Mary Beth from RevGals writes...
On my blog sidebar is a list titled, "Blogs I Read Every Day." After my mother became a blogger, she asked me how I could possibly read that many blogs daily!? I had to confess it then: Okay, I don't read them all every day! I have over 100 on there! But I have favorites, and you do too.
Some of you probably use feed readers to let you know when your favorite bloggers have posted...not me, not yet. I just have folks who are part of my day-to-day.
So for today's Friday Five, give us five blogs you visit regularly, and tell us briefly WHY you like them. These can be RevGal and Pal bloggers and others ... or news sites, knitting sites, etc. Who are you showing the love to on a pretty constant basis?
Like all dreamers I confuse disenchantment with truth.
I just heard about a conference that I am going to try to attend this summer. It's called She Speaks and it holds promise for women like me who are standing on the edge of their Calling and life purpose.
Some discussion of late on other RevGal blogs about PKs... Kathryn started the latest discussion here... Like many female pastors, my daughters occasionally refer to me as "Reverend Mother" and having read Dune, it always makes me chuckle...
For the un-read, here's why... The Princess Irulan writes (via epigraph) in the original novel Dune:
Thus spoke St. Alia-of-the-Knife: "The Reverend Mother must combine the seductive wiles of a courtesan with the untouchable majesty of a virgin goddess, holding these attributes in tension so long as the powers of her youth endure. For when youth and beauty have gone, she will find that the place-between, once occupied by tension, has become a wellspring of cunning and resourcefulness."SO there you are...
— from "Muad'Dib, Family Commentaries" by the Princess Irulan
OK Sports fans... I want to watch March Madness. I want to prep my flowerbeds for spring. I want to spend more time in any room but my study.
But it's crunch time for school and that ain't gonna happen!
I'll check in with you later... I'm making headway on my GET 'ER DONE list, but Facebook and Blogger are distracting me.
SO - - when the dust settles and I feel like I'm not so behind, I'll blog a little. Or when I'm so frustrated and need to vent, I'll blog a little. Or when procrastination is more interesting than Turabian, I'll blog a little. (Scratch that last one!!!)
Peace out-
Deb
I suppose "it's just plastic" and "it's meant to be funny." But I have a hard time when, during prime time TV, nudity is portrayed as funny -- all to sell clothing. Was a guy pantsed? No way. And if it was really "just plastic" then why the censorship bars?
Cranked it out yesterday...
I'm down to...
3 research papers, 15-20 pages EACH
5 exegetical outlines from one of the Gospels
2 systematic theology essays
2 books on pastoral theology (book reports)
3 reflective essays
0 sacramental doctrine essay
YUP! It's CRUNCH time!
Here's today's plan...
- outline and select final sources for 1st research paper due on April 4th
- finish systematic theology essays (piece of cake - 500 words each)
- skim pastoral theology book and write book report
- prep for senior pit orchs coming here at 3
- chauffeur orchs people to school
- work concessions at Beauty and the Beast
Somewhere in there is lunch... and eventually there is sleep!!
Songbird from RevGalBlogPals writes:
My beloved speaks and says to me: “Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away; for now the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth its figs, and the vines are in blossom; they give forth fragrance. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. Song of Solomon 2:10-13 In the late, late winter, as the snow begins to recede here in Maine, we begin to look almost desperately for signs of spring, signs of hope that the weather has turned and a new day is on the horizon. For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, Easter and Spring twine inextricably, the crocuses and daffodils peeking through the Earth as we await the risen Christ. Share with us five signs of hope that you can see today or have experienced in the past.
Give me the strength that waits upon You in silence and peace. Give me humility in which alone is rest, and deliver me from pride which is the heaviest of burdens. And possess my whole heart and soul with the simplicity of love.
Occupy my whole life with the one thought and the one desire of love, that I may love not for the sake of merit, not for the sake of perfection, not for the sake of virtue, not for the sake of sanctity, but for You alone.
Amen...
Source: New Seeds of Contemplation (Thomas Merton)
Just had to share this... it's a song that is one of my new favorites. It's a song that keeps me walking, believing, waiting, praying...
And always, always, ALWAYS hanging onto the One who knows and loves me not because of who I am but because of Who made me.
Enjoy... stand amazed...
Deb
NYC, somewhere between Broadway and the NJ tunnels
I admit I get in a tear over stupid things. Needless sexist jokes. Using "man" when you don't mean a male-gendered person. And so on. I try not to shove it down people's throats, really.
Since there's a budding linguist in the house, I am learning that the words we use have a power beyond their use. Because they are used, they infer a specific purpose and/or meaning beyond their choice. And when they fall into disuse, they change the expressive capacity of a language. The recent flurry of Tweets about gender-inclusive language has been fascinating to me.
A recent article at CNN illustrates what I'm talking about...
(CNN) -- Twitter users may value brevity in their messages, but that doesn't mean they don't think about the social implications of language.
Is this sign sexist? Some say our language should be more inclusive of both genders.
"Can't we English-speakers just agree upon a gender-neutral pronoun?" attorney Paul Easton recently Twittered. "Tired of PC grammar gymnastics."Easton isn't alone. There have been at least 18 recent tweets about the fact that English has no grammatically correct substitutes for words like "he," "him," and "his" that do not have a gender implied.
Consider the sentence "Everyone loves his mother." The word "his" may be seen as both sexist and inaccurate, but replacing it with "his or her" seems cumbersome, and "their" is grammatically incorrect.
"I find myself spending a lot of time reworking or obsessing over sentences to avoid sexist language, and wonder why we settled on these burdensome conventions rather than popularizing a gender-neutral pronoun," Easton said in an e-mail.
It turns out that an English speaker's mind can't instantly adopt an imposed new gender-neutral system of pronouns, linguists say. A sudden change in the system of pronouns or other auxiliary words in any language is very difficult to achieve.
(You can see the rest of the article HERE.)
This was all the sweeter to my ears as I had to read Grudem's interpretation of church government for my Systematics class this week. (Here's a shocker. He thinks only men can be pastors or elders.)
Poor dude. He can't help it. For years he's got his mind made up, and no amount of exegetical discussions will help.
I'm past arguing, though I did state a firm, but polite counter argument in a class disucssion in response to Grudem's opinions. And yes, I have written my Dean. I think that it is a crime that a whole class is forced to read Grudem without any counter-balancing presentations.
Where Talk Isn't
Where talk isn't
is nowhere.
Even in silence
my soul speaks in the language
of my culture.
So that's why,
dear friends,
I do not want to hear
freshman, you guys, chairman, man and his world, man the tables.
It's time to turn the tables
and sit down together
as equals.
Borrowed from DebD:
*** For Today March 16, 2009 ***Outside my Window… a slowly brightening day. There was fog and a damp chill in the air this morning
I am thinking… about how good that shower felt.
From the learning rooms… Beth has an essay draft due and a Pre-Calc quiz, then pit rehearsal after school. CJ is prepping for band tour; she and buddy Susan will appear here after school.
I am thankful for… a quiet space to learn and study today.
From the kitchen…left-overs for dinner - curried chicken courtesy of the Bearded Brewer.
I am wearing… jeans and a comfy shirt for studying.
I am creating… an outline for my next paper.I am reading… a whole bunch of theological articles, journals and books.
I am hearing… the cat purring in her basket.
Around the house... there's plenty to pick up or clean. But not today!One of my favorite things… the mug of coffee with hazelnut creamer on my desk
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week… deep water aerobics Tuesday and Thursday; a road trip to a church in Philly with my co-workers on Wednesday; many late nights for dd#1 since this is dress rehearsal week for their Beauty and the Beast production; dd#2's oboe lesson sandwiched in between errands, studying, work and home.... I updated the family calendar and it is officially FULL!!!
I am glad to be home. There's a lot to do in the next several weeks. I'm either going to blog like crazy or be deep in a pile of reading, writing, editing and freaking out.
I do have pictures to share from the trip to Providence... will get them up soon.
For now I'm reflecting and praying about life and everything else. Including why I'm signing up for summer classes when I am feeling overwhelmed with this semester...
I just want this to be done and over with...
Deb
BROKEN by LifeHouse
The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time
I am here still waiting though I still have my doubts
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head
I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead
I still see your reflection inside of my eyes
That are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life
I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
with a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you
I'm hangin' on another day
Just to see what you will throw my way
And I'm hanging on to the words you say
You said that I will be ok
The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone
I may have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home
Find the video HERE!
She's being bad again.
What's she doing?
She is PACKING!
WHAT?? I thought you hid the uitcases-say!
I thought YOU hid them.
This is just SOoooo wrong.
Well... sorry kittehs...
The Harpist and I are headed to Providence, RI for the All-Eastern music conference. Along with 50 others from her high school orchestra plus other chaperones.
I've loaded my iPod and repacked... (left out shoes. DUH.) and decided to leave my laptop behind. Whatever assignments are due, will be late. Life it too short to sit hunkered over a laptop on a bus. Besides, I have LOTS of things to read for upcoming papers.
Yee haw...
Ya'll be good and I'll post pictures and tell you about it when I'm back.
Deb
Found over at Sound Bites:
Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.
I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.
I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It's OK to stumble...I will get up. It's OK to fail...I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.
I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.
Today I will make a difference.
by Max Lucado
Here's some music for the morning, sent to me by one of my sisters...
Please click here to see the video of a beautiful, encouraging version of "Amazing Grace."
I tried to embed it but it had "issues" - enjoy!
Deb
The song that's on my heart...
Sunday, March 8, 2009 is International Women's Day.
It won't be mentioned at my church. It might not be mentioned at yours either. In a way, I don't mind. I get a little tired of the "Day" concept. While it raises consciousness, it also pigeonholes the interest and action for that group in a one, or maybe two day, time period. Kind of like the Girl Scouts peddling cookies every March in our local malls, they fade from sight until the next season of Thin Mints and Samoas. (And yes. I bought my cookies from my favorite Girl Scout!)
The first women's day in 1908 wasn't really "international" but it brought 15,000 women to a march in New York City. No small shakes for a word-of-mouth event.
Since then hundreds of thousands of women have marched, met for conferences, passed referendums in boardrooms and served in the highest government leadership positions in the world. There is "access" but it is not universal. There is affirmation, but many times it comes with "strings" and a litmust test from various political factions.
Yes, we have made progress. Yes, women can vote and fully participate in their self-government. Yes, women are educated, preparing for a career that utilizes their gifts and passions. And yes, women have a voice in our culture.
And yet... I see so much undone. Even here.
Healthcare.
Maternity leave.
Childcare.
Clean water, shelter and food and clothing.
Safety.
Legal representation.
Education.
Tomorrow I hope to post a synchroblog on a woman of the Bible who has inspired me. To the unsung and unnamed heroes of Scripture, I say thanks...
SONGBIRD TO THE RESCUE! Our regular poster, Sally, having been oppressed by Blogger today, I bring you a hasty Friday Five on the subject of pudding. If you are not a fan of pudding, then you will feel solidarity with Sally, except that you will be oppressed by pudding instead. ;-)
1) First of all, thumbs up? or thumbs down? Do you like pudding?
EH. There are times I do like it. I can live without it.
2) Instant or cooked? (Does anyone make pudding from scratch?)
A good home-made, rich, stick-to-your-hips rice pudding is fantastic. Can't say as I've had one in a long time. Most of the time, we make instant.
3) If you had to choose, would you prefer corn pudding or figgy pudding?
MAJOR EH and EW. Neither.
4) Have you ever finger painted with pudding?
I can honestly say I have not. I have, however, had a food fight with it. Chocolate. It was memorable. And messy.
5) Finally, what is the matter with Mary Jane?
Her hairbow is too tight and is giving her a headache. The crinoline under her dress itches. And she hates the lace around her neck. I'm sure that's it. Either that, or she's practicing to be a field goal kicker. (Truthfully, I think she found out she's a synonym for an illegal substance and is demanding a name change.)
Bonus: Share a favorite recipe that includes pudding!
MONKEY BREAD
24 frozen bake-and-serve dinner rolls
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 box butterscotch instant pudding mix
1/2 cup butter, cut into small pieces
Let rolls sit on counter one hour until thawed. Cut in half. Roll in mixture of brown sugar and cinnamon. Place in well-greased bundt cake pan. Sprinkle pudding mix over top. Distribute butter pieces on top of the pudding mix.
Let rise for 2 hours in a protected, warm space. (OPTION - Let rise overnight in your refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.)
Bake at 350°F for 30 to 40 minutes. Cover with foil the last 15 minutes of baking.
Immediately after removing from the oven, carefully release edges and center tube with a knife. Invert onto a serving plate.
(I have NO idea why it is called "monkey bread" since there's no bananas in it... but it's still good.) :)
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