Richie
The latest issue of re:generation (not online yet, sorry!) has some really powerful stuff in it. (Maybe later in the week I'll pull together my comments on Read Schuchardt's article on Disney.)
Becky Baer Porteous' article "From Race to Taste: Wealth and Status in the Postmodern World," felt a bit like a kick in the teeth in the best possible way (if that makes any sense). She asserts that "having the wealth to consume and display certain sorts of 'taste,' even a taste for packaged ethnic diversity, makes anyone acceptable....In a postmodern world, it's what's over the skin that counts--the surface and the image it sustains." Okay, sounds like a typical anti-materialism story condemning the upper crust, right?
Well, Porteous goes on to describe feeling depressed while living in Zimbabwe, and realizing it came from being separated from home, from being accustomed to "being a wealthy person in a wealth contry, constantly stimulated by color and taste and aroma and touch--by things I coveted and wanted to consume." She comes to the realization that much of her former happiness came from being a white American and that life should be about sharing in Christ's sufferings in the world.
Even if my wardrobe isn't terribly stylish and we drive an older, dented up car, equating hapiness with stuff is still a big problem for me. I'm not at all eager to forgo my plush, comfortable bed and full cupboards to suffer for Christ.
4.24.2003
4.23.2003
Leaps
Growing up in a Christian family, it's easy to assume that the next generation will simply fall in line behind us. Alas, they have their own struggles. My oldest brother's girls have done both the MK and PK thing. His youngest has had her ups and downs, and my brother and sister-in-law have really struggled to woo her back to Lord when she's drifted away.
Well, my niece is about to embark on a spiritual journey. She's going to India for a few months to serve as a nanny for a missionary couple while their children have school holidays. We got the nicest note from her asking for our prayers as she takes this leap of faith, leaving her comfort zone (among many non-Christian friends at university) to connect with God again. She leaves next Tuesday.
We pray that like the prodigal, she sees her heavenly Father running down the road to meet her.
Growing up in a Christian family, it's easy to assume that the next generation will simply fall in line behind us. Alas, they have their own struggles. My oldest brother's girls have done both the MK and PK thing. His youngest has had her ups and downs, and my brother and sister-in-law have really struggled to woo her back to Lord when she's drifted away.
Well, my niece is about to embark on a spiritual journey. She's going to India for a few months to serve as a nanny for a missionary couple while their children have school holidays. We got the nicest note from her asking for our prayers as she takes this leap of faith, leaving her comfort zone (among many non-Christian friends at university) to connect with God again. She leaves next Tuesday.
We pray that like the prodigal, she sees her heavenly Father running down the road to meet her.
4.19.2003
Lacrimosa
As part of our Good Friday observence, we attended a concert put on by the Ama Deus ensemble at the big Catholic cathedral here in Philly. They performed a Gregorian chant setting of the "Stabat Mater," followed by a Verdi setting of the same text. The group also performed a Verdi setting of the "Ave Maria" and Mozart's setting of the "Ave Verum Corpus." Finally, they closed with Mozart's "Requiem."
Sadly, the only piece that was truly outstanding was the chant. And it had nothing to do with the group's virutosity. They set up the orchestra and choir right beneath the dome in the cathedral--the absolutely worst spot acoustically for most classical music. With all of that open space, the sound waves echo and overlap excessively. All the snap of Mozart becomes a muddy mess.
The last time I heard the same group perform Mozart's "Requiem" in a different venue, it I couldn't keep from weeping because of how achingly, powerfully beautiful the music was. This time I wanted to cry for the performers who I knew were doing an equally amazing job that this cavernous cathedral was warping, disorting.
So much for grandiose scenes. We would have had a better auditory fortaste of heaven had the performers been crammed into the choir loft at the back of the church.
As part of our Good Friday observence, we attended a concert put on by the Ama Deus ensemble at the big Catholic cathedral here in Philly. They performed a Gregorian chant setting of the "Stabat Mater," followed by a Verdi setting of the same text. The group also performed a Verdi setting of the "Ave Maria" and Mozart's setting of the "Ave Verum Corpus." Finally, they closed with Mozart's "Requiem."
Sadly, the only piece that was truly outstanding was the chant. And it had nothing to do with the group's virutosity. They set up the orchestra and choir right beneath the dome in the cathedral--the absolutely worst spot acoustically for most classical music. With all of that open space, the sound waves echo and overlap excessively. All the snap of Mozart becomes a muddy mess.
The last time I heard the same group perform Mozart's "Requiem" in a different venue, it I couldn't keep from weeping because of how achingly, powerfully beautiful the music was. This time I wanted to cry for the performers who I knew were doing an equally amazing job that this cavernous cathedral was warping, disorting.
So much for grandiose scenes. We would have had a better auditory fortaste of heaven had the performers been crammed into the choir loft at the back of the church.
4.16.2003
No soliciting
I walk past several clumps of Jehovah's Witnesses at the train station the three days a week I commute to the city. Usually these overdressed folks coyly wave their fans of literature and smile. Others -- mostly the older men -- stand around in their tweed and fedoras holding Watchtower magazines like offering plates ready to receive a contribution.
None have approached me yet, but if one did, I'd be heartily tempted to say, "Oh, the Arian heresy, how quaint."
I walk past several clumps of Jehovah's Witnesses at the train station the three days a week I commute to the city. Usually these overdressed folks coyly wave their fans of literature and smile. Others -- mostly the older men -- stand around in their tweed and fedoras holding Watchtower magazines like offering plates ready to receive a contribution.
None have approached me yet, but if one did, I'd be heartily tempted to say, "Oh, the Arian heresy, how quaint."
4.13.2003
How low can you go
The network execs at Fox must be smoking crack. How else can you explain a show like "The Pitts"? Its central comic concept about a family of accident-prone losers is about as funny as a train wreck. I can't say I've managed to sit through an episode yet. I think I'd rather watch a whole season of "Charles in Charge" reruns than one episode of "The Pitts." The ads for the show are so painful the thirty second exposure makes me want to run from the room and call the nearest psychiatric center to schedule electric shock treatment.
I can't wait to get a new book on tape from the library tomorrow.
The network execs at Fox must be smoking crack. How else can you explain a show like "The Pitts"? Its central comic concept about a family of accident-prone losers is about as funny as a train wreck. I can't say I've managed to sit through an episode yet. I think I'd rather watch a whole season of "Charles in Charge" reruns than one episode of "The Pitts." The ads for the show are so painful the thirty second exposure makes me want to run from the room and call the nearest psychiatric center to schedule electric shock treatment.
I can't wait to get a new book on tape from the library tomorrow.
4.11.2003
In a mirror darkly
I really hate the full length mirror in the bathroom at work. It makes me look like a Weeble. (Like I didn't have enough body image problems to begin with.) I think the surface might be slightly curved, because my feet look so small and my middle looks so wide compared to my full-length mirror at home. Of course, my mirror at home may merely flatter me into thinking I'm more evenly proportioned.
The other thing we so easily forget about mirrors is that they reflect a backwards image. I remember watching a 20/20 spot about a company that sells mirrors that reflect true. Most people are really freaked out the first time they see themselves unflipped.
We're really accustomed to seeing a distorted, backwards image of ourselves. Even photos lie--they can make you appear 10 pounds heavier than you really are.
We now see God as "but a poor reflection as in a mirror" (I Cor. 13:12 NIV). But we also see ourselves through a glass darkly. Someday we will see Him face-to-face and know Him fully, in the full way He knows us. What a strange and awesome day that will be, when the distortions are removed.
Perhaps we'll also get a glimpse of how our savior and bridegroom sees us as well. How extraordinary it would be to know how I truly look to the only true eyes in the cosmos.
I really hate the full length mirror in the bathroom at work. It makes me look like a Weeble. (Like I didn't have enough body image problems to begin with.) I think the surface might be slightly curved, because my feet look so small and my middle looks so wide compared to my full-length mirror at home. Of course, my mirror at home may merely flatter me into thinking I'm more evenly proportioned.
The other thing we so easily forget about mirrors is that they reflect a backwards image. I remember watching a 20/20 spot about a company that sells mirrors that reflect true. Most people are really freaked out the first time they see themselves unflipped.
We're really accustomed to seeing a distorted, backwards image of ourselves. Even photos lie--they can make you appear 10 pounds heavier than you really are.
We now see God as "but a poor reflection as in a mirror" (I Cor. 13:12 NIV). But we also see ourselves through a glass darkly. Someday we will see Him face-to-face and know Him fully, in the full way He knows us. What a strange and awesome day that will be, when the distortions are removed.
Perhaps we'll also get a glimpse of how our savior and bridegroom sees us as well. How extraordinary it would be to know how I truly look to the only true eyes in the cosmos.
4.09.2003
Finding joy with gel pens
I had a big doodle fest last night with some birthday cards and a baby shower card. It started innocently when I wrote "Meredith" on an envelope using sparkly gel pens I got for Christmas. The next thing I know, I'm covering the envelope with elaborate doodles of rattles, moon and stars, a blankie and teddy bear.
It seemed a little like a dam burst. Since taking this job, my creativity has dropped to a trickle. I knew that once I stopped doing graphic design, I'd miss it, but I never expected this. If I didn't have a baby to be home with, I think I'd honestly consider changing jobs soon.
This epiphany felt like another confirmation that leaving this job in the fall to be home (and be creative again!) is the right thing to do.
I had a big doodle fest last night with some birthday cards and a baby shower card. It started innocently when I wrote "Meredith" on an envelope using sparkly gel pens I got for Christmas. The next thing I know, I'm covering the envelope with elaborate doodles of rattles, moon and stars, a blankie and teddy bear.
It seemed a little like a dam burst. Since taking this job, my creativity has dropped to a trickle. I knew that once I stopped doing graphic design, I'd miss it, but I never expected this. If I didn't have a baby to be home with, I think I'd honestly consider changing jobs soon.
This epiphany felt like another confirmation that leaving this job in the fall to be home (and be creative again!) is the right thing to do.
4.08.2003
No big surprise
In Middle Earth, I would be hanging out in Rivendell.
Elvish
To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla
I think that going on regular hiking and camping trips with my family to Rickett's Glen State Park, with its miles of mountain trails and amazing waterfalls, has made my soul a little more elvish. While I love Rohan, I'm a bit too timid to really fit in that culture.
What I'm waiting to see among the blog set is someone who comes up Entish. Or Dwarvish.
In Middle Earth, I would be hanging out in Rivendell.
Elvish
To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla
I think that going on regular hiking and camping trips with my family to Rickett's Glen State Park, with its miles of mountain trails and amazing waterfalls, has made my soul a little more elvish. While I love Rohan, I'm a bit too timid to really fit in that culture.
What I'm waiting to see among the blog set is someone who comes up Entish. Or Dwarvish.
4.07.2003
Making the shift
Yesterday I picked up a copy of Larry Burkett's Women Leaving the Workplace from our church library. I think it's just what I needed: a how-to book on going to one income written from a Christian perspective. It does a good job of balancing the ideas of God's provision and our stewardship. The reason many women don't make it staying home is because of poor planning.
I was encouraged to discover that we've already done all of the right things to make a one-income lifestyle possible. If anyone else is thinking about doing this, here's some of the planning steps Burkett mentions: get out of debt, practice living on one income, cut luxuries, reduce monthly expenses, build a savings cushion, make and stick to a budget.
Our only debt is our mortgage, which we're in the process of refinancing (though we did put 20% down when we bought). We own one car. We don't have cable. We've tried to live one income for basic expenses since we got married, using the second income to get out of debt and build up savings.
The next big challenge is budgeting. I kept a budget when I was single and found it time consuming and tedious. I think I need a simpler system that what I was using. It was good to keep track of what I was spending, but tracking more than a dozen categories made it too complicated. I think this Burkett book has a sample budget system in it, so I'll have to take a look.
Amy Dacyczyn who wrote the Tightwad Gazette books said their family doesn't budget that closely, they simply spend as little as possible on everything to save for larger goals, like paying off the mortgage early and saving for their kids' education (she has 6 kids). I think I agree with her premise that if the system is too complex, you'll give up.
Yesterday I picked up a copy of Larry Burkett's Women Leaving the Workplace from our church library. I think it's just what I needed: a how-to book on going to one income written from a Christian perspective. It does a good job of balancing the ideas of God's provision and our stewardship. The reason many women don't make it staying home is because of poor planning.
I was encouraged to discover that we've already done all of the right things to make a one-income lifestyle possible. If anyone else is thinking about doing this, here's some of the planning steps Burkett mentions: get out of debt, practice living on one income, cut luxuries, reduce monthly expenses, build a savings cushion, make and stick to a budget.
Our only debt is our mortgage, which we're in the process of refinancing (though we did put 20% down when we bought). We own one car. We don't have cable. We've tried to live one income for basic expenses since we got married, using the second income to get out of debt and build up savings.
The next big challenge is budgeting. I kept a budget when I was single and found it time consuming and tedious. I think I need a simpler system that what I was using. It was good to keep track of what I was spending, but tracking more than a dozen categories made it too complicated. I think this Burkett book has a sample budget system in it, so I'll have to take a look.
Amy Dacyczyn who wrote the Tightwad Gazette books said their family doesn't budget that closely, they simply spend as little as possible on everything to save for larger goals, like paying off the mortgage early and saving for their kids' education (she has 6 kids). I think I agree with her premise that if the system is too complex, you'll give up.
EDT
Well, I survived the week of working weird hours from home (10 a.m. - 7 p.m.) to help with the annual convention out in San Diego. Strangely I didn't hear much from the team while they were out there putting together three daily newspapers. From what my boss said, they were running so far behind most days, they had little time to edit stories.
Today, of course, I'm totally dragging because it's hard to make yourself go to bed early just because the clocks changed. The look on Claire's face when I woke her this morning summed it up: blink, blink, pout, crumple face, howl.
I feel the same way about the first week of daylight saving time.
Well, I survived the week of working weird hours from home (10 a.m. - 7 p.m.) to help with the annual convention out in San Diego. Strangely I didn't hear much from the team while they were out there putting together three daily newspapers. From what my boss said, they were running so far behind most days, they had little time to edit stories.
Today, of course, I'm totally dragging because it's hard to make yourself go to bed early just because the clocks changed. The look on Claire's face when I woke her this morning summed it up: blink, blink, pout, crumple face, howl.
I feel the same way about the first week of daylight saving time.
3.31.2003
Changes afoot
I'd been hesitant to blog about this until Joel and I made some more definitive plans, but for now I'll let you know what's in the works. I'm going to leave full time employment, possibly as early as the fall semester (late August), to be full time Mommy and run our household.
Our quality of life has been poor since we've both been working. While sharing the load of running a household is good thing, Joel really does more than his share to enable me to work. This semester would have been totally nasty stress craziness if Berek weren't here helping out around the house. The only reason last fall wasn't so awful was because Joel and I were both working full time simultaneously for only six weeks.
Going down to half our income is a scary prospect, but I can think of dozens of ways we could economize if we had more time. I've already dusted off my old copies of "The Tightwad Gazette" volumes I and II, which in my single days helped me pay off all my school debt while working a low-paying editorial job. I hope that by gradually tightening our belt now, we can adjust our attitudes and continue building up a good-sized savings cushion.
I'd love to hear some words of wisdom from other one-income families. Please share some tips!
I'd been hesitant to blog about this until Joel and I made some more definitive plans, but for now I'll let you know what's in the works. I'm going to leave full time employment, possibly as early as the fall semester (late August), to be full time Mommy and run our household.
Our quality of life has been poor since we've both been working. While sharing the load of running a household is good thing, Joel really does more than his share to enable me to work. This semester would have been totally nasty stress craziness if Berek weren't here helping out around the house. The only reason last fall wasn't so awful was because Joel and I were both working full time simultaneously for only six weeks.
Going down to half our income is a scary prospect, but I can think of dozens of ways we could economize if we had more time. I've already dusted off my old copies of "The Tightwad Gazette" volumes I and II, which in my single days helped me pay off all my school debt while working a low-paying editorial job. I hope that by gradually tightening our belt now, we can adjust our attitudes and continue building up a good-sized savings cushion.
I'd love to hear some words of wisdom from other one-income families. Please share some tips!
3.25.2003
Unredeemed
I'm disappointed that Chicago won best picture at the Oscars. Joel and I saw it back in February, shortly after I returned from visiting my parents, and I got too busy to blog about it then. At the time it seemed like a waste of a night out with babysitting.
Yes, the costumes and dancing are very flashy and entertaining; yes, the song lyrics are clever. However, the overall plot and themes aren't even remotely redemptive.
You're set up to see fame as a fleeting friend, but none of the characters seem to learn from their mistakes kow towing at the altar of fame. I honestly hoped the Roxie character would be redeemed by her husband's sacrificial love. But no, in Chicago sacrificial love is for "chumps and losers." Bribe, blackmail, perjure and murder all you like if it gets your name up in lights.
Well, that's Chicago. Personally, I'll take Calvary, thanks.
I'm disappointed that Chicago won best picture at the Oscars. Joel and I saw it back in February, shortly after I returned from visiting my parents, and I got too busy to blog about it then. At the time it seemed like a waste of a night out with babysitting.
Yes, the costumes and dancing are very flashy and entertaining; yes, the song lyrics are clever. However, the overall plot and themes aren't even remotely redemptive.
You're set up to see fame as a fleeting friend, but none of the characters seem to learn from their mistakes kow towing at the altar of fame. I honestly hoped the Roxie character would be redeemed by her husband's sacrificial love. But no, in Chicago sacrificial love is for "chumps and losers." Bribe, blackmail, perjure and murder all you like if it gets your name up in lights.
Well, that's Chicago. Personally, I'll take Calvary, thanks.
3.21.2003
Beauty tips
A friend e-mailed this to me and it seemed blog-worthy.
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.
--Audrey Hepburn
A friend e-mailed this to me and it seemed blog-worthy.
For attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands; one for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.
--Audrey Hepburn
3.20.2003
Babblerama
Claire is just so darned cute. She now has quite a babble repetoire. She says da-da, ma-ma, na-na (for Nicky, of course) and Pft. Her latest is bar-bar. That's for Berek, who can get her to roar with laughter just by smiling at her. He seems to have some innate comic gift. I have to do some concerted tickling to get a laugh out of Claire.
Claire is just so darned cute. She now has quite a babble repetoire. She says da-da, ma-ma, na-na (for Nicky, of course) and Pft. Her latest is bar-bar. That's for Berek, who can get her to roar with laughter just by smiling at her. He seems to have some innate comic gift. I have to do some concerted tickling to get a laugh out of Claire.
3.18.2003
B-U-S-Y
Work is really busy right now. In addition to the monthly magazine, we're also trying to prepare for the big convention next month. We usually publish three daily newspapers for the convention, doing most of the work beforehand so only a few stories need to be written and edited each day on site. The advertising department sold so many ads, we have to do three 24-page issues. Last year the issues were only 16 pages. We've had to generate a lot of new editorial material and it's a lot to slog through.
The one bit of good news is that I don't have to travel to California. The team will e-mail stories to me while I work from home--on California time. Long days, but at least I don't have to leave Claire for 5 days.
For now I'm keeping my eye on the goal--saving all we can so I don't have to work full time forever.
Work is really busy right now. In addition to the monthly magazine, we're also trying to prepare for the big convention next month. We usually publish three daily newspapers for the convention, doing most of the work beforehand so only a few stories need to be written and edited each day on site. The advertising department sold so many ads, we have to do three 24-page issues. Last year the issues were only 16 pages. We've had to generate a lot of new editorial material and it's a lot to slog through.
The one bit of good news is that I don't have to travel to California. The team will e-mail stories to me while I work from home--on California time. Long days, but at least I don't have to leave Claire for 5 days.
For now I'm keeping my eye on the goal--saving all we can so I don't have to work full time forever.
3.07.2003
Memories
Last night we met with two other couples from church to lay plans for a new neighborhood Bible study that Joel will be leading. The young couple who plan to host it are newlyweds, just two months past the altar. Their apartment reminded me so much of our first apartment--spacious and boxy and very beige. It even had the undersized fridge like we had. I remember being so excited to have my own fridge that I didn't have so share with two roommates who had staked out particular "territory" and became miffed about sharing space.
Unlike J & A's place, which is in the basement, our first apartment was on the third floor, in a highrise on a hill with a view of the Wissahickon Valley. We had two big picture windows that I liked to look out and watch the trees swaying in the valley below. That hill was also at the intersection of two busy streets. Day and night you could hear the Route 27 bus "talking" and souped-up car stereos thumping out gangsta rap.
The neighbors next door were transplants from Africa who tended to cook not-quite-fresh meat. We often held our breath to get from the elevator to our aparment. But everyone in the building was so friendly, from the priest on the 9th floor, to the two mentally retarded men and their helper on the 6th. It was fun to comiserate with fellow tenants at the train station about the heat that never turned off and, of course, the cockroaches.
We were lucky to have so few roaches for being in a city highrise. But just the same, I never went to the kitchen in the middle of the night for a glass of water. Or if I did, I turned on the kitchen light without looking in the room, waited a minute for the bugs to hide, then went in. Denial is sometimes a necessity.
Despite being a bit crammed with Joel's 6,000 books, we were pretty comfortable there. I definitely learned to be creative with using space. For example, we kept a small freezer in the second bedroom closet and set our bed on an angle so we could hide boxes behind the tall headboard.
Those were the days when Saturdays were all about big pancake breakfasts and cooking shows on public television, not gardening and cleaning 11 rooms. While I love my bigger fridge and owning a washer and dryer, some days I miss that low-maintenance apartment.
But not the gangsta rap. Or the rancid meat smell. Definitely not the roaches.
Last night we met with two other couples from church to lay plans for a new neighborhood Bible study that Joel will be leading. The young couple who plan to host it are newlyweds, just two months past the altar. Their apartment reminded me so much of our first apartment--spacious and boxy and very beige. It even had the undersized fridge like we had. I remember being so excited to have my own fridge that I didn't have so share with two roommates who had staked out particular "territory" and became miffed about sharing space.
Unlike J & A's place, which is in the basement, our first apartment was on the third floor, in a highrise on a hill with a view of the Wissahickon Valley. We had two big picture windows that I liked to look out and watch the trees swaying in the valley below. That hill was also at the intersection of two busy streets. Day and night you could hear the Route 27 bus "talking" and souped-up car stereos thumping out gangsta rap.
The neighbors next door were transplants from Africa who tended to cook not-quite-fresh meat. We often held our breath to get from the elevator to our aparment. But everyone in the building was so friendly, from the priest on the 9th floor, to the two mentally retarded men and their helper on the 6th. It was fun to comiserate with fellow tenants at the train station about the heat that never turned off and, of course, the cockroaches.
We were lucky to have so few roaches for being in a city highrise. But just the same, I never went to the kitchen in the middle of the night for a glass of water. Or if I did, I turned on the kitchen light without looking in the room, waited a minute for the bugs to hide, then went in. Denial is sometimes a necessity.
Despite being a bit crammed with Joel's 6,000 books, we were pretty comfortable there. I definitely learned to be creative with using space. For example, we kept a small freezer in the second bedroom closet and set our bed on an angle so we could hide boxes behind the tall headboard.
Those were the days when Saturdays were all about big pancake breakfasts and cooking shows on public television, not gardening and cleaning 11 rooms. While I love my bigger fridge and owning a washer and dryer, some days I miss that low-maintenance apartment.
But not the gangsta rap. Or the rancid meat smell. Definitely not the roaches.
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