Certain uncertainty...

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Appetizer How much money do you plan to spend this upcoming holiday season? Our budget is really tight this year, but was always pay cash for Christmas. See, Mom, I did learn something! Soup What was the last television show you watched, and was it good? I watched The Unit online yesterday evening. Yes, it was very good. Salad If you had to paint the walls of your living room tomorrow, what color would you choose? I would go with a nice sage. I have a thing from green these days. Alas, we are stuck with Dover White. Main Course Name something clever or practical you have thought of that should be invented, but hasn’t yet. I had an idea for something the other day, but it has totally left me. Dessert List 3 things you would like to receive as gifts this upcoming holiday season. 1) The King Arthur Flour Whole Grains Baking cookbook. I checked it out from the library and am completely enamored of it. I looked for some of the recipes online, but no such luck. 2) Visits from family....

1) They all hurt, as I spent today organizing the company storage unit. It would be safe to say that I will sleep well tonight. 2) Oh yeah, Hot Shots Part Deux is on tonight. I "heart" stupid movies. 3) I think it is super cool how people come back into our lives. 4) I love my husband. He is my number one earthly priority. 5) My new backpack came today. It is so orange. This is the second bag I have ordered from Kolobags, and I am still very pleased. 6) I am excited about my Gram coming for Thanksgiving.

I apologize for causing undue stress (Charm City Kelly) with my earlier post. I cannot go into too many details as yet, but I will elaborate. For some time now, I have felt a certain disquiet. Never sure what it was, and VERY NERVOUS about asking God for clarification, I just simmered. I really do not like change, and I know that this disquiet is usually the precursor to change. Recently, a chance conversation with a friend brought some possibilities to light. I feel a little better prepared for whatever God has in store for me, which is a big deal for a girl who really likes to dig in her heels. See, even when I am too chicken to ask, He is ready to answer.

Today I had a prayer answered. A prayer that I hadn't yet gotten together the guts to pray. A prayer that I was still to fearful to pray. Wow. My God is so awesome. (And yes, Dad, I do really mean awesome. He fills me with awe) Film at eleven.

When I was in Jr high, a local high school teacher was fired to demonstrating the correct way to put on a condom. (A banana was used in the demonstration) Now I hear that Kings Middle School in Portland, Maine will be offering full range contraceptive services to girls as young as 11. Wow.

I maintain that October is Las Vegas makes up for the nasty summers. This week was our annual "turning off of the central air" ceremony. Windows are open (with security bars in place, Dad) and fans are running. I love autumn. I love waking up to a cold nose and snuggling into Jon (I am married to a furnace); I love the smell of woodsmoke in the air as the fireplaces get going; I love the distinct aroma of rotting leaves. I am an autumn kind of girl. Sweaters and soup and the end of daylight savings time. At the end of summer's oppressive heat is the cooling. Seasons are, quite possibly, my favorite part of God's creation. Right now, Jon's and my life is in a summer; it's hot, sticky, and uncomfortable. There are brief moments of artificial cooling, but we always have to get back into the heat. Fall is my reminder that summer is not endless; at the end comes the cool. God will send a cooling season for our summer, just as he sends the cooling season f...

And so on and so forth. Thanks to a lot of prayers and pray-ers(you know who you are) and a little old fashioned pounding of the pavement, things are looking up. I started a new job at the beginning of August. The office culture is good, the location could not be beat (just over two miles- walking distance when I am not too lazy), and the work is getting more interesting. The drawbacks are mostly lack of flexibility (I really miss being able to shuffle my hours around to tackle church projects and have the occasional lunch with a girlfriend) and a much higher stress level than I am used to. Jon starts a part-time gig as a production assistant for a show at a major resort. I dunno if it would be proper to divulge too many specifics, but the resort only has three letter to its name, and is a block off The Strip. Full time would be ideal, but this is good to keep things afloat until he is recalled (We are praying for the first part of October on that one.). The head game? That's ...

There is pretty much nothing good about unemployment. I wanted to get that out of the way. It has, however, afforded me some reading and watching time that would otherwise not exist. This week's offering were pretty diverse: The Simpson's Movie I'll have to give this one a C-. If you love the TV show (which my husband does), you will love the movie (which he and millions of other Americans obviously did). There is pretty much nothing more to be said. I laughed a bit, but I really don't dig the humor so much. Beside, I was distracted by the inordinate number of CHILDREN IN THE THEATRE!!!! Big Love (Season 1, pilot and episode 2) I really want to like this show, truly. I have read nothing but good about it, and I want to be the type of person who "gets it" (how vain is that?). Confession: I don't "get it." Seems to me that the entire show is an excuse to show Bill Paxton having sex with three different women. I have the rest of t...

You know who you are. You are the parents who though it would be a fun family outing to the cinema. But why choose such a kiddie flick as Ratatouille or Surf's Up! when The Simpsons Movie looks much more interesting? Sure, why not! Here's the thing: movies have ratings for a reason. PG-13 is most likey NOT APPROPIRATE for your 5-7 year old bairn. Not only that, but your children do not contribute to my enjoyment of the movie with their constant squawking and squirming. Thank you for your future consideration. Sincerely, The Lady in the Front Row. (In my defense, this movie outing was by way of a gift to my Jonathan. No way would I go see The Simpsons Movie on my own volition.

My Gram turned 85 last Friday. She keeps a schedule that is just madness- sheer madness! Between her hospice volunteer work, Emmaus community events and groups, and running errands for various homebound friends, Gram does more at 85 than most people half her age. Last year, she came up to Vegas for Thanksgiving (she lives in Yuma, AZ). The evening before she headed home, we all went out to hear Jon's band play. The above pic is the result of a little fun we had when she dozed off. (It was after midnight) Please know that none of the empties are hers (neither bottles nor glasses)...

So much is rattling around in my brain these days that I need to purge... -Togetherness is beautiful, and I not only love my husband, I also enjoy his company and like him. Having said that, I look forward to his return to full-time employment soon. Jon was laid off right before vacation (that is, the day we left) and I was laid off right after. Some more income sooner than later would be appreciated. -My being laid off is really just a kick in the pants from God. I had been very unhappy there for months, but really liking the money. Now I will be back in school full time and working part time. -The above hinges on Jon's working situation. He has an extremely good opportunity coming up, but we are playing the waiting game right now. We covet your prayers. -The waiting game is taking its toll on my mental health. IRL friends know that I have battled severe depression in the past. I am fighting its hold over me. I refuse to be ruled by irrational thinking!!!...

My darling sister and I have begun "The Great 30-pounder"- a race to see who can lose thirty pounds first. Jon is going to lose with us, but he is not allowed to compete. This is just between us girls. Not sure what is at stake. Any prize ideas??

I am back in the saddle this week. Beginning with a Feast, and another few posts browning in the oven... Appetizer What is your favorite fruit? I love love love fruit. I would rather have fruit that chocolate! Blueberries are a long time favorite. Mom tells a story about going to a pick-your-own blueberry farm with me when I was around 18 months old. She parked at the end of a row and put me in the back of the car with the tailgate open, giving me some toys to pass the time. When she went back to check on me, I was out of the car, sitting beneath a bush, and shoving ripe blueberries into my mouth as fast as I could pick them. Soup Who is someone you consider as a great role model? Just one? I'd have to go with my dad. He has overcome such adversity in his life, and never cried, "Poor me." Dad just takes what's handed to him and keeps plugging away. Salad If you were to spend one night anywhere within an hour of your home, where would you choose? Wow, I ha...

"Destroying human life, in the hopes of saving human life, is not ethical" Guess who?

Four days until a hug from Mandy, a Caleb laugh, that chicken smell. A morning with Dad (since he and I will be up way before anyone else), an afternoon jaunt, a late night cribbage game with Mom. Family vacation is upon us, and that means some surf fishing with Uncle Jim, pool time with Tara and the boys, and hanging with my baby brother . I have a few predictions for the week: 1) My nephews will be completely taken with my Uncle Jim, as he is simply the coolest uncle ever. (Sorry Jon, but it is true. You are second coolest, if that helps) 2) I will forget sunscreen on my feet and ears at least once and end up looking like some strange Vulcan-Hobbit cross. 3) It will take four hours before Mandy and I are rolling our eyes at one another. (Sisters are fun for that, right?) 4) After 24 hours, Jon and Matt will be itching to get away from so many women folk. Uncle Jim will already be on the beach with his fishing poles. 5) At least one Wolske (legal or biological) will end up with a...

A little over twenty years ago, I wrote an essay for a Father's Day contest. Our task was to finish the sentence "My dad is the greatest because..." My parents still have that essay -my careful fourth grade cursive on its Cabbage Patch Kids stationery. My guess is that it is in the stack of framed photos that need to be hung somewhere sometime (Does every home have a stack like that or is this a problem unique to Hutsons?) I do not remember all the particulars, but I know that some mention was made of pancakes for breakfast. I recall that, when the essay was read to the congregation, there were a few chuckles-- I imagine that I would chuckle myself to read it now. A lot has changed in those twenty years. Dad is no longer the "man in my life;" I cannot remember the last time I ate his pancakes for breakfast; it's been months since I even had breakfast with him! One thing has not changed- my dad is the greatest. He is the greatest provider I could have h...

Appetizer What do you consider to be the ultimate snack food? I cannot narrow it down to one, so I have to go with one sweet and one savory. Sweet- grapes; I love how they start out ho-hum and then literally burst in my mouth. Savory- I am a hummus junkie; garlicky, lemony, garbanzo bean-y hummus. Soup On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), about how popular is your last name? I would go pretty low for both my maiden name and my married name. Perhaps 1.5 for my married name and 2 for my maiden name? Salad Who is your all-time favorite sitcom character, and why? Gosh, I am drawing blanks this week. Right now I will go with Karen from Will and Grace . That annoying voice and the constant stream of alcohol and prescription narcotics always proved an interesting mix. A somewhat less vulgar Patsy Stone , if you will. Main Course Do you shop online? If so, name some sites you like to browse for goodies. Does a wild bear live in the woods? Yes, I shop online. Amazon , Lands...

Pretty nerdy. I just picked out a couple books for vacation; Genome: An Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters (a gripping page-turner, no doubt), and it's thrilling sequel The Agile Gene: How Nature Turns on Nurture . Jon and I caught a rerun of Nova Monday night which has had me reading all I can find about epigenetics . I have exhausted free resources which are not completely over my head and had to break down an find a book. I suppose I could have gone to the library, but I can shop Amazon in comfort... I am especially interested in what Matt Ridley has to say about Richard Dawkins and his "Selfish Gene" assertions. Maybe I should go back a read that first, but I really don't want to. Instead, I shall find myself a good summary. That's the ticket. I may be a nerd, but I am a lazy nerd. If anyone is interested in purchasing some Science Homework Offsets to fund my book habit, please let me know.

Appetizer Name something you think is “the best.” Fisher's Popcorn is the best snack food. Ever. Soup On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 highest), how stressed are you today? Today was a 9.8 all the way. Fortunately, I have a super-understanding husband who lets me vent and gives me time to get over myself. Yay Jon! Salad What kind of cleanser do you use to wash your face? Until one week ago, when my eyelids swelled up, it was ProActiv . Now I am using Neutrogena . Anyone want some Proactiv? I have two unopened cleansers, and one each of the toner and repairing lotion. Ugh... Main Course Tonight is a blue moon ! What is something that you believe only happens “once in a blue moon.” Once in a blue moon I can get one over on my husband. Maybe. He's pretty quick-witted. Dessert When was the last time it rained where you live? I don't remember, but it has been a couple months. This is the Mojave, after all. We are actually coming up on our "monsoon season" in ...

Karen . Really, Karen and her family have been such a blessing to (Jon and) me. Teaching is one thing, music is a nice bonus, but what turns a church into a church home is community. Karen "does community" in everything. She calls out of the blue to see how my week is going. She brings smoothies and coffee at just the right moment (when I am liketwosecondsaway from pulling out my hair). She also knows pretty much what I am going to say before I say it (a little scary for those of you who know me IRL). And you know what else? Karen knows when to not even ask. She just knows. My plate is full this week and hers is even more full, believe me. Yet she knows that the healthy thing for me is to not add something else. Knowing full well I would say, "sure, I'll do it", she just doesn't ask. I love that she has my back where I am lacking good sense.

1) For the first time in my memory, our gas prices are actually BELOW the national average. I filled up for $3.159, which while far from ideal, is much better than much of the country. I still cannot understand the perpetual desire to see conspiracies in all of this. ExxonMobil posted record profits because- say it with me now- they are THE LARGEST COMPANY IN THE WORLD . If they didn't have larger profits, I would be worried. Wouldn't you? 2) We have twenty-six days until vacation in OBX. I am really looking forward to spending good beach time with my mum, BIL, SIL, sis, and whomever else makes their way down to Corolla. Mum has let a house for a week and I am cooking for the crew. Some sun, some cards, some beer- good times. 3) Jon and I took in a movie this afternoon- Hot Fuzz , a cute British spoof of American action flix. Laughed. A lot. I love Bill Nighy any way I can find him. He was hilarious in Love, Actually and freaking brilliant in Notes on a Scandal . 4)...

Our sneaky-sneaky Congress and equally sneaky-sneaky president have slipped a minimum wage increase in with the rest of the pork-laden War Funding Bill. Jimmy Dean, anyone??

Appetizer Name a sound you like to hear. My Jonathan playing his guitar and singing from the front room. I love to go to sleep to that sound. Soup What is your favorite kind of cheese? Hard to choose. These days I am all about lovely tangy goat cheese. Salad Do you sleep late on Saturday mornings? Why or why not? Nope. I try to lead a well-ordered life. I can get so much done in the morning. I am usually up at 5:30 or 6:00 at the latest. I like to have all the grocery shopping done by 9:30. Main Course When was the last time you forgot something? What was it, and how long did it take to remember it? I totally forgot my wallet this morning and didn't discover it until I wanted to get a sandwich for Jon's lunch. Oops! Dessert Fill in the blank: I notice ____________ when _____________. I notice scents when I have a headache. I think my sense of smell must be just this side of mutant, I tell you! You too can dine here .

Overheard this evening: Person A: Well if being a Christian means that I can't play poker for money, I am not sure I want into that. Person B: My being a Christian has nothing to do with it, my being the keeper of the money in my household does. Dude. money doesn't come easily, so why would I waste it that way? Person A: That's retarded. Person B: Why would I take advice on how to live my life from an unemployed eighteen year-old who lives with his mother? Everyone else: Good point! Ouch!

Tonight you will dine off the Red Plate . Dad is making your favorite birthday dinner (and I am trying to remember a time when you didn't ask for spinach fettuccine for your day). Twenty-seven, kiddo. Wow. Sometimes I think that it is a complete testimony to God's Grace that we made it this far without killing each other. Not only that, but we have managed to be friends. Chalk and cheese, that's us. You were all about She-Ra , where I was more into playing house. Remember how Rick used to drive us crazy when we went camping? He would follow us around singing whatever popped into his head? Sheesh! Pop him one for me tonight, will you? This evening, as you celebrate another year on this rock, know that I am thinking about you. Know that, no matter what, you are stuck with me as your older sister. Know that I love you tons and bunches. And know that, while Mom might love you best, I will always be the princess. ;) Much much love, little sis. Kelly Anne

"Until you settle the issue of your own worth, it's impossible to bring holiness into anyone else's life. Until you understand that your worth is already determined by the fact of your birth, everything else is an exercise in propping up a dying tree." ~ Carol Brazo ~ "No Ordinary Home" Worth is something other than value. I am valued by my husband as a wife, by my church as a servant, by my boss as an employee. My value is determined by those around me. I would venture to say that I am more valuable to my husband as a wife than I am to API as an employee. Value is determined by those around me. But what am I worth ? MY worth exists independently of what I do. Worth is about who I am. More importantly, worth is about who I am becoming through Christ. Because, truly? I am worthless; I am the product of a fallen creation, a dirty sinner who is helpless; I am the opposite of worthy. The issue of my own worth is this: I am un worthy. ...

Breakfast: 1 serving Organic High Fiber cereal ($0.25) 1 banana ($0.19) 1 cup ff milk ($0.17) Total for breakfast: $0.61 Lunch: 2 slices protein bread ($0.21) 1 scrambled egg (.09) 2 apples (0.40) Total for lunch: $0.70 Snack: 1 peach (.18) 1 cup milk (0.17) 1 apple (.20) Total snacks: $0.55 Dinner: Baked potato (.30) Broccoli (.22) 1 slice 2% cheese (.16) 1 cup salad greens (.17) 1 T salad dressing (.05) Total for dinner: $.9o Day one total: $2.76 Some first day thoughts: I usually have this hot cereal with blueberries, but the banana was much more economical. I must say, too, that I liked it better. It tasted like warm banana bread. It filled me up well, too. (I had budgeted for a peach with breakfast, but decided to save it for later) I know now that I could have added some nuts for protein. Maybe tomorrow. I am doing this on my own and not expecting Jon to keep to this budget. In some ways this is easier, as I eat hot cereal for breakfast anyway. In other ways it is more di...

The number twenty-one evokes a certain images. For many teenagers, 21 shines as that magic number- legal beer! In Las Vegas, it may conjure up Blackjack. For 26 million Americans, twenty-one dollars is their weekly food stamp allotment. Could I do it? Could I eat for and average of $1 per meal? I am sure going to try it out. Read about the Congressional Food Stamp Challenge here Incidentally, I have lots and lots to say about this, but I am going to exercise some restraint until I complete the task.

Last week, our pastor spoke about marginalizing Christ in our salvation. Specifically, he warned us against relegating Christ to the role of helper (the Cross plus works equals salvation). We cannot DO anything to warrant salvation or righteousness. All our righteousness comes from Him; He is Lord of our lives. On the heels of that sermon, comes this article about St Philips church in Tucson. It is difficult to surrender control (for me, it is an almost daily struggle) and take the backseat- I completely understand this fact. But you know what? If we are to follow Him, we have to (Dad, skip this part) suck it up and set our egos aside. Guess what? God is in charge! Guess what else? He will not conform to our little ideas! Guess what else? He is big enough to overcome whatever barriers we may put up! There are no excuses, folks. We may not like what He says, and we sure are not going to see perfection in this world, but He hasn't given up on me and I am not going to g...

It is that time again. I am very thankful that this work week is drawing to a close-- next week will hopefully have a slightly less frenetic pace. Appetizer How fast can you type? Not very fast, I am afraid. The last time I was tested, it was 55 wpm. I confess that I am a self-taught typist, as the typing classes in school always conflicted with art or music classes. Soup What is your favorite online game? Zuma! I am a recovering Chicken Invaders addict as well. Salad On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 as highest), how intelligent do you think you are? I am not comfortable with this question, and I shall refrain from answering. Main Course Name three of your best teachers from your school years. 1) Dr Singh was my high school Latin and Greek teacher. She the all-time best teacher I have ever had, and probably ever wil have. No nonsense, no excuses, no class too small. Doc gave up her morning planning to teach us Greek, and she gave up her lunch hour to teach four of us AP Latin; ...

We in the US who are Christians have a tendency to moan and cry about not being allowed to do x,y, or z. In case any of us needs a reminder of just how good we have it, take a little jaunt over here. Story upon story here. Lastly, here is something to do about it .

I have sunk to the level of planning my week around Dancing With the Stars. Tonight, however, is a new low. I voted.

Appetizer What is your favorite kind of bread? Um, I am a bread fanatic. Lately, I have been trying to perfect a beautiful milk bread recipe. My next loaves will be semolina bread, though. Growing up, my favorite was Mom's onion bread. Soup When was the last time you bought a new pillow? About six or eight months ago. Before that, I am too embarrassed to admit. Salad Approximately how many hours per week do you spend surfing the ‘net? Twenty hours? Could be more, but that would depend on what I am doing at work. I think I need to channel some of that surfing time into sewing time. Main Course What’s the highest you remember your temperature being? I really cannot say for sure, but I do remember 102.5 once. A very sick girl, was I. Dessert Fill in the blanks: When I ____________, I _____________. When I laugh, I sometimes snort. Come dine with us here .

Who? Heather. What? A love offering to help cover some pretty huge medical expenses. Where? At Boomama's place. Why? Well, to quote Boomama, to "Bless Heather's socks off!" When? Now! How? Just click the "Make a Donation" button and go. And if you want to have your socks blessed right off, r ead Heather's story.

Appetizer When you were a child, which crayon color was your favorite? Cornflower was always the smallest crayon in my box. I used it pretty much to the exclusion of all other blues. Soup On a scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being highest), how likely would you be to change jobs if it required you to move? I would have to put this on the very low end of the scale, perhaps 2, because there is more to be considered than my employment. Jon's career path somewhat limits us geographically (not too many openings for sound engineers in Small Town Anywhere, USA) Salad Take all the numbers in your birthday and your phone number and add them up, one by one. What’s the total? 79 with area code. Main Course Have you ever “re-gifted” anything? If so, what was it and who did you pass it on to? I don't think I have. I cannot remember, and even if I could, I don't think I would choose my blog as confession point. Too great a risk of hurt feelings. Dessert Name something you need from th...

Don Imus showed his butt on the radio. This is nothing new, believe me. He and his cronies have job which are the dream of adolescent boys everywhere-- get paid to sit around an insult each other and anyone else who comes to mind. It's the nature of the show. His obnoxious remarks (and those of his producer) have, quite understandably, cost him his job. Ok? I think it is probably a wise response on the part of CBS, given that sponsors were dropping like flies. All this makes perfect sense to me, really. And then comes the latest. Oprah. Ms. Winfrey invited the Rutgers team in question to her couches, and this is the quote I hear from Coach Stringer: "Not only did he steal our dreams, he hurt our character of Rutgers University, our state, and all who have been associated." Wow. Someone has just give Don Imus, stupid (albeit successful) radio host a WHOLE LOTTA POWER. Can we please get some perspective here, ladies? I am sad that these women put so much stock in ...

Jon's civic accomplishments since Friday: Civil unrest and riots in City Life Body count in Sims : 1 mother (within first day of play) 1 drummer (again within first day of play) Both Sims deaths were kitchen fires. On a lighter note, I was able to witness the demise of the drummer, and Sims do a rather funny burning to death dance. Stop, drop, and roll was apparently not an option. I think that I will be doing the grilling from here on out...

I am Judas, betraying His trust for a pittance. How often have I shelved Him for the fleeting empty material pleasures of this world? I have no defense-- he was at least fulfilling prophesy. I have no excuse. I am Peter, quick out of the gate and quick to deny Him. I have gone out half-cocked and ill-prepared; I have forgotten whose I am when the chips were down. There may not be a rooster, but my failure is obvious, nevertheless. I am James and John, falling asleep on the job. How often have I missed Him, simply because I was too caught up in myself to watch? I am Caiaphas, demanding God prove Himself to me, when I have no right to ask such. I am Pilate, taking the easy way out. I am the mob, losing sight of Him and allowing myself to be caught in the frenzy. I am all these people, and yet He has freed me. I am worthless, yet made worthy; I am broken, yet made whole. O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. O Lamb of God, that takest away the si...

I see the envious looks. You are wondering what hold I must have over this man. I see it in all your faces as we traipse through the store . I hear the quick intakes of breath all around as this man not only doesn't complain, but even actively participates in the decision process. You are wondering if there are more like him somewhere (sorry ladies, I got the last one); you simply cannot understand how it is that I got so lucky. *sigh* Of course you are all waiting until we get to the register. That's when (you hope) the illusion will be shattered. Then total comes up, and the tension is thick enough to cut with a knife. Will he cry "Uncle!" or groan? Not an eyelash is batted as the transaction is complete. I know, I know, it isn't fair. There is no way that I deserve a man who shops with me like this; I have done nothing to merit such favor. Eat your hearts out, though. Because I intend to keep this one. By the by, it isn't luck. It is the sheer...

Appetizer When you travel, which mode of transportation do you prefer? I actually am happy in the car(front seat). We tend to fly a lot, though, as time is usually a factor. Soup Have you ever met a blogging friend in person? Nope, cannot say that I have. I have met in-person friends on blogs, though. Salad When was the last time you were really, really tired? This week I am emotionally and mentally tired, but physically? That would probably be the last Habitat house I worked on. Sometime last year. Main Course If you could have dinner with any one fictional character from a book or movie, who would it be? This one really tripped me up, because I am having difficulty deciding on only one. I think it would have to be Henry Fleming from The Red Badge of Courage . Dessert Fill in the blank: One day, I hope to see _______________. One day, I hope to see Mt Fuji . Come dine with us here .

Play nice. Or is it play nicely? Anyway.

Galations 5 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (NIV) From comment thread in a previous post: I read something a little while ago that challenged believers on what they really believe. it kind of played into what Kelly has blogged about a while back (just turning EVERYTHING over to God) -- if you really believed with 100% of your heart, you would sell everything you have, give everything you make from this point going forward to the God that you believe in, and through faith he would provide and you would want for nothing more in this world because you would know that your eternal comfort awaits in heaven. I know a good many godly people -- good, decent people that I love a great deal -- and not one of them has done that. Not one of them is even close. They do all the same things the rest of humanity does; accumulate material stuff, houses and cars, and work ...

"At the heart of the story stands the cross of Christ where evil did its worst and met its match." ~ John Wenham ~ Holy Week has always drawn my heart. Even as a child, I was fascinated- first by the contrasts. I can remember asking my mother how people could change their minds so quickly. Palm Sunday's lauding crowds so quickly became an angry mob. How could this happen? How could these people not see? Mom's answer was that the road into Jerusalem simply had to lead to the Cross . It couldn't happen any other way, or we would have no hope. I didn't fully comprehend for years- heck, I don't know that I do even now. Everything points to the Cross, and that colors everything I read in Scripture. I have a Messianic friend who insists that to understand the New Testament, I must read with a Jewish sensibility. I must respectfully disagree with this assertion-- while reading...

Jon and I have been married just over four years. I wouldn't have thought I could grow too much, but thinking about Christine's questions helped me realize that I don't really know that girl anymore. I was not exactly a kid when we married, but I was far from prepared to share my life and all that entails. I can remember our pre-marital counselor telling us that we "just made the cut" for age and success rates or something like that. At the time, I was probably rolling my eyes (on the inside)- I was twenty-seven years old, after all! My mother married at twenty, and my younger brother was making snarky comments about Jon maybe being my only chance. As far as I was concerned, I was getting long in the tooth. Yeah, the age thing-- not really convinced that helps much. We were statistically old enough, but no more "ready" than anyone else. The funniest part is that, no matter what my expectations were, they were way off base. Whatever I thought abou...

Appetizer What are you proud of? Wow, this is a tough one for an appetizer. I am proud to be a small, tiny part of the work we are doing at Gracepoint Church. Does that count? Thing is, it really isn't "us" so much as it is Christ in us... Soup What is the best thing you’ve ever won as a prize? I am not a person who wins things, as a general rule. When I was in school and there were specific competitions, I had a better track record. I remember participating in the Duke TIP in jr high. Since we couldn't afford for me to go to their summer camp, they sent me some pretty cool books. Oh, man, my nerd alarm is going off right now... Salad Name something you do that is a waste of time. I am often found on the time suck that is YouTube . Oh yeah, and I will play Chicken Invaders until my wrist is throbbing. Main Course In what year of your life did you change the most? 2003. Married in December of 02 and moved 2800 miles away ten months later. Dessert Where is...

1) If you had something which changed your life, would you want to share that something with those whom you love? 2) If you had knowledge which would change the world, what would you do with that knowledge? 3) Have you ever witnessed a miracle? 4) What is your mission field? 5) What is the most important lesson you are teaching/ will teach your children? 6) What was the most important lesson your parents taught you? Seriously, I am curious. And that means you, you lurker-person.

Brought to you by Slate and The Explainer . When experiencing nausea due to post-nasal drip, it is a bad idea to read about the taste of human flesh. This might be what it takes for me to make that final step into vegetarianism. Ick.

I love numbers. I love how numbers can tell a story; I love how numbers sing a song, I love that numbers can paint a picture. But the stories told, songs sung, and pictures painted vary. Numbers can be, and very often are, manipulated. After reading this , this , and our power bill for March, I decided to do a little digging. Nevada Power has a "green power" program which we can choose to support (min $5 each month, but we can give more). This doesn't say how much guilt is allayed on the dollar , but I can pretty much bet it ain't much. See, this is where the money goes . Wow--three whole houses! (Mom, I know you can hear my eyes rolling, but please understand that it is totally justified.) Thankyouverymuch, I will save my ten dollars each month and use that money to buy something useful, like a programmable thermostat or water heater blanket. On to our numbers: Last year's average daily usage peaked in July and August at 57 KWH and 50 KWH respectively...

Woohoo! Big sale on McCall's patterns at Joann's this weekend. Everything was $1.99. Here is the take: Yay! Fair warning: some of you related-type people may be seeing some of these again.

Brought to you buy CBS, NCAA, and whoever made our too-comfy-for-lying-down couch. It is a bad idea for one to fall asleep watching the UNLV game and then wake up at two-thirty when one's darling husband comes come. It is a worse idea to take a shower at two-thirty and trick your body in to thinking it is up for all day. I wonder if it would be worse yet to go have a glass of wine and maybe get another couple hours of sleep? Sheesh.

Appetizer Who is your favorite news anchor/reporter? Why? Well, he is no longer an anchor, but I admit to having a teensy weensy cruch on Tony Snow . Does that count? Soup Name 3 foods that are currently in your freezer. Edamame, pineapple juice concentrate, English muffins. Salad If you were to have the opportunity to name a new town or city, what would you call it? Happydale. It sounds like an asylum, but I like it. Main Course What will most likely be the next book you read? That is easy: City of God , as it is next on my reading list. Dessert What's the first thing you notice about the opposite gender? Wow, this question totally touched a pet peeve of mine. Gender is masculine, feminine, or neuter; Sex is male or female. Gender is for words or a set of characteristics; sex is a biological designation for people, plants, or animals. So, what I notice about gender is that I need to make sure my adjectives agree with my nouns. (In Latin class, that is). What I notice about...

Found on the Las Vegas Craigslist under "pets"

Perhaps it is time to get that resume polished and circulated. Now that Mr Bush has given you his support, it is time. If you doubt that, just check with Donald , Harriet , or Michael . They'll tell you-- the death knell has been sounded. Incidentally, the local news this morning reported that you had been given the "thumbs up"-- it was scrolling across the ticker over and over again. I wonder if the irony was deliberate. You see, contrary to popular belief, the "thumbs up" sign was not given to spare the gladiators, but to slay them. Everything is in place for your demise, sir. I guess the bright side is that you could have been a fall guy in the last administration .

My boss came up with this little tidbit today... "Well, actually, Italian cars were very good until the communists came." So, there you have it. Communism is responsible for the poor quality of Italian engineering. Oh, and the death of millions.

Great Value = Peter Pan Authority = Science Diet I think I may start making Tele's food at home...

This is it until next week. I am going to abstain from unnecessary internet this weekend. I have lots of sewing to do and I want to spend some time with Jonathan sans computer. Oh yeah, and we are going to see Spamalot on Saturday-- super yay!! Appetizer Name two things that made you smile this week. Trying to bust my boss for sneaking a cigarette and instead catching him sneaking a peek at someones girlie mag stash. He actually blushed. Walking through Sam's club with Jon-- it's like color commentary for life. Soup Fill in the blank: Don't you hate it when ________? You have just gotten tucked in all comfy to bed with a good book and then realize that the front door is not locked? Salad When you can't go to sleep, what is your personal remedy to help yourself drift into Lullabyland? If it is really bad, I get up and iron. Otherwise, I simply close my eyes and listen to the cricket scores on BBC radio. Main Course What is something about which you've always won...

Katrina is hosting another reading challenge , and I am ready with my list: When I Don't Desire God (John Piper) I have been "meaning to" get to this one for quite some time. Crimes Against Logic (Jamie Whyte) Sitting on my bookshelf for way too long Nineteen Minutes (Jodi Picoult) Because I need one more thing to make me cry. City of God (Augustine of Hippo) Ashamed to say how long this one has sat on my shelf. (Through four moves) The Twelve Caesars (Suetonius) Two of my favorites: history and classics. What could be better. The Aeneid (Virgil) In English this time. Der Steppenwolf (Herman Hesse) I missed this one in school. We read Siddhartha instead. As I Lay Dying (William Faulkner) Love love love him. The House of the Seven Gables (Hawthorne) This is mostly because I never could stand his work when I was younger. I am going to try again, with fifteen years under my belt. Ok, they are now out there for anyone to see.

Neil Simpson has a great analysis of a recent Time Magazine article . This paragraph particularly resonates with me: The author probably doesn’t realize it, but there is something perverse about asking the money question after the women are pregnant. They are assuming what they should be proving, namely that the unborn aren’t humans worthy or protection. If they want to use costs as a reason for birth control, that is one set of arguments. But once the human being exists we shouldn’t be debating whether or not to kill her to save money. After all, if we are just after cost savings, why not kill poor people outside the womb? Amen. What makes us fell the need to place an economic value on a life? Anyway, Neil says what I would like to have the eloquence to say. Go. Read.

Dr. Singh, my high school Latin teacher, allowed three parties each year: Pre-District Forum, Pre-State Forum, and an Ides of March Party. Ides of March was the only "real" party, I suppose. The parties before District and State Forums were also meetings and last minute polishing of orations. Of course, all of these parties were decidedly uncool. It was "Latin Club," after all. The thing is, I much prefer the uncool parties to the cool parties I attended. Perhaps my criteria as to what makes a party "cool" are different than the average person, but I would much rather party with people who can converse without resorting to single syllable words. I like sentences with more than four words, and I deplore prepositions at the end of those sentences. So, in honor of the holiday, I would like to share a couple little tidbits of useless knowledge: In March, July, October, and May The Ides fall on the 15th day, The Nones the 7th; And all besides Are two days ...

I love how God keeps trying to get through to me. I love how He speaks to me over and over until I get it through my thick head. I wonder if He smacks his forehead with the heel of his hand and exclaims, "Stooge!" when I FINALLY get it. I would. (What does it say about me that I can totally picture Terry Gilliam animation here?) I can almost picture God making one of those 1950's teaching movies : "Boys and girls, this week's lesson for Kelly is worry. See how she holds on to concerns and refuses to turn them over. Watch here, see the circles under her eyes. If only she would let me take care of things, she would be able to rest.' 'Here she is at work. Listen as her boss tells her how worried he is that there are starving animals. Oh, it sounds like she has made a breakthrough. She just reminded him that I have things under control. Perhaps this will be the end of our film, but I doubt it. Having known Kelly since before she was formed, I can ...

I try to avoid controversy here. It is perhaps spineless of me, but that's life. My primary reason for abstaining is that I grew up with the knowledge that opinions are "like a##h@les-- everybody has one." (Pardon me for being so crude) I have since been emboldened, thanks to this post over at Queen of Swords . Anyway, I heard a blurb on the "news" this morning about a pastor in Amherst who is refusing to marry any couple until the state of Massachusetts allows gay marriage. (I use the quotation marks because this story is far from newsworthy-- pastors have been doing this for at least 5 years) The story irked me enough to break my blogging silence on this thing we call marriage, and I know that some people will be disappointed with my thoughts. To those who are disappointed or surprised, please remember my crude second sentence. I am married. Happily, hard-workingly, wonderfully married. I was married according to the traditions of the UMC, and the laws...

My husband is darned near perfect. He has this one fault: making decisions. This is a typical conversation in the car on the way home: J: How was your day? Me: Not bad, not bad at all. Just pretty hectic. Yours? J: Oh, pretty good. I am tired, though. Me: Me too. And hungry. J: Yeah. Me: What would you like for dinner? J: Oh, I don't know. Whatever sounds good to you. Me: What sounds good to me is to not have to decide. J: (silence for at least a one mile)... I don't know...*heaves a sigh* Me: (crossing my arms) Hmph. Last night, however, I heard about this new book . Folks, I have solved our dinner decision problems. I simply need to made a bracket of dinner choices and let Jon do his thing. The Enlightened Bracketologist just saved my evenings.

My flesh? Sound asleep. Well, my brilliant plan to get to the implosion didn't work out so well. I was able to fall asleep pretty quickly (by 6:30 or so), but I awakened a little before ten. I didn't drift off again until just after midnight, so the alarm at one was not welcome. None of this stopped me from waking Jon and sending him out, though. Aren't I a thoughtful wife? I know. So, he went down to the strip, cameras in hand, to take in the sights. The full set of photos is here .

That is, the first one we will witness in person. It is 6 PM, and we are headed to bed. The alarm is set for 1:00, when we will climb into the car, cameras in hand, and head over to see the Stardust go down in a cloud of dust. Pictures to follow (if the flesh is strong enough)...

I think it is crazy that the Gore family has a monthly utility bill that is more than my annual. I also think that it is their right to pay for as much energy as they require. What I cannot stomach is the idea that he (or anyone) can buy his way into "carbon neutrality". I love that Vice President Gore pays himself to offset his energy usage-- priceless. BTW, I am not a economist , but I think carbon offsets sound like a way to assuage guilt and nothing more. Out here in the mojave, they are encouraging people to put rock in their yards, thus reducing their water usage. This is a great idea for water conservation, however, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to build a brick oven around a house, does it? Transpiration works for us all! I love that IKEA will be encouraging customers to reuse bags. This makes sense to me-- giving the consumer the choice. (At TJ's , they give customers drawing entries for each bag brought in-- either a cloth bag, or even reusin...

Saving time + Saving Money = Happy Bass Player's Wife. Pardon me for being excited about something so silly, but I am tickled to death that I can get milk delivered to my door each week. And by milk, I do mean hormone free, cold filtered, very very fresh milk . This means that I can eliminate at least two trips to TJ's each month, and any time I can save that time and money, I am a happy girl. Now Winder's is just in our area (Las Vegas and Southern Utah), but check out this page to find a milkman in your area (Continental US only, I am afraid). (Diamond Organics delivers nationwide, but they are a little spendy for me.) So, in this week of a kitchen WFMW , I give y'all the milkmen, not dead at all. Head over to Shannon's and see what works for others .

There is apparently an epidemic of phony accents-- I don't know how I missed this, but there were some interesting vocalizations going on during Senator Clinton's speech in Selma this weekend. The text is here. (Harmless enough.) But this is the fun part: I cannot get over this, really. As a southerner, I should be offended. I'm not, though. I am, however, practically wetting my pants listening to this. Over and over again. Drudge has a little bit more on his show. Podcast here. Not h/t Queen of Swords .

Lots of garbage floating around and not really coming out. I am looking forward to a weekend of rest and friends and not cooking dinner because it is officially grill season at the bassplayer's house!! In the meantime, I am participating in this week's feast, mainly because answering questions is all I can handle. Without further ado: Appetizer What does the color pink make you think of? Pink always makes me think of my sister-in-law, because she really doesn't like pink. Anytime I come across some pink little novelty, I smile and think of her. Soup Name something you thought you had lost, but later found. A letter from my father, which was included in my Agape bag my Emmaus weekend . I got up and 5:30 am on a Saturday and searched for it. It is a treasured possession. Salad In 3 words, describe this past week. Get over it. Main Course What are you obsessed with? Confession time, I guess. I am terribly competitive, and it doesn't manifest itself in the healthiest ...

Jon and I braved the Friday night crowds to see Amazing Grace . In fact, Jon ate a movie theater hot dog for dinner (Note to self-- Pick Up Stix is not fast Chinese food like Panda). I encourage any and all of you to see this film. (And we are pretty sure it is real film, a fact which warms the cockles of my Jonathan's heart) I am not going to go into detail about things at this point. I have too much on my heart this evening. Suffice to say, my prayer is to find what it is which wrecks me. Finally, I leave you with this: My memory is nearly gone; but I remember two things; That I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Saviour. John Newton (1725-1807) English minister and hymn writer Amen.