Tuesday, December 30, 2008

You know, semi-retirement really hasn't sunk in yet. I would normally be off at this time. It will sink in next Monday when I rush around in the morning and then remember that I don't have to go to the school. It will be nice to be able to focus a little more (a lot more) on my remaining job - music director at my church. We have a project that we're working on and I need to get started on that. We are recording a CD in memory of our late member John. There are copyright permissions that need to be attended to. Then I need to assemble the music, schedule a couple of rehearsals, contact the recording guy and get this thing done.
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I cut the soap into bars this morning. It smells wonderful.



I also made some of my Country Prim Soap in the shape of Valentine Hearts. I scented it with Honey, Oats, and Milk. Those will be listed on the website sometime soon. Country Prim soap isn't quite as luxurious as the stuff made from scratch, but I can do fun things with it. It still doesn't have the detergent and nasty stuff that store bought soap has.





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I've been having an argument with myself all morning about whether I am going to work out today. Yes, Mary Ann is making her presence known. I am tuning her out. I have a bill that has to go in the mail and then I am hitting the treadmill.
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Okay, it took me a while to hit the treadmill. I need to get in gear earlier in the morning. It is too tempting to do website work while I am sitting here in jammies with a big mug of cafe latte.

Anyway, I did finally get on the treadmill. I saw that Nina was keeping tabs on me. :)

Daily stats:
Type: Treadmill
Route: Custom 2
Time: 20
Average heart rate: 120
Max heart rate: 137
Down 1.2 from last Tuesday (whoo hoo!)

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Word of the day
The Sixth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Gospel
Lk 2:36-40

There was a prophetess, Anna,
the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.
She was advanced in years,
having lived seven years with her husband after her marriage,
and then as a widow until she was eighty-four.
She never left the temple,
but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer.
And coming forward at that very time,
she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child
to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem.

When they had fulfilled all the prescriptions
of the law of the Lord,
they returned to Galilee,
to their own town of Nazareth.
The child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him.

God bless our troops!

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Monday, December 29, 2009 - Today I make soap!

Happy Birthday Clayton!! I chose the following picture because Clayton loves "creatures." He is 4 years old today, but he will tell you that his birthday was yesterday because that is when he had his cake. Oh, to be 4 years old and always right. LOL! (but his birthday is actually today.)



In our house - when the kids were growing up - we always celebrated Christmas until January 6th - The feast of the Epiphany - the day the Wisemen brought gifts to the baby Jesus. Our tree stayed up until then. The kids are grown and gone, but I still keep the tree up. This is when I write out my Christmas cards and family newsletter - when I have time to enjoy it instead of rushing to get it done.

It has always perplexed me that in the secular world, which begins Christmas the day after Halloween, Christmas stops cold on the day after. All of the Christmas stuff goes on sale. Yesterday, I stopped at Walmart and the Christmas goods have been picked clean and replaced by Valentine items. Even the Christian radio station stops playing Christmas music the day after Christmas.
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Today I get back on track with my daily updates on the fitness front. This is not a New Year's resolution so there is no excuse for me to put it off until then. My New Year's resolution is to finally declutter this house. Yesterday I had to go downstairs into my workroom and move everything off of the floor because water was coming in. I moved a lot of stuff that I am not using. That will be decluttered. Before Christmas I bought myself a gift from the Flylady shop.


These things are the coolest! They fold up into their own little pouch. These is even a video tutorial on the Flylady site. I have one problem though. I took the purple "give away" bag over to Clayton's party because his gifts were in it. It's still there. So today I will have to declutter without it.
I am off to do my Monday workout with is a strength training video.

Daily stats:
Type: Firm Video- Total Body Sculpt
Route: Living room
Time: 41
Average heart rate: 112
Max heart rate: 140
Down 2.2 from last Monday (whoo hoo!)

Wow, it's been a long long time. I had to modify like crazy. I didn't do some parts of the video, but as time goes on, I will get better. The stretching at the end felt great.

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Today I'm making soap. I haven't made soap in a long, long time - weeks. I have missed it so much. I am making my Lavender Meadows. It is a blend of lavender, sweet orange, and clary sage fragrance oils. My last bar went out the door a couple of months ago. I have the oils melted and the lye water mixed. I can't do anything else until the temps cool - usually about 2 hours from the time I melt the oils and mix the lye water. While I am waiting, I have spent some time decluttering the living room. Actually, I haven't really decluttered, I've just cleaned up the mess from our family Christmas on Christmas night.
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Here I am, in my hazmat gear getting ready to mix up the soap.



Here is the mixed soap poured into the mold and ready to transform itself. This will go into the oven for 2 hours. The swirl isn't quite as pronounced as I would like, but it smells wonderful!!!!




Below is a picture of the soap as it came out of the oven. It is in full gel stage. After it cools I will post of pic of how the look changes dramatically.


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Word of the Day:
The Fifth Day in the Octave of Christmas
Gospel
Lk 2:22-35

When the days were completed for their purification
according to the law of Moses,
the parents of Jesus took him up to Jerusalem
to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord,
Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord,
and to offer the sacrifice of
a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons,
in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Now there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon.
This man was righteous and devout,
awaiting the consolation of Israel,
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he should not see death
before he had seen the Christ of the Lord.
He came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus
to perform the custom of the law in regard to him,
he took him into his arms and blessed God, saying:

“Lord, now let your servant go in peace;
your word has been fulfilled:
my own eyes have seen the salvation
which you prepared in the sight of every people,
a light to reveal you to the nations
and the glory of your people Israel.”

The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him;
and Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother,
“Behold, this child is destined
for the fall and rise of many in Israel,
and to be a sign that will be contradicted
(and you yourself a sword will pierce)
so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
The other day I was talking about how I wondered if my faith was strong enough to declare it in the face of having a gun pointed at one of my loved ones. Mary experienced this. Imagine raising a child and then having to go through what Mary did.


God bless our troops!

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Wednesday, November 5, 2008

I'm sad today.
First of all with the passing of Proposal 2.

And I'm hoping that in this case, our new president will not deliver on some of his campaign promises. The spreading of the wealth, the bankrupting of the coal companies. And I'm hoping that his core beliefs never have to come into play in making decisions. The ones that say it's okay to let a baby who survives a botched abortion die because the mother's original intent was to abort; the ones that cause him to stutter when asked at what point babies deserve human rights; the ones that say that "white folks' greed runs a world in need." This "mean" and "greedy" country is, and always has been, the first one to step up to the plate with humanitarian aid and has given more and sacrificed more for others than any country on earth. We live in a wonderful country. I hope, in time, that President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama come to realize that. But that's enough of that. I will pray for our new president and his family, and hope that God's hand will guide him as he leads our country.

The girls and I are taking on another craft show this fall. This may or may not be a good move, but we shall see what we shall see.

I am headed out for a walk - weights in hand. Updates later.

Daily Stats:
Type: Walk with weights
Route: Dead end and back
Time: 32 minutes
Average heart rate 121
Max heart rate: 138
Down .8 pounds from last Tuesday

Great walk this morning. There's nothing like adding weights to a walk to get your heart rate up.

Gospel
Wednesday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Lk 14:25-33

Great crowds were traveling with Jesus,
and he turned and addressed them,
“If anyone comes to me without hating his father and mother,
wife and children, brothers and sisters,
and even his own life,
he cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you wishing to construct a tower
does not first sit down and calculate the cost
to see if there is enough for its completion?
Otherwise, after laying the foundation
and finding himself unable to finish the work
the onlookers should laugh at him and say,
‘This one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.’
Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down
and decide whether with ten thousand troops
he can successfully oppose another king
advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?
But if not, while he is still far away,
he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.
In the same way,
everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions
cannot be my disciple.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Do you remember the "Where's Waldo" books? Waldo was a character who would be in plain site but surrounded by so much "stuff" that you really had to look hard, and focus just Waldo or you would lose sight of him. Yeah, following Jesus is like that.


God bless our troops!

November 3, 2008 - Day 2

My, my. How time flies. On this date 35 years ago, I met Harold. It was one of those flukey meetings where each of us was in a place we normally wouldn't have been - at least at that time. But isn't that how life goes most of the time?

Today is Day 2 of the Eleven Day Diet. This day is going to be tough because for 3 meals of the day, we have fruit. And then for one meal, a deli sandwich. It really does help me to know that I have company - even if we aren't talking about it. LOL!

The scale is up today. Yesterdays menu included cashew, and I forgot to take one of my meds so the water is making it presence knows.

Tomorrow is voting day. I am so tired of this election. Probably because the campaigning began early. I'm just sick of it. I am going to the polls tomorrow and trust that God is in charge - because he is.

I am heading out to burn trash and go for my first walk in a while. Never made it out yesterday. Will update when I get back.

Daily stats:
Type: Walk/jog
Route: Deadend/back
Time: Minutes
Average heart rate: 114
Maximum heart rate: 133
Up . 8 last Monday

The path was covered with deer tracks this morning. That means drivers need to be extra careful - the deer are on the run.

Word of the day:
Monday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel
Lk 14:12-14

On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.
He said to the host who invited him,
“When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Quid pro quo. Isn't that what often drives us - this need to receive a return on our "investments?" That is all well and good in the banking world, but when dealing with our brothers and sisters, it can be a source for a lot of headache, heartache, and just plain bad feelings. When God gives us laws, it is not to restrict us, it is for our benefit. If we change the motivation of why we do what we do, we experience a paradigm shift. If we give out of guilt or obligation, you can bet we are going to be looking for reasons not to give. If the giver is reluctant, then he perceives the receiver as unworthy. This causes resentment - on both sides. But when love, not obligation, is the motivation, there is blessing for both the giver and receiver. The older I get, the more I find this to be true.
"So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver" (2 Corinthians 9:7).



God bless our troops!

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

I am so ridiculously behind, but in a way that's a good thing. The stocking orders are still rolling in so my evenings have been spent in my quilting room. We have a craft show on Saturday, so I have 3 batches of fudge and 2 batches of snack mix to make. I'm so glad we got a head start on our stockings this summer. I never did get the grungy candles made last night, but I will tonight. Laundry is behind because the dryer fixer guy is finding a motor for it. Soooooooo, I went down to Melisa's last night and used her dryer for an urgent white load. My little buddies, Clay and Claire were just finishing up their supper. Clay informed me that he eats everything his mom and dad give him to eat. (okay, even Grandma doesn't believe that one.)

Grandma: So you eat vegetables too?
Clay: I don't eat lots of vengables, but I eat my favorite vengable.

His favorite "vengable" . . . pickles

Clairy-bear, as she usually does, ran and got a book and dragged Grandma over to the rocker. Clay was close behind her with his book. When I read to the kids, Claire always puts her hand on my cheek. Clay informed me that no matter how big he gets, he will always be my grandson.

Today is a carb down day which means 1 starch before 3:00 pm

Daily stats:
Type: Walk/jog
Route: Deadend and back
Time: 26 min
Average heart rate: 121
Max heart rate: 137
Down 3.6 from last Tuesday (whoo hoo!)

(Marlene, if you're reading, I thought of you on the walk this morning. At one section of the patch I swear I could smell vanilla bean noel. LOL!)

Word of the Day:
Tuesday of the Twenty-ninth Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel
Lk 12:35-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
“Gird your loins and light your lamps
and be like servants who await their master’s return from a wedding,
ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks.
Blessed are those servants
whom the master finds vigilant on his arrival.
Amen, I say to you, he will gird himself,
have them recline at table, and proceed to wait on them.
And should he come in the second or third watch
and find them prepared in this way,
blessed are those servants.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
In this passage, Jesus once again turns our preconceptions upside down. He compares us to servants who await their masters' return. And what would one expect to happen upon the return of the master? Would we ever expect him to tell us to have a seat and then proceed to wait on us? If Jesus can do this for us, why can't we do it for each other? But then, some do, don't they? God bless our troops!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008 - Week 2 day 2.

Today is a carb down day. That means I get one starch that must be eaten before 3 pm. This morning it will be oatmeal. Oatmeal with peanut butter is just the best. I should explain that I am re-doing week 2 because I messed it up last week. A beloved daughter of mine (hi Neen Bean) pointed out that I have a habit of starting things and then not following through. I did say at the beginning that I was going to give this 8 weeks. But in usual "me" fashion I started tweaking the plan in week 2. I've shifted days so that my carb up day is on Sunday.

Yesterday I forgot to take my weights out on the road with me so I didn't get the weight training in. But considering the mood I was in yesterday morning, I did well to even get the walk in. It is pouring outside so I will be using the treadmill this morning and watching last week's "Loser" which taped very poorly.

I made some peppermint candles last night. They smelled wonderful as I was pouring, but the tester that I burned was disappointing. I don't know if it's the wick, or that fact that I used part essential oil along with the fragrance oil. I have the tester on a candle warmer right now to see if it smells truer to the fragrance.

Daily stats:
Type:walk/jog (went outside after all - it quit raining)
Route: Deadend/back/east edge of the maple woods/back
Time: 30
Average heart rate: 120
Max heart rate: 138
Up 1.2 from last Tuesday

I saw a whitetail this morning. I love it when I see deer. He came out of the maple woods, headed across the road into the ditch, caught wind of me and bounded back across the road and into the woods.

When I got back I the tester candle on the warmer smelled nice and minty. I'm guessing it is the combination of the wick and flame that is altering the scent. I guess I'll have to try a batch with straight peppermint FO rather than using part EO.


Word of the Day:
Tuesday of the Twenty-eighth Week in Ordinary Time
Today the Church celebrates : St. Callistus I
Lk 11:37-41
After Jesus had spoken,
a Pharisee invited him to dine at his home.
He entered and reclined at table to eat.
The Pharisee was amazed to see
that he did not observe the prescribed washing before the meal.
The Lord said to him, “Oh you Pharisees!
Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish,
inside you are filled with plunder and evil.
You fools!
Did not the maker of the outside also make the inside?
But as to what is within, give alms,
and behold, everything will be clean for you.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
In order to live civilly, each culture has its own set of laws. Ideally, laws give us boundaries on our behavior so that we can live in peace with our neighbors. The Pharisees used Mosaic law to browbeat the poor. Yet, never did the Pharisees do anything practical to help them.

I find it interesting that this particular Pharisee invited Jesus to his home. One can only wonder what the motivation was. This is another instance in which Jesus points out hypocrisy. Here he doesn't bother with parables. He tells them outright what they are. And still they don't get it.



God bless the troops!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

I am having computer issues. One of the advantages of working in the media center is access to tech people I can trust with my machine. It is now in the competent hands of Corey, the computer whiz.

Daily stats:
Type: Treadmill
Route: Workout room
Time: 25
Average heart rate: 111
Maximum heart rate: 129
Up 3 pounds from last Wednesday

I am not obsessing about the 3 pounds I'm up from last Wednesday. I am sticking to the plan and creating a baseline for next week. When carbs are reintroduced as they were on Monday, there is often a lag time. That is why Wendy talks about a 72/48 hour cycle. In coming weeks Wendy allows food passes. I am taking Wendy's info about how the body uses nutrition and other info about carb cycling and constructing my own plan. I don't have all of the details worked out yet, but I'm getting there. I am expecting the scale to be down tomorrow. Last week when the scale went up it was followed by a lot of "water dumping" and a woosh the next day. We will see.

Word of the day

Wednesday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary TimeGospel
Lk 11:1-4

Jesus was praying in a certain place, and when he had finished,
one of his disciples said to him,
“Lord, teach us to pray just as John taught his disciples.”
He said to them, “When you pray, say:

Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Greeting:
Recalling:
Petition:
Reconcilliation:
Thanksgiving:
Going forth:

It's all there.


God bless our troops!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008 - Cycle 1 - day 7

Today is the last day of Cycle 1. It seems to be doing what it's supposed to do since I am down 8.2 pounds since I began cycle 1. I did some more reading in the book last night and apparently I have not been doing cycle one as Wendy wrote it. Farther on in the book I found the meal plans. It would have been nice if those pages had been up front where the plan was outlined. But I think that staying under 20 carbs was the most important factor in depleting glycogen and I did that so I am going to move on to cycle 2 tomorrow. It's a little more complicated so I am just going to take it one day at a time. I am finding myself having arguments with Mary Ann each evening. She shows up about 7 o'clock and starts her stuff. I have been hanging tough and each day when I see the scale drop - and more importantly, when I feel so great - it makes it easier to ignore her.
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(Kelli, I am going to talk about Biggest Loser so you may want to skip this part until you see the tape.)

So Jerry went home last night. I was amazed to find tears rolling down my cheeks as he and Coleen discussed which of them should leave. Each selflessly thought the other should stay. I was pulling for Coleen to stay because Jerry looked so sick that I didn't figure he would last more than another week anyway, plus his pulled hamstring would be an impediment. I figure that with Jerry gone, Coleen would dig in that much harder. It was wonderful to see him in the "see the contestants as they are today" segment. He looked so much healthier. I was really afraid that he was going to drop dead during the challenge. I'm not finding myself as excited about this season. I find myself missing Ali and Betty-sue, Jackie and Dan, and even Mark and Jay. That was such a charismatic grouping of contestants.
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Life is ramping up on me. I have a rehearsal tonight, a staff meeting tomorrow morning followed a funeral, work at school, a wake service tomorrow night - which means the girls are going to have to load up the craft show fixtures without me, then I have Mass on Friday morning followed by another funeral, work at school, and setup for the craft show Friday night. Saturday is the craft show which I will have to leave early to do a wedding followed by Mass. Then I get a break - hopefully.

Type: Treadmill and weights
Route: Exercise room
Time: 31 minutes
Average heart rate: 121
Maximum heart rate: 148
Down 7.2 from last Wednesday (whoo hoo!)

Word of the day:
Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, virgin and doctor of the Church
Gospel
Lk 9:57-62
As Jesus and his disciples were proceeding on their journey, someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus answered him, “Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head.” And to another he said, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, let me go first and bury my father.” But he answered him, “Let the dead bury their dead. But you, go and proclaim the Kingdom of God.” And another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say farewell to my family at home.” Jesus answered him, “No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the Kingdom of God.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words. Put your money where your mouth is.
The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. It's all about priorities.

God bless our troops!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008 - Week 1 - Day 6 and Kimkins Rant

I'd like to start this morning by commenting on the latest events in the Heidi Diaz - Kimkins debacle. I don't spend a lot of time on Kimkins here on the blog because so many other bloggers have put it so much more eloquently and thoroughly than I ever could. However, as a veteran of the Lowcarb Friends board, having been there when the Almighty Heidi was holding court and snarking at anyone who dared to disagree with her highness, I am amazed that anything she does can still surprise me. Here is a woman who lured thousands of people to her website with the hope that they, too, could achieve fantastic losses on her diet. (Which, by the way, was an anorexic bastardization of the work of 2 prominent lowcarb phyisicians - Dr. Atkins and Dr. Stillman. )

Kimkins was featured in June of 2007 in a national magazine - Woman's World, which apparently has no more scruples than Ms. Diaz - and which attracted people who were willing to fork over $70 to learn how to starve themselves into looking like the woman in the magazine. The problem was, the woman in the magazine was not Heidi Diaz. The picture was stolen from a Russian Bride site. The hilarious thing is that the Russian bride who appeared in Woman's World was a totally different Russian Bride than the one Heidi had posted on her site. Heidi never lost weight. Never. The huge loss that she said she maintained for over 5 years was a lie. That's the gist of the story.

For those of us who have followed this whole thing from years ago when Heidi was a presence on the Lowcarb Friends board, the entire story takes more twists and turns than any fiction writer could dream up. Heidi has been in litigation for the last year defending her anorexic plan. Now she is trying to turn the tables and sue the women who exposed her for what she was, and most of whom suffered serious consequences for their belief in this "lying liar who lies. " It would be laughable if it weren't so sad. She is also suing the Lowcarb Friends board - an entity which allowed her a forum on which to spout her garbage. One has to wonder about a lawyer who would take on a case such as this. Defense is one thing, but this counter-suit is nothing short of obscene.

Enough of that. What goes around comes around.

Check out some of the blogs I have listed over to the right hand side of this page or, if you have a few spare hours, you can read the entire saga here starting here: http://www.lowcarbfriends.com/bbs/kimkins/502606-
why-fascination-kimmer.html
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Oh wow! I woke up this morning to a huge whoosh on the scale. I should have seen it coming because I was dumping a lot of water yesterday. I feel really good. None of the sugar drop symptoms have appeared yet. Tomorrow is my last day on cycle 1. Wendy promises that once I get through this first week, the "diet" is over and a new lifestyle begins. I will be interested to see how the next seven weeks plays out. However, as I said at the beginning of this, my commitment if today and today only. Each day in its time.

My internet is running like a turtle today. I worked on some more stocking orders last night. I'm a little dismayed that we haven't had more traffic from Country Sampler. The hits we've had bounced right away. I saw the magazine in Walmart on Sunday, so it is out. I sure hope we at least recoup the cost of the ad. But it may be early yet. On the other hand, other traffic sources are doing well - especially Ebay. I've never had this many orders this early in the season before.

Type: Walk/jog
Route: Deadend and back
Time: 23 minutes
Average heart rate: 124
Maximum heart rate: 143
Down 4.8 from last Tuesday (whoo hoo!)

Great walk this morning! As I got to the corner I was greeted by shouts from my little cuties - the joys of living next door to your grandkids. Clay yelled out, "are you coming to visit us?" That was hard to pass up. Come retirement, I won't have to.

I think a pre-workout protein shake is going to be the norm from now on. I didn't really notice a difference yesterday, but yesterday was the first time I ever took weights on the road. But today? Wow! It made a huge difference as you can see from my stats.

I have to go in early to work today, but it's just an hour early.

Word of the day:
Memorial of Saint Jerome, priest and doctor of the Church
Gospel
Lk 9:51-56
When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?”
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village.

Thoughts from the cornfield:
It was odd the Jesus and his disciples should be passing through Samaria on the way to the temple. This was a town that Jews avoided like the plague. There is an invitation occurring here. In entering the Samaritan village when all others would avoid it is an example of Jesus "reaching across the aisle" as it were. The disciples, who still haven't figured out the kind of Messiah with whom they were travelling, wanted to wreak destruction on these people. This is clearly above and beyond the "eye for an eye" teachings of the Scriptures at the time, because though the Samaritans did not welcome them, neither did they do them harm. No friendship was fostered in Samaria that day, but a seed may have been planted. We never know what kind of fruit our actions will bear, therefore it is good to think of this passage before acting. The world pays much more attention to what Christians do than to what Christians say. Jesus did much more than preach the Word - he was the Word.


God bless our troops!

Tuesday, September23, 2008

The sun greeted me through a haze of fog this morning. My wicks came yesterday so last night I poured more of the grungy Harvest Home candles. I wicked up a size on the pint jars and that made a big difference in the hot throw. I am burning a test right now and the house smells wonderful. Today is a long day. I have a liturgy meeting tonight followed by RCIA. Marian and I will be leading that tonight since it is our night to talk about our faith journeys. That means a longer night. Soooooo, I have the VCR set so I don't miss a minute of Biggest Loser! I miss having Anna recording them on DVD. She moved and doesn't have cable anymore. I am hoping that it will also be available on fancast.
I'm headed out the door.

My stats for today:
Type: Walk/jog
Route: Deadend/back
Time: 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 117
Maximum heart rate: 140
Down .2 from last Tuesday
Activity points earned: 2

Gospel:
Memorial of Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, priest
Lk 8:19-21

The mother of Jesus and his brothers came to him
but were unable to join him because of the crowd.
He was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside
and they wish to see you.”
He said to them in reply, “My mother and my brothers
are those who hear the word of God and act on it.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
This passage is all about priorities. Family is important. But there is something more important - something that goes beyond human relationships, that transcends this world. This is what Jesus was talking about - making God the first priority in our lives. The first commandment says it all: "I am the Lord, thy God. Thou shalt not have strange gods before Me." And Jesus said, quoting the Shema from Deuteronomy "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might" And he went on the say that the second commandment is like it, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." But first love God. Hear his word and act on it. The rest will follow.



God bless the troops!

Monday, September 22, 2008

Today begins the first official day of autumn. At 11:44 this morning, summer will be a thing of the past. I love each season in its time. I am ready for fall with its crisp air and the scent of burning leaves. If I have time tonight, I will haul up the autumn decorations. The corn shocks are not yet dry enough to cut, but soon- soon.
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Yesterday we received our first stocking orders from the Country Sampler ad. Thirteen of them. This is the earliest we have ever started our stocking season. I hope this is an indication of what is to come. We didn't have Family Dinner yesterday so I spent yesterday finishing stockings (10 of them - 3 more to go) and watching "The Waltons." Next to hanging out with the family, that is one of my favorite ways to spend an afternoon. It's fun to imagine what Christmas will be like for these families. Last year, 2 families sent me copies of their Christmas picture with their stockings. Good stuff!
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Today is Monday and that means laundry, bills, and filing. The laundry is going to be a challenge because when I filled the washer, the water was rusty. I'm am hoping that it is just residue from the softener regenerating. I put in a load of towels and just checked the rinse water and it seems to be clear. Let's hope.
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The retirement countdown continues with 88 days. I sent the papers back for a third time and I am hoping that they are correct. It's funny because I didn't want to retire yet, but now that the decision has been made, I am looking forward to it. More time with Clay and Claire, more time to quilt (haven't quilted in weeks), more time to make soap, candles, and potpourri, and then there are some classes at the sewing shop that I would like to investigate. It would be nice to actually read a book again. It's ironic that when I started working in a library, my reading went out the window. I won't be completely retired - I'm not old enough - I will still be working at the church. I will be able to do more in the area of art and environment - for me that means hauling stuff up from the rectory basement because my gift is not art and environment.
**********************************************************************
Today's workout is going to be outside because it is absolutely gorgeous out there this morning.

My stats for today:
Type: Walk/jog
Route: Deadend/loop/back
Time: 36 minutes
Average heart rate: 121
Maximum heart rate: 135
Up .4 from last Monday
Activity points earned: 3

Great walk today!
On that walk I mulled over an incident from church yesterday. I will not give the exact circumstances because they are not germain to my point. This was the reason I was given for not doing something that we are supposed to be doing. "I looked around . . . and no one else is doing it." I doubt that "no one else" is doing it because I know better. Ironically enough there are other things we are not doing that everyone else IS doing. So now this is the criteria for doing or not doing things that we are supposed to do. I was stunned because this person is in a position of leadership. What message does this give to our youth? Don't bother getting married - just live together. Everyone else is doing it. Go ahead and cheat on your exam - everyone else is doing it. Go ahead and copy that CD, the artist has enough money - besides, everyone else is doing it. Grrrrrrrrr!

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Word of the day:
Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel
Lk 8:16-18

Jesus said to the crowd:
“No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.
For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.
Take care, then, how you hear.
To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
In reading today's Gospel passage, these words jump out at me. '"he places it on a lampstand so that those who enter may see the light.'" It occurs to me that if one has a lamp and sets it under a bed, not only is he depriving others of the benefit of the light, but he is also depriving himself. God has given us the light of truth in his Word - it is that light which draws others. Our gifts from God are unique in that if we do not share them, we also deny ourselves.



God bless the troops!

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

So did you see the season premier of The Biggest Loser? I love this show . . . but . . . there is a meanness creeping in that disturbs me. The meanness looks scripted. It looks like it's added for dramatic interest. It looks - well - it looks mean. The scene where Jillian is beating the girl with boxing gloves hit me like a blow. I understand that obesity is a killer and these people need help, however, it is a fine line between tough love and abuse. This borders on abuse. The screaming and the yelling left me cringing. Many overweight people trace their food addiction to abuse in childhood. A large part of the Biggest Loser audience is overweight people. Overweight people may need tough love, in some cases, but this just looked disturbing.

Another thing that bothers me is the huge losses. Unless these people keep up the grueling pace that they keep now, they will gain this weight back. I would rather see a more moderate, real life approach - one that the average person could do - not a turtle's pace, but a happy medium here.
But that's just my opinion.
******************************************
I had a good day yesterday. Even though I started out behind, I ended up getting a lot done. I am off for a walk. Later . . .

My stats for today:
Type: Walk/jog
Route: Deadend and back
Time: 26 minutes
Average heart rate: 122
Maximum heart rate:
Calories burned: 345
Down 2.6 from last Wednesday

Oh, today's walk was wonderful! When I hit the road I could smell the orange tang of burning leaves mixed with the scent of ripening corn awaiting the harvest. In a couple of weeks we will cut some corn shocks to decorate our front porch. Perched in front will be a scarecrow surrounded by pumpkins. The house will be filled with the scent of AppleJack 'n Peel and Harvest Homebrew from the candles and wax tarts we've made for fall craft shows. I love fall - can you tell?

Word of the day:
Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time
Gospel
Lk 7:31-35

Jesus said to the crowds:
“To what shall I compare the people of this generation?
What are they like?
They are like children who sit in the marketplace and call to one another,

‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep.’

For John the Baptist came neither eating food nor drinking wine,
and you said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and you said,
‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard,
a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’
But wisdom is vindicated by all her children.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Dancing the Unfamiliar - from "The Tarantella Dancers"

"We played the flute for you, but you did not dance.
We sang a dirge, but you did not weep."

The second movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 in B Minor begins with a waltz . . . or at least it sounds like a waltz. It has all the lyricism and lilt of a waltz, a truly beautiful piece of music. However, don't try to dance to it if you come with preconceived ideas of what a waltz should be.

A waltz, according to Funk & Wagnall's Standard Desk Dictionary, is defined as, " a dance, or any similar music in triple time." The key word here is "triple" time, meaning three beats to the bar or 3/4 time. The rhythm of a waltz is "ONE, two three, ONE, two three," with the emphasis on the first beat of each bar. Tchaikovsky’s waltz is written with five beats to the bar or 5/4 time.

Tchaikovsky's "Sixth Symphony," nicknamed "Pathetique" by his brother, is considered by many to be his greatest work. I share that view for in this symphony we see into the very soul of Tchaikovsky. The second movement in particular gives us an important clue as to how Tchaikovsky viewed himself in relation to the world in which he lived. When I listen to the movement I can see a very clear picture of what he may have been feeling when he wrote it.

In my mind’s eye I see a great ballroom with hundreds of dancers. Tchaikovsky, host of the ball and composer of the dance music, has invited these dancers to his great celebration. The dance begins, but the host dances alone. Tchaikovsky’s 5/4 rhythm is clearly not in keeping with the 3/4 time world in which he lives, and the dancers he has invited prefer instead to dance to their own rhythm. Host and guest never become on in the dance.

It is perhaps ironic that Tchaikovky died nine days after the premier of this final symphony, reportedly of cholera. There is some question about the exact nature of Tchaikovsky’s death which is reflected in the unofficial nickname “Suicide Symphony.” When I listen to this second movement, I am not always clear as to whose “suicide” is implied - the host’s or the guests’.

I think there are some analogies here that can be applied to our relationship with Jesus. The Lord of the Dance, its author and choreographer, invites us to dance with him. He has provided all that is needed. He had decorated the ballroom, written the music, and orchestrated the steps. He has set himself in the midst of his guests and has patiently demonstrated the choreography. All we need do is join in the dance. Simple? It would seem so. Easy? I don’t know about that. To join in the dance we need to let go of our 3/4 time mentality and seek to discover the rhythm of the dance to which we are invited. We need to keep our eyes focused on the Lord of the Dance. In dancing the unfamiliar, we risk stepping on toes, and we risk getting our toes stepped on. It can be uncomfortable and sometimes painful. With each missed step the temptation is there to abandon the dance to which we are invited in favor of the dance with which we are familiar.

Jesus has invited us to waltz with him . . or at least it sounds like a waltz. It has all the lyricism and lilt of a waltz, a truly beautiful piece of music. However, don't try to dance to it if you come with preconceived ideas of what a waltz should be. The dance will go on with or without the guests. The invitation has been made. The choice is ours.

copyright 2000, The Tarantella Dancers, Mary A. Moeggenborg


God bless our troops!

Monday, September 15, 2008

Today is starting out great. The rain has stopped - for now anyway. I got a batch of laundry soap made. I probably should have made it yesterday since today is laundry day and it needs a day to gel. I have enough to get me through 2 loads, anyway.

I am loving the Google calendar. I have discovered all kinds of neat things about it. (Thanks, Kristi).

I am headed for the treadmill because I think the deadend will be fairly mushy after the rains.
It will be 22 years tomorrow since the big flood we had in Michigan. That was a rough year for us financially because all of our dry beans were in the field when the rains came. It was amazing, though. We drove up to Alma and people were paddling canoes down Superior Avenue. We blame Melisa for the flood. She didn't want to eat the school lunch and had told us the night before that she was not eating that lunch - she would starve to death. LOL!

Enough, I am heading for the treadmill. Updates later.
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My stats for today:
Type: Walk/Jog
Route: Deadend/back
Time: 27 minutes
Average heart rate: 119
Maximum heart rate: 135
Calories burned: 150
Same as last Monday

I ended up going outside this morning after all. It was a wonderful walk, a perfect crisp fall day. The rain cleared the slate on the path and hundreds of hoof prints decorated the trail. Geese were flying overhead - a little higher than of late meaning winter is looming on the horizon. The ground wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. There were a few puddles and mushy spots, but all-in-all it was great to be out.

Tonight I have to go to Mt. Pleasant to drop off stuff to Good Will, and then to get supplies for our fall craft shows. Oh, and of course to get more of Harold's cupcakes for his lunch - Mrs. Freshley's Chocolate Creme cupcakes and Honey Nut Cheerios - his nod to healthy eating.

Oh, and by the way, do you love Biggest Loser? You can watch full episodes here:
http://fancast.com

Word of the day:
Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows
Gospel
Jn 19:25-27
Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother
and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas,
and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple there whom he loved
he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son.”
Then he said to the disciple,
“Behold, your mother.”
And from that hour the disciple took her into his home.

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Non-Catholics often wonder about the devotion that Roman Catholics have for the Blessed Mother. This passage provides a glimpse into the source of that devotion. In giving Mary over to the care of the beloved disciple (who, by the way could not have been Mary Magdalen - she was no one's son) he was giving her to us. She is not divine - we do not worship her. We honor her, as Jesus honored her, and we ask her to pray for us as we ask others to pray for us. Mary, the mother of Jesus, was the epitome of discipleship. In saying yes to Jesus as her son, Mary was also saying yes to his mission . . . to his going forth from her . . . to his dying on the cross.
Yesterday's video was hard to watch in and of itself. Watch it again and imagine that this is your son. An alternate reading for today is the Presentation of the Child Jesus in the temple. A sword indeed pierced Mary's heart. We worship God. We honor Mary - because Jesus honored her.





God bless our troops!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

My focus has weakened in the last week and I am really going to have to get it back to meet my Covey goal by the 26th. I am not disciplined with my time so I need to set some goals in regard to that. On tap today, getting this house in shape. A pile of stuff here, a pile of stuff there - it adds up and today it gets taken care of.

My stats for today:
Type: Treadmill
Route: Custom program 2
Time: 30 minutes
Average heart rate: 120
Maximum heart rate: 143
Calories burned: 200
Down 2.4 from last Saturday

I was reading the "7 Habits" book this morning while on the treadmill. Ironically, today's topic was time management and prioritization. I think this will be a great chapter for me because that is a huge challenge for me. I tend to side track easily and can fritter a whole day away on trivial stuff that, while fun, really doesn't get me where I need to go. The Google calendar has been a tremendous help because I can see at a glance what I need to get done for the day.


Word of the day:
Gospel
Lk 6:43-49

Jesus said to his disciples:
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,
but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.

“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?
I will show you what someone is like who comes to me,
listens to my words, and acts on them.
That one is like a man building a house,
who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock;
when the flood came, the river burst against that house
but could not shake it because it had been well built.
But the one who listens and does not act
is like a person who built a house on the ground
without a foundation.
When the river burst against it,
it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
One of the things that riled Jesus most was hypocrisy. We had a guest speaker from the diocese a while back, Ed Haugen who is in charge of the deaconate formation. He spoke on authenticity and our need to live authentically. We can't just talk the talk, we have to walk the walk. But what does it mean to walk the walk? My walk is unique - no one else walk exactly the same path that I do, but if we are living authentically we eventually end up at the same destination. The words that jump out at me from this passage are "from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks." What is in our hearts? We would do well to guard the things we allow to enter our hearts because eventually, no matter how we try to spin it, the truth comes out of our mouths. In another passage Jesus says "for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." What do we treasure - things that last or things that perish?" It is worth thinking - no it is worth praying about.







God bless our troops!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Well, yesterday was a long one but I got a lot accomplished. Did everything on my list and then some. I am still behind. That never changes.

Tonight I meet with the choir to talk about songs that will be on John Fetzner's memorial CD. He left quite a legacy for one so young.

Our handsome son just stopped in. They are pouring the cement for his paint booth today. We had a brief discussion about the upcoming presidential election. Sam is kind of dipping his toes in local politics. He was asked to be on the planning commission for the village of Shepherd. This is the same commission that he sat before to get the variances for his expansion plans for his auto body shop. They treated him very well - not just because they approved his variance, but their whole demeanor. Sometimes our kids turn out well in spite of us. All of ours have done us proud - they teach me new lessons daily. I am greatly blessed that the are all in Michigan - the furthest one away is in Ionia. (Hi Nina!)

I am off to fill cantor folders and then go for a walk on this gorgeous day!

My stats for today:
Type: walk/jog
Route: Deadend/loop/back
Time: 35 minutes
Average heart rate: 121
Maximum heart rate: 138
Calories burned: 231
Same as last Wednesday

Word of the day
Gospel
Lk 6:20-26
Raising his eyes toward his disciples Jesus said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is yours.
Blessed are you who are now hungry,
for you will be satisfied.
Blessed are you who are now weeping,
for you will laugh.
Blessed are you when people hate you,
and when they exclude and insult you,
and denounce your name as evil
on account of the Son of Man.

Rejoice and leap for joy on that day!
Behold, your reward will be great in heaven.
For their ancestors treated the prophets
in the same way.

But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
But woe to you who are filled now,
for you will be hungry.
Woe to you who laugh now,
for you will grieve and weep.
Woe to you when all speak well of you,
for their ancestors treated the false
prophets in this way.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Just a reminder that we are IN the world, not OF the world.
The Beatitudes are definitely words to live by.


God bless the troops!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

On the lowcarb front:

My stats for today:
Type: Treadmill
Route: manual settings
Time: 20
Average heart rate: 110
Maximum heart rate: 123
Calories burned: 120
Down 3.6 from last Thursday

Well, I headed out for the road and discovered that it was raining so I moved the workout to the treadmill. I feel incredibly good today. I even enjoyed our monthly staff meeting. :)
The scale is moving downward - thankfully. My Covey goal is coming along nicely and I have met the first minor goal of 2.5 pounds.

I got 4 stockings done yesterday, but not much else. Today is Thursday so I will be doing a batch of candles and working on packaging products. I am burning a "Crisp Green Apple" candle in my office today. (We're not supposed to, but no one says anything.) It smells really good!!! That may be my flavor of the evening, so to speak. The new wicks seem to be working out nicely and have cut the soot down to almost nothing.

Last night I stayed up to watch Sarah Palin's speech. All I can say is WOW! No victim of women's discrimination here. Just a feisty "git 'er done" kind of gal. Even Harold was impressed and this is a man who avoids like the plague anything that smacks of politics. I really don't know how you couldn't like this lady! Talk about feminism, she wears it well. That's all I'm going to say about that.




Gospel
Lk 6:27-38
Jesus said to his disciples:
“To you who hear I say, love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you,
pray for those who mistreat you.
To the person who strikes you on one cheek,
offer the other one as well,
and from the person who takes your cloak,
do not withhold even your tunic.
Give to everyone who asks of you,
and from the one who takes what is yours do not demand it back.
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
For if you love those who love you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners love those who love them.
And if you do good to those who do good to you,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners do the same.
If you lend money to those from whom you expect repayment,
what credit is that to you?
Even sinners lend to sinners,
and get back the same amount.
But rather, love your enemies and do good to them,
and lend expecting nothing back;
then your reward will be great
and you will be children of the Most High,
for he himself is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked.
Be merciful, just as also your Father is merciful.

“Stop judging and you will not be judged.
Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.
Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Give and gifts will be given to you;
a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and overflowing,
will be poured into your lap.
For the measure with which you measure
will in return be measured out to you.”

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Today's passage - easier said than done, but most rewarding in the long run because it takes a lot of energy to harbor hate and judgement. I guess you have to figure out what it means to "love" your enemies. I really don't think Jesus meant that you had to invite them for tea - just be willing to die for them - not because you agree with their ideology or politics or views on life, but because we all fall short (there's the judgement connection) and because we are all children of God.


God bless the troops!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

On the lowcarb front:
Daily stats (will be updated later)
My stats for today:
Type:
Route:
Time:
Average heart rate:
Maximum heart rate:
Calories burned:
I’m up .5 pounds from last Sunday

The good news is that I am down .4 since setting my Covey goal. There are 3 daily steps for this goal, and only 3.

I log my food (all of it, bad or good)
I drink 8 glasses of water
I get in some kind of exercise (today's will probably be a walk this afternoon)

During this goal I am not following any particular food plan. For me, it isn't what I eat, it's why and how much. Eventually I will transition back to Atkins maintenance because I feel best on that. But for right now, I am getting to the root cause of my issues. My current goal is tied in with becoming a proactive person. COEs let themselves become controlled by environment, people, food, negative thoughts etc. I am leaning more an more that what goes on in my head has a profound effect on what is going on in my life. I know that sounds like a "duh", particularly if you are a proactive person, but reactives don't think like other people. In fact, often, thinking is not involved. We are driven by our emotions. We know intellectually that what we do doesn't make sense, but we let ourselves be crippled by forces other than our own instincts. So often we get in our own way. If we watched someone else acting the way we do, we would want to shake him, but we don't see it in ourselves. Hmmmm that old log/splinter thing, hmmmm?

On the home/business front:
I am finally starting to see some progress in my workroom. It's still a mess, but I am getting there. Part of the problem was I didn't really know how I wanted to set it up. Now I have a picture in my head to work toward. Funny how that makes a difference.

Word of the day:
Matthew 16:21-27
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you." But he turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things." Then Jesus told his disciples, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit them if they gain the whole world but forfeit their life? Or what will they give in return for their life? For the Son of Man is to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay everyone for what has been done."

Thoughts from the cornfield:
Now, earlier in this same story we heard about how Peter was inspired by God to declare to Jesus, "you are the Messiah, the son of the living God." If ever there was a reactive person, it would be Peter. We have to remember that here on this earth, there are opposing forces battling for our allegiance. Of course, God has won that battle, but since we operate in a time continuum and God does not, we are still here fighting the battle. Satan is a foe defeated, but he is not dead and he will take as many as he on his descent as he can. Thankfully, we have an ally in the battle - our only weapon against the foe.


God bless the troops!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Here are my stats for this morning:
Time: 30 minutes
Route: Treadmill
Average heart rate: 114
Maximum heat rate: 131
Calories burned: 202
I am using a different heart rate monitor. I don't like it as well as my PS15, but until I find that, I guess this will do. I have to cut the calorie total in half for this one because it credits me far too many for the work out - like two times too many.

I was reading the "Habits" book on the treadmill this morning. I need to go back and read again with my highlighter in hand. There is one section in the intro that says to read the book as if you were going to teach the principles to someone. Ironically enough, I skipped right over that - never saw it. In last night's reading Covey talks about setting goals. My goal for today - and only for today - is to stay in value rather than personality mode (hmmmm, kind of like my inner brat - Mary Ann) - to stick with my food program and not let "Mary Ann" sabatog me. This, to me, is the most important message in the book. Our values are the source from which personality flows, and if we are stifling or ignoring those values, we are not living authentically. We know when we violate our values - or we should, if our consciences are in working order.

I just visited the Biggest Loser site. The new season premiers on September 16. Can't wait! I just hope that there is another "Bette-Sue" type character. I just loved her!

On the home front:
I have a meeting this afternoon and then more inventory. Inventory is bearable because I use a laptop to take it and I can listen to internet radio while I am doing it.

I finally finished the choir letter I have been working on. Our choir is going to do a CD in memory of our friend John who died suddenly last October. I don't know why I have procrastinated with it. Today, I put my procrastinating personality aside and got it done. Writing the letter was the hard part. Now that it's done, I can enjoy the rest of the day.

Word of the day:
Matthew 24:42-46
Jesus said to his disciples, "Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour. Who then is the faithful and wise slave, whom his master has put in charge of his household, to give the other slaves their allowance of food at the proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives."

Thoughts from the cornfield:
A friend of mine has a shirt that says, "Jesus is coming, look busy." This would be hilariously funny if it weren't so true. Many of us, including me, go through life "looking busy." And what are we doing when we aren't looking busy? Often we're worrying about how busy our neighbor is and whether he is just looking busy.

This all gets back to authenticity and it ties in so well with what I am reading in the "Habits" book. If we are operating from a Character (or Value) ethic, there is no need to "look busy." We ARE busy. We are doing what we need to do. And we are doing it because there is nothing else we would rather be doing. How wonderful if we lived as if we wanted to get caught doing what we should be doing.


God bless the troops!