NPR and children

Just wanted to say that my 4-yr-old knew the presidential candidates. (And now he knows who won.) We have NPR on all the time. We either have on that or 80s music. (Or select children's music; no purple dinosaurs.) It's just hilarious to hear a preschooler say Barak Obama.

Wow, one year

Wow, almost a whole year since I posted. I'm surprised I'm still here. It falls in the I think I want to start blogging again realm.

We just had an author visit my daughter's school. It was interesting to hear her talk about the writing process and all the revisions a book goes through before it's published. I think about how frustrated I become and how quickly I can't stand to edit my sermons, whatever, when I'm writing. I've thought about writing as a ministry opportunity, now I wonder if I could really stick with it.

RGBP Friday Five -- Excellent Edition

Songbird writes:

Friends, it's nearly Thanksgiving in the U.S. and it's the time of year when we are pressed to name things for which we are thankful. I want to offer a twist on the usual lists and use Paul's letter to the church at Philippi as a model. Name five things that are true, honorable, just, pure, pleasing, commendable, excellent or worthy of praise. These could be people, organizations, acts, ideas, works of art, pieces of music--whatever comes to mind for you.

This is harder than it looks, but I'll give it a shot. I'm sure I'll think of more after I've posted.

1. "True" I'm with Martin Luther, "We are beggars it is true." It is only grace that gets us through. We can do nothing on our own.
2. "Honorable" Eating locally. Kingsolver's memoir is sticking with me. She honors the land, the animals, the farmers, and their own bodies.
   
3. "Pleasing" My children playing nicely together. It makes my heart sing.
4. "Commendable" The fair trade gift people. They are trying to help the small artisans world wide.
5. "Excellent" Rembrandt's "The Return of the Prodigal Son." I love Henri Nouwen's reflections on the painting.

The Finnish Year, I

Lorna suggested that I blog about my year in Finland. Since it happens that it was 20 years ago that I was in Finland (actually 21, oops) it seems like a good idea.

First, why did I go? I decided to be an exchange student in the Fall of my Junior year of High School. I didn't know where I would go, I just wanted to go somewhere. My motives, as most are, were mixed. There was the fact that I had lived in the same place all my life, the same town my parents had lived in all their lives, and so it seemed time for someone to get out of Dodge and see the world. That's the more noble of my two reasons. The other was that I was so pissed off at my soccer coach that I couldn't imagine playing for her another year, and I couldn't not play if I was in town. It was a kind of "see how you do without me" thing. They ended up doing fine.

I applied to AFS, which had a strong supporter in a Spanish teacher at my school. I didn't know where I would end up going. I just said I had a lot of sweaters and wouldn't mind going somewhere cold. :) Typical high school depth, huh? I found out in the Spring that I would go to Finland. I certainly got cold.

Clinginess

My son, who is 3, is harder to drop off at preschool now than when he was 18 months! Now he cries and clings and ducks and weaves to avoid his teacher. At a year and a half he trotted right in and started playing with the Little People Bus. Every day, same bus. Now I think he knows there are options. On Tues and Thurs we don't go to work/preschool, and he'd rather stay home with me every day! When I pick him up at lunch time, he's always playing happily and excited to show me what he made that day. He's my baby, though, and he just has a way of tugging at my heart -- and making my mornings just a little more stressful!

RGBP Friday Five: Top Chef

RevHRod writes:
This Fall my family has been energetically watching Top Chef on the Bravo channel. My teenage daughter watches with the dream of some day being a chef. My husband watches because he loves reality shows and I mean, really loves them. Plus the whole competition thing really works for him. Me, I love cooking and good food. Every so often I get an idea from this group of talented young chefs who are competing for big money and honors galore.

The winner for this season was Hung. Not the fan favorite, but he won fair and square. In his bio, he says if he were a food "I would be spicy chili - it takes a while to get used to, but once you eat it you always come back for more!" With that in mind, here is this week’s Friday Five.

If you were a food, what would you be? I think I would be a good multigrain bread -- reliable, earnest, basic, healthy, but maybe with a taste surprise. Sounds pretty boring, huh?
What is one of the most memorable meals you ever had? And where? Gosh, there are many meals with friends, both in the US and overseas, but I will go with an early meal my beloved and I had together when we were dating. He counts it as his best meal ever: Valentine's Day, 1989, in - get this - Muncie, IN! I count it as great b/c it was so memorable for him that it helped him fall deeper in love with me!
What is your favorite comfort food from childhood? Kraft Mac and Cheese, no question. I sneak big spoonfuls now when I'm serving it to my kids. I know it's a health disaster, but all the kids I know only eat mac & cheese from a box.
When going to a church potluck, what one recipe from your kitchen is sure to be a hit? My congregation does soup suppers during Lent, and when we bring my m-i-l's corn and sausage soup, everyone enjoys it.
What’s the strangest thing you ever willingly ate? Reindeer meat when I was an exchange student in Finland visiting Lappland.

Bonus question: What’s your favorite drink to order when looking forward to a great meal? I don't do mixed drinks, and I'm not not a very sophisticated wine drinker, so a glass of white zinfandel will do.

Sarcastic Jesus?

The Christian Century of October 2nd quotes Ann Coulter as saying the Jesus used sarcasm and jokes to make his points. Can anyone think of a sarcastic line from scripture? Accusing, pointed, yes, but I can't think of anything sarcastic. Sarcasm, I think, is meant to undercut the other, but Jesus, even when pointing out people's sins always speaks with the other's interests at heart. Boy, she just doesn't get it, does she?