Friday, July 27, 2007

They need more dance programs in prisions.

Look how happy those guys are!!

Monday, July 23, 2007

Wanted: a good church to attend

The weekend is Asheboro with Katie and her family has come and gone. We had a great time. And who knew that the secret to 53 years of marriage was so simple!

Katie and I went with the Francis' to an Anglican church (Christ Church in Highpoint, NC) on Sunday. I found it very interesting. They met in a rec room at a retirement community and had about 40-50 people in attendance. Everyone was very welcoming and kind (although, that might be a trait of small churches in North Carolina...While people are friendly in the churches in VA, I have never quite found a church that is as nice as the churches in NC.)

The service was like charismatic meets Episcopal. I know. And interesting combination that worked wonderfully well. It didn't feel put on. Even when we were doing responsive readings. Something else that I found incredible awesome and quite intimate was the corporate prayers. It was as if we were all standing together petitioning God's favor and thanking Him for his love, and forgiveness, and the life that we were given. It was a neat feeling. Especially when we prayed a confessional prayer together before communion. It was the first time in a LONG time that I felt as if I was truly prepared to receive communion.

I was talking with Stephen today, and I think we're itching to find a church to be a part of. I decided that I wanted to find a church that had a public, positive acknowledgment of marriage and sex. One that takes the time to focus on how awesome marriage can be and how the marriage bed should be treated. I just want a church that's more open about that.

Stephen wants a church that has a positive view of women as equals.

I want to try an Emergant church. But have no idea where to find one. I'd love to go back to an Anglican church, but again, I don't know where there is one around here. I guess I need to do a little research!

Friday, July 20, 2007

If you have gambling or sexual urges, please call your doctor

Nope, it wasn't a documentary about addictions. It was a commercial for a medicine to help RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME.

Now, I've heard of the normal side effects of prescription medications, like vomiting, abdominal pain, swelling, headaches, etc. But, gambling urges? Sexual urges?

Exactly when do sexual urges become bad? Some people would love to have sexual urges again.

Potential label: Do not take this medication if you are prone to gambling.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Funn-ay

Ghost Ridin' Grandma

I'll follow that last post with this one

Marriage, Christ, and Covenant: One Flesh for the Glory of God

A Sermon series by John Piper

Good Wife's Guide

I'm sure everyone has read this before. But I thought I would post it along with my new picture.

"The Good Wife's Guide is a magazine article rumored to have been published in the May 13, 1955 issue of Housekeeping Monthly, describing how a "good wife" should act. The text and supposed scan of the article have been widely circulated via email. Lack of corroborating evidence has cast significant doubt on its origins.
The article intends to represent an antiquated attitude towards sexual equality that is no longer accepted." From Wikipedia.

1) Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favourite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

2) Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you'll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh-looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people.

3) Be a little gay and a little more interesting for him. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

4) Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives.

5) Gather up schoolbooks, toys, paper, etc and then run a dustcloth over the tables.

6)Over the cooler months of the year you should prepare and light a fire for him to unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

7) Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children's hands and faces (if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, or vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

8) Be happy to see him.

9)Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him.

10) Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first - remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

11) Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

12) Your goal: Try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order, and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

13) Don't greet him with complaints or problems.

14) Don't complain if he's late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

15) Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him.

16) Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.
17) Don't ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

18) A good wife always knows her place.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

There's no time for cuddling when there's a coup going on

Remember those words of wisdom from this mornings commercial for the Jean Claude VanDamm movie "Second in Command" on USA.

Stephen introduced me to the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" movie last night. And I loved it!! It was actually just the right amount of cheesy-ness. Plus it was rather humorous. I think that it's a good movie for young boys to watch. Because they are not using guns, and you never see blood. It shows how to use fighting for good (ie. protecting someone from an attacker).

There just aren't enough movies out theses days that show that to young boys. Plus the language wasn't that bad. A few times Raphael said, "Damn". And that could be imitated (but that would be a good time to teach boys to not say that word). But I would just love to hear my boys running around the house saying, "Excellent", and "Cowabunga", and the like.

In music news...I rented the Elvis 30 #1s from the library and am listening to it now. Great CD.

This weekend is Katie's lingerie shower!! I'm super excited!! 1) to see Katie, 2) to give her a fun gift, 3) to see Katie. And actually I am kind of excited to make the 4 1/2 hour trip to Asheboro. I love driving on long trips!! Fill up the iPod and have some CDs on hand. Twill be good times!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Whew...that was close!

Scary stuff

"And I just want you to relax while I RIIIIIIIIIIIP the hair off of your garden!"

"ahh...that's warm"
"RIIIIIIIIIIP"
"EWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWW"

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

"Take me to the river/put me in the water"

Oh how I love the river. Williamsburg is situated (for those of you who aren't familiar with our geography) on the upper side of the Peninsula. (Noticed I used "the" peninsula...cuz that's what it is, yo!) Virginia also have another peninsula above the Peninsula called the Northern Neck. Anyways...in Williamsburg we have several rivers including the James River, York River and the Chickahominy River. Each one meets up and eventually flows to the Chesapeake Bay and then onto the Atlantic Ocean.

This past weekend, my sister, Kristina, and I went out on her Jet Ski in the Chickahominy. We had a great time. We actually went in the James as well to see the Jamestown Ferries in action and Jamestowne Island. It was a good time.

Stephen and I watched a few movies this weekend as well. We watched "Reno 911", "Breach" and then had also rented "Letters from Iwo Jima", "Deja Vu", "Fly Boys", "TransAmerica", "Brokeback Mountain", "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "Life as a House".

I watched "TransAmerica" on day last week. Interesting flick. Some funny moments.

We wanted "Reno 911" on Saturday. I found it extremely hilarious, and would recommend it, but not expect everyone to find it as humorous as I did that night! It gave us some good silent laughs. You know, the ones where it's not funny enough to laugh out loud, but gives you a good chuckle!?

We watched "Breach" on Sunday afternoon. Excellent movie. Kind of a slow moving drama, but it helps that it's based on a true story. That part keeps your interest. Plus Laura Linney is a great actress. And so is that guy from "American Beauty". Ryan Phillipe...ehhh? So-so.

All in all, it was an enjoyable weekend.

And I'm going out again in my father-in-law's boat on Thursday. Do a little tubing!
Wow...China means business

China Ex-Food and Drug Chief executed

We would never see this in America.

I understand the importance of ensuring that food (pet and human), toothpaste and children's toys are safe for consumption. But execution?

Even the man involved in the worst breach in US history (See the movie "Breach" for details) has life in prison for spying for the Russians for years upon years.

Thursday, July 5, 2007

The Impossible Quiz

This is fun. And frustrating.

The Impossible Quiz

Is this an ethical issue? Or not?

Mother Donates Eggs to Infertile Daughter is the headline

You can read through the whole story here.

Technically, this child may give birth to her half-sister or half-brother.

The child is only 7 years old right now, but has a genetic disorder (Turner's Syndrome) which usually means infertility. And the mom (mid-30's healthy and fertile) has frozen 20 eggs for her daughter to use down the road.

Does this fall into ethical/morality issues? Because I'm not really sure?! But it did strike me as odd... and I got that "hmm...something's fishy" feeling in my tummy when I read it.

Incest? Well probably not. I think that just deals with sexual relations (dictionary.com says so too).

Morally wrong? Well I don't see anything that really points to a moral dilemma.

Ethically wrong? Hmm...maybe. But why? It's just an egg and an infertile girl. BUT it's the same DNA as the daughter (well half--before mutations and all). Is the body going to reject the same DNA egg? Probably not, because she would produce her own half-DNA egg herself if she were able.

Gosh, maybe there isn't anything wrong with this.

Well, it is the first documented...so I guess we'll have to wait some years to see whatever happens to the little Boivin girl from Canada.

Chivalry at it's finest

Rule # 3 of the Chivalry Code according to 19th century French historian Leon Gautier: Thou shalt respect all weaknesses, and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them.

Today, upon arriving to work, I spotted what I thought was a dead rodent on the sidewalk right in front of where I park each morning. So I was prepared to grab a shovel and scrape the little rat off of the sidewalk and into the woods (or at least I was going to get my boss to do it!)

But upon further investigation I found it to be a baby rabbit still kicking. But he was kicking on his side and then taking a break. Well I was a little nervous that I would find him incredibly punctured on the opposite side...so I was prepared for the worst. I went in and put my stuff down in the church. By the time I had gotten back to him/her, he/she had flipped over, and looked completely intact! So I cradled him in my hands and told him it would be ok. He seemed to understand that I was taking him to safety, because he didn't kick at all while in my hands. But his little eyes stared up at me the whole time. We bonded!

Life is just so precious. Maybe that's why I am hooked on watched "Babies: Special Deliveries" on Discovery Health each evening.

Recently I have been shown through numerous avenues how much balance is required in life. I started noticing it as we began learning about diabetes, and how much balance Stephen needed to have in order to keep his blood sugar at a healthy level. Then I started noticing how VERY important balance is in a marriage and sex. And then this morning, this little bunny needed more balance in his life. It's such a delicate balance and his was thrown off kilter.

When things are out of balance in a marriage, fights and hurt feelings arise. When the balance is off in a uterus, bad things happen. (Did you know that the placenta actually starts to die after 40 weeks? And it's actually dangerous for a woman to carry a baby much past that time. God sure does keep a delicate balance.)

Balance. It's what we need, it's what we want!

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

NAKED!!

This past month, I spent most of my time with my group for CRIN 590: Collaborating with Families and School Personnel. It was a group of 7: 6 girls and 1 boy. The very first day we got together as a group, a joke about "no nakedness" being a rule for our group emerged. We, of course, milked it for all it was worth and said it daily (even incorporating it into class activities and such).

Well apparently Jim Cunningham does not feel the same as we do.

"Nakedness is next to godliness" in Jim's opinion. He has written several books about Christian nudity and other guides to things like skinny dipping.

Oh, and by the way, he's blind! (although I am pretty sure not from birth...but foxnews likes to spin it that way!)

"But if the body is what the Bible says it is -- the temple of the Holy Spirit and the image of God -- then modesty doesn't mean always covering up, it just means comporting yourself in a way that does not cause lust in others".

My question is, how does one do that? How can a naked women not cause others to lust? Someone, somewhere is going to have a problem with lust in that situation. Men are typically visual (see this article) therefore lust would be a problem. (And I am talking about widespread nudity...not nudity in nudist camps...I think that there is a totally different structure in a nudist camp.)

"For a recent interview, he walked down the stairs of his home and welcomed a visitor wearing a Catholic scapula hung around his neck, hiking boots on his feet -- and nothing in between. He's not self-conscious, and doesn't think anyone else should be." -- Well if I were blind I may not be worried about it either. He cannot see the interviewer's wide open eyes and gaping mouth!

Now with this statement, I agree: "People don't see nakedness anywhere except pornography. Everything that's naked on TV is some kind of sex theme. That creates a culture where nude is lewd, in people's minds. And it's getting worse instead of better." -- If nudity always equals sex, then of course there will be problems. It's an association thing. If you hook up a bolt of electricity to a rat and couple it with a specific sound...that rat will eventually learn that he will be shocked when he hears that tone. Therefore when he hears that tone, he will always brace for a shock, whether one is given or not.

Same with nudity. For instance, if a wife comes to bed nude, ONLY when she wants sex. Then her husband will learn, "ok, she wants sex because she is nude." Of course this might not always be the case for the woman (maybe she has a sunburn that hurts when she has a shirt on, or maybe all of her pj's are dirty one night.) But the man is going to associate naked wife with sex.

And while Cunningham would probably like it if everyone was a nudist, I think that public nudity should be contained with in camps. At least most will be in like mind with the others about the place and time of nudity. (It's too hard to explain your current (un)dress at a job interview. Plus, he/she may be looking at different assets than you're talking about!)

My (theoretical) children will never be safe again!

Michael Jackson is rumored to be renting a house in Virginia sometime soon.

Foxnews.com is reporting this horrific tale!