pamela – Page 85 – The Welcome Home

a glimpse of things to come

(I know… I’m going to change the colour scheme/image here… it’s just a little Valentine’s day indulgence. It’s actually too much for me.)

So… Bill Gates says the internet will revolutionize television in the next five years. If we all get programing devoid of advertising and commentary, who’s going to show us what to buy, what to wear, how to think, where to shop, alert us of hunger or desires we didn’t even consider contemplating?

But wait… consider the tremendous implications… what if advertising was targeted specifically to a particular user/viewer/potential consumer? What if, through intelligent tracking, a viewer would suddenly only see advertising known to draw him or her in? What if that viewer/user’s online purchases, preferences obtained through marketing research forms, etc., etc., were used to create an acceptable atmosphere to even the most strident opposition to “commercial television” or, those who, today, advocate *no* regular television viewing (and yet browse the net).

Think of the marketing boon — if advertisers would work outside the Hollywood box, they’d see an incredible untapped market… wow, they might even have to consider the half of the country that doesn’t look, think, act like or even want to be like Hollywood. It really wouldn’t be so hard… smart things usually aren’t.

The brief change of appearance? I’m thinking about…

anniversaries and valentine’s… flowers and chocolates… music and candlelight… these are a few of my favourite things… I’m just remembering and looking forward to a few of my favourite things…

♪ Raindrops on roses and —O, wait— I NEVER think of whiskers on kittens.

revisting books

I think one of the problems with simply borrowing books from libraries instead of buying copies for our own libraries is that we can’t go back and revisit a chapter or even a meaningful sentence very easily. That, and it’s frowned upon to mark up borrowed books. =o)

So I was browsing book availability (read: eBay, Half and Craig’sList) and a book title popped up – a book I’d read last year and found to be encouraging. Now, the trouble with books I read last year (or, rather, my memory of the content) is that I had had surgery and my consciousness was, early on, altered and therefore, my memory doesn’t serve me right or allow me to bring up specifics. But isn’t it interesting that I do remember all the names of the caregivers, docs and nurses who were attending to me. Well, that’s either good or bad. In most cases it was neither – but in a couple, it was the latter.

So I read a book by Cheri Fuller: The Mom You’re Meant to Be, and just today I came across a “study guide” for that book. I guess I liked the book because it was a reminder to me to make the best of every single day and had specific suggestions for doing so. Anyway… here’s the link for the guide. You’d be helped by having the book – but even if you don’t, her questions are good springboards for your consideration and answers. Here you go.
Week 8, and Chapter 39, in particular, was especially meaningful to me.

You know… one of the most wonderful things I noticed today, along with many accomplishments around here? Ah… it’s nearly 5pm and it’s still light outside. O, the hope of glorious Springtime. Wintertime in the PacificNorthwest is very, very… very… very dim—most days.

mulling over 31 Proverbs

I’m taking a break from writing – handwriting, that is – my husband has encouraged us, each one, to write out a copy of the Word—the Bible in our own hand—His Words, our writing. We’ve begun in the New Testament and have set about writing – originally a chapter a day, but now have relaxed that to half for longer chapters or about 25 verses a day. I didn’t quit writing simply to rest my hand, but because I wanted to continue to look into a matter that really captured my attention earlier today. I was doing a bit of website updating and writing (rather, typing out a letter pertaining to the life of a faithful woman), and I began to mull over, again and again, 31 proverbs.

I suppose that being a “list person” or needing lists as reminders or prompters has its drawbacks. Sometimes this list-checking fuels the ‘works vs. grace’ tendencies I try to avoid. But one of the advantages lists provide is the advantage of seeing progressions or seeing corollaries to each item or quality on that list. Well, so it is with the “list” of the qualities of the “Proverbs 31 woman.”

But it’s not a check list—the kind you seek to do or knock off so that you can get a gold star at the end of the quarter. It’s sooooo not that at all. This “list” or this account is a description of what a virtuous woman looks like, acts like, strives toward, accomplishes and believes.

Each description is sort of a facet of the diamond she is—for she is strong; each description is sort of a chapter of a life lived for Christ—for she is faithful;
each description is sort of a gift—for she leaves a legacy worth passing on to her children;
each description is a demonstration of honour—for it is the heart of her husband that safely trusts in her, for he is known in the gates—and the fruit of her work praises her there, too;
and finally each description is sort of a manual for women—for each one is an instruction, each one defines what Titus 2 succinctly directs older women to teach younger women.

a couple of links for you

I thought about titling this blog entry: cuff links – you know, as in hand cuffs. But then I didn’t. rolled eyes

My husband sent me a couple of links that were of interest to me and might be to you, too. In our case, clicking second link (convicted felons) proved to be very interesting as it revealed the presence of a convicted of rapist living in a home not too far from ours – not too far at all. Uh, gulp.

So, my husband writes:
“In my research on the JWs, I’ve come across a site called: http://www.silentlambs.org/ …that is set to expose pedophiles, especially within religious groups (and they seem to have an abundance of listings regarding JWs) anyway, there’s a lot of info there, and again I would forward the link sent out some time ago, where you can look up a map of an area to see if any convicted felons are living near you, including links to their picture, crime and general location: http://www.familywatchdog.us/ too sad!!”

Really sad. The world without the Lord… so lost.

Way more than a cuppa

A few years ago I was speaking at a retreat and was sharing some basic marriage “imperatives” and what it takes to be: married for keeps. Yes… that’s a title of a book I’m writing in my mind. It’ll probably end up being published there too. And be a best seller. Well, if nothing more, that book, or the writing of that book, will keep my marriage sweet and lasting. And my husband happy.

During one of the retreat sessions I was sharing the need for wives to study their husbands — to be very, very attentive to their husbands — attentive to their needs, attentive to their words and attentive to their desires. It’s not so much that wives just be aware of those things but that they be attentive and actively anticipating and seeking to meet, supply and validate those needs and desires. I shared with the women how there are (out there in the world) women who are seeking out men—women who are looking for men… women who know what men want and are ready to meet those needs/desires. Just look around—what sells? What’s available? What gets attention? As I’ve said many times: Don’t be deceived, don’t be foolish; someone wants your husband and will do whatever it takes to get him. The women know what men want. And they dress, talk, act or respond in whatever way that might be—they know what sells and they advertise.

During a mealtime at another retreat this whole topic was talked over in more detail. I shared with the women how many espresso stands (or, rather, the women who work in them) are geared up to fuel fantasies and tantalize the male customers. A few of the women denied this could be true but another woman validated my observations as she shared how her husband regularly stopped at a local espresso stand to get a cuppa (there is no intention to indicate that her husband was frequenting one of the steamy stands – the example here is regarding the very attentive and know-what-they-want nature of a lot of the baristas).

I listened intently as she described a time when she accompanied her husband on some errands and told of his getting gas and how she was seeing the girl at the espresso stand waving to her husband… and when he finished filling the car and paying his bill, he pulled over to the coffee stand where the barista had his coffee waiting for him. The wife was sort of flabbergasted at that whole series of events and the husband matter-of-factly said that the girl knew what he liked and always had it ready for him. Not so surprisingly, since then, I have heard other similar stories to the illustration I just shared and they’ve been a springboard for many talks.

Many latté stands that dot the landscape around here are selling a lot more than coffee – that’s for sure. It’s not rocket science to come to that conclusion when you see “Babes in Bikini’s” on the reader board and the names given to coffee blends aren’t just a simple description of the contents in the paper cup. So, each time I pass by one of the espresso stands, I mentally gather a little more material –a little more affirmation to keep talking to wives about safeguarding marriage and being attentive to the needs of their own husbands.

So, the front page story of the Seattle Times this morning, aside from being risqué and tasteless, further confirms my point. And, ‘bet that man’s either loving or regretting his front page claim to fame. The whole thing makes me sad –sad for the women, who, in a sense, prostitute themselves and sad for the men who pay them for the morning thrill. It’s all a sad cycle of slavery to the counterfeit of true love. It’s all sad. And… probably sad for respectable women (and men) who attempt to run a clean, honourable business just selling coffee and muffins. Glad Howard Schultz isn’t on the path to make Starbucks the hooters of coffee houses. I like Sbucks even more now.

Rather than kindling for tomorrow morning’s woodstove, I think I’ll keep this copy of the Seattle Times paper just on the off chance there’s a woman naïve enough to believe this doesn’t really go on.

sorting through the biggest problems

You know… when you try and quantify or attempt to qualify an issue, there inevitably comes a point when you have to retract a statement or further qualify it. I muse the problems that face America. I do this from time to time when I read an article about some new law or program or, worse, more government interference with either marriage and family-life, faith or “property rights.” No, wait… that’s not all that should be on the list. I start thinking along the lines of feminism and its incredible influence (read: damage) to homes and families -and more: to women all over the country -no, make that the world. Consider that for awhile. Consider that men are relegated to some lesser role (and many have no idea how that all happened and they don’t know who they are or what they’re supposed to do) and women are fighting for a greater role—totally missing that they already had the greatest role. They didn’t need a greater role. They needed and still need to acknowledge the most precious privilege ever given. The role of a woman… created by God and all that that might mean. What a privilege to be created by God for His great purpose. And for men to be created by God for His great purpose. But I digress.
So… I go on thinking. You know the most egregious thing about some “rights” people fight for? It usually means the right of something or someone else is infringed upon. And the longer I live, the more I see that the thing that’s being fought for or against actually has little or nothing to do with that “issue” or that “right.”

Take the heinous atrocity of abortion — call it what it really is: the right to control society by condoning and performing and promoting murder. For profit. See… it’s not really about choice. One of the two (or more) *people* involved in that so-called choice cannot speak – the scream no one hears remains ignored. So, it’s not really about choice. It’s about a lot of stuff, but it’s not about choice.
May God help us.

Worldnet Daily article of interest.

And then I wondered…

Is all the cookie dough supposed to be baked into cookies?
a few of our children make cookie dough for the sole purpose of tasting it (okay… eating it) by the ~~fingerful~~ handful.

Still I wonder about cookies getting stale. My husband reminded me that cookies do not stay more than a day or so and so we do not have the opportunity to test different methods of restoring stale cookies. However… some of the ~~over-baked~~ firmer cookies make great dunkers for coffee. I know… I know… this is why I’m continually plagued with the need to resume the umpteenth and one diet.

A question I’ve never asked.

I’ve been a subscriber to an email list for many years… not really a participant except through occasional private mails but not a ‘regular’ poster. Anyway… as I usually do each day, I browsed the content list to scan the mail.

I’m still laughing. O, not at the sister who posted the question and certainly, not even the question itself.

I just didn’t know there was a need for an answer – no, wait – I didn’t even think to articulate such a question. When could that question possibly have come up? The question was in regards to stale cookies and what to do to help them remain fresh tasting longer.

Like I said, it’s a question I’ve never asked… 😮

mo betah mothering

So, I’m still going through our home… regathering, resorting, redistributing, refusing and recycling. But the one thing I don’t want to spend anymore time on is rearranging the same stuff – trying to figure out how to keep the same stuff I still won’t need later.

It’s been good… I’m thinking that at the end of the week I will finally get down to some serious paring down. Now, paring down for me or for us would be like drowning in cluttered chaos for a few of our friends who are the epitome of order and define minimalist decor. But for us, who have most everything we ever bought or were given (except for the things that broke or were stolen) doing a de-cluttering of the home is major surgery. What needs to go on here is akin to an amputation or something. Actually… what I really think needs to happen is that the walls need to be pushed out about 12 feet on all sides of the house – but then, that would sound greedy and discontent and, really, I strive to be neither.
So, the re-righting continues. I’m missing Hannah as she’s still in Idaho staying with a family and helping at the home of a young mother after the birth of their fifth child. O, how grateful I am for the opportunity for Hannah. I am remembering when that young woman was in her teens and how incredibly industrious she was (and is, still) and what a blessing she was to her family and to ours—so to now be able to send a little help to her at this time is really quite endearing to me. I tell Hannah that she is much like Becca was at her age… so it’s sort of melancholy to me as I think of what the LORD may have ahead for Hannah.

With most of the olders gone, the youngers have to “step up to the plate,” so to speak, and both fill in the gaps and learn the diligence that makes the work and lives of their older brothers and sisters valuable to others. I like to see these “life lessons” in play as they always increase the importance or reason for learning what they’re studying – they see the application and how God uses lives dedicated to Him. As a mom, I’ve needed to see the imperative to press on and not be weary of the repetitive nature of motherhood. I’ve needed to reemploy the creative enthusiasm as I train and retrain and retrain so that the last will be as skilled and capable as the first—and that the last will receive the same (yet, hopefully more) fresh, wonder-filled, awestruck passion that it seems only new moms possess.

So then, both the rewriting and the re-righting continues. Hopefully mo betah as the days go by.