to tune into.”

Anonymous

mother worry

Our new town is different from our old town in so many ways. But I am only going to talk about one right now.

I have never seen so many fashion conscious little bitty girls in my life. At the mall I saw a little girl, no more than seven, begging her mom to let her go into Banana Republic. What?

At seven I didn't even care if I wore clothes, definitely didn't care where they came from.

My nearly twelve year old girl doesn't care either. She has a few opinions. Mostly, what color they are and are the loose enough. She prefers her clothing actually touch her body in a few places as possible.

The kids in her old school didn't really care.

Here, every store I go into I see these very young girls discussing clothes as if they are twenty year old fashionistas.

Don't we expend enough angst the entire rest of our lives wondering whether we look ok, whether we fit in, whether people approve of us? Why start at seven, eight, nine?

So, the other part is, my girl will be starting this new school. Will she be surrounded by stylish babes who will be judging her because they can tell her clothes came off a clearance rack somewhere other than the Gap or whatever is hip these days? She seems to be oblivious to all of that and may not even know unless someone says something directly to her. But still...

I want so much for her to be accepted and liked for who she is. But I guess she's entering that phase where it is very difficult to be accepted for just being yourself. 6th grade + is all about judging and being judged, from what I've seen.

I guess I just do my part, turn her over to God and hold on to my hat!

speaking of movies

We recently watched two really good movies. Both of them are true stories about people who invested their lives in the lives of others.

The first one is Freedom Writers. I particularly liked how this movie shows the power of a story. Whether fiction or non-fiction, a story can take you out of yourself. It opens the world up to you and gives you new perspective.

The other movie was Pride. This movie demonstrates both kinds of pride. The negative, empty, boastful kind that tears people down and the positive kind that builds people up.

The main theme is the way one person can influence another or even a group to positive change. Very powerful. Of course, said influence doesn't happen over night and it isn't easy. And the people being changed sometimes don't want to be changed.

Do you have any experience in this? Have you been able to impact someones life by investing in them? Or have you seen it happen first hand? Maybe you are the one who was changed because of another person's willingness to step into your world and give you a needed boost?