Thursday, August 30, 2007
Consider the Critter
Although it's not unusual for the wealthy to leave millions to their dogs, Leona Helmsley's decision still seems wacky, eh?
Nevertheless, those of us with pets can appreciate the value of a furry friend who never argues, slanders, or likes our stuff better than it likes our selves. What's not to love about that?
Publishers Weekly reports that 71.1 million homes in America have canines and/or felines. (That's 63% of us.) People with dogs number 44.8 million; those with cats, 38.4 million. The cat populace is 88.3 million vs. 74.8 million dogs.
Though cats outnumber dogs, the meowers usually come in stereo, while bow-wowers normally come in mono. And though our country is home to more cats, dog-related books outsell every other category of pet book, PW says. (As if there is this entire genre of pet books? Really? Is there a market for books on how to raise pet iguanas?)
Do you have a pet(s)? Name(s)? Do you consider yourself a cat or a dog person? Or both? Why?
I'm a bi-pet person. We have two cats, Peaches and Jellico. But I'm a dog-lover by birth. Cats are lower maintenance, but I do miss the sloppy greeting at the door.
One of my fave authors, Calvin Miller, once noted that dogs and cats have in common with angels that they generally don't speak audibly. And that silence makes them excellent candidates for ministry (as long as there's not a fire hydrant or newspaper nearby, eh?).
Nevertheless, those of us with pets can appreciate the value of a furry friend who never argues, slanders, or likes our stuff better than it likes our selves. What's not to love about that?
Publishers Weekly reports that 71.1 million homes in America have canines and/or felines. (That's 63% of us.) People with dogs number 44.8 million; those with cats, 38.4 million. The cat populace is 88.3 million vs. 74.8 million dogs.
Though cats outnumber dogs, the meowers usually come in stereo, while bow-wowers normally come in mono. And though our country is home to more cats, dog-related books outsell every other category of pet book, PW says. (As if there is this entire genre of pet books? Really? Is there a market for books on how to raise pet iguanas?)
Do you have a pet(s)? Name(s)? Do you consider yourself a cat or a dog person? Or both? Why?
I'm a bi-pet person. We have two cats, Peaches and Jellico. But I'm a dog-lover by birth. Cats are lower maintenance, but I do miss the sloppy greeting at the door.
One of my fave authors, Calvin Miller, once noted that dogs and cats have in common with angels that they generally don't speak audibly. And that silence makes them excellent candidates for ministry (as long as there's not a fire hydrant or newspaper nearby, eh?).
Monday, August 27, 2007
A Man's Place is at the Factory?
I'm still finding myself in conversations about the decision by a local seminary to add a home-ec major that excludes men. I expected to receive mail from women complaining that they'd been sent back to the kitchen ONLY (the question is not about whether people value work done in the domicile). But none came. Instead, the most emphatic complaints came from men perterbed about being disallowed from classes where they could learn to cook. They also came from women--many of them full-time homemakers--who think it's unfair to kick men out just because they're missing an X chromosome.
Jacob's red stew smelled so good his brother sold him his birthright for a meal. The male deacons in Acts 6 fed the widows. And the ultimate trump card: Jesus cooked fish when he had the restoration conversation with Peter. Trust me, the Bible allows for manly men cooking.
I read a quote in a local Baptist publication from a woman at the School That Shall Not Be Named defending the decision, and she said their reasoning had to do with Paul's exhortation that women are to be "workers at home."
Now, I think it's great to heed Paul. And he did, indeed, say that.
But hang on a sec.
The exhortation is found in Titus 2. And when Paul admonished Titus to encourage older women to teach the younger how to be "workers at home," he was speaking in a culture in which about 85 percent of industry happened in the home. There was no such thing as a factory-worker dad and a stay-at-home mom. Both husband and wife were usually stay-at-home parents; both raised kids, taught kids, and worked to contribute to the economics of the household. The idea of home as a haven to return to at the end of a work day is a post-Industrial Revolution concept. And, I might add, a very middle-class concept.
Paul isn't saying "women, be domestic only." Rather, in the context in which they live out their lives, women should learn from those who have more experience about how to work hard. Think of the upper-class woman in Proverbs 31 who labors at home. Her work includes commerce (buying/selling real estate; selling belts), even though she doesn't "have to" work. And a woman like her is supposed to mentor somebody, Paul says.
I've said this before, but it bears repeating...
Back then, people did ironworks or basketweaving or meat curing or whatever at home. Dorothy L. Sayers more than sixty years ago--even before second-wave feminism--wrote a marvelous piece in which she noted that much of the restlessness of women happened after the more interesting, mind-engaging work was taken from the domicile (international trade, equipment purchase, negotiation, people contact) and put in factories. Couples began to see raising kids as women's work rather than as a partnership ("moms parent; dads babysit"). On those few occasions when dads took the kids, and the children drove 'em crazy, it was reasoned that women had some special inner thing that made it easier for them to deal with the whining and bickering and tedium. As a result, many failed to appreciate what their wives had to give up to stay home with kids all day--even if they wanted to do so.
We often hear that the ideal is for moms to be at home, but that's only half of the story. The ideal is for both mom and dad to be home. Kids need interaction with both parents. But for both husband and wife to work from home usually means a relatively high standard of living. Hey, like I said, it's the ideal. And it also doesn't mean they're down on the floor playing with kids all day, either. Rather, they'd take their children with them as they support the weak, help the suffering, engage in meaningful (and not so meaningful) work, and get the job done.
We sometimes hold up the Ricky-and-Lucy model--or the Ward and June Cleaver model--as the ideal. We teach "if only..." our culture would get back to that ideal of Ricky going to the club while Lucy cleans or Ward going to the office while June vacuums. Truth is, the divorce rate skyrocketed when the men took off for the factories and left their wives at home. It was as high, in fact, as it is now--at a time when it was much more difficult to split. The Industrial Revolution with its separate spheres for men and women devastated the nuclear family.
Some point to Paul's admonition that "if a man does not provide for his own, he is worse than an unbeliever" as a prooftext for man-as-breadwinner. Right out of 1 Timothy. It even has six pronouns in many English translations. It's all about a husband providing. Or is it? Actually, in the Greek it is "someone" and "one's own," not "he/his." The context is talking of widows and caring for them, and the passage is actually more focused on women caring for their mothers and mothers-in-law than it is on men (see 1 Tim 5:16). It's certainly not talking about the man vs. the woman bringing home the pork chops. Paul's saying, Don't burden the church if you don't have to. If you have the means to take care of your parents in their old age, do it. And if you can and don't, you're worse than an unbeliever.
At this point a story comes to mind. Right out of the Gospels. One sister is focused only on home-ec; the other is sitting at the Lord's feet learning theology. Kitchen-girl complains, saying Theology-girl should return to a girl's place and help out. And what does Jesus tell Kitchen-girl? "Mary has chosen what is better."
So should the emphasis for women at a seminary be on teaching theology or teaching cooking? WWJD?
Jacob's red stew smelled so good his brother sold him his birthright for a meal. The male deacons in Acts 6 fed the widows. And the ultimate trump card: Jesus cooked fish when he had the restoration conversation with Peter. Trust me, the Bible allows for manly men cooking.
I read a quote in a local Baptist publication from a woman at the School That Shall Not Be Named defending the decision, and she said their reasoning had to do with Paul's exhortation that women are to be "workers at home."
Now, I think it's great to heed Paul. And he did, indeed, say that.
But hang on a sec.
The exhortation is found in Titus 2. And when Paul admonished Titus to encourage older women to teach the younger how to be "workers at home," he was speaking in a culture in which about 85 percent of industry happened in the home. There was no such thing as a factory-worker dad and a stay-at-home mom. Both husband and wife were usually stay-at-home parents; both raised kids, taught kids, and worked to contribute to the economics of the household. The idea of home as a haven to return to at the end of a work day is a post-Industrial Revolution concept. And, I might add, a very middle-class concept.
Paul isn't saying "women, be domestic only." Rather, in the context in which they live out their lives, women should learn from those who have more experience about how to work hard. Think of the upper-class woman in Proverbs 31 who labors at home. Her work includes commerce (buying/selling real estate; selling belts), even though she doesn't "have to" work. And a woman like her is supposed to mentor somebody, Paul says.
I've said this before, but it bears repeating...
Back then, people did ironworks or basketweaving or meat curing or whatever at home. Dorothy L. Sayers more than sixty years ago--even before second-wave feminism--wrote a marvelous piece in which she noted that much of the restlessness of women happened after the more interesting, mind-engaging work was taken from the domicile (international trade, equipment purchase, negotiation, people contact) and put in factories. Couples began to see raising kids as women's work rather than as a partnership ("moms parent; dads babysit"). On those few occasions when dads took the kids, and the children drove 'em crazy, it was reasoned that women had some special inner thing that made it easier for them to deal with the whining and bickering and tedium. As a result, many failed to appreciate what their wives had to give up to stay home with kids all day--even if they wanted to do so.
We often hear that the ideal is for moms to be at home, but that's only half of the story. The ideal is for both mom and dad to be home. Kids need interaction with both parents. But for both husband and wife to work from home usually means a relatively high standard of living. Hey, like I said, it's the ideal. And it also doesn't mean they're down on the floor playing with kids all day, either. Rather, they'd take their children with them as they support the weak, help the suffering, engage in meaningful (and not so meaningful) work, and get the job done.
We sometimes hold up the Ricky-and-Lucy model--or the Ward and June Cleaver model--as the ideal. We teach "if only..." our culture would get back to that ideal of Ricky going to the club while Lucy cleans or Ward going to the office while June vacuums. Truth is, the divorce rate skyrocketed when the men took off for the factories and left their wives at home. It was as high, in fact, as it is now--at a time when it was much more difficult to split. The Industrial Revolution with its separate spheres for men and women devastated the nuclear family.
Some point to Paul's admonition that "if a man does not provide for his own, he is worse than an unbeliever" as a prooftext for man-as-breadwinner. Right out of 1 Timothy. It even has six pronouns in many English translations. It's all about a husband providing. Or is it? Actually, in the Greek it is "someone" and "one's own," not "he/his." The context is talking of widows and caring for them, and the passage is actually more focused on women caring for their mothers and mothers-in-law than it is on men (see 1 Tim 5:16). It's certainly not talking about the man vs. the woman bringing home the pork chops. Paul's saying, Don't burden the church if you don't have to. If you have the means to take care of your parents in their old age, do it. And if you can and don't, you're worse than an unbeliever.
At this point a story comes to mind. Right out of the Gospels. One sister is focused only on home-ec; the other is sitting at the Lord's feet learning theology. Kitchen-girl complains, saying Theology-girl should return to a girl's place and help out. And what does Jesus tell Kitchen-girl? "Mary has chosen what is better."
So should the emphasis for women at a seminary be on teaching theology or teaching cooking? WWJD?
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Unto the Least of These
Today I finished what I started during jury duty--reading Fighting for Dear Life. It's the account of the Schiavo case from the perspective of the attorney who represented Terri's parents in the fight to keep her feeding tube attached.
The most interesting part to me was actually not information about the case itself (good as that was) but the stories of person after person considered hopeless who later "woke up," sometimes even decades later, and in one case returning to the practice of medicine! In several instances the person who had been in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) had knowledge of events that happened during that PVS--such as 9/11 with its "bad airplanes" and "flying into buildings." We are still in the realm of the mysterious when it comes to understanding the brain, which should give us pause when thinking about hastening death.
At the end of the book, the author talks about the weaknesses of Living Wills (I have one, I might add) and ways to protect ourselves from those who might want to hurry us to death's door. (Did you read about the transplant doc charged with hastening death so his team could get on with an organ harvest?) The author includes some sound legal suggestions for protecting oneself and one's loved ones.
I am not against "pulling the plug" in some situations. But I see a clear difference between prolonging life and prolonging death. And as for the Schiavo case, she was not near death and, in fact, the evidence seems to indicate that Ms. Schiavo was not even in a PVS. But nobody knows for sure because her spouse barred anyone from running tests to find out. That's the part that gives me chills. (Not the good kind.)
I think the information is important for everyone, but especially for those in abusive situations, who live with hyper-controlling spouses, or who know those who are. I encourage you to use the documents provided in this book to set up a small team of three or more folks who must unanimously agree before life support could be disconnected should you be incapacitated.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Coffee Cup Interview
Cami Tang, author of Sushi for One, interviewed me over on her blog about two of my new books. Here's an excerpt:
It's another Coffee Cup Bible study! How did you decide on Colossians and Ruth?
Colossians--because the identity of Jesus is under attack more than ever. Was he God? A man? Both? What does the Bible say? Colossians answers that question. So at a time when people constantly question the identity of the historical Jesus, I wanted to help readers get a good grasp on what the Bible says about the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ.
Ruth--because her story helps readers recognize that in an unjust world God is still in control and calls them to self-sacrifice for others needing justice and mercy. Particularly in America we need this reminder. We may not consider ourselves rich, but the Bible describes the wealthy as having a change of clothing (having something to wear when we wash our clothes) and food for the next meal without having to earn it first. That description is still true if we consider poverty and wealth worldwide. Ruth's story is also a story about migration/immigration, a topic in the headlines. God has a special place in his heart for the resident alien and he has something to say on the issue.
I love how these Bible studies can be done by busy women on the go, whether single career women or overworked moms. How did you come up with this neat concept?
Thanks.
Do you ever feel like you spend much of your life in waiting rooms? Double that time for each child if you're a mom. Dentist appointments, eye appointments, back-to-school check-ups, getting the oil changed... Often as I'd sit reading People, I'd think, "I could do my Bible study right now if only I didn't have to carry a Bible and a commentary and my workbook!" So I wanted to give women something that contained the biblical text being referenced and was small enough to fit in a purse (or diaper bag). And I chose to do weekday studies (active) and weekend devotionals (passive) because my experience teaching women's Bible studies told me women's schedules get disrupted more frequently on the weekend, so it's tougher to carve out that time in the word.
Any other Coffee Cup Bible studies on the horizon?
We're at the "toss around ideas stage." I'm sort of partial to Kona with Jonah. The concept of a guy not wanting to share the gospel with murderous Iraqis who might repent (and thus get spared) seems timely, eh?
You know (or you might not know) that my husband is a coffee geek--er, coffee connoisseur, and by osmosis, I've absorbed info on all kinds of coffee trivia and coffee drinks. If you were a coffee drink, what would you be and why?
That's easy. Mocha. There's nothing in the universe that a little chocolate can't improve.
What is your favorite dessert/snack to have with your coffee?
Three-layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Seeing a theme here?
Any favorite coffee shops you like to frequent, and how many times have they threatened to toss you out for staying too long? (or does that only happen to me?)
Now that I'm a mom, I try to get home in time to kiss our girl goodnight. But I did stay until near-closing at a local Starbucks with two grad-school girlfriends last month. My fave, though, is Main Street Coffee in Mesquite, Texas. I always prefer a privately owned place to a chain. They have stuff like games and books on the shelves, which pretty much screams, "Feel free to hang out."
You're off the hotseat! Any parting words?
Fall's coming. For many of us that means the kids go back to school and the routine recovers a bit. So even if you don't get one of these Bible studies, now's a great time to choose a Bible study. If it's with a group, all the better. It's easier to make soul-time a priority when we've planned ahead.
Camy here: Good reminder! Thanks for being here with me.
Me here: Follow the link to Camy's blog and enter to win copies of these two studies.
P. S. ACFW member Cathy Carlton Willis has won a copy of Informed Consent.
It's another Coffee Cup Bible study! How did you decide on Colossians and Ruth?
Colossians--because the identity of Jesus is under attack more than ever. Was he God? A man? Both? What does the Bible say? Colossians answers that question. So at a time when people constantly question the identity of the historical Jesus, I wanted to help readers get a good grasp on what the Bible says about the deity and humanity of Jesus Christ.
Ruth--because her story helps readers recognize that in an unjust world God is still in control and calls them to self-sacrifice for others needing justice and mercy. Particularly in America we need this reminder. We may not consider ourselves rich, but the Bible describes the wealthy as having a change of clothing (having something to wear when we wash our clothes) and food for the next meal without having to earn it first. That description is still true if we consider poverty and wealth worldwide. Ruth's story is also a story about migration/immigration, a topic in the headlines. God has a special place in his heart for the resident alien and he has something to say on the issue.
I love how these Bible studies can be done by busy women on the go, whether single career women or overworked moms. How did you come up with this neat concept?
Thanks.
Do you ever feel like you spend much of your life in waiting rooms? Double that time for each child if you're a mom. Dentist appointments, eye appointments, back-to-school check-ups, getting the oil changed... Often as I'd sit reading People, I'd think, "I could do my Bible study right now if only I didn't have to carry a Bible and a commentary and my workbook!" So I wanted to give women something that contained the biblical text being referenced and was small enough to fit in a purse (or diaper bag). And I chose to do weekday studies (active) and weekend devotionals (passive) because my experience teaching women's Bible studies told me women's schedules get disrupted more frequently on the weekend, so it's tougher to carve out that time in the word.
Any other Coffee Cup Bible studies on the horizon?
We're at the "toss around ideas stage." I'm sort of partial to Kona with Jonah. The concept of a guy not wanting to share the gospel with murderous Iraqis who might repent (and thus get spared) seems timely, eh?
You know (or you might not know) that my husband is a coffee geek--er, coffee connoisseur, and by osmosis, I've absorbed info on all kinds of coffee trivia and coffee drinks. If you were a coffee drink, what would you be and why?
That's easy. Mocha. There's nothing in the universe that a little chocolate can't improve.
What is your favorite dessert/snack to have with your coffee?
Three-layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. Seeing a theme here?
Any favorite coffee shops you like to frequent, and how many times have they threatened to toss you out for staying too long? (or does that only happen to me?)
Now that I'm a mom, I try to get home in time to kiss our girl goodnight. But I did stay until near-closing at a local Starbucks with two grad-school girlfriends last month. My fave, though, is Main Street Coffee in Mesquite, Texas. I always prefer a privately owned place to a chain. They have stuff like games and books on the shelves, which pretty much screams, "Feel free to hang out."
You're off the hotseat! Any parting words?
Fall's coming. For many of us that means the kids go back to school and the routine recovers a bit. So even if you don't get one of these Bible studies, now's a great time to choose a Bible study. If it's with a group, all the better. It's easier to make soul-time a priority when we've planned ahead.
Camy here: Good reminder! Thanks for being here with me.
Me here: Follow the link to Camy's blog and enter to win copies of these two studies.
P. S. ACFW member Cathy Carlton Willis has won a copy of Informed Consent.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Juried
If you've been showing up here for long, you may recall that I got summoned for jury duty in federal court back in May. (Some offered creative suggestions for how to get out of it--suggestions I did not take, though sorely tempted.) Well, I got summoned again recently, this time for county court. Can they do that again so soon? Yes... Can. Did. Yesterday was my day in court.
So I spent most of it reading. Why? Because most of jury duty is waiting--at least, before the trial gets going, it is. So what did I read? I opted for something law-related: Fighting for Dear Life by David Gibbs, the attorney who represented Terri Schiavo's parents.
What I found most interesting: a timeline relating to Terri's initial trauma:
0500
Michael Schiavo states he finds his wife, who had collapsed on the floor of their apartment. This is the time used on all depositions, trials, and media reports.
0538-0540
Michael calls Terri's dad, Bob Schiavo, and tells him she has collapsed. Bob tells him to hang up and call 911.
0540
A St. Petersburg police report incidates the time of the 911 call.
Does anything strike you as strange about the times here?
The autopsy ruled out the possibility of an eating disorder or heart attack--which had been cited as the causes of Terri's coma, by the way.
Back to my day...I got sent to a courtroom in Mesquite at 1:30. And after 15 minutes there, it became apparent that the plaintiff was a no-show. So they sent twelve giddy jurors home, knowing our time would count as our "duty." Maybe now I can go more than three months before getting summoned again? But it did give me a chance to reconsider my opinions on the whole Schiavo case...
Currently if a spouse of a disabled person has entered into another committed relationship, that spouse is permitted to continue as guardian. So we might need to relook at the whole conflict-of-interest thing, eh? Just in case said guardian has reason to want to prevent his or her spouse from any chance of being rehabilitated. I'm not accusing anybody, I'm just sayin'...
So I spent most of it reading. Why? Because most of jury duty is waiting--at least, before the trial gets going, it is. So what did I read? I opted for something law-related: Fighting for Dear Life by David Gibbs, the attorney who represented Terri Schiavo's parents.
What I found most interesting: a timeline relating to Terri's initial trauma:
0500
Michael Schiavo states he finds his wife, who had collapsed on the floor of their apartment. This is the time used on all depositions, trials, and media reports.
0538-0540
Michael calls Terri's dad, Bob Schiavo, and tells him she has collapsed. Bob tells him to hang up and call 911.
0540
A St. Petersburg police report incidates the time of the 911 call.
Does anything strike you as strange about the times here?
The autopsy ruled out the possibility of an eating disorder or heart attack--which had been cited as the causes of Terri's coma, by the way.
Back to my day...I got sent to a courtroom in Mesquite at 1:30. And after 15 minutes there, it became apparent that the plaintiff was a no-show. So they sent twelve giddy jurors home, knowing our time would count as our "duty." Maybe now I can go more than three months before getting summoned again? But it did give me a chance to reconsider my opinions on the whole Schiavo case...
Currently if a spouse of a disabled person has entered into another committed relationship, that spouse is permitted to continue as guardian. So we might need to relook at the whole conflict-of-interest thing, eh? Just in case said guardian has reason to want to prevent his or her spouse from any chance of being rehabilitated. I'm not accusing anybody, I'm just sayin'...
Friday, August 17, 2007
Seminary to Offer Homemaking Emphasis
Did you see this news story last Friday?
With the start of school this fall Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Ft. Worth, Texas--and one of the nation's largest--will offer coursework in how to cook and sew.
"SWBTS is introducing a new academic program in homemaking as part of an effort to establish what its president calls biblical family and gender roles. It will offer a bachelor of arts in humanities degree with a 23-hour concentration in homemaking. The program is only open to women."
Several men and women have sent me the link. Here's what one wrote about a conversation over lunch with a friend:
"I will spare you all the bold type and capital letters, but suffice it to say that this got my goat... Then we got around to this article, and I found myself (almost uncontrollably ) clambering atop a huge soapbox. When my hands grasped [the friend's] forearm, I thought perhaps we might better move to dessert and let my blood pressure drop a few points."
What do you think? Agree? Disagree? C'mon, tell me what you think.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
FREE Video Screening Thursday
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that the 90-second video our girl co-produced will be on display at the Dallas Museum of Art this Friday night. Now I have better news: The Museum is holding a FREE screening for family and friends on Thursday night from 6:30 to 8:30 (garage parking is $5 to non-members). The event Friday night is still on--from 7-9 p.m. Cost then is ten bucks/adult, but kids under twelve get in free. Take your pick. Either is a great time to spend a real Night at the Museum.
Book Signing
If you're in or near Dallas on Saturday, September 22, plan to set aside some time from 1:30 to 2:30 to stop in at the Dallas/Addison Marriott Quorum by the Galleria. I'm scheduled to take part in a multi-author public book signing there. (Address is 14901 Dallas Parkway, Dallas, Texas 75254.) I'm slated to sign copies of Informed Consent, and books will be available for purchase at 1:15. The name of anyone buying one will be entered into a drawing for a digital camera. Buy more than one and get your name in the hat (or fishbowl) more than once. Hope to see you there!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Last Days of Ouchy-Hot Summer
My class in the Novels of Jane Austen and Her Time starts next week at UTD. The following week, our girl starts seventh grade, and on the same day, I start back teaching at DTS. Where did the summer go?Did you see on World News Tonight that the temperature here hit 104 degrees today? 'S not often Mesquite, Texas--living in the shadow of Big D--makes WNT, let me tell you. Especially for something other than the world famous r-o-d-e-o.
So methinks we (the pre-teen and I) need a little last-days-of-summer silliness spent indoors in a room so cold it could be singularly responsible for global warming (all that energy used unnecessarily).
If you live anywhere nearby, grab your kids if you have any (if not, come anyway!) and join us tomorrow, Wednesday, August 15, at 10 AM at the AMC 30 Theater in Mesquite, where we'll see a free showing of "Over the Hedge."
Here's the synopsis about this goofball film with a "G" rating: Just whose backyard is it, anyway? Spring has sprung, and Verne and his woodland friends awaken from their long winter''s nap to discover that a large, green hedge has cropped up right through the middle of their once-natural habitat. Enter RJ, an opportunistic raccoon who explains that the world beyond the hedge is the gateway to the good life where peculiar creatures called humans live to eat, rather than eat to live. For humans, RJ proclaims, enough is never enough. Suspicious and even a little jealous of the charismatic smooth-talking RJ, the ever cautious Verne wants to keep his blended family safely on their side of the hedge. But, proving the adage that one man's garbage is another man's--or, rather, animal's--treasure, the manipulative RJ has his own reasons for convincing the woodland band that there is little to fear and everything to gain from their over-indulgent new neighbors. Eventually, RJ and Verne form an unlikely friendship as they and their furry friends learn to coexist with--and even exploit--this strange new world called suburbia.
Hope to see you there--and don't forget your jacket!
Monday, August 13, 2007
South Koreans and the Taliban
Several weeks ago, I ran an interview with Dr. Mike Pocock, co-author of The Changing Face of World Missions, in which he discussed his views on immigration. Last week, NPR interviewed Dr. Pocock about the situation regarding South Koreans taken captive by the Taliban in Afghanistan. Do you think Christians should go to volatile areas? To access that interview, click here.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Sinful Melting Chocolate Cake
So every night for the past five, we've had chocolate for dessert. I did mentioned that, right--when I talked about the cruise? Well, said chocolate was in the form of a dessert called Melting Chocolate Cake.
Oh. My. Word.
Imagine chocolate souffle in an individual serving. Only when you cut into the middle, the cake part morphs into hot chocolate syrup in the center. So you have this unbelievable hot chocolate syrup all over the inside of the souffle. Did I mention the hot chocolate syrup?
Swooning yet? Okay, so... desiring (to our detriment, no doubt) to duplicate the experience at home, we asked our server to score us the recipe from the chef. And LAST NIGHT SHE GAVE IT TO US. Seriously. She brought to the table a photocopy of the recipe from the kitchen. We went wild...until we read it.
She may as well have said, "Warning: Do not try this at home."
Here's the secret recipe she gave us:
Ingredients:
Semi Sweet Chocolate 70 lb.
Butter 70 lb.
Fresh Eggs 700 ea.
Sugar 18 lb.
Flour 25 lb.
(Okay, by this point I'm still committed enough to think I can divide by 700 and get the desired result. It's that good! So I keep reading...) Melt chocolate and butter. Mix half egg and half sugar and whisk for few minutes and add flour. Then add the balance egg. Add egg mixture to the melted chocolate mixture. Pour into ramekin cups. (Into what?) Bake directly in oven at 200 C for 15 to 20 minutes. (Wait, I don't speak C. I speak Fahrenheit.) Serve with vanilla ice cream in 2-oz. ramekin cups. Garnish with sweet chocolate. Please see steps for making chocolate Run Out (not included). Powder sugar. (Wait. The Run Out was the good part!)
We look up, perplexed. Our waitperson is laughing. She has obviously pulled this stunt before. And it's too late. We've already tipped her.
To make matters worse, today I return home to find in my "in" box an email from former student, Jared Binder, notifying me that he has written a helpful piece for the Observer on gluttony titled "What Would Jesus Eat?"
Oh. My. Word.
Imagine chocolate souffle in an individual serving. Only when you cut into the middle, the cake part morphs into hot chocolate syrup in the center. So you have this unbelievable hot chocolate syrup all over the inside of the souffle. Did I mention the hot chocolate syrup?
Swooning yet? Okay, so... desiring (to our detriment, no doubt) to duplicate the experience at home, we asked our server to score us the recipe from the chef. And LAST NIGHT SHE GAVE IT TO US. Seriously. She brought to the table a photocopy of the recipe from the kitchen. We went wild...until we read it.
She may as well have said, "Warning: Do not try this at home."
Here's the secret recipe she gave us:
Ingredients:
Semi Sweet Chocolate 70 lb.
Butter 70 lb.
Fresh Eggs 700 ea.
Sugar 18 lb.
Flour 25 lb.
(Okay, by this point I'm still committed enough to think I can divide by 700 and get the desired result. It's that good! So I keep reading...) Melt chocolate and butter. Mix half egg and half sugar and whisk for few minutes and add flour. Then add the balance egg. Add egg mixture to the melted chocolate mixture. Pour into ramekin cups. (Into what?) Bake directly in oven at 200 C for 15 to 20 minutes. (Wait, I don't speak C. I speak Fahrenheit.) Serve with vanilla ice cream in 2-oz. ramekin cups. Garnish with sweet chocolate. Please see steps for making chocolate Run Out (not included). Powder sugar. (Wait. The Run Out was the good part!)
We look up, perplexed. Our waitperson is laughing. She has obviously pulled this stunt before. And it's too late. We've already tipped her.
To make matters worse, today I return home to find in my "in" box an email from former student, Jared Binder, notifying me that he has written a helpful piece for the Observer on gluttony titled "What Would Jesus Eat?"
Things our normally-not-"into"-cruises family did this week: Gary turned another decade older; got our family photo made complete with tuxedo and sequins (those shots to come); snorkeled (yes that's my girl and me); slept a lot; got plenty of sun; swam; finished Harry 7 (wow!); got pampered in the spa; ate chocolate for dessert nightly; spent less than 15 minutes/day on the computer; spent zero time on the phone; were generally spoiled rotten. We departed from Galveston (five hours south) and spent five days in the Yukatan peninsula, with two days at sea and a day each at Progreso (Mayan ruins) and Cozumel (snorkeling). Gary spent his birthday dancing with the local children. Don't you think that's a perfect way to spend such a special day?
Sneak Peek
Cook has now posted an excerpt of Informed Consent, so wander over and get a sneak peek. Then (warning: shameless marketing ahead) order the book. All profits benefit the Glahn Child's College Fund. (It has a long way to go--the fund, not the child.) The first five people to post an Amazon review get a free copy. Yeah, yeah, I know...you have to buy one to review it. But Christmas is coming and your shopping list includes at least one relative who digs fiction, right?
Monday, August 06, 2007
And That's the Truth
I read this terrific quote today from Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird:
"The very first thing I tell my new students on the first day of a workshop is that good writing is about telling the truth. We are a species that needs and wants to understand who we are. Sheep lice do not seem to share this longing, which is one reason they write so very little. But after a few days at the desk, telling the truth in an interesting way turns out to be about as easy and pleasurable as bathing a cat."
Rather than explain why it works for me, expounding on her choice selection of rare images (there's a special kind of lice just for sheep?) and simile (pleasurable as bathing a cat), I'll just tell you the truth: my husband celebrates the big five-o the day after tomorrow and we plan to take a few days away starting now. Adios!
"The very first thing I tell my new students on the first day of a workshop is that good writing is about telling the truth. We are a species that needs and wants to understand who we are. Sheep lice do not seem to share this longing, which is one reason they write so very little. But after a few days at the desk, telling the truth in an interesting way turns out to be about as easy and pleasurable as bathing a cat."
Rather than explain why it works for me, expounding on her choice selection of rare images (there's a special kind of lice just for sheep?) and simile (pleasurable as bathing a cat), I'll just tell you the truth: my husband celebrates the big five-o the day after tomorrow and we plan to take a few days away starting now. Adios!
Saturday, August 04, 2007
Embryos: Cold as Ice
Researchers from Duke and Johns Hopkins universities asked more than two thousand IVF patients what they would like to do with their unused embryos. More than twelve hundred responded, and here’s a look at their info:
• 49% preferred to donate them to science.
• 60% (63% of the women, 51% of the men) preferred to donate them for stem cell research.
• 22% were somewhat or very likely to donate them to another couple
• 22% preferred to destroy the embryos.
What happens to unused embryos in other countries?
Germany: Legal maximum of eggs collected in IVF is three. All embryos created must be transferred to uterus.
Denmark: Embryos may be stored for 2 years. Stem cell research and treatment allowed. Embryo donation to another couple, illegal.
Australia: Allows embryos frozen for up to two years, donated to another couple, or destroyed.
Belgium: Allows embryo stores for up to five years, donated to a couple, or destroyed.
UK: Usually destroyed after 5 years.
Italy: Prohibits destruction of embryos. Legal maximum of eggs collected in IVF is three. All embryos must be transferred to uterus.
Spain: Legal to freeze embryos but illegal to destroy or donate them to research. Because most couples prefer not to donate to other patients, 50,000 embryos now sit frozen.
• 49% preferred to donate them to science.
• 60% (63% of the women, 51% of the men) preferred to donate them for stem cell research.
• 22% were somewhat or very likely to donate them to another couple
• 22% preferred to destroy the embryos.
What happens to unused embryos in other countries?
Germany: Legal maximum of eggs collected in IVF is three. All embryos created must be transferred to uterus.
Denmark: Embryos may be stored for 2 years. Stem cell research and treatment allowed. Embryo donation to another couple, illegal.
Australia: Allows embryos frozen for up to two years, donated to another couple, or destroyed.
Belgium: Allows embryo stores for up to five years, donated to a couple, or destroyed.
UK: Usually destroyed after 5 years.
Italy: Prohibits destruction of embryos. Legal maximum of eggs collected in IVF is three. All embryos must be transferred to uterus.
Spain: Legal to freeze embryos but illegal to destroy or donate them to research. Because most couples prefer not to donate to other patients, 50,000 embryos now sit frozen.
Near Dallas? Check out the DMA
Our daughter (age 12) took a class last week at the Dallas Museum of Art in which she and her team of two others created a ninety-second video story.
First they scoured the museum for images they liked. Then they photographed and traced the butterflies, tigers, bananas and chalices they selected. After coloring and cutting out each one, they created a story around their pieces. Then they photographed them and uploaded the photos to a software program in which they could sequence them for a movie, complete with their own taped character voices. Voila! A video story.
Their work and that of other kids will be on display at the next Friday Night Late Night at the Museum, August 17. Late Nights are held the third Friday of each month, when the Museum is open until midnight. Each event offers concerts, readings, film screenings, guided Starbucks Coffee tastings, tours, and complimentary coffee. General admission is $10 or less; DMA members and children under 12 get in free. Parking is easy in the Museum's underground garage (five bucks; free for members). If you're in town, stop on by. Her group's video is "The Golden Chalise."
Thursday, August 02, 2007
Better Than Anything I Could Say
When you have a few moments, take time to view this breathtaking tribute to a life well lived. The last is the best of all.
And then read John Piper's words about the bridge collapsing and about why bad things happen. Bethlehem Baptist Church, the building where his church gathers, is located within sight of the fallen bridge.
And then read John Piper's words about the bridge collapsing and about why bad things happen. Bethlehem Baptist Church, the building where his church gathers, is located within sight of the fallen bridge.
Our Brothers and Sisters Need Our Help
In your prayers for the tragedy in Minneapolis, please also remember the Korean mission workers being held hostage by the Afghani Taliban.A second captive was killed yesterday. Bae Hyung Kyu, killed on his 42nd birthday, leaves behind a young family. If the Afghani government refuses to respond, the radicals threaten to execute more missionaries, who are said to be in poor health since their capture.
Booklovers' Tag
Mary and Kelley tagged me to talk books. My instructions were to bold the books I’ve read, italicize the ones I want to read, and leave in normal text the ones that don’t interest me. Everything in caps indicates those I’ve never heard of. The asterisks indicate those I recommend. Now, I couldn't just follow directions, because the instructions didn't allow for books I started and didn't finish. So the ones you see in only half bold are those I started but didn't finish. Some I still want to complete...those are in italics:
1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee)
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)
9. OUTLANDER (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A FINE BALANCE (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Rowling) **
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling) **
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
17. FALL ON YOUR KNEES (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. THE STAND (Stephen King)
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott) **
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis) **
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck) **
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. ATLAS SHRUGGED (Ayn Rand)
34. 1984 (Orwell)
35. THE MISTS OF AVALON (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. THE POWER OF ONE (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much Is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant)**
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini)**
43.Confessions of a Shopahaulic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible **
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) **
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas) **
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt) **
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck)
50. She’s Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)**
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) **
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens) **
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)
56. THE STONE ANGEL (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky)
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand)
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
5. FIFTH BUSINESS (Robertson Davies)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Victor Hugo) **
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)
71. Bridget Jones’s Diary (Helen Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson)
76. THE SUMMER TREE (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
77. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (Betty Smith)
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)
79. THE DIVINERS (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White) **
81. NOT WANTED ON THE VOYAGE (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)
83. Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier)
84. WIZARD’S FIRST RULE (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen)
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. KANE AND ABEL (Jeffrey Archer)
91. IN THE SKIN OF A LION (Michael Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (William Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)**
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)**
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
