Do you get to hear Fox News where you live?
Do you think they are honest and above-board?
Or do you believe they are grinding axes and scewing their reports?
There seems to be a lot of controversy concerning their coverage and statements.
I just read an editorial that accuses those who listen to/watch Fox News as being less intelligent.
Those, of course, are fighting words.
And they were meant to be, I'm sure.
In order to appear more intelligent, I need to tune in to CNN or MSNBC or something.
Interesting!
Your responses?
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Sunday, December 26, 2010
OCD?
You know those folks who can't stand to see pencils lying every-which-way, when they "should" be lying straight and side by side? The ones who will clean every fingerprint off a mirror or doorknob? The ones who can't eat their parsnips if the gravy is touching them?
Well, my hangup is ..... the wise men at the stable.
It really irritates my sense of order and rightness when I see those guys kneeling down in the cow plop or sheep poop. They don't belong there. And they weren't there.
I know, I know. It makes the idea of presents for Christmas more understandable.
But anyone who has read Matthew 2 can see that the wise men/magi didn't get to see the baby Jesus until he was a "young child" in a "house". Because of what the king did after they stopped in at his place in Jerusalem, we presume Jesus might have been at least a year old, and possibly closer to two.
So, when you send Christmas cards, please pick out ones that do NOT show the wise men at the stable!
I know I'm fighting against centuries of "pretty thoughts" and "way it should be", but the WISE MEN ARE NOT AT THE STABLE!
Let's spread the word. Just like the proper usage of "it's", "its", "your", and "you're". When you know it, flaunt it.
Well, we can try.
Well, my hangup is ..... the wise men at the stable.
It really irritates my sense of order and rightness when I see those guys kneeling down in the cow plop or sheep poop. They don't belong there. And they weren't there.
I know, I know. It makes the idea of presents for Christmas more understandable.
But anyone who has read Matthew 2 can see that the wise men/magi didn't get to see the baby Jesus until he was a "young child" in a "house". Because of what the king did after they stopped in at his place in Jerusalem, we presume Jesus might have been at least a year old, and possibly closer to two.
So, when you send Christmas cards, please pick out ones that do NOT show the wise men at the stable!
I know I'm fighting against centuries of "pretty thoughts" and "way it should be", but the WISE MEN ARE NOT AT THE STABLE!
Let's spread the word. Just like the proper usage of "it's", "its", "your", and "you're". When you know it, flaunt it.
Well, we can try.
Friday, December 24, 2010
a little Greek
Or is it Hebrew? Immanuel. God with us.
Emmanuel. God with us.
Jesus. Savior.
Christ. Messiah.
All of these we celebrate tonight. We're pretty sure it's not the historic date of His coming, but we need a time. And this is the one we use.
I have a friend on facebook who was enlightening for me the dates and why this one (December 25) is wrong. Her reasoning came from biblical information. I thanked her for her theories. I think she took some issue with that. And her reasoning is probably close to correct. It's just not "written in the Word", so I have to take it with a grain or two of salt.
There is enough written down for us to celebrate. The miraculous occurred; there was no magic involved.
God is With US!
Emmanuel. God with us.
Jesus. Savior.
Christ. Messiah.
All of these we celebrate tonight. We're pretty sure it's not the historic date of His coming, but we need a time. And this is the one we use.
I have a friend on facebook who was enlightening for me the dates and why this one (December 25) is wrong. Her reasoning came from biblical information. I thanked her for her theories. I think she took some issue with that. And her reasoning is probably close to correct. It's just not "written in the Word", so I have to take it with a grain or two of salt.
There is enough written down for us to celebrate. The miraculous occurred; there was no magic involved.
God is With US!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
silly me
Wow. Whoever wrote the previous blog was really not in touch with reality, was she?
"Christmas", of course, is all about the baby Who came from the best place in the whole universe to possibly the worst place, relationally-speaking.
He was cute and innocent and all that babies are, despite His part in the decision to do all that.
The miracles that surrounded His birth included angels talking to commonplace folks like you and me....written prophecies that all pointed to His arrival.... fulfilled sayings....and many more questions than answers.
Why would I say "Christmas is over for me"? When I know all of the above? It's one more example of the very thing He came to deal with...."me-ism". When we focus on our own little pity party and forget the world that is waiting to hear HIS good news.
Please know, kind reader, that Jesus came to forgive my sin of "me-ism". and yours. and everyone's.
Let's get our focus back on the Real Meaning of CHRISTmas!
"Christmas", of course, is all about the baby Who came from the best place in the whole universe to possibly the worst place, relationally-speaking.
He was cute and innocent and all that babies are, despite His part in the decision to do all that.
The miracles that surrounded His birth included angels talking to commonplace folks like you and me....written prophecies that all pointed to His arrival.... fulfilled sayings....and many more questions than answers.
Why would I say "Christmas is over for me"? When I know all of the above? It's one more example of the very thing He came to deal with...."me-ism". When we focus on our own little pity party and forget the world that is waiting to hear HIS good news.
Please know, kind reader, that Jesus came to forgive my sin of "me-ism". and yours. and everyone's.
Let's get our focus back on the Real Meaning of CHRISTmas!
Monday, December 20, 2010
The Day After
There's always a let-down after something you've planned so long for. Nothing lasts forever, and of course you wouldn't want it to. But....maybe just a little longer. We get greedy. Wanting just a little bit more time with family. Just a little bit more pie. Just a little bit more of everything. So today I read a whole book and part of another one. I did some laundry. I warmed up some leftovers. I didn't start any new projects. MY Christmas is over! (Well, practically speaking. There are still some presents under the tree. And I may be surprised by the 25th. That will be fine!)
Family Christmas
Is it a "family Christmas" if all the family isn't here? Well, of course it is. We had a great weekend with the daughter and son-in-law and their dogs. The roast beef turned out good, as did the pecan pie and all the other foodstuffs. Presents were fun. And Dad and daughter played several games of chess on his new glass board. And we went to church Sunday and she got to play the piano for our worship service. And Sunday's "ribs to go" heated up well. So, it was a grand Family Christmas!
Friday, December 17, 2010
The Dash
A friend emailed me " http://www.thedashmovie.com/walkthetalk "
It was so appropriate, in view of my last blog, that I wanted to quote some of it here.
It deals with a pastor who mentioned that his friend's date of birth and date of death were known to all. What mattered most was the dash in between.
The whole article was written by Linda Ellis and Mac Anderson, and it is subtitled "Making a difference in your life."
He said "that dash represents all the time she spent alive on earth and now only her friends know what the little dash was worth.....
"What matters most is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.....
"Try to understand the way the other person feels and be less quick to anger....
"Show appreciation more....
"If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile
"Remembering that the little dash may only last a little while....."
There was much more in the same vein. Ruth's dash was spent living fully.
She was a nurse, graduating in 1941. I know this because she told me many times.
She had the picture of her nursing school graduating class on her wall, so it was available to her memory.
She was married twice and widowed twice. She liked to fish. She liked to cook and entertain visitors. She often took in our church's "summer missionaries", for a week or a summer, or at least for a home-cooked meal.
As an oldster, she was always pleasant and understanding. She wanted things done, but she always used "please" and "thank you". And she smiled, even after most of her teeth were gone. She complimented the kitchen of each place she lived, always finding the food "good" and the care "good".
She remembered her youth much better than last night's meal or this morning's activities. She read her hometown paper and remembered the parents or grand-parents of the officials.
She spent her dash well.
It was so appropriate, in view of my last blog, that I wanted to quote some of it here.
It deals with a pastor who mentioned that his friend's date of birth and date of death were known to all. What mattered most was the dash in between.
The whole article was written by Linda Ellis and Mac Anderson, and it is subtitled "Making a difference in your life."
He said "that dash represents all the time she spent alive on earth and now only her friends know what the little dash was worth.....
"What matters most is how we live and love and how we spend our dash.....
"Try to understand the way the other person feels and be less quick to anger....
"Show appreciation more....
"If we treat each other with respect and more often wear a smile
"Remembering that the little dash may only last a little while....."
There was much more in the same vein. Ruth's dash was spent living fully.
She was a nurse, graduating in 1941. I know this because she told me many times.
She had the picture of her nursing school graduating class on her wall, so it was available to her memory.
She was married twice and widowed twice. She liked to fish. She liked to cook and entertain visitors. She often took in our church's "summer missionaries", for a week or a summer, or at least for a home-cooked meal.
As an oldster, she was always pleasant and understanding. She wanted things done, but she always used "please" and "thank you". And she smiled, even after most of her teeth were gone. She complimented the kitchen of each place she lived, always finding the food "good" and the care "good".
She remembered her youth much better than last night's meal or this morning's activities. She read her hometown paper and remembered the parents or grand-parents of the officials.
She spent her dash well.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Funny?
Funny, isn't it? Most of the oldsters who left our local care facility have since died.
I know. No one can say that was the reason; old folks die all the time.
But I'm convinced that the care they got here...as if they were all "family"...contributed to their long life.
The care they got at the receiving facilities was, at best, "adequate".
And, if no one visited them regularly, their care was minimal.
My friend passed away yesterday.
The last three times I had visited her, I felt she was being drugged. I had seen some of that in my mother's case, several years ago. It's not pretty. But, it does guarantee that the recipient is "quiet".
When you're so busy keeping things in order, I'm guessing that can be a good reason for using medication.
Sad.
But now she's in a much happier place, for all eternity.
I know. No one can say that was the reason; old folks die all the time.
But I'm convinced that the care they got here...as if they were all "family"...contributed to their long life.
The care they got at the receiving facilities was, at best, "adequate".
And, if no one visited them regularly, their care was minimal.
My friend passed away yesterday.
The last three times I had visited her, I felt she was being drugged. I had seen some of that in my mother's case, several years ago. It's not pretty. But, it does guarantee that the recipient is "quiet".
When you're so busy keeping things in order, I'm guessing that can be a good reason for using medication.
Sad.
But now she's in a much happier place, for all eternity.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Needed....
In case you were wondering, the following are some of the articles needed for making honey taffy.
Large (preferably heavy) saucepan
Long kitchen spoon
Candy thermometer
Kitchen shears
Honey
Corn starch
Sugar
Water
Cup of cold water for testing
Platter or tray big enough to hold the product when hot
Butter for tray and hands
Muscles
It is really not possible to do this operation without all of the above, but if you have to be missing only one, please make that one the candy thermometer.
Back in the "good old days", they didn't have candy thermometers. They had ways to know when the candy was "ready". That included the cup of cold water, into which you drip some boiling sweet stuff periodically, to see if it forms a hard thread. Until the Hard Thread is formed, do NOT stop the boiling/cooking process. If you do, you will never have taffy. Just some super sweet stuff that might or might not harden into "candy". Christmas Candy.
And, of course, that is our goal. CANDY. The traditional treat that is wrapped in squares of waxed paper and included in Christmas boxes, along with the cookies and the sweet breads. Oh, in the above list, I forgot waxed paper. That is also essential, or you will just have a sweet glob in the bottom of your Christmas box.
Make very sure you have a supply of muscles available. It is preferable that you have teenagers. They always like to show their physical prowess, and this is one of the best times, in my humble opinion. Lacking teenagers, you will have to make do with your own somewhat-over-the-hill muscles. This takes a lot longer and stretches the love and good will associated with Christmas and candy making. Of course, since you're stretching the candy, I guess it's all okay.
When the rope in "milky-looking", you have stretched enough. Please do not try to get it white. That is not what is meant. My interpretation has always been "a little lighter in color than when you started". Depending on how long my muscles hold out, sometimes the honey taffy is pretty dark. But, still tasty.
If you feel the need to embark on such an adventure for this holiday season, I'd be glad to share the recipe I found long ago in a hard-cover cookbook. PEACE!
Large (preferably heavy) saucepan
Long kitchen spoon
Candy thermometer
Kitchen shears
Honey
Corn starch
Sugar
Water
Cup of cold water for testing
Platter or tray big enough to hold the product when hot
Butter for tray and hands
Muscles
It is really not possible to do this operation without all of the above, but if you have to be missing only one, please make that one the candy thermometer.
Back in the "good old days", they didn't have candy thermometers. They had ways to know when the candy was "ready". That included the cup of cold water, into which you drip some boiling sweet stuff periodically, to see if it forms a hard thread. Until the Hard Thread is formed, do NOT stop the boiling/cooking process. If you do, you will never have taffy. Just some super sweet stuff that might or might not harden into "candy". Christmas Candy.
And, of course, that is our goal. CANDY. The traditional treat that is wrapped in squares of waxed paper and included in Christmas boxes, along with the cookies and the sweet breads. Oh, in the above list, I forgot waxed paper. That is also essential, or you will just have a sweet glob in the bottom of your Christmas box.
Make very sure you have a supply of muscles available. It is preferable that you have teenagers. They always like to show their physical prowess, and this is one of the best times, in my humble opinion. Lacking teenagers, you will have to make do with your own somewhat-over-the-hill muscles. This takes a lot longer and stretches the love and good will associated with Christmas and candy making. Of course, since you're stretching the candy, I guess it's all okay.
When the rope in "milky-looking", you have stretched enough. Please do not try to get it white. That is not what is meant. My interpretation has always been "a little lighter in color than when you started". Depending on how long my muscles hold out, sometimes the honey taffy is pretty dark. But, still tasty.
If you feel the need to embark on such an adventure for this holiday season, I'd be glad to share the recipe I found long ago in a hard-cover cookbook. PEACE!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
K K
Cookies! Cocoa! Crafts! It's Kris Kringle Mart in the 1000 Islands.
We give away the foodstuffs. Others sell them.
The true spirit of Christmas is the giving.
We had peanut butter, snickerdoodles, crescents, frosted and boughten cookies.
The kids liked them all, as did their elders.
Actually, we noticed the youngsters went for the boughten ones.
Sad commentary on the old after-school routine of cookies and milk, isn't it?
They don't know how to act when they're confronted with something that doesn't look like the other 20 in the box.
Poor kids.
We oldsters snacked all day on the imperfect cookies and the memories.
We give away the foodstuffs. Others sell them.
The true spirit of Christmas is the giving.
We had peanut butter, snickerdoodles, crescents, frosted and boughten cookies.
The kids liked them all, as did their elders.
Actually, we noticed the youngsters went for the boughten ones.
Sad commentary on the old after-school routine of cookies and milk, isn't it?
They don't know how to act when they're confronted with something that doesn't look like the other 20 in the box.
Poor kids.
We oldsters snacked all day on the imperfect cookies and the memories.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
It's Time
The snow has snowed.
The tree has been rescued from its annual abode in the attic.
The trimmings are residing on couches and floors.
It's Time to Trim the Tree!
We have no pets to disturb it.
We have no kiddos who will be rummaging.
We have no excuse for not completing the season today.
Well, except for the gifts yet to be purchased and wrapped.
And the energy funneled from some other likely activity.
Hurray, it's December!
The tree has been rescued from its annual abode in the attic.
The trimmings are residing on couches and floors.
It's Time to Trim the Tree!
We have no pets to disturb it.
We have no kiddos who will be rummaging.
We have no excuse for not completing the season today.
Well, except for the gifts yet to be purchased and wrapped.
And the energy funneled from some other likely activity.
Hurray, it's December!
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