tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5989531628388103542024-03-05T22:11:54.349-06:00Real ThingsKathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-81645020065889670692011-05-06T09:10:00.000-05:002011-05-06T09:10:18.600-05:00Five Minute Friday.<br />
<center><a href="http://thegypsymama.com/category/five-minute-friday/"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_lCeOMfY0_fQ/TWly2m-jN_I/AAAAAAAAFEY/k8HJ__cvkws/s200/5%20minute%20friday.jpg" /></a></center><center> </center><center>The Rules. </center><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">1. Write your heart out for five minutes and show us what you’ve got. q</div><div style="text-align: left;">2.Tell your readers you’re linking up here and invite them to play along. </div><div style="text-align: left;">3.And most importantly, go visit, read, and encourage the fellow five-minuter who linked up right before you.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><span style="font-size: large;">Motherhood should come with...</span> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I could get artsy and reflect on the sisterhood of moms(which is great) but I really think we all should be given a handbook of weird childhood illnesses that no one has ever heard of. Impetigo? Fifth's disease? Croup? Roseola? Its crazy. I also think it should come with a healthy dose of humility. I mean really. We all have a checklist in our head of things we WILL do and will NOT do with our kids when we finally have them, but the truth is those little things are PEOPLE. They have their own personalities and interests. Just because you dont want to 'stereotype' your boy doesnt mean he won't love cars, trucks, wrestling, and sharks anyway. Just let them be who they are. And don't say what you WONT do in front of seasoned moms. I can't tell you the remorse I've had for the arrogance in informing all the moms I know of what I would do better(in not so many words) The truth is, your kids are sinners, and so are you. Pray for yourself and for them, and roll with it. </span></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"></div>KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-88491352566547528912011-05-04T21:53:00.000-05:002011-05-04T21:53:01.155-05:00Whats your point WednesdayI guess I really have no point today. I am not in a blogging a mood, and there isnt much anything that is worth saying.<br />
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I went the whole day today without touching my netbook. The kids and I read books, played inside and out, ran errands, and sang songs. It was a good day, and I thoroughly enjoyed <strong>not</strong> being distracted by the siren call of the open laptop. <strong>My point: It was a good day</strong>. <br />
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I ordered a cookbook and it came in today, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Life-Nutrition-Cookbook-Planetary/dp/0979885906/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1304562356&sr=1-1">The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook</a>. I opened it, and used the first recipe I found right away which was Beet, Kale and Walnut Salad. I've been needing ideas for the beets I've been getting in the CSA share I split with Jamie. We have been lovingly dumping our shares of the beets on each other whenever the opportunity presents itself. The salad was actually pretty good. If I had some feta cheese to throw in, it would have been even better. <strong>My point: The cookbook has lived up to the rave reviews already. Win!</strong><br />
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Josiah and Naomi were playing some invented game the other day, and the living room was filled with giggles. In the middle of the fun, I heard Josiah say, "I love you, Naomi." and she replied, "I love you, Josiah." So precious. It made me thank the Lord for my sweet kids. <strong>My Point: They may be fiesty, but they love playing together. What a blessing. </strong><br />
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I woke up last night in a panic. You know that fear that you get when you think of some problem that you cannot solve at 3am, but you cant get it out of your head? That was me last night. I immediately started thinking about all the small, unsafe, chokeable pieces that are littered throughout the playroom. With Titus crawling in the near future, it is a very unsafe space for a baby. I dont feel up to typing out the scenarios I imagined in my head about what could happen, so first thing this morning I filled up a gallon sized ziploc bag full of tiny My Little Pony pieces, car parts, play kitchen pieces, and anything else that Titus could put in his mouth. I was actually surprised that I didnt fill up more bags. After that, I felt much better. <strong>My Point: It may not be all age-appropriate toys, but now I feel much better about Titus playing with his brother and sister in the future. And I can sleep better tonight. </strong><br />
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I should have known. Of <em>course</em> I can come up with something to say.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-15488354145043232572011-04-28T09:38:00.000-05:002011-04-28T09:38:34.643-05:00Whats Your Point Wednesday. Yeah, its Thursday. Whats your point?<center><a href="http://jamierives.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Grace Upon Grace" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaOT3OwaFsBfcCu54xzsznd2AJ7o1n3LzsjyZFHQwY542Fv9sHoFTY5Gf_199eo3Dqvx9enWj8LTo9iB8kFYIj6auhne1eugsfDJJvsfZjr9zgDeKZ8O-lXjTm32IIgpecwiv5jAVV4tI/s1600/blogbuttonwypw.png" /></a></center><br />
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So what if its Thursday?? Anytime I blog its a win, so who cares if I'm a day late? In fact, I like the bulleted lists of talking points (Lessons learned, Whats your point), so I could probably make all my titles "Whats your point?" <br />
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It has been my limited experience that when I pick up blogging again blog-worthy events seem to happen to me. It might not really be true. It may just be that I am in the frame of mind that when little things happen I think, "<em>That's </em>going in the blog." It also could be that I feel pressured to make sure that I'm coming up with interesting(this is subjective) tidbits to talk about, so everything then becomes blog-worthy. Either way, I'm limiting my scope in this site to mostly the trivial. I have found that theology and cultural issues are easier to communicate in person. I get frustrated with my inabilities to put into text what I want to say, and how to say it. So for now at least I'm making myself keep it simple. Family stories, funny episodes, and an occasoinal recipe sprinkled in will be what you can expect. You might have figured that out by now, but I felt the need to share. <strong>My point: I communicate better orally instead of through the written word. This is not really good news if one is trying to blog more.</strong><br />
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It has been one weird week so far. I think things got weird on Saturday and it just continued for a while. There was no one thing that was particuarly hard, but just a collection of small stuff piled on top of each other. One thing that I'm having misgivings about sharing is something that is embarrassing but apparently <em>very </em>common. So far, none of my friends have had to deal with it, but it could also be that none of us are brave enough to share this type of info with each other. I hope thats not the case. Anyway, to create the illusion of secrecy while still sharing this helpful information with my (3) readers, this embarassing condition will be named (rhymes with) spinfirms. I would have never even suspected that or known to look for it, but since I know some people who have dealt with it, I had an idea what to look for. So, if your son or daughter plays outside often and might occasionally put their hands in their mouths, and starts itching in the diaper/underwear area, you might want to check out about spinfirms and get some medicine at your drugstore. And then religiously wash their sheets, clothes, bathtub, hands, cups, chairs, fingernails, and basically anything else that your child comes in contact with. And then realize that if your child plans on playing outside again that it might happen again, and then stop feeling ashamed about it. <strong>My point: sharing this type of info can be embarrassing, but unless we share we won't know what to look for and how to help. Right??</strong><br />
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It's Thursday, which means library day. Today we are going to look for books about pangolins. They are funny little creatures that Josiah got really interested in the other night. Also, I decided to make use of the online hold/request feature last week so now I have 15 books waiting on me at the front desk that I chose from<em> The Read Aloud Handbook</em> by Jim Trelease. Yay. I'm still going to let Josiah and Naomi pick out a few books themselves, but this way I know I'm still getting some quality selections. <strong>My point: Planning ahead is going to save my life.</strong><br />
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We ended up with 6 butterflies in our little herd. They snuck out of their cucoons when we weren't looking over a period of a couple days. Everytime we looked in there there was a new butterfly It was really amazing watching them slowly open and close their wings. I really liked to watch them eating. So amazing. It also really creeped me out having them hanging out in our house. I guess knowing that all creation groans under us made me a little suspicious of these beautiful insects. I knew they resented being in a cage for our entertainment when they really belonged outside flitting from flower to flower. We let them go yesterday and they seemed very eager to escape our backyard and get on with real living. Its nice to have them gone, since I knew the only thing that kept them from stinging us was the lack of a stinger. <strong>My point: I feel guilty that because of the Fall, even harmless and beautiful butterflies don't like us. Its mutual. </strong>KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-78485906554565460452011-04-24T22:55:00.000-05:002011-04-24T22:55:00.951-05:00Lessons LearnedI was making scones for church last night and while the first batch was baking, I was getting the second batter going. I picked up the first egg, and before I knew it, I had GREY EGG GUTS spatter on me and the floor! I was in total shock. I'd heard the phrase 'rotten egg' before, but not realizing what that meant or implied I didnt know what to do. A few seconds passed and then the smell set in. Oh the smell. Dirk is my go-to guy to help in any major/scary/smelly clean up, so he helped me figure out what to do next. Things were stripped, sterilized, and thrown out. Ugh, it was so nasty. Now I KNOW why chefs on cooking shows will crack eggs into a seperate bowl before combining into what they are cooking. Its not just because they can't crack an egg without dropping some the shell into the bowl. Its because rotten eggs are the WORST.<br />
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<strong>Lesson learned:</strong> Open eggs in a seperate bowl, and dont think that rotten eggs are a myth. They are real, and they stink.<br />
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I've mentioned that we have a herd of catterpillars that are in their cuccoons right now. Well, the deal is you buy the collapsable cage that looks like a small springy laundry basket (My kids like to wear it on their heads and pretend to be robots. Why? Because they are 4 and 2 years old.), and you send off for the catterpillars. When they finally arrived they were little guys all scurrying around the little cup they came in. The cup has all the food they need, so they stay in there until they spin their cuccoons. They grew a lot and slowed down their movements over the next week or so, and then one day they were all mysteriously in their coccoons.<br />
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As owners of the butterflies(Can one really 'own' a butterfly? HA. I kid. Of course one can.)our only job is to move them into the aforementioned butterfly cage while they are coccooning* and affix the small piece of gauze that they are hanging from to the wall of the cage with a safety pin. We have been meaning to do this for a while. 6 days to be exact. I knew we needed to do it, but it kind of intimidates me so I was hoping Dirk would do it. I wasnt too worried since I knew we had 'about 2 weeks' like the information sheet said. But, I think the neophyte butterflies knew it was Easter and came out today to celebrate--or at least one did. When we came home today, one little baby butterfly was hanging from the gauze still inside the original cup. It was exciting and annoying. Two weeks my foot. <br />
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I'm sure she** was a little annoyed too, wonderously emerging from her little coccoon only to find out that she was still in the same container that she started from. There wasn't even room to open her wings without hitting the other coccoons. What a letdown. The others will be opening soon, and we watched one vibrate pretty fiercely for a while so I know that one will probably be next. <br />
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<strong>The lesson here is</strong>: Its not always cool to be the first butterfly to emerge. The next ones will have the whole cage to fly around in instead of the tiny cup. <br />
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I should mention that the kids are very excited about these butterflies. Its really fun to see their faces light up. Titus doesnt really know what he's looking at, but its still exciting. Naomi squeals with delight when she slowly opens and closes her wings. Josiah talks to her telling her to eat the food we've put in the cage for her. So far she's opted for the catterpillar food still in the cup. Maybe she's still annoyed at us for forgetting to move her out before her big reveal. <br />
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*made up word.<br />
**I have no idea what gender 'she' is, and I dont care to wikipedia it.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-2952965270358353122011-04-24T21:15:00.000-05:002011-04-24T21:15:39.792-05:00Happy Spring! Happy Resurrection Day! Happy Easter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love all of these pictures for different reasons, and not one of them is perfect. I kind of wish I were better at photoshop and could make one of these the 'perfect' family photo. Oh well. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuaWogdPQAl-FRNKfvTov9FuybZau47AcYuR82etuPRV0U3Rc1DqylMDPPB-63CNsAdmQmfwIQIwLwZeCGK9mT4pFCwSMRKJFMd1GZ9_SuczQuj9bLeEBEXW2PaR6iO0EKZcb0KhahYY/s1600/IMG_4427.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMuaWogdPQAl-FRNKfvTov9FuybZau47AcYuR82etuPRV0U3Rc1DqylMDPPB-63CNsAdmQmfwIQIwLwZeCGK9mT4pFCwSMRKJFMd1GZ9_SuczQuj9bLeEBEXW2PaR6iO0EKZcb0KhahYY/s320/IMG_4427.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Q__BQofn1lzSMQkM7aiqhL9MfQfOGUEHvdOJ5mhyphenhyphenpdDDVQi51uO0T1nnCOmt2PDwiUzWI28_zEeHzK0WGoFz_HTLNavqLTHPWcyJUwTCvss-FD571sCg9gPVOMccj__UmXi3xYw7gWU/s1600/IMG_4425.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5Q__BQofn1lzSMQkM7aiqhL9MfQfOGUEHvdOJ5mhyphenhyphenpdDDVQi51uO0T1nnCOmt2PDwiUzWI28_zEeHzK0WGoFz_HTLNavqLTHPWcyJUwTCvss-FD571sCg9gPVOMccj__UmXi3xYw7gWU/s320/IMG_4425.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YLu9FGMxa3IMCAoxqvqvHjnFvjjV456epYNpBpJAoiNewZLvt2L-R5QV1RbX85c1K8NsbabZ2YWUSEfATQTYdI-chg1EaLo1iQVyDbhgAb3qwU4qtFf-i3K_rI0gtcBLzTy6fZca-KQ/s1600/IMG_4426.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3YLu9FGMxa3IMCAoxqvqvHjnFvjjV456epYNpBpJAoiNewZLvt2L-R5QV1RbX85c1K8NsbabZ2YWUSEfATQTYdI-chg1EaLo1iQVyDbhgAb3qwU4qtFf-i3K_rI0gtcBLzTy6fZca-KQ/s320/IMG_4426.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBg2VQzKiUZTmfqAfmM0UvNLL94LWsOtCAqC2soKxoazs248cKnhW2EKN_8XEtUzBu1lDP3BqW6FWZCaqMazXylVjwWdWgP_NAKiUtSNH06kJdrZtxAZtQojxElQ2Zf4boJLdI-eS2d8/s1600/IMG_4428.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" i8="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjBg2VQzKiUZTmfqAfmM0UvNLL94LWsOtCAqC2soKxoazs248cKnhW2EKN_8XEtUzBu1lDP3BqW6FWZCaqMazXylVjwWdWgP_NAKiUtSNH06kJdrZtxAZtQojxElQ2Zf4boJLdI-eS2d8/s320/IMG_4428.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div>KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-13207985528019141482011-04-21T21:54:00.000-05:002011-04-21T21:54:35.610-05:00Whats Your Point? Friday editionI stumbled across <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Younger-Restlesser-Reformeder-Good-Natured-ebook/dp/B004L2LIAE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1303439144&sr=8-2"><em>Younger Restlesser and Reformeder</em></a> , 'good natured roast' of the new Calvinist culture of which I am squarely placed. It was pretty dead-on in areas. I think it was meant to zing! me and really make me sting and laugh at the same time, but instead it was kind of a comfort. Its nice to know that if we were uprooted and planted in Grand Rapids, Michigan(where Ted Kluck is) we would fit right in, Honda Odyssey and and all. <strong>My point: Its nice to know we arent as weird as we feel.</strong><br />
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I got my hair cut last week and after a few days of living with it I decided it wasnt <em>exactly</em> what I was hoping for so tonight I went back for a tune-up. I LOVE it. I really do. I admit I was vague when I sat down the first time, so the stylist(hairdresser? haircutter?) went with what would look cute--and it was! It was really cute, except that I have a bad habit of tucking my hair behind my ears and it was making my hair poof out and look ridiculous. Anyway, she fixed it and I'm really happy with this new haircut. <strong>My point: hairstylists have a lot of patience and I appreciate what they do.</strong><br />
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Yesterday while I was home I made a whole bunch of babyfood and froze them into little baby food ice cubes. I made green beans, broccoli, carrots, corn, apples, mangoes, sweet potato. I also have some squash, zucchini and blueberry to whirl up sometime. This is big for me because wtih my first two little ones I would just make stuff as I needed it. It was pretty easy, and I didnt see the need to get all crazy with making up a bunch at once. But since Mighty Titus is #3, I've learned that if I didnt do it when I had an opportunity, I it wouldnt happen at all. So now the little guy is ready to go for the next week or two. <strong>My point: I get better at planning, preparing, and producing with each child. </strong><br />
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I resolved(something YRRers do a lot, apparently) a while back to get better at hospitality and I'm glad to say that despite orderliness being my weakness, I've been brave enough to have spontaneous friends and family over.* Its not because I am getting better at having a well-ordered and presentable home, but because I think I've gotten over my fear of people seeing that we can be messy(gasp! I think the secret is out) and realizing that guests are more comfortable when their host is as well, not when the house is spotless. So I'm happy to let go of the dream of having everything neatly packed away and organized and really try to just enjoy the moment. Its been nice. <strong>My point: Changing is good. </strong><br />
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*Full disclosure: once I forgot that I invited my sister over and she and the kids were in our driveway waiting for us and really, I had to just swallow my sense of shame and let her in our chaotic home. She grew up with me, its not like she didnt know I'm a mess.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-11149952900361101132011-04-18T14:57:00.000-05:002011-04-18T14:57:23.887-05:00Speaking of coffee...Coffee. It has been a part of my life for about 13-14 years now. We're still together after all this time. There have been periods of tension and disinterest especially during pregnancies, but we're back now and better than ever. <br />
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I told Dirk a few weeks ago that I knew I had a problem. I knew that if I wanted a healthier lifestyle that I knew I would have to give up my warm cup of caffeine, refined sugar, and fat. But I got over that after a few days of experimenting with different herbal teas. Ugh. There is no comparison. And after all, its not as if I'm milling my own wheat berries and sprouting my grains over here, so why stress over one and a half spoonfulls of sugar and a splash of half and half?? I think I'll live. (Sorry, "black or not at all" crowd, you may have more hair on your chest, but you are missing out.)<br />
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There is just something comforting about holding my favorite mug of some warm, quality, prefectly mixed verona to get me ready for the day. And after the kids are down for naps, seeing just enough in the press for another cup is my reward for...something. Anything, really. <br />
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I guess my point is this: I like coffee.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-90181778354587139772011-04-17T22:15:00.000-05:002011-04-17T22:15:56.157-05:00Catterpillars and new creations.Man, I wish I had something interesting to say.<br />
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I am finishing up <em>Why We Love The Church</em> By Ted Kluck an Kevin DeYoung and while I have really enjoyed it, I'm not sure why they saved the discussion of the doctrine of the church to the last chapter. I think its one of their best. <br />
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Next up is <em>Instructing</em> <em>A Child's Heart</em> by Tedd and Margy Tripp. I have a friend who has a pretty expansive lending library of parenting and family life books, so this is the first of many books to be borrowed I'm sure. <br />
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Tomorrow begins a new week, and a new attempt at waking up at 6am. Sans coffee. I'm not confident.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-78489937074391282062011-04-14T21:38:00.000-05:002011-04-14T21:38:26.809-05:00Scone RecipeI have been asked many times for the recipe for the scones I make. Here it is in all its simplicity. <br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; page-break-before: always;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><b>Basic Scones </b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2 ½ cups flour</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">3 ½ tsp baking powder</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">4 tbs sugar</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">½ tsp salt</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">5 tbs butter</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">½ cup milk</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">2 eggs</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">Preheat oven to 400º. Mix dry ingredients. Cut in butter, either with hands or a food processor. Mix milk and eggs together and then add to dry ingredients. When batter has come together, divide into balls or wedges for oven. I usually make 8 large, 16 small, or 32 extra small scones. Bake for 13-14 minutes or until Scones are puffed up and slightly brown. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><u>Variations:</u></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;">The above recipe is excellent as a basic cream scone, but you can also use it as a base for any variety of scones you can think of. Here are some of the faves: </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><strong>Cranberry Orange:</strong> Stir the zest of one orange into the dry ingredients. Coarsely chop 1 cup craisins and mix into dry ingredients after butter is added. Juice the same orange, and pour milk to make ½ a cup. Continue with original recipe.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><strong>Chocolate chip:</strong> Add 1 cup chocolate chips to batter after butter is added. (I think Hershey's chips taste the best, and I process the chips a little for smaller and more uneven chips) I also bake these for one minute less for a softer scone—Dirk's preference. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><strong>Cinnamon Chip:</strong> Add 1 tbs cinnamon to dry ingredients, and 1 cup cinnamon chips after butter is added. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><strong>Cinnamon Raisin:</strong> Add 1 tbs cinnamon to dry ingredients, and then 1 cup of chopped raisins after the butter is added. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, serif;"><strong>Vanilla:</strong> Add the beans of 3 vanilla pods to dry ingredients. (If you like vanilla, I can direct you to a website where you can get them very cheaply!) A good vanilla icing is excellent on top.</span></div>KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-17421028286487598752011-04-14T08:36:00.015-05:002011-04-14T09:18:52.058-05:00Its been 14 months since I last logged in to this blog. The simple explanation is I found I out I was pregnant the week before(or after, not sure) and I lost all interest in blogging about my cleverness. I also get bored with myself and I figure most people feel the same so I quit. But I've seen blogs of my friends being used as a way to start and continue discussions when we are too busy to get together over coffee every week. So maybe that will work for me too. <br />
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The problem is, I have some really witty and insightful friends. I love reading what they have to say, and I think about how taxing it is for me to come up with fun things to write about and how to say it, so I quit. But I thought writing in a semi-public (here's hoping this isnt on anyone's google reader or rss feeds) sphere might help me to stay sharp in the writing area. So I thought I'd give myself a test. If I can come up with 10 things to say--however random--In the next 5-10 minutes or so, without fretting about how to say it, I might stick with it. If it is too hard or I spend forever trying to reword stuff, I'll probably forget about it.<br />
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1. I am SO excited about getting my hair cut tomorrow. It is past my shoulders and It is driving me crazy. I can't wait to get it off my neck, but this also means that I will have to FIX it very day. UGH. but, this will coincide with my desire to get up earlier than the kids, since I'll HAVE to fix it before I can leave the house. <br />
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2. Dirk is going to graduate from seminary in December! I can't wait. He has turned into quite a fantastic preacher so I'm excited about ending this chapter and starting a new one. He has been in seminary for the past 6 or 7 years(I lose count) so I can't WAIT to see what its like to not have papers or required reading hanging over his head. <br />
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3. As I mentioned earlier, I really want to start getting up around 5:30 or 6 every morning, but I think my bed is too comfortable. I just can't make myself do it <br />
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4. My youngest little boy is sitting in his high chair after a tasty breakfast of formula and multigrain cereal and watching his big brother and sister play. He is fascinated. I really can't believe we are at a place where he can sit in a high chair. It seemed so far away when he was born. <br />
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5. We have 3 kids. We might have more. <br />
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6. For Josiah's 4th birthday a couple weeks ago we gave him a butterfly cage and a coupon for catterpillars to be received in the mail. We got them in yesterday, and we are ALL excited about watching the little guys turn into butterflies. <br />
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7. Our home has been something of a suburban form of bliss lately. Our backyard has become a place for Naomi and Josiah to really play--and by themselves no less. The weather has been nice and since they have lots of stuff to enjoy and have mastered independent play, watching them get their daily dose of vitamin D has never been more fun. <br />
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8. I really feel old since I have TWO little ones that can get shots without screaming. I found this out at their 2 and 4 year old check ups yesterday. They did so awesome, and I found out that they have BMIs of 17 and 16 respectively. Its seems so early to be worrying about their body mass index, but alas. <br />
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9. We are heading to the library in a bit. On the agenda besides getting all the Mo Willems books that are on the shelves and any other book that their hand happens to fall upon, is to pick up some books about butterflies and frogs. Those are the animals or interest this week. Last week it was arctic animals and sea spiders. <br />
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10. Tonight we had tickets to see the Avett Brothers in concert and THANKFULLY they postponed the concert until May 20. Aparently Scott Avett's wife is about to give birth to their 2nd child. A great reason to reschedule and It works for us since my mom(my parents are our baby sitters of choice) is recovering from a ruptured appendix. Pray for her speedy recovery--she's in a lot of pain. <br />
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11. Naomi just climbed up on my lap and told me to help her wake up. She sat there for a second with her eyes shut tight and waited for me to shout, "WAKE UP!" Then she waited for me to take a turn. Love that girl. <br />
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Ok, this wasn't so hard. We'll see.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-74153425068587016272010-02-02T13:52:00.000-06:002010-02-02T14:06:41.813-06:00Vanilla Goodness<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFqQMaw8fOZewCbf9iCfAiT8quJjqNe7y8xVdVzs7fffUcIP3_n-GahimDHq6ijMJU80ysQ6J-Jk6JOLqbYlhl52s4aXmesx1CxwDFTSiGmMPL6cu5_k4FFVESSXsujISusziRyMQG1Y/s1600-h/IMG_2565.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoFqQMaw8fOZewCbf9iCfAiT8quJjqNe7y8xVdVzs7fffUcIP3_n-GahimDHq6ijMJU80ysQ6J-Jk6JOLqbYlhl52s4aXmesx1CxwDFTSiGmMPL6cu5_k4FFVESSXsujISusziRyMQG1Y/s320/IMG_2565.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433737491720032882" border="0" /></a>MMMM. Vanilla. I choked the first time I went to the bulk section at my local grocery store and saw the price of ONE vanilla bean. I wanted to try out vanilla scones, and thought I'd make them with real vanilla instead of relying on extract for flavor. $6!! For one!! I couldn't believe it. Since they were supposed to be 'special' scones for family, I splurged. Later, I came across a website that sold them by the pound! In case you don't know, vanilla beans are extremely light, so a pound was at least 100 beans. I ordered a full pound for myself for $20! Amazing. Since then, I've made several batches of vanilla scones with vanilla icing and I have 3 jars of vanilla sugar working. I have several other ideas for these beans, too. I want to make homemade vanilla ice cream when the weather warms up, creme brule(apparently I dont need a torch for this since I have a gas oven) , and I want to make my own extract when I run out. I'm sure I'll come across more ideas for these beans as I go, but already I've saved so much money ordering them in such a large amount.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-68715989829821333512010-02-02T13:44:00.001-06:002010-02-02T13:51:04.826-06:00Orange Marmalade!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZgNWxSay7gbUg-L1VNK0mc2JwzTjZ0A1HbRsvRZS404jBKAtKOrwdMOhZIIFyFmGHF4TCM_d5c4pM28PXsRKL9APbzVVFWuicjkspzcMRJcl7KJGLfonGpz40aYLn2yS0LVjLsTasJ4/s1600-h/IMG_2560.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihZgNWxSay7gbUg-L1VNK0mc2JwzTjZ0A1HbRsvRZS404jBKAtKOrwdMOhZIIFyFmGHF4TCM_d5c4pM28PXsRKL9APbzVVFWuicjkspzcMRJcl7KJGLfonGpz40aYLn2yS0LVjLsTasJ4/s320/IMG_2560.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433734594507149970" border="0" /></a><br />I attempted orange marmalade on Sunday, and I'm very pleased with the results! It took a couple hours and the house smelled like oranges, but the payoff was 11 8 oz. jars of tasty candied oranges. I used Alton Brown's recipe from Good Eats, and the only ingredients were 5 oranges, 1 lemon, and lots of sugar. I have yet to try it on toast, but it was excellent on vanilla ice cream. If you are a fan of the old fashioned dreamsicle(vanilla ice cream pop covered in orange sorbet) then this is your ice cream topper! I've thought about selling the jars, but I'm a little timid about putting myself out there. What do you think, dear reader? Would you pay $4 for an 8 oz. jar?KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-25574141057727071022010-01-25T21:43:00.000-06:002010-01-25T21:54:37.991-06:00I'm still here!I've gone from multiple posts in a day to nothing for the past several days. I haven't run out of steam <span style="font-style: italic;">just</span> yet, but Naomi has had croup/teething/ear infection for the past several days, and the poor girl is so pathetic when she's sick. It has taken up my time during the days and I've had various projects in the evenings. I have several posts swirling around--chapter 1 from The Pleasures of God, thoughts on Philippians, and vanilla. I just felt very compelled to update since I'm pretty sure I have about 4 readers, and I don't want to lose you already! I'll probably get back to it tomorrow night, if I don't finally get to the orange marmalade I've been dying to make. So excited!<br /><br />Anyway, stick around.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-35841041249781751922010-01-22T20:45:00.000-06:002010-01-22T21:21:31.981-06:00The Pleasures of God --IntroductionI am going to start reading <span style="font-style: italic;">The Pleasures of God</span> by John Piper with a friend and I think I am going to use the blog to talk about each chapter in a post. I have a GREAT appreciating for John Piper for his ministry, for his writing, for his passion for Jesus. I have many books of his, and have started most of them but completed few. I love reading books<span style="font-style: italic;"> with</span> people, it motivates me and makes me a more active reader because I know will be talking about it<span style="font-style: italic;"> with</span> someone(instead of <span style="font-style: italic;">to</span> someone, as is typical for me)about it at some point. These posts will not be reviews, or anything particularly systematized. I just want a medium for sharing my thoughts.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Introduction</span>.<br />Piper says the reason for this book was found in the pages of the book <span style="font-style: italic;">The Life of God in the Soul of Man</span>, by Henry Scougal. I must read this book someday. Apparently it has inspired, refreshed, and renewed countless Christians to greater love and service to God for over 300 years. What struck Piper was the statement, "The worth and excellency of a soul is to be measured by the object of his love." This statement was referring to man, but Piper found the same must be true of God. He says 'one way to meditate on God is to meditate on His pleasures,' and 'one way to see the glory of God is to see His joy.' As we meditate and study the charater of God, we will become more like Him. Piper does not refer to 1 John 3:2, but is exactly his point: "Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is." When we see Jesus, we will be like Him. Now we see Him imperfectly, but the day is coming when we will see Him as he truly is, and we will be changed. So now, we must strive to see Jesus in the pages of scripture to understand and to love Him more, and in so doing we will be changed. As Piper says, 'beholding is a way of becoming.'<br /><br />I am looking forward to Chapter 1 entitled, "The Pleasures of God in His Son" I have read this chapter before, and LOVED it.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-68732378575334029592010-01-22T20:01:00.000-06:002010-01-22T21:26:06.250-06:00Radical Reformission- Conclusion.Overall, the book was pretty good. Like I said before, my critiques are minor. I still have a couple other issues that I wasn't 100% on board with, but even then my hesitancy made me 85% in agreement, so it may not even be worth mentioning.<br /><br />There are three things that really appreciated the last part of the book: 1) his stance on alcohol, 2) his discussion of post-modernism, and 3)his evaluation of the culture in which he lives.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Alcohol.</span> I won't rehash his arguments. If even the mention of this issue for Christians makes your pulse race, then know that I probably won't be up to going at it with you on a blog. I am much more articulate in person. And I would tell you the book does a great job of making a case for the freedom of believers to consume alcohol in the chapter, "The Sin of Light Beer" Let's just say, I am in full agreement with the liberty that he views the choice to consume alcohol. And I am saying this from a household in which we consume none. My husband is attending a seminary in which he was expected to sign a pledge when he registered that he would not consume alcohol at any time while he was a student. He has honored his pledge.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Post-modernism</span>. The chapter on modernism and post-modernism was interesting, and my absolute favorite part of it was this passage as he is attempting to explain what exactly post-modernism is: "Are you ready for the ride? Remember, this is not an academic treatment of the subject. Instead, I will write whatever comes to mind for a while and then stop, because anything more than that on this subject gives me a headache of Absalomic proportions."(p. 162) So awesome. Not being an expert on the subject of post-modernism, I really appreciated his discussion of the 'seven demons' troubling the church today. It is excellent. Go read it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Evaluating the Culture</span>. In his conclusion, Driscoll gets specific about the ways in which his church is sensitive to the culture of Seattle and shares how they have chosen to approach ministering to their members and those outside the church walls. It made me think of my own little suburban area. How would I characterize the people in my community? What are their weaknesses and strengths? How can we be aware and sensitive to the needs of our neighbors and coworkers? I do not have answers, by the way. Thought-provoking.<br /><br />I enjoyed this book. I found it hilarious, thought-provoking, and convicting in areas. It made me thankful for my own church. I think it may not appeal to some readers(ahem, Dad) because of some low-brow humor, but the meat is there. I have read better books, but I would definitely recommend it to others because I found it helpful in my own life.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-4539593420064760822010-01-22T08:27:00.000-06:002010-01-22T10:11:32.398-06:00"Choice Day" Indeed.In remembrance of the historic <span style="font-style: italic;">Roe vs Wade</span> decision 37 years ago today, I have linked a few articles and resources surrounding the issue. So in honor of the ironic title given today by some pro-choice titles as "Choice Day"(Ha), here is a 'choice' of articles and resources.<br /><br />If you click on nothing else, please give <a href="http://www.conversiondiary.com/2008/11/how-would-you-know.html">this article</a> a read.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.ligonier.org/learn/series/abortion/">Ligonier</a> has a series of lectures by RC Sproul on the issue of abortion available.<br /><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2010/01/22/overturning-and-undermining-roe-v-wade-an-interview-with-clarke-forsythe/"><br />Justin Taylor</a> has posted an interview about the effort to overturn <span style="font-style: italic;">Roe vs Wade</span>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TopicIndex/47/">Desiring God</a> has a vast array of sermons and articles(in multiple languages) about the issue of abortion.<br /><br />This is an <a href="http://www.kbtx.com/home/headlines/68441827.html">interesting article</a> about a director of Planned Parenthood who stepped down last year after watching an ultrasound of an abortion.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-58582299711616818992010-01-21T13:59:00.000-06:002010-01-21T14:19:40.046-06:00"Totally Like, You Know, I mean really, OK?"John Piper linked this on his facebook page(I know, you never thought you'd read that sentence did you? Welcome to 2010, my friends.) from Justin Taylor's<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/"> blog</a>. Thought it was worth a watch. I normally do NOT like watching videos online that someone sends or recommends, so that should say something about this one. Plus, its very short.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="270"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="movie" value="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3829682&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1"><embed src="http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=3829682&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" width="400" height="270"></embed></object><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/3829682">Typography</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/ronniebruce">Ronnie Bruce</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p>KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-64379692127795628902010-01-21T10:51:00.001-06:002010-01-21T14:08:44.268-06:00Just a thought.Does it strike anyone else as odd that we often parade the condition of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder like its a virtue? I hear statements like these a lot, "I'm a little OCD about the sheets"(me), or "I guess I am OCD about the kitchen sink" as if OCD is a good thing, or it makes your weird ticks about how you like the counter wiped down sound like its secretly a good thing. Its like complaining about never gaining weight. People don't often complain aloud about things in themselves that they truly think are bad. We use OCD as if we are giving ourselves back-handed compliments.<br /><br />But think about it, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is a real problem for people. It is crippling and debilitating to those who truly suffer from this illness. Most true OCD sufferers* have a hard time relating to the rest of society and many feel that they are imprisoned by their own habits and fears. Yet we take this condition and wear it like a badge of honor. We would never say, "I'm so bulimic today," or "I guess I'm a little anorexic during breakfast time." Yet somehow OCD is acceptable to claim without any sensitivity to its true sufferers' plight. We <span style="font-style: italic;">do not</span> have OCD when we like all the switches to be flicked down. We don't even have it when it bothers us that all the screws on the switchplate aren't turned to the same direction. Those are preferences, because most of us can walk away and not give those things a second thought despite their annoyances.<br /><br />I just thought I'd throw this up here. Trust me, I'm not going to give you this same speech if you refer to yourself as 'having OCD' about something now. I might, however, feel really sorry for how that one thing is taking over your whole life and hampering your daily activities. Ok, not really. I'll know what you mean.<br /><br /><br /><br />*There is a condition called Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder that is a little less severe.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-28681068081343163252010-01-20T19:35:00.000-06:002010-01-21T09:07:14.339-06:00Radical ReformissionIn the spirit of the previous post, I'm going to share about what I've been reading. A friend of mine has lent me several books and has a strict do-not-return-until-you-are-done-reading-it policy, and it really bugs me to have someone else's books here if I'm not reading them, so I decided to knock them out systematically. The first is <span style="font-style: italic;">Radical Reformission</span> by Mark Driscoll.<br /><br />I have to confess that before I had gotten done with the introduction I was ready to throw the book across the room. In the intro, Driscoll shares his testimony and it was rife with dry wit almost to the point that I couldnt even wade through the sarcasm to make out what actually he did or experienced. Some jokes and witty remarks help, but at some point he crossed the line into distracting. Thankfully, the rest of the book is not so obnoxious.<br /><br />So far, I have enjoyed the book. It has a lot of good things to say. His thoughts on culture are very helpful, and he draws on many interesting sources to explain his points. I think the only issues I would have are minor. I think he overuses the idea of differing cultures in America. Every time we meet someone unlike ourselves, we do not need to go on a scouting expedition into this person's 'culture'. To say that the person across the street is immersed in a different culture than myself may be a bit of a stretch. In fact, we are very much in the same culture, the only problem is that we are just different people. We have different interests, opinions, and experiences, but that is not all it takes to make up a cultural identity. What he really means, I guess is that we are all individuals. If we are waiting to share the gospel with someone just like ourselves, we'll never see any converts. We have to be able to stretch out of our own comfortable web of social contacts and make new relationships with people. The talk of culture is more about making meaningful relationships based on other things than mutual background or interests. Like the fact that we are all people living in the same space who need Jesus. Is that enough? It should be.<br /><br />Rather than share lengthy paragraphs about ideas that I really appreciated in <span style="font-style: italic;">Radical Reformission</span>, I think I'll just sum them up in list form:<br /><ul><li>his treatment of the story of the woman at the well and of Jonah.<br /></li><li>his questions for reflection at the end of each chapter. I have to say that I'm thankful I'm not reading this in a small group because my answers to a few of them would be painful to say out loud and would make me accountable to what I've read. Yikes. :)</li><li>his constant insistence that staying away from sinners does not protect us from sin, only sticking close to Jesus does.<br /></li><li>discussion of the two dangers that churches can fall into: traditionalism and innovation.<br /></li><li>that an 'outreach' implies that you are keeping those you mean to minister to at an arm's length.<br /></li><li>his cultural explanation of the evangelism methods like 'The Four Spiritual Laws' and 'Steps to Peace With God'. In context, it explains a lot. And why the Spiritual Laws approach never resonated with me.<br /></li><li>a discussion of our culture and approaches to evaluate it.<br /></li><li>'We are all Jonah.'</li><li>the discussion of Christian myths surrounding engaging our culture.</li><li>remembering that each of us are the weaker brother in areas and the stronger brother in others.<br /></li><li>the discussion of sectarianism and syncretism.</li><li>...more to come as I finish the book.</li></ul>I did say I was still reading it, didnt I? I'm sure I might have different opinions about the book when I finally finish it, but for now these are my thoughts.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-21311172483376345592010-01-20T19:15:00.000-06:002010-01-20T20:32:47.526-06:00On talking too much.I read this<a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2009/10/09/write-to-understand/"> post</a>.<br /><br />I could say that the first quote from Calvin sums me up pretty well--if I replaced the word 'write' with the word 'talk'. I am a very verbal person, and I am usually thinking things through as I am saying them(definitely <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> a good thing) which leads to many, many regrets. I have put my foot in my mouth too many times to count. Sometimes it can be a good thing, though. Dirk can get the best of a book without having to actually read it because I like talking about what I am reading or learning about. This can be advantageous to him as he doesn't have much time for reading for his own pleasure. I have a few friends who start off our conversations with, "What have you been reading/learning about?" because they know it will open a floodgate of what is swimming around in my head.<br /><br />I digress.<br /><br />My point in that rant(I promised many of those, didnt I?) is that I talk a lot. I'm thinking that's not a good thing all the time. If I have another outlet for ideas and thoughts maybe I won't have the need to speak everything that is on my mind. I have been inspired by a good friend to start journaling. That is truly a discipline that I have yet to master. I have tried multiple times, in fact, I have a shelf of half-empty notebooks where I have started with a gusto and then petered off. I'm thinking this might be a better attempt since I have the idea that this is a discussion--and that others(just a few) might read it and answer back. Maybe it will spark a conversation, if not with me than with someone else. And it will thereby satisfy my desire to interact and those within earshot won't have to beholden to all my thoughts and opinions.<br /><br />Make sense? Maybe not.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-79256124294162629552010-01-18T09:13:00.000-06:002010-01-18T09:45:40.826-06:00Evenings at HomeOnce the kids are in bed and the dishes are done, Dirk and I usually share some sort of dessert on the couch and spend time just relaxing and talking about the day. We never really planned this to be our ritual, but I guess we just started protecting that time when we could and it developed into something that we both looked forward to at night. Lately, the evenings have looked a little different. I've been going to the gym and we've had a few more evenings out than usual. But when I get back from a workout or if we have that quiet time at home, we have our dessert. When Dirk is out, I still give myself a set amount of time on the couch, not doing anything but relaxing--preferably with a book--before I set about folding clothes or baking something for the next day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOid4GTXKLiZixc-X7FGOl0CdppPOFD1UennPU4QqTOYBR51yqUvNZftTDVhcye_arJdf0wRQu9GiSTQVklN_l08lYNiBCatK4n1AMYeTdy9IDsHZfUVB29lErmM2m20Nxye8F1aLxMtY/s1600-h/IMG_2447.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOid4GTXKLiZixc-X7FGOl0CdppPOFD1UennPU4QqTOYBR51yqUvNZftTDVhcye_arJdf0wRQu9GiSTQVklN_l08lYNiBCatK4n1AMYeTdy9IDsHZfUVB29lErmM2m20Nxye8F1aLxMtY/s320/IMG_2447.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428103282611380450" border="0" /></a><br />Lately, our dessert of choice has been hot cocoa. But not just any cocoa. We have been making peppermint whipped cream to go on top. And of course: red sprinkles. It doesn't sound fancy, but it is tasty. Occasionally, it is accompanied by biscotti but we're ok without. <br /><br />I highly recommend this treat--the relaxing time <span style="font-style: italic;">and </span>the peppermint cocoa. I know lots of us are watching our waistlines and the scale, but come on! You need to live a little bit. It is good for your peace of mind.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-69834159922088379642010-01-16T09:18:00.000-06:002010-01-18T10:21:53.218-06:00Jalapeno Jelly!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUSkiEXGsYSY7o3UDtIFMLzT878MnzOLfXt-0fDMHNtHCdrZN_dYU1P44DqoayNmZsu_OdQ_kNIJk01vJ0k4DmYhq6vop906WQxARBXKM_iXMj-zeXjBWt6yUw4jQvc_HeAtQt747be0/s1600-h/IMG_2409.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFUSkiEXGsYSY7o3UDtIFMLzT878MnzOLfXt-0fDMHNtHCdrZN_dYU1P44DqoayNmZsu_OdQ_kNIJk01vJ0k4DmYhq6vop906WQxARBXKM_iXMj-zeXjBWt6yUw4jQvc_HeAtQt747be0/s320/IMG_2409.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427359855978930002" border="0" /></a><br />I made it. I'm so excited about it. I guess I should wait to post about it after we've tried it out since we opted to throw in 3 of the 15 peppers in whole-seeds and all. Our lips might fall off. We thought that it needed more heat, but we may live to regret it.<br /><br />This is actually the second batch of jalapeno jelly that we've made. When I get up enough courage or I'm sure no one is reading this, I'll post up the story of the first batch. Its a doozy.<br /><br />This little batch of jalapeno jelly is the first of what<span style="font-style: italic;"> I hope</span> will be lots of homemade tasty treats. Next up is orange marmalade. It looked easy, and oranges are in season. My ultimate goal is blueberry jam, jelly, and syrup. I do love blueberries and since I have access to a blueberry farm to pick my own, I'm super excited about the possibilities.<br /><br />I'm hoping sometime to have a true homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwich with homemade peanut butter, jelly, and bread.<br /><br />I know, I'm weird.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-598953162838810354.post-75925753290140110822010-01-16T08:45:00.000-06:002010-01-16T09:03:15.606-06:00First PostI've been kicking around the idea of a new blog for a while. Its not that there is anything wrong with the current blog, but Dirk and I have noticed/decided that TheLittlefields blog has evolved into a family blog, complete with cute stories of the kids and pictures. I know this is true because, 1)thats 95% of the posts, 2)we only get hits when there are pictures of the kids up, 3)I'm pretty sure that no one reads the text when they aforementioned pictures up--and would you? Those two kids are ADORABLE.<br /><br />So instead of rocking the boat, I thought I'd start a new blog to post up my own musings and observations without detracting from the cutness factor on the original. So you may or may not see pictures. If you do, I cannot guarantee that they will be of my two precious kids. Or they might be. Who knows.<br /><br />So really, You do not have to check back here. It will just be what's on my mind and what I want to rant about. I have a penchant for rants. I dont expect you to be interested.<br /><br />oh! The title. I picked the title 'Real Things' because 1) I'm not very creative 2) I like real things.<br />By real I mean real (without artificial colors, preservatives, or flavorings) food, real emotions, real thoughts. I guess its not that deep, but Dirk and I really like the idea of 'real,' authentic, straight-from-the-source things. I'll expand more on that in the future, I'm sure.KathyLittlehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04440874068356016132noreply@blogger.com0