Communication Crisis?

Lately I have been thinking about the developments in technology and how it's changing the way we communicate. I'm not on Facebook and I don't intend to get on, but pretty much everyone I know IS on Facebook. People joke about how they are "addicted" to it... but I wonder if they ever really think about whether that is true or not. Facebook (and Twitter) is accessible 24/7 now with its availability on phones. Some people will update their statuses all the time with trivial information. A friend of mine was saying how she had blocked so many people on her Facebook because she just didn't need to know that they have smelly feet or that they ate pizza for dinner. A while back my mom announced she was deleting her Facebook account, and she got a message from a friend who said, "But... how will you communicate?? This is how people talk now."

It is a delightful Autumn day today... the sun is shining brightly, and the air is crisp with the scent of falling leaves. Every year I am reminded how much I love fall! I think I may love it a teensy bit more than spring. I have been very (very, very, very times 10) bad about posting here and haven't posted any really meaty posts in a while. So here's an attempt... :-)


Is it? What happened to picking up the phone, or writing a letter? Or better yet, having someone over for lunch just to be together and chat? I don't mean to say that Facebook and Twitter are inherently evil or wrong. They're not. But if it becomes such a priority in your life that you can't imagine what you would do without it, and you must be able to check it everywhere, all the time, something's not right there. Texting is right up there with FB and Twitter. All these avenues of "convenient" communication teach us to disregard basic rules of communication, like spelling (wht's sp nywy?). :-)

And another thing about texting, and social networking on phones. It's distracting. Both for the user and the people they are around. Apparently nobody realizes anymore that it's rude to be in the middle of a conversation with someone, and suddenly whip out your phone, and start typing away, acting as if you are ignoring your companion (whether you are really listening or not is not the point). The other person feels as though you don't care to talk to them, and you are just too caught up in checking your texts to listen and hold a conversation.

Some of my friends tell me, "You should get a Facebook! I can keep up with my friends so much better on Facebook!" Hmmm. I'm not so sure that Facebook really helps you keep up with your friends. After all, there isn't much that's personal about Facebook. You type what you are currently doing at the moment in that little box, hit "share" and it's visible to everyone that calls themselves your "friend" in the FB world (and that could be hundreds of people!). Of course, it is still fun... why else is half the world on Facebook? One reason I'm NOT on it, is I know I would like it too much!

It seems like there is a lot more worldliness in Christian circles than there used to be. Conversations revolve around secular topics - movies, sports, and politics. I have a feeling this is related to Facebook... teaching us to value the things that don't really matter. We don't talk about what's going on in each other's lives anymore. We just talk about little nothings, hardly any different that what we talked about the last time we saw each other! And again, I don't have a problem necessarily with talking about movies or politics... but when it seems like that is ALL you talk about, there's a problem.

This is an introductory post to a series of posts I would like to do about writing letters... why we should and how we should, maybe with some fun tutorials thrown in as well. Make sure to come back!

Real Girls Shoot Guns

All right, I'm not sure if that is necessarily true but I had to think of a title for this post. :-)

The reason I am posting this is because on Saturday something happened... I shot a gun for the first time in my life.

My dad has been "studying" guns and all the laws regarding them, etc. a lot lately and recently purchased a few BB guns. So on Saturday he took us out to "sight in" the rifles.

And I had to shoot one. *gasp*

Sometimes I wonder if there is a particle of tomboyishness in me. Sure, I like to ride bikes and be outside, but shoot a gun? That's taking it a little far. Plus I had just been interrupted in the middle of writing a letter - to go shoot a gun. Really, I don't see what amusement there is in it. You look through the little hole (and by the way, I hate the face I have to make in order to see through that thing :-) ), and after a long time of trying to get it lined up, you pull the trigger - and that's it. What a reward - a little hole in a piece of cardboard!! :-)

Ok, I do have a point to make in this post, beyond establishing the fact that I don't care much for guns. I know there are a lot of girls out there who enjoy shooting - I know some of them. And I think that's ok.

Some people have a distorted view of femininity, that says you can only be feminine if you wear lace and frills, sit in a rocking chair knitting all day, scream when bugs land on you and faint at the sight of blood. That is not true femininity. Sure, feminine dress is an important element and young ladies should learn to sew and knit -  but it's much more than that. It's more a way of thinking and a way of life. Feminine girls can get down in the dirt and still be feminine. They can climb trees and still be feminine.

And they can shoot guns... and still be feminine.

Words of Wisdom

One of the ladies at our church once shared a little piece of wisdom that she would tell her children when they were younger and were less than enthusiastic about doing a job.

"You can do it happy, or you can do it sad. Either way you have to do it, so you may as well do it happy."

This sounds like just a good piece of advice to give little ones - but it applies to "big kids" too, and I don't think it exempts adults either. Much too often I find myself complaining or grumbling about a task I find disagreeable. I may not be outwardly "doing it sad" but in my thoughts I am thinking, "If only I didn't have to do this. I would much rather be _________(fill in the blank)."

Two Sundays ago our elder challenged us all to really evaluate how much we complain and make it our goal that week not to do it. Did I? Welllll.....

Remember why you are doing those seemingly mundane tasks. Remember to do it as unto the Lord. After all, as the quote above explains, you have to do it whether or not you want to; so while you're at it you may as well have a cheerful attitude.

For God So Loved the World

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

This is one of the most widely quoted verses in the entire Bible. If you've gone to Sunday School, you've heard this verse. You've probably learned it as one of your memory verses. It's considered one of those verses that you read when you are witnessing to someone.

Generally the verse is read and you hear something like this, "See, God loved the world so much that He sent His Son to die for us." But here's the interesting thing - rarely is the verse quoted in context. With the context, it actually doesn't mean that "God loved the world so much."

With the surrounding verses, it reads:

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:14-17)

The root word for "so" in verse 16 doesn't mean "so much." It means, "in this way," or "in like manner." So it might read, "For in this way God loved the world."

I had always thought that it meant God loved the world so much, from everything I had learned and been told, until a year or two ago our elder at our church preached on this and pointed out the difference.

All too often I think we read a verse without the context and get a distorted view of what it means. Though even with this set of verses, I don't know if I would have gotten the correct meaning if I didn't know what the root word means. I know there are Bible programs out there that allow you to look up the actual Hebrew or Greek words and what they mean, which is very helpful for getting down to the true meaning of verses such as this one.

Another Year Has Gone

2009 is here! It does seem as though every passing year goes by faster than the last one, doesn't it? Looking back on 2008 I see many blessings and a few hard times that we've gone through.

We celebrated living in our "new house" for one year in February. It's been wonderful. We live on six lovely acres, 3 of which are beautifully landscaped (by the previous owners). This brings its joys and its sorrows since we have to try to keep it looking nice and have a LOT of trees that always seem to need trimming. :-) We are surrounded on two sides by a golf course and in the winter season it's beautiful because you can't tell it's a golf course. :-) This year Dad bought us snow shoes so we have enjoyed snow shoeing out there.

Also in February my grandparents (on my mom's side) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary - what a blessing! We see less and less of that these days. My grandparents are a wonderful example to us of a strong marriage. In May we had a grand party and it was great to see so many people get up and honor my Opa and Oma (grandpa & grandma in Dutch) for their commitment to each other. We love them dearly and look forward to seeing many more years of marriage for them!

Oh, let's see... what else? I turned 16 in April and had the pleasure of being bombarded with questions about if I am driving yet. :-) I am not - probably this year!

In 2007 my Nini (grandma in Chinese - Dad's side) was diagnosed with colon cancer and went through a very trying series of events to get rid of it. This year we were so glad to see her recover and gain back strength. Praise the Lord!

Toward the fall we were saddened to lose Tara's cat Scamper after a very long illness. We miss him a lot as our kitties are very dear to us. He was very sweet and lovable and we have many fun memories of him. Sweetest of all was that the night before we had to put him down, he climbed the stairs even though he could barely walk and climbed in bed with Tara for a snuggle, and did it again in the morning, though she had to pick him up because he couldn't get up on the bed himself.

We enjoyed celebrating our nation's independence with friends from church. Though our country is far from perfect, we are grateful for the liberties we enjoy.

In August I was immensely blessed by my friend, Raeanne. I have for a long time wanted to play the harp but I didn't think it would happen for a while (if ever) due to the expense. Raeanne is from our church and has played harp for several years and a few years ago upgraded from a small, 27 string harp to a larger one. When we were over at her house one day she offered to let me borrow her old one, as it was just sitting in her closet. I accepted. :-) I am so grateful for her generosity and for the opportunity to start learning much earlier than I would have if I had waited till I had saved enough to buy my own. Thank you, Raeanne!!

I'm sure there's a LOT I am leaving out but this is getting rather long. I can't forget to mention blessings such as, Dad still having a job when so many are losing theirs, blessings in our church - especially the babies that were born this year (including one born New Year's Eve!), and homeschooling, etc.

I am looking forward to what God will do in 2009!

Thoughts on the Temperance Movement

Before you think, "Where on earth did she get the idea to write on the temperance movement?" let me explain. My sister just celebrated her 15th birthday and for that special occasion she received a huge stack of Isabella Alden books. We love these books and between the two of us, we are already well on our way to finishing the whole lot of them. :-)

Ok, so how does this tie into temperance? If you have read many of Isabella Alden's books, you may know. Ms. Alden was very fond of incorporating this subject into her stories. It was something she was obviously passionate about. However, I find that I disagree with her stance on the topic, though she errs on the side of caution.

In reading Ms. Alden's books you will find that many of her characters hold the view that all dancing, card games and drinking is a sin. There are no exceptions to the rule; in fact the reader gets the impression that anyone who does any of these three things is not a Christian. I do realize that dancing and card games back then were probably different than now - card games were played exclusively for money, for example - and therefore the characters have good reason to choose to not do them. Ironically, Ms. Alden's Christian characters are very much in favor of women speaking and praying in prayer meeting; so it is interesting to note that while the Bible does not speak of dancing, card games or drinking (in moderation) as sin, it is very clear that women are not to speak in church!

The Bible clearly condemns drinking in excess.

"Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise." (Prov. 20:1)

"Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags." (Prov. 23:20-21)  (Winebibber = a habitual drinker of wine)

"Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes?
They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine.
Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright.
At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder.
Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things.
Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast.
They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again." (Prov. 23:29-35)

"Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!" (Isaiah 5:11)

Yet it does not condemn the drinking of wine in moderation (with the exception of those in the role of priests, elders, etc.). In 1 Timothy 5, Timothy must have been prone to some illness, and Paul recommends that he take wine for it.

"Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities." (1 Tim. 5:23)

"[The Lord] causeth the grass to grow for the cattle, and herb for the service of man: that he may bring forth food out of the earth;
And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart." (Psalm 104:14-15)

"Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year.
And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always." (Deut. 14:22-23)

That said, there are those who do not believe you should drink wine and the Bible does not wish us to drink it if when we do it we cause another to stumble.

"For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence.
It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak." (Rom. 14:20-21)

Ok, so you get the point. Now we can get to the temperance movement. :-) (Long intro, eh?)

The temperance movement actually began by advocating the moderate use of alcohol, rather than total abstinence. Later it changed to a complete rejection of alcohol, which is the stand that Isabella Alden takes. The temperance societies would hold large rallies with lectures on the evils of drink from all angles. They also endeavored to shut down as many saloons as possible. They saw the damage these businesses were doing to men's health and family life as drunkeness was often the cause of abuse.

Now, all these things are good; it is good to get rid of saloons and it's good to educate people about the effects of alcohol; but the problem with the temperance movement was that, though many churches and Christians were involved, they were so preoccupied with alcohol itself that they missed the root problem: sin.

If they had focused more on addressing the issue as sin instead of treating the surface problem by shutting down saloons, this and a host of other problems would have been resolved. If you simply treat the symptoms and not the root issue, you won't get very far. Suppose they had succeeded in closing every saloon in the country and completely abolished the manufacturing of alcohol. The alcohol problem would have been "solved"; but sinful men who are addicted to something will not simply give up on their own. They would go and find something else equally as disastrous or more so.

So all this to say that though the intent of the temperance movement was good, I think they went about the business incorrectly. Signing the total abstinence pledge will not keep an addicted man (or woman for that matter) from drinking; only Jesus can!

(All that said, I still heartily recommend Isabella Alden's books. :-) Just be aware you will encounter this subject often in reading them!).

I hope you will forgive my rambling on so long about this - it just happens to be the topic that I've been thinking about the last couple days since reading the books! :-)

Things for which I am thankful

Happy Thanksgiving!

This is a very random and by no means exhaustive list of the things for which I am thankful to God. They are not in order of importance, but just as I think of them.

I AM THANKFUL FOR:

• Salvation & Forgiveness of sin • A roof over my head • A dad who loves and protects me • Food to eat! • My sister who is always there for me • Warmth in cold weather • The beautiful land we live on • My wonderful mom • My wonderful extended family • BOOKS • The freedom to worship the one true God and read His word without fear • The fact that my dad has a job and provides for us • Chocolate (especially when it's hazelnut flavored...) • All my fabulous friends • The United States Postal Service and those who send me letters through it • Coffee • Air to breathe and water to drink • The beautiful flowers, trees and plants God has created • And in light of that, for cameras • Cookie dough • Clothes to wear • My parents choice to homeschool us • The way God always provides • Libraries • My parents' forcing me to keep playing piano when I was ready to quit • Music • Babies (and their moms who let me hold them) • Sewing and the ability to do it • Garlic • The harp that God graciously provided for me to learn on, through my sweet friend Raeanne • Quite appropriately, the smell of roasting turkey wafting through the house • My ability to write and all the other gifts God has given me • Creme brulee • Gardens in which we may grow our own food (and some weeds to boot...) • Vacations • History • My cat, Gavana • Mom's cat, Basha • The memory of Tara's cat, Scamper • And all other cats who have played a role in my life :-) • Good bread •

I could sit here all day and just keep adding to this list... but I will refrain from doing so. This is probably already so long that you didn't even read the whole thing. :-) Oh, well... it was fun for me anyway!

Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone!

Movie Review: Felicity

 My dad is out of town on business, and when he is gone we girls usually watch movies more than we normally would. Yesterday we watched "Felicity: An American Girl Adventure."

Though my sister and I are a little old for American Girl dolls now, several people we know had said the movie was good, so we thought we'd give it a shot since we love the Colonial time period, and we figured that since it was put out by American Girl and geared toward younger girls, it would be pretty clean (which it was).

On the whole, the movie was very well done, with much higher quality than I expected. There were some cute parts, notably the ones with Felicity's little sister, Nan, who is just so cute you could eat her up. But we found some major problems with the story line.

In the very beginning, Felicity "falls in love" with a beautiful horse owned by a grouchy old man, Jiggy Nye who abuses her. So the horse is mistrustful of humans in general, but Felicity determines to tame her. So far so good. But then the problem comes - Felicity sneaks out at night and feeds an apple to Penny (as she calls the horse). She does this multiple times, once getting caught by Mr. Nye. Then one morning Felicity's grandfather tells her that he saw her coming back to the house, and she pleads with him not to tell. He agrees, but admonishes her to not do it anymore because she is fooling with someone else's property. Felicity says, "Yes, grandfather." And I was thinking, "Phew, now she'll stop this nonsense."

Or not.

That night she goes AGAIN, despite her grandfather's command. Oh, and meanwhile she takes her father's apprentice's Sunday breeches from the mending basket, and rides Penny at night. Then Ben (the apprentice) catches her putting on the breeches in the barn, and of course demands a reason for her taking them.  So she takes him to see Penny, and while they are there, Jiggy Nye comes out and they duck behind the fence. Mr. Nye is in a temper for some reason, and is about to beat Penny, when she rips the rope and gallops off. Mr. Nye is in a rage and yells, "Well, anyone who can ride ye can have ye! I hope ye never come back!" and stomps into the house.

Now Felicity thinks she has the right to own Penny, because she can ride her. So she goes off and finds her, takes her home, and of course Mr. Nye shows up and takes her back. Felicity flees to the barn in tears. Then her father comes in and is all sympathetic. Instead of punishing her for stealing a horse, he praises her for "helping" it! And he tells her, "You've done everything you can."  She responds,"Not everything."

Here I think she has to be done sneaking out there, but noooo.... off she goes again in the middle of the night, and frees Penny - without permission from anyone.

Later Penny is found by some horse sellers, and Felicity's grandfather buys her for Felicity. That seems like it's fine, and now Felicity lawfully owns her but it's not. She let the horse go, not Jiggy Nye!

The other thing that had us disagreeing with the film was the whole spirit of independence that is promoted throughout the movie. I could call it feminism. When the subject of Patriots versus Loyalists comes up, Felicity's family is Patriot, but her grandfather (and best friend) are Loyalists. In bed one night, Felicity asks her mother, "Mother, what should I be?" And - can you believe this - the mother says, oh so tenderly, "You'll have to decide that for yourself." Uh, beg your pardon? She's TEN!

One other less noticeable, but still there problem was the dresses - Felicity's gowns are VERY low cut. Of course, she's ten, so it's not showing anything, but still... There are also older ladies in the film who have low dresses and there is some cleavage.

And one last thing we noticed - though it is VERY subtle - is the fact that Felicity and her father's apprentice Ben always "happen" to be thrown together - he escorts her to her lessons, and for the ball her father suddenly can't escort her, so Ben goes with her, etc. And while it's not that big of a part, you still get the impression that Felicity and Ben probably get married when they are grown up! And remember - she's TEN.

After we finished watching it, my mom said, "And this is the girl that is being touted as someone little girls should look up to?" I mean, in an hour and a half they show her breaking the 5th, 8th, 9th and 10th (you might even say the 1st...) commandments, and imply that it's okay! I wouldn't have minded it if she got a good hard spankin' after being found out, but instead she is praised!

Here's some comments from others that I found on Amazon's listing:

"...For [the] story's sake, it might embellish on some truths such as little girls disobeying their parents without retribution (although I'm sure most of today's youngsters will not follow Felicity's lead in this)."  

 Not sure where she gets that idea. Kids WILL follow examples, and there are many little girls out there who idolize Felicity.

"...I have been a costumes researcher for several period plays, and I can vouch that these costumes have been "modernized" (in terms of the low cut) as have the costumes worn by the actors in Williamsburg and most other historic sites. You can't judge by such sites. I have to agree with the two previous reveiwers who mentioned it; the mother's costumes in this piece are pretty far fetched, historically speaking. This point, btw, has got nothing to do with moralizing, but just being historically accurate. The upstanding mother of small children and the wife of a township store proprietor wouldn't dress like a floozey and get away with it (the townspeople would have more reason to boycott his store than loyalist politics!!)."

 Preach it! :-)

"...I have heard so many great things about this series, that I was really looking forward to sharing the movie with my kids. The sets and costumes were beautiful to look at, but I sat opened mouthed as I watched this little terror of a child in action. I don't see anything heroic or daring or admirable about her sneaking out of the house night after night to get into a pen with a dangerous horse, that isn't hers. She steals the horse, and when she is finally forced to return it, she lets it go. The consequence of her behavior? Her indulgent grandfather finds the horse and buys it for her. It just seemed like whoever wrote it was trying to fasten their ideas to historical characters, and it just sounded overtly preachy. I have a hard time believing a child in colonial times would have gone around sounding like a mini-Betty Friedan. Ultimately, Felicity ends up learning to do housework and drink tea, and gets all excited about getting dressed up to go to a ball...so I'm not even sure what message the movie was trying to get across, other that it is OK to steal from mean ugly people with Scottish accents."

 Had to laugh over that one... but she's right...

"FELICITY is a beautiful film and a loving recreation of an era which one doesn't often see on the screen. The cast is great and the film is entertaining. BUT the main idea presented to kids via the main character is indeed 'disobey your parents and all will turn out well'."

So, I suppose it is needless to say that I wouldn't necessarily recommend this movie. :-)

The Importance of Dating

Now, please don't just click out of the screen in disgust. I am not talking about dating vs. courtship or anything like that. What I mean is putting the date on things.

What kind of things? Well - anything. Journal entries. Drawings or paintings you do. The letters and cards you write. The linens you make for your hope chest. For those of you mothers reading this, the little pictures you save that your children give you when they are little. You can find an inconspicuous spot on nearly anything to put a date.

Why? For generations to come. Hundreds of years from now, things you have made and written may have survived. How disappointing it would be for one of your great-great-great grandchildren to find them and know that they are old, but don't know HOW old! Beatrix Potter, for example, wrote many letters and dated most of them; but only two, written to her father, survive from her childhood and they are UNDATED. I love finding things that have the date written on them so that I know exactly how old it was. When looking at old books in antique stores, the first thing I almost always do is look at the publication year - the older it is, the more chance that I will buy it. :-)

That said, I would also encourage you to write the full year. Instead of writing "September 6, 08" write "September 6, 2008." Why? Because in a couple hundred years, people may not know which "08" it is! They may be able to guess based on the actual item, but it is only a guess. For instance, we have an antique woodstove dated Jan. 06. Well, it must have been from 1906 since it couldn't possibly be from two years ago! But you see we use the same abbreviation for 2006 as 1906.

I hope this helps you to remember to take one more second to add the date. It's important! :-)

Food for Thought

Lost
Somwhere between sunrise and sunset
One golden hour, set with sixty diamond minutes.
No reward is offered, for it is gone forever.

- Unknown

Send Someone a Letter

Do it today - send a letter or even a short note to someone you know. Letter writing is becoming a lost art in today's world of fast, free email. It's sad, because letters are such wonderful things, both for the sender and the recipient. Who doesn't like getting "real" mail - something other than catalogs and bills? Sure, it costs 41¢ (and counting...); but think about it. You're paying 41¢ for a relative miracle that will bring joy to someone else - I mean, really, isn't it amazing that you can simply write a person's name, and some more words that are represent where they live, and it will get there even if it's somewhere on the other side of the world (most of the time...)?



So, that said, write a letter to someone. It can be a simple note card or a volume that's bordering on breaking the world record. Just do it. When you mail it know that you are sending off a day-brightener - and it only cost you a little time and 41¢.



(End note: Rumor has it that letter writing can be a double blessing - if you send mail, you are more likely to receive it! Makes sense to me...)

Thought for the Day

"Some people complain that God put thorns on roses, while others praise Him for putting roses on thorns."

- Anonymous

Presentation is Everything: How to Serve a Simple Meal in Elegant Style

Did you know that you can make even the simplest meal special by the way you serve it?

The secret is summed up in one word: presentation. My aunt was a caterer at one time and she lived with us a for a few years, and one of the things that she continually impressed upon us was that "it's all in the presentation." We kind of made a joke out of it at the time, but it's true.

So, how can we dress up our meals to appear at their very best? Let's look at a couple of ways to make the dishes we serve appealing.

1. Attractive Arrangement
Don't just dump the food you have made on to a plate to serve it. Look for ways that you could tastefully arrange the food on the plate to make it more attractive. For instance, see what kind of garnishes you could put on the side to give it a little "oomph." Just a little sprig of parsley or rosemary can change the whole look of the dish. For soups, they look amazingly more appetizing when you add a garnish. The type of garnish will of course depend on the soup (or dish), but I made baked potato soup, and garnished it with a sprinkling of cheese in the center and a little chopped green onion. There are lots of fun garnishing how-to books out there as well that can teach you more elaborate, creative garnishes. Another point is that it does matter what kind of dish you serve the food in! We have one dish that I love because it is very pretty and somehow always makes it look like there is a lot of food in it even if there isn't! (It also fits asparagus perfectly :-)) Now, I realize that sometimes we just don't have time and it's all we can do to even get dinner on the table, let alone dress it up. That's okay! But when we do have the time, we should try to make it a little fancy.

2. Dress Up the Table
Aside from the actual dishes, presentation includes your table. Put a tablecloth on, and maybe a couple of tall candles in the center. It's amazing how this can transform the whole feel of your table - especially if you choose a richly colored tablecloth. If you don't have time for attractively arranging your dishes, this takes mere seconds. Another fun thing that really adds presentation is creative napkin folding. There are some instructions for a few simple napkin folds here. This really impresses guests too!

So there are my thoughts on presentation... it's the way to make the plainest meal delightful!

Reasons to be Thankful that You are a Daughter...

...instead of a son!

• You have the wonderful privilege of being able to be kissed and hugged by your father no matter how old you are... sons don't always get that! Hugs, maybe, but kisses usually stop when they get older.

• You have the opportunity to serve in a way that sons can't. A daughter holds a special place in the home - as well as in the church and community.

• You get to have the fun of learning all kinds of skills that boys don't learn: sewing, cooking, baking, knitting... the list goes on.

• Let's face it - the clothes that daughters get to wear are much more interesting and pretty than sons' clothes! I infinitely prefer a lovely dress or skirt and blouse to the pants that sons must wear; which is a good thing, seeing as I am a daughter!

• You can embrace different relationships with your father and mother than a son does. Both the father/daughter and mother/daughter relationships are precious and beautiful when properly cultivated; and you would miss this if you were not a daughter.

• You have the protection of your father and brothers, if you have any.

• You can be a "corner pillar" in your father's house, adorning, serving, and supporting your parents and family.

What a blessing! Be thankful that you are a daughter.

I've Been Tagged...

Mrs. C tagged me to share 8 random things about myself, so here goes...

1. I am notorious at our house for forgetting about my wet laundry and leaving it in the washer overnight - trying to correct this!

2. One of my favorite things to cook/bake is apple pie, much to my father's enjoyment.

3. I love photographing nature, especially flowers.

4. I have several odd, unofficial "collections," including pitchers and old fashioned keys.

5. I have played the piano for 8 years.

6. I love history, especially the Medieval, Colonial and Civil War eras.

Only two more to go...

7. I never wear pants, one reason being that I do not even own any (that fit, anyway), and the other reason I will not mention because it would take up a great deal of time to explain.

8. Roses are my favorite flower, though there are several others that come very close...

Whew... who thought it could be so hard to think of 8 random things? Now I am supposed to tag 8 others and I hope my friends will forgive me for picking on them but I don't know anyone else...

Lauren S.
Raeanne C.
Anna V.
Megan C.
Hannah D.
Dawn B.
Joanna E.
Ashlei L.

Random Musings on Aprons

I love aprons.

I don't mean the kind of apron you usually find in a department store, that has nothing pretty about it except maybe the fabric. I'm talking about "girly-girl" aprons - the old-fashioned kind that is gathered at the waist, has two ties that go over the shoulders and meet the ties at the waist; the kind that has ruffles at the shoulders and around the hem. That is what I call an apron. The other stereotype "aprons" should be called clothing protectors or something.

The value of the apron has been lost over the generations. Aprons used to be worn all the time. If you think about it, it really does make complete sense. An apron is worn to protect the clothing, and if visitors arrive or Dad comes home, the apron can be whisked off and there you are, fresh and clean. Probably the concept has gradually been forgotten as women have started to dress more casually and pants have less risk of becoming soiled.

Now, all that said, I admit that the majority of the time I do not wear an apron around the house; but I beg to say that the reason is that I do not yet have a "pretty" one as I mentioned earlier. But I am planning to make one, and trust that I shall begin wearing it regularly once it is finished!

The benefits of wearing an apron:
It keeps your clothing clean and consequently ready for anything! :-)
The skirt of an apron makes a very handy "basket" for laundry, veggies from the garden, and other sundry items
It lends a sense of femininity and-
It can even give you the motivation to do your housework with joy! (Or at least do it {smile})

Several months ago, my grandparents on my mom's side came for a visit, and you know how grandmas are always bringing you things that they found in their closets or picked up at Hobby Lobby. Well, this time my grandma (Oma, we call her - it's Dutch for grandma, and my mom's side of the family is Dutch) came armed with a very special thing - my great-great-oma's apron! She (great-great-Oma) wore it everyday, except Sunday because she had a special white Sunday apron. It's still in wonderful condition, and almost looks brand new, which tells me she took great care of it. What a treasure to have something from so long ago, and from my own family!

Well, I hope this hasn't bored you, but rather inspired you to begin wearing an apron regularly - a real apron.

A Picture of Purity

Last year, my father, sister & I attended the Vision Forum Father/Daughter Retreat, at beautiful Callaway Gardens in Georgia. The grounds of the resort were just lovely! On one of our walks, we passed a small pond, and at the edge was growing a lily. Looking at the picture we took of it, it reminds me of what we "maidens of virtue" are striving to be; pure, blameless, rising above a world of awful impurity and corruption. In this picture, we see the lily, white and spotless, and beneath and behind it we see the mud and grime of the pond's edge.
I just want to encourage all of you girls out there to stay pure and faithful to what God has called us to be, and not be defiled with the "dirt" of the world.

My Biggest Dream

"What is your biggest dream?"
Have you ever been asked that question? I have, and when I try to explain what my biggest dream is, people seem disappointed. "You 'just' want to be a mom? But, your you could do so much more with your life! Why not choose something more... well, fulfilling or something to benefit the community?"
My biggest dream is to be a helper meet for my future husband. I want to support him, submit to him, build him up and help him to carry out his vision. This dream includes having children, as many as the Lord shall see fit to give me. I want to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4); to have to privilege of teaching and training them myself, not leaving it to others. I want to cook their meals, kiss their bumps and bruises, and do those tasks that many women consider menial. In doing so, I will be shaping part of the next generation! Many have heard the saying, "The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world," but I wonder how many actually comprehend the truth in that short quote. Mothers are the ones who are determining the direction of the world! Isn't that a sobering thought? When a mother sends her children off to public school to be taught by politically correct teachers, she is, essentially, tearing down her house with her own hands. In my biggest dream, I want to do the opposite. Raising godly children will be the way in which I benefit the community, rather than leaving home and going around doing "good things" on my own, apart from my family. Is this choice going to be easy, exciting and glamorous? No. Worthwhile and fulfilling? Yes.
"That's as big as your biggest dream gets?"
Well, I don't think it could really get any bigger.

Tea Time Charm

Do you love tea? I do. I always have, suffice to say that I used to load it with milk and sugar. I have fond memories of visiting my Oma (grandma) and we would always have tea and cookies. As a matter of fact, we still do. My Oma tells me that we (my sister and I) used to ask her all the time, "Oma, can we have sweet tea?" Now, perhaps we don't have it quite so sweet, but tea and cookies is always something we do together.
I hope you and your mother and sisters, if you have any, have tea time quite often. We recently moved to a beautiful 6 acre property, and while exploring the land the other day, discovered several picturesque little spots that would be perfect for an informal tea party; there is a little screened garden house down by the garden, and under one large evergreen, the lower branches had been cut away creating a big "room" underneath, high enough for me to stand up straight. Now, isn't that just the perfect spot for a "woodland tea"?

Tea Time Charm

By Miss Kathryn Y.

Tea Time…what does it bring to mind? I think of little girls dressed up in hats and gloves, sipping tea out of white porcelain teacups with roses painted on them. But Tea Time doesn't have to be just for little girls; older girls enjoy it too.

For me, Tea Time is the perfect opportunity to be a "young lady". It is the time when good manners and proper posture are at their peak. What girl doesn't love to put on a pretty dress, curl her hair, and play at being a "lady"? Sadly, girls these days are usually too caught up in cell phones and goofing off to appreciate the value of having tea. Tea Time offers a welcome rest from the hectic rush of the day. Even if you don't "dress up" for it, Tea Time gives a sense of femininity and grace; there is a certain old-fashioned charm about pouring out tea, and asking your companions if they take cream or sugar?
Tea Time need not always be a "tea party"; it can be informal, or very elegant. Invite your closest friends, or just share a cup of tea with your mother. When girls grow older, too often they shut out their parents, and do what "they want". What a mistake! Having Tea Time with your mother is such a lovely way to keep acquainted, so to speak. Somehow, it seems easier to talk to your mom over a cup of tea.
Don't think that just because you are older than 10 you are too old to have Tea Time; I'm 13 and I love it! I have a tea party for my birthday every year. It's so fun!

So, two sugar cubes or none…either way, it's Tea Time, young ladies!

Article used with permission of FunEvents4Girls.com.