To Do List

• put new batteries in alarm clock
• check email/Facebook/blogs/Pinterest
• find notebook to keep near computer
• rearrange living room furniture
• feed/water chickens
• clean out chicken pen in basement
• design compost bin
• rearrange living room furniture with homeschool stuff all grouped together
• finish sewing Hannah's bedspread and curtains
• hang Abbo's curtains on her closet
• repair Hannah's curtains where she cut them "because she just wanted something to cut"
• sew tiebacks for Hannah's curtains
• sew tiebacks for Abbo's curtains so she can "see all her dresses"
• paint front hall wall (Andy)
• buy paint (me)
• repaint hall wall more of a leafy and less of a minty green (Andy)
• build chicken coop (Andy)
• move all of LR furniture that is on the left of the room to the right of the room and vice versa
• teach school
• make list of curriculum changes for next year
• look up homeschool convention dates
• feed/water chickens
• look at chicken coop for landscaping plans
• break the news to Andy that I don't like where the chicken coop is
• organize kitchen cabinets/freezer/downstairs pantry
• make grocery list
• plan garden
• lunch w/Carrie @ 12:15; park with kids afterwards
• re-read Creative Correction by Lisa Whelchel
• find or buy "I'm So Sorry"/"Whoops"/"kids do the darnedest things", etc. rubber stamps or stickers
• make card for Carrie
• feed/water chickens
• read Bible while kids have quiet/naptime
• make curtains for MBR
• look for the plug-in alarm clock
• feed/water chickens

Peanut Butter Chewies

One thing that is important to me as I school is making basic things like math and reading relevant.  To this day, in order to remember certain fractions, I picture a cherry pie and decide whether I'd rather have 1/8 of it or 1/9th, etc. as I was taught back in 4th grade.

We're beginning early fractions with Hannah and I found a perfect recipe that includes basic fractions.  For our "lessons," we used different sized measuring cups (e.g., 1/3 or 1/2) and added them together to make a whole. It was great to see Hannah "get it"!


My friend Andrea coincidentally* posted it to Facebook the day before we began fractions.

(*I don't really believe in coincidences, do you?  God loves us and is REAL in our daily lives!!)

Anyways, this recipe is from back at our Triple-R Ranch camp days.  I remember making sheet pan after sheet pan of these things, mixing them in the big Hobart floor mixer, and eating them until my jaws hurt.  They're a wonderful recipe because they take no time at all to prepare, and you "always" have all of the ingredients on hand. 

RRR's Peanut Butter Chewies

1 cup white sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 1/2 cups peanut butter

4 cups corn flakes*

1/2 cup salted peanuts (optional)

1 tbs. vanilla

(*I had some leftover "Uncle Sam" cereal that I added to the cornflakes, which is why these look dark.)

Stirring frequently, bring sugar and corn syrup to a full rolling boil.  Allow to boil for 1 minute. 

Remove from heat and add peanut butter.  Stir to melt.

Add cornflakes, vanilla and nuts.  Stir gently.

Using a cookie/meatball scoop onto wax paper.  Allow to harden.

Store in fridge or freezer, allow to come to room temperature before eating (unless you have an uncle who is a dentist and provides free services....)

Facebook Status

There's a new pastime on Facebook. Maybe you've seen it, wondered about it, or even participated. I've seen it, been invited to participate - It is purported to raise awareness for breast cancer, and what you do is change your status update to answer the question of "where you like to put your purse." Only you indicate the location only and do not reveal to what you are referring. The "joke" is that it is supposed to be suggestive - supposedly your "friends" will wonder what you are posting about and think about it in terms of anything but where you hang your purse. HA, HA, very funny, right?


I know that my Facebook friends who have posted the different locations to their status updates don't see any harm in joining in on the "fun." It's just a game, after all, and it's for a good cause, right? We're just hinting around at something…let the guys or those "not in the know" become curious. After all, most of my FB friends are married…so it's OK, right?

But wait…these same friends have guys listed as their friends. And those guy friends were created in such a way that such titillating comments so very easily trigger sinful thoughts…and lustful thinking…and, again, because of the way they are created - visual images. That's right. Her guy friends are PICTURING her…

It's not just men, either. Facebook allows users to be as young as 13. What kind of message does this send to young girls and boys? That sex is the butt of a joke? That single women are engaging in…

Do you profess to be a Christ follower? Do you tell others that you love Jesus?  Do you go to church? 

Here is what Paul suggested about how we should interact with those who will be watching to see if our actions measure up with our words:

2 Corinthians 8:20, 21: "We want to avoid any criticism

of the way we administer this liberal gift.

For we are taking pains to do what is right,

not only in the eyes of the Lord but also in the eyes of men.

Is posting a suggestive status taking pains to do what is right in the eyes of men?

There's more…

But among you there must not be

even a hint of sexual immorality,

or of any kind of impurity,

or of greed, because

these are improper for God's holy people.

Ephesians 5:3

Yikes! There's more…

Abstain from all appearance of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:22)

…Be careful to do what is right. (Romans 12:17)

Yes, but it isn't really evil, or wrong, now, is it?

The Apostle Paul comes at it another way:

We put no stumbling block in anyone's path,

so that our ministry will not be discredited. (2Cr 6:3)

Can a status update be a stumbling block?

1 Corinthians 8:13 says:

"Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin,

 I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall."

(Chew on that a minute.)
Try this version:

"Therefore, if my use of Facebook causes my brother to fall into sin,

 I will never use Facebook again, so that I will not cause him to fall."

I'm pretty confident Paul would agree with this translation...do you?

"So whether you eat or drink

or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

Do not cause anyone to stumble,

whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God-

even as I try to please everybody in every way.

For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many,

 so that they may be saved."

1 Corinthians 10:31-33.

See a trend here?

The Bible is pretty clear. And that was before Facebook was even invented!

I'll close with this - which is the yardstick by which I measure many things in my life, thanks to a lesson I studied with a friend who worked closely with The Navigators:

Philippians 4:8:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,  whatever is right,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable

-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-

think about such things.

moving

If this blog were a plant it would be dead from infrequent feeding and watering and occasional boosts of Miracle Grow when I remembered it.
I've been spending stolen moments on Facebook - uploading pictures this time and taking time to caption them. Here's a link of the pictures, if you're interested. From the 1980's so prepare yourself!
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=82985&id=665317830&l=abf029dbd6

And if you know us you know us, you know that we want to move. So its been a flurry of cleaning (yuk), patching up, touch up painting, downsizing and organizing. Our home has never looked so good!
There are a couple of homes out there that we are interested in - VERY interested in - and I have to pray every day that I won't be disappointed if they sell before we get a contract on our house.
So far, our house has been on the market about 4 days. I'm hoping that this weekend - when it is in the newspaper - will be the one where we get some serious hits.
That said, today and tomorrow, especially, are going to be full out assaults on dust bunnies, spotted floors, looming laundry, disorganized chaos and the ilk. Especially the ilk. Wish us well.

Facebook

I'm on Facebook.
Not right now, but I have an account - I guess that means a page. It took me awhile to figure out how it works - who can see what, how to hide some of the programs that pop up from it, but I think I've got the hang of it now. I really like it - at first I thought it was a waste of time. AND, I felt slightly guilty. Here's why.
My first excursions were a very tentative peep at who was on there - my sister, some local friends, friends from our playgroup down in Chesapeake - and then I got a message from a high school boyfriend. Nothing much - how are you, I'm married, are you, here's my story, here's my blog (and then I never heard from him again; that blog gets 'em every time!). Then an old friend died, and I saw his best friend on FB, made the contact, exchanged the necessary information, forwarded my blog address, and BAM! that contact died on the vine.
So, I thought that was all FB was good for - old BFs (or old BFFs) contacting, seeing if you were divorced (I guess?) and moving on. But what has been so RICH for me was the other friendships I've re-established. I've seen folks there I haven't talked to since 10th grade - or since grad school 10 years ago - and we're having a hoot seeing how each other turned out. It really is a great way to reconnect.
Friends from our old church in Chesapeake are online, too, as well as those who have moved on from there to other parts of the country. Its neat-o watching pictures of their babies and kids growing up, as well as being able to relate to some of the struggles they face in their lives. They share their difficulties and I share mine - kind of like we did face-to-face, but its a larger network that is just as strong in cyberspace as it was in the nursery/at the playground/fellowship hall.
The best use I've seen with FB is the real-time ability to connect with - HAH!- local friends. We scheduled a great playdate at the park, keep up with our kids' colds (kind of like the Covington Flu Report) and complai- I mean, compliment our husbands. Right now we're planning a girls (moms) night out at the local Mexican restaurante - and according to the posts there may be an outburst of impromptu karaoke (without a mike - without a karaoke machine) fueled by, "a gallon of margaritas". Hmmmm. And if we make the paper, we'll be sure that one of the mom's picture is on the front page - again - for a small-town scandal. I'll be sure to include a link if it gets that out of hand!
I've had to put myself on FB, email and blog restriction during the daytime. I don't want it to come before my Littles, and once Andy gets home, he has reign over the computer. Plus I want to spend time with him - unelectronically, if you catch my drift. So, Facebook waits, piling up status feeds, collecting inbox messages and receiving posted pictures, waiting for me to peruse at my leisure. Around midnight. See you online!