He Cares for Us

You’ve probably seen the scripture on my sidebar (Ephesians 3:17-21). Whenever anyone has asked me in recent years what my favorite scripture is, I quote this one, particularly verses 20-21.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Still, I sometimes have trouble believing it, even though God has proven it true to me time after time throughout my life. Usually when I have a situation come up that is too big for me to handle, I pray about it, and then start thinking up good ways for God to handle it. He always takes care of it, but usually in bigger ways than I had ever thought of.

Other times I start to worry that, even though He can handle it, maybe He won’t this time. Thankfully, His care for us doesn’t depend solely on our faith.

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:25-27

Our Heavenly Father knows our needs and will take care of us.

Smooth Move

Well, it has happened. We have a woman running on the Republican presidential ticket.

I have never really been receptive to having a woman in that position before; I think women are too ruled by their emotions to be in such an office (I personally could never make the decision send people's kids off to war), but in light of the present circumstances, I think John McCain made an excellent choice.
-

His campaign got more positive press coverage yesterday than I think it ever has before. Sarah Palin is cute, conservative and someone who lives what she believes. Being a woman, she will probably attract some of the liberal voters, and as a pro-life Christian, she is getting the attention of evangelical voters, including me.
-
I may have to make an exception to my feelings in this case. I think this choice gives conservatives a hope that we didn’t have before.

Peanut Butter Surprise Cupcakes

I made these cupcakes for one of Don’s birthday celebrations, but they have been a hit every time I have made them.

Ingredients
Any chocolate cake mix that makes 24 cupcakes, plus ingredients needed to make it (oil, eggs, etc.)
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. milk
1 stick butter
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
½ cup cocoa
5-6 Tbsp. milk

Directions
Mix cream cheese, peanut butter, 2 Tbsp. sugar and 1 Tbsp. milk with mixer until creamy.
-

Make cupcakes as directed on cake mix box. Pour into 24 paper-lined muffin cups. Drop scant tablespoonfuls of peanut butter mixture into center of each cupcake and bake as cake mix directs.
-

Cream butter, confectioners’ sugar, cocoa and milk. Frost cupcakes when cooled. Decorate with sprinkles if desired.

-

Yum!

Weight Watchers beware! This is not a low-point food!

First Day of Class

Well, yesterday was my first day back at Community Bible Study and my first day leading the kids’ class. It actually went pretty well. I had 5 kids, ages 6 and 7. Two of them were my nieces, Grace and Hannah. So far it is a very calm and well-behaved but enthusiastic group. Hopefully this will continue. I am excited about studying Genesis with them this year. I would appreciate your continued prayers as I go through the year.

Cool Thing to Know: Cain and Abel are the most well-known children of Adam and Eve, but Genesis says they had many sons and daughters. The only other one mentioned by name is Seth, who was an ancestor of Noah and therefore of you and me.

Leave Her Alone

I rarely sympathize with liberals politically, but this is one occasion when I would have to sympathize with one personally.

I read Elizabeth Edwards’ autobiography a year or two ago. I like to read biographies about all kinds of people, and hers was pretty good. I think she’s genuine, and I respect her as a person, even if I don’t agree with her on much politically.

Most people know that she had a son killed in a car wreck as a teenager and that she has cancer now that is considered incurable. It became common knowledge recently that her husband had an affair a couple of years ago. What a jerk.

But yesterday I read a news article that said she is being criticized for keeping the affair a secret when she found out about it. What’s wrong with these people? Hasn’t this poor woman suffered enough? And why in the world would she want to share her pain and humiliation on a matter that is strictly between her and her husband, knowing full well how the media handles things like that: delving into the most private details of people’s lives, blowing them out of proportion, and splattering them all over the covers of newspapers and gossip magazines for people to gawk over while they’re standing in line at the grocery store?

I think the media needs to quit whipping this poor, wounded woman and mind their own business.

Hummingbirds

I have never been able to attract hummingbirds to my yard before, but this year I decided to put a feeder out since I noticed my neighbor had some coming to her feeder. Mine had been up for a month or so when one day Don spotted one out our window. In the days and weeks since, we have seen several of them buzzing around our yard nearly every day, and I have had to refill the feeder several times.
-
I have tried to get a picture of them, but they are so small, I can’t get a good one through the window. If I go outside to try to take one, they won’t come around. These pictures are just ones I got off the Internet. The ones we have are called "ruby-throated hummingbirds" because the male has a red spot on his neck. The female is a bit plainer (she needs to be more camouflaged because she has a more important job!) Their tail feathers are shaped differently as well.
-
I haven’t seen a nest, but for now I am thankful for the joy of being able to watch these tiny but fascinating little members of God’s creation coming to my feeder.

Don's Birthday Party

Click below to see pictures of the birthday party my family had for Don on Saturday night.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Why?

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:7-9

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Ever since I found out about Joseph dying, I have been asking God, "Why?" Why would He give a couple a child to love beyond reason and then let him die? Why would He let a child be born, only to take him back so soon?

I doubt we’ll ever completely understand this sort of thing as long as we live on earth, but a search of Scripture does give us some glimpses of God’s ways. We see death from an earthly perspective, but God sees it in light of eternity.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. John 11:25

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints. Psalm 116:15

Those of us who know Christ can take comfort in knowing that we will see our loved ones again and spend eternity with them.

Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. I Thessalonians 4:13-14

When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" I Corinthians 15:54-55

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4

I know this little boy’s life, though short, played a part in God’s plan. God brings good out of everything, and even through the pain of his loved ones, good will come. Sometimes it’s hard to see or believe it at the time, but we have to trust that He is Who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. He is good. He is faithful. He is eternal.

Keeping Up With the Bloggers

Well, what do you think of my new look? I got tired of looking at the blank space on the sides of the screen so decided to spice it up a little bit. I’m still working on my color scheme though. If you don’t use one of the color schemes Blogspot provides you with, you have to be a genius to figure out how to create one.

I’ve added a couple of new things to the sidebar too, in an effort to keep up with my sister-in-law, Melissa, which, by the way, is a losing battle. She’s beating me, hands down. But she has an advantage in that she has four kids to blog about, plus a husband, a dog and a cat. Incidentally, she does have some really cute pictures of her and her kids (my nieces and nephew) on there, taken by her friend Christy.

And speaking of trying to keep up, I’ve noticed that everyone else has creative titles for their blog. My title is "Jill’s Blog."

I have considered this problem, but I have decided that it is symbolic of my personality: at first glance it may not seem like there’s much to it, but if you look a little deeper, you’ll find there’s a lot there.

So that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.

Sad News

Joseph Peabody, the little boy who I had asked for prayers for in an earlier blog, died yesterday. He had just turned 4 the day before. He was diagnosed with a brain tumor last November. Please pray for comfort for his family during this time. There is a link to their blog at the bottom of my page.

Fruit Flies

I’m going batty. They’re coming to take me away, Ha-Haaa! Our house is INFESTED with fruit flies. I don’t know where they’re coming from. I have checked all of our fruits and vegetables to make sure none of them are overripe, emptied the trash, and cleaned out the litter box. I can’t find a source. They are in every room, flying in my face, buzzing in my ear, getting in my food. It’s gross! I don’t know what else to do, except kill them one by one.

So, to help me maintain my sanity, I have devised a game. I score:

1 point for smashing them up against a surface (wall, window, etc.) (This is the easiest way to kill them, though it is a little messy.)
2 points if I can kill one in mid-air (This is harder; they are fast!)
3 points if I can kill two in one "pop" (A very satisfying accomplishment, I might add.)

My poor dogs jump every time I smack one. I have to be careful not to hit them too hard. If I break a window, mirror or other object, I lose all my points for the day. Thankfully this hasn’t happened yet. I actually lost count yesterday, but I’m sure I scored well over 100 points. Seriously!

Does anyone have any suggestions for a better way to get rid of them?? I NEED HELP!!

How Don and I Met

I was getting a bit "long in the tooth," as they say, 37 and never married. A part of me was scared to death to get married anyway, so it was just as well. I was happy enough with my little apartment and my dog, and I stayed pretty busy.
-
A friend, Ramelle, who was in the Bible study I was in at the time, asked me if I would be interested in meeting a drummer she knew. I said "no," since I sort of had a relationship going on with a guy I had met online, and I didn’t really want to get involved with a musician anyway. She waited a few months and mentioned it to me again. I said "no" again.
-
She was persistent. She asked him if he would be interested in meeting me, and he said, "yes." She then asked me a third time, telling me that he wanted to try it. I told her I would think about it. The online thing had all but fizzled out. Another friend recommended I just go to lunch with him, so I said I would. It turned out we couldn’t work out a time to go to lunch, so we ended up going to dinner on March 6, 2004.
-
I didn’t like him. He used too many big words. He called me a "reformed Calvinistic theologian." A what? (It turns out this meant I was a Presbyterian, like he was.) Plus, he was a musician. Where I went to college, many of the musicians prided themselves in being weirdos. As the evening was winding down, he asked me if he could call me again. I didn’t really know how to say "no" (even though I had gotten pretty good at saying it to Ramelle), so I told him he could.
-
The next weekend he fixed dinner for me at his apartment. The first thing I noticed as I arrived at his studio apartment was that he didn’t have a single stick of furniture! All he had was musical equipment and electronics. He told me that he didn’t have enough room for furniture, and his drums were more important to him.
-
We ate dinner in folding chairs on a bass drum case, which he covered nicely with a tablecloth. Dinner was not too fancy, but pretty good; I had to admire his efforts. Then he showed me pictures of his family and told me about himself, using less big words this time, and for the first time I began to see his heart.
-
Back home that night as I was praying about how to handle the whole situation, and God began showing me that Don was everything I had been looking for in a husband: a strong Christian with a heart for God and beliefs similar to mine, and a family man with a good work ethic. And what was so bad about being a musician anyway? I began to see him as someone I might potentially marry, but I certainly wasn’t ready to share that with him.
-
We continued dating, and those things I saw in the beginning were reinforced as time went on, and I found we enjoyed each other’s company as well. We went to Iowa that Christmas, and I met his family and really liked them.
-
After Christmas, we started going through a book called Ten Great Dates Before You Say ‘I Do’ (which I think is wonderful and would recommend it to any couple who is contemplating marriage). By the time we got done with that, I had begun to believe (as any good Presbyterian should) that God had made us for each other. We got engaged on April 16, 2005, a beautiful spring day with dogwoods blooming everywhere, in a gazebo at the Ellington Agricultural Center.
-
As it worked out, the best day for us to get married was August 20, Don’s birthday. It was not a fancy wedding. Neither of us really likes being the center of attention, so we originally talked about eloping, but our families would have been upset. We ended up having just over 100 people come, and it was a huge blessing to have them all there to celebrate with us. My family (and Ramelle) pitched in and helped with everything, and my brother, the chef, catered an incredible reception for us!
-
That was three years ago today, and I am still so thankful for it all. Life wasn’t bad before, but I wouldn’t trade married life in for anything! Happy anniversary and happy birthday, to my wonderful husband!
-
P.S. Happy birthday also to Dave (Don’s twin brother) and Glenn P.
-

Top Ten Things That I Appreciate About My Pastor

Our church celebrated our pastor’s 7th anniversary there this week. A number of people in the church got up in the service to tell what he has meant to them during this time. I’m more of a writer than a speaker, and I’ve never been one to do things the traditional way anyway, so I am choosing to communicate my thoughts to him this way. Here are some of the things I appreciate about him:

1. He found me a good deal on a new computer.
2. He tries to be on Weight Watchers (trust me, I understand!).
3. He has a great sense of humor.
4. He puts up with me even though I don’t agree with him on a lot of things (and don’t keep them a secret).
5. He’s not afraid to think big and pursue what may seem impossible to practical people like me.
6. He is humble and willing to admit his imperfections.
7. He cares about each member of the congregation.
8. Being the pastor of a small congregation, he has to wear many hats. He handles this very well.
9. He has reached out to my family and, with much thanks to him most (and sometimes all) of us are worshipping under one roof on Sundays, something I never expected to have happen again.
10. He has a servant’s heart and allows God to use him in ways big and small.

Thanks, Pastor Mike, for all you do!

A Birthday Celebration

My husband Don is turning 40 this week, so in his honor some friends from church took us out to lunch yesterday to celebrate. This was organized by John and Ramelle, who introduced us to each other.
-
We had a nice meal at the El OK Corral, and then everyone blessed Don with a very creative selection of gifts in quantities of 40: envelopes, pennies, old flyers, Q-tips, rubber bands, cotton balls, chocolate chips, pieces of candy, canned beets (40 calories per serving), weed eater line (40 inches), pieces of cereal, index cards, etc.
-
Don was supposed to tell what he was planning to do with each gift, though for some of them I think he is still trying to think of a use (does anybody like beets??).
-
Anyway, it was fun, with a lot of good laughs, and reminded us both how thankful we are to have friends to celebrate with.
-
P.S. Happy 40th Birthday Jennifer!

The Sabbath

"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy." Exodus 20:8-11

I think one of the most widely unrecognized gifts God gives us is that of the Sabbath. Simply put, He commands to slow down every 7th day and take some time to rest and worship Him. Most Christians observe this day on Sunday to commerate Jesus' resurrection on that day.

But do we really observe it? We live in a crazy society, in which "24/7" has become a common term. Many of us never slow down. What would it be like if we were to set aside one day each week to cease from our jobs and even housework, yard work and other forms of labor, and just attend a worship service and rest our bodies and our minds?

We may think this would be difficult, or even impossible, but I don’t believe God ever intended for it to be a burden:

"If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the LORD's holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the LORD, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob." The mouth of the LORD has spoken. Isaiah 52:13-14

It is between you and God to decide what is appropriate for you to do on the Sabbath and what isn’t. The Bible gives us some guidelines, but Jesus repeatedly rebuked the Pharisees and others who tried to be legalistic about it (Matthew 12, Mark 2, 3, Luke 6, 13 and 14). He did observe it, but didn’t hesitate to help others or do other necessary things that happened to come up on that day.

I can’t claim to have mastered this, but I do try, and honestly, it is very freeing, when I see something that needs to be done around the house and am able to remind myself that it is the Sabbath, and it can wait. I love my Sunday afternoon naps too!

I think our society would be a better place and we would probably be much healthier if we would all take some time to rest and focus on things that are eternally important one day a week, as God commands us to do.

Those Poor Atheists

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." Psalm 14:1

I read a news article yesterday that sent me reeling. Apparently the Wilson County Fair, which is going on this week, is offering a $2 discount off their admission price on Sunday to anyone who comes with a church bulletin. Well, this has upset the atheists. HOW DARE THEY offer something to Christians and discriminate against atheists? A representative from the American Atheists sent an e-mail to the Wilson County Fair people and demanded that this promotion either be removed or that the poor dear atheists be included as well.

The board members of the fair, not wanting to cause any problems, decided that they would change their policy so that "anyone who brings a dated piece of printed material from their faith or non-belief" would be eligible for the discount. I know they were trying to stay out of trouble, but I must say I am a little disappointed in them for caving. It seems to me in this country of ours, Christians are allowed fewer privileges than anyone else, primarily because of a few outspoken, paranoid people who think Christianity discriminates against them.

I have taken a look at the fair’s web site to see what other promotions they offer. On Monday they are offering $5 off for senior citizens, age 60 and over. Now, I don’t like that at all. I think they need to change that policy right away so that anyone who can show proof that they are any age or non-age will qualify. The nerve of them! On Wednesday you get $1 off if you bring a lottery ticket stub. I don’t play the lottery. I think you should get a discount if you can show you have bought a ticket for anything, including the fair itself. I’ve also noticed that children 6-12 get in for a lower price, and children 5 and under get in free! This is absolutely outrageous! We should all get in free! And the kids get to ride the kiddie rides too, another area in which their discrimination is obviously targeted directly at me. They won’t let me ride them, just because I’m over 48 inches tall!

What’s more, I’m not qualified to enter any of the livestock shows because I don’t raise any livestock. How ridiculous! I am going to demand that I be able to enter my dog in the poultry contest (and he’d better win too), or that they just not have one at all because it’s going to offend me!

Seriously, I think it is up to the people who plan the fair to decide what promotions they are going to offer. It’s their fair. If there is someone who doesn’t like what they’re offering, then they certainly have the option to just stay home!

Jigsaw Puzzles

One of the things Don and I have discovered that we enjoy doing together is jigsaw puzzles. This is something I never really did before I got married, but one winter evening not too long after we got married, Don and I were bored and came across the clock puzzle (pictured) that my dad had given me some years earlier but I had never worked. We sat down and did the whole thing over the next several hours and discovered that it was really fun!
-
Soon we became addicts and were buying jigsaw puzzles on a regular basis. Unfortunately, our dog Nash has a taste for puzzle pieces, so since most of the ones we work take us several days, usually Nash somehow manages to sneak a piece or 2 while it is laying out on the table, and our puzzle has holes in it by the time we are done.
-
We have decided we like drawings better than photographs. Charles Wysocki is our favorite puzzle artist. The picture on the right is our latest accomplishment, one we did actually manage to finish with all the pieces intact. We don’t do them as much in the summer, but as the cooler weather and shorter days start setting in, I expect we’ll be getting back into it. I think it’s a great low-cost way for couples or families to spend time together.

Ten Whole Minutes!

Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue." The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." Exodus 4:10-12

I can relate to ol’ Moses, for I too consider speech to be an obstacle. Now God is calling me to use my voice, and I am afraid. In teaching the children in Community Bible Study this year, for which I have been in training the past two days, I am going to have to give a 10-minute lecture each week, and do it in such a way that the children will remain attentive. At first this didn’t seem so daunting, but the more I think about it, the worse it gets. I can’t say that I have ever spoken for ten solid minutes about anything, without interaction from others.

There is also the preparation time issue. I get overwhelmed when I think about all the time this is going to take me every week, and my plate is already pretty full. I will also have to do the adult lesson, the questions for the children’s lesson and plan crafts and activities to fill 2 hours, though I do have a good curriculum that will be helpful.

I’m not backing out. I know this will be a great growth experience for me. God promised Moses He would help him and teach Him what to say, and I believe He will do the same for me. I would ask you to pray with me that He would do this. Our first meeting is August 27.

Southern Fried Apples

A friend from church brought in a huge load of apples on Sunday that had come from a tree in her yard and practically begged everyone to take some, so of course I had to help her out (what a martyr I am). I used them to make Southern Fried Apples.

These aren’t as bad for you as they sound. In fact, the word "fried" is kind of misleading, but that’s what they’re called. Don, being from Iowa, had never had them before he met me, and now they’re one of his favorites.

The measurements in this recipe are approximate. My mom taught me how to do this, and I have never really had a written recipe, so you can adjust the ingredients according to your taste.

Southern Fried Apples
12-14 large apples (firmer types will hold their shape better, but any kind will do)
2 Tbsp. butter (or bacon grease)
1/3 cup sugar (white or brown)
½ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
¼ tsp. ground cloves

Put butter or grease in large skillet (you don’t need to melt it). Peel apples; core and cut into wedges. Put in pan on top of butter and sprinkle with sugar and spices. Cover pan and cook on medium-low heat. Remove lid about every 10 minutes and stir. If skillet becomes dry before apples are soft enough, add a little water. Cook approximately 1 hour or until apples are soft and liquid is cooked out.

A Remote Issue

I hardly ever watch TV. Of course, there are the usual reasons: I don’t have time. I don’t think there is much quality TV available. These are true, but they are not the main reason.
-
The real reason I don’t watch TV is that I don’t know how to turn it on. I have no clue which button on which of our five remotes to press to turn it on, and even if I figured that out, if I should need to adjust the volume or change the channel, forget it. This means I can only watch it if Don is there to "set it up" for me. A couple of times I tried to do this myself when he wasn’t home, and by the time I finally found the program I wanted, it was nearly over.
-
Why, you may ask, do we need five remotes? Well, we have one for the TV, one for the VCR and one for the DVD player. Don has hooked the TV up to his stereo to make the sound come out of the speakers, so we have the remote for that, and we’re up to four.
-
We don’t have cable. Why should we pay $50 a month (or whatever it costs these days) for something we would hardly ever use? We have rabbit ears, just like in the old days. Unfortunately, the old days are almost over, and rabbit ears are going to become obsolete. Now we have to have a special "digital-to-analog converter box" to even be able to get TV at all without cable. And that comes complete with, you guessed it, another remote.
-
I think this is all just more trouble than it’s worth. Oh well. I’d really rather read a good book anyway.
-
Cool Thing to Know: If you are a "rabbit ears" household, you need to get a converter box before February 2009. You can learn all about this and get up to 2 coupons for $40 off (they don’t cost much more than that) at http://www.dtv.gov/.

A Picnic in the Park

Don and I took my niece Hannah on an outing last night to Veterans’ Memorial Park in LaVergne. She has been a little lonely since both of her sisters have gone to South Carolina to visit Melissa’s aunt for a few days.

-

The weather has been unseasonably cool and beautiful, so we had a picnic and played on the playground. We had a great time swinging on the swings and sliding down the slide (no, the picture of me on the spiral slide isn’t just posed; I really did it!). I climbed to the very top of the jungle gym too. The only thing I wouldn't do is crawl through the tubes they have. I'm way too claustrophobic for that.
-

It was fun to spend time with Hannah and act like a kid again. I need to do it more often!

Bible Translations

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

We are doing Genesis in my Bible study this year, and since the book of Genesis is literally falling out of my Bible (this could be a good thing), I decided it was time to get a new one.

My first thought was to get another New International Version (NIV), since that is what I have been using for many years and have become familiar with, but then I decided to do a little research and found out some interesting things. (Thanks, Melissa, for getting me started.)

There is one school of thought which believes that the King James Version (KJV) is the only accurate English translation. It was taken from the "original" Greek and Hebrew. Apparently the manuscripts used for modern translations have been changed significantly through the years. Of course the very earliest copies have been lost, but the older they are, the less chance there is for human error.

Another issue is how those languages are translated into English. I have partially read a book called The Word of God in English, by Leland Ryken, which uses phrases like "dynamic equivalence," "functional equivalence," and "formal equivalence," to describe different methods of translation. I don’t necessarily recommend this book unless you like to wade through a lot of big words (in which case you might as well read the KJV), but what it amounts to is that things can be translated either literally, or the translator may try to guess what the Author meant (as opposed to actually said), translating ideas instead of words. The NIV is an example of this. Some translators also change words to what have become their modern meanings, depriving us of cultural and historical information.

So the question to ask is, how far does a translation differ from what God actually said? Obviously, if you are reading the Bible, you are seeking the true word of God, so you would want a translation that is as accurate as possible, but most people also want something that is easy to read and understand.

So, with all of this to consider, I decided to go with the English Standard Version (ESV), which my church has been using for a while now. It is supposedly a literal translation taken from early texts of Hebrew and Greek, translated word for word into modern English. I certainly don’t claim this is the only answer, and my NIV will now go on the shelf with my KJV, NASB, RSV and Living Bible to use as a reference tool when I don’t understand something.

I have to believe that God will get His message to us one way or the other, for He is far more powerful than any human translator, but whatever translation you use, I always recommend praying for Him to reveal His truth to you before you begin reading.

Cool Thing To Know: Biblegateway.com is a great tool for Bible study. It can be used as a concordance or to look up a passage (and has every translation I have ever heard of). I have also printed off chapters when I am doing studies that involve marking up my Bible and mark that up instead.

Widgets

I have always liked gadgets. I have a food processor, a bread machine, an electric knife and a crock pot (2 actually), to name a few. I guess these are a sort of "toy" for grownups. I don’t usually go for the trendy, useless ones that I will end up selling for $1 at my next garage sale, but look to invest in ones that will actually fill a need.

I have discovered a new kind of gadget: a widget. These are gadgets that can be added to a website or blog. How cool is that?? I have been wading through widget sites, trying to find some good ones to add to my blog and make it more interesting (and there are definitely some useless ones out there -- Don wanted me to add a "Wisdom from the Simpsons" one. I told him to start his own blog).

You have to be careful about what you add. For those who are wondering where "Cool Dog Facts" went, it kept reloading every couple of minutes and clicking, which was kind of annoying. It also seemed to slow down the amount of time it took for my blog to come up, and may have been the cause of the big error message I got on my computer the other day, causing it to shut down. So I got rid of that one.

I currently have a "hit counter" which shows me how many people are visiting my blog, and a Feedjit world map which shows me where they live. Some people may consider these useless, but they are interesting to me. Today I added a "word of the day" widget, for your education and mine.

So while you’re reading my blog, check out my sidebar from time to time to see if I have discovered any new and useful widgets.

Brown County State Park

Don and I recently took a trip to Brown County State Park, outside Nashville, Indiana, to meet up with his family and spend a few days with them. Since they came from Iowa and Michigan, and we from Tennessee, this was a good central location for everyone.
-
The park itself is very pretty. I think of Indiana as being flat and full of corn fields, but this area was hilly and wooded, with lots of hiking trails and wildlife to spot. We stayed in furnished cabins, but they also have a nice lodge. There is an indoor water park as well as an outdoor pool, and horseback riding is available for a fee. We prepared most of our food in our cabins, but they also had some picnic areas with grills, and we had a cookout one night and celebrated Don’s mom’s birthday. My only complaint was that they didn’t allow dogs in the cabins, so we had to leave ours with my brother and sister-in-law. ) :
-
I didn’t take many pictures, but here are a few I took of the kids. The two in the picture with Don are Daniel and Cara, children of Don’s twin brother, Dave, and his wife Tricia. The other little boy is Luke, their younger brother. The little girl is Annabel, daughter of Don’s older brother, Doug, and his wife Amy. Don’s parents, Charlie and Marcia, were also there.
-
I have been blessed with a wonderful family of in-laws, and we had a very nice time on this trip.

100 Random Things That You May (or May Not) Want to Know About Me

I saw this on someone else’s blog and thought it was cute as well as interesting, so I took her idea and made my own.

1. I was born on 10/10, and
2. my initials before I got married were J.J., the 10th letter of the alphabet.
3. I was born 3 years, 3 months and 3 days after my parents got married.
4. I was an only child for 6½ years, when my brother was born.
5. My mom never liked animals much, so we had a few when I was growing up, but never enough for me. Now I have 3, plus an aquarium,
6. which I have had for several years but plan to get rid of as soon as the fish die. I am tired of taking care of it.
7. I went to high school with Wynonna Judd
8. and Ashley Judd,
9. who was my lab partner in biology, but only because we were next to each other alphabetically.
10. I drive a Honda Accord, which I think is a good car.
11. Before that I drove a Dodge Neon, which I thought was a piece of junk.
12. In college I drove a ’76 Plymouth Fury, which got 12 mpg.
13. From age 3 through 12th grade I went to 5 different schools for 3 years each.
14. Then I went to Belmont College (now University).
15. It took me 4½ years
16. to get my elementary education degree,
17. which I have never used.
18. I have always wanted to take ballet. I took for a little while as a child, but still want to take again, but now I would look like an elephant in a leotard, and be about as graceful as one.
19. I have always wanted to play the piano. I took lessons for a little while in college, but still want to take more.
20. I have always wanted to play the flute, and now I do.
21. I play the piccolo now too.
22. I grew up in a Methodist church
23. but now go to a PCA (Presbyterian) one.
24. I received Christ in a Good News Club when I was 10.
25. I have read through the whole Bible several times.
26. I was a girl scout.
27. I was a notary public for about 15 years while I was working for attorneys. My commission expired last month.
28. I am a Nashville native.
29. My family moved away right after I started college, first to Indiana, then Florida, then North Carolina.
30. They eventually all came back, after my brother got married and my parents got divorced.
31. When my brother and his wife moved back, they lived in my apartment complex, so we were next-door neighbors for several years.
32. I am collecting state quarters. I have all but Arizona, Alaska and Hawaii, and I’m not sure if they’ve even been issued yet.
33. I don’t like to take any kind of medicine, but will occasionally take aspirin, or Theraflu if I am congested and can’t sleep.
34. I eat very little pork or shellfish because I think the Old Testament law forbids them for a reason: both are nasty creatures.
35. My band was in the Orange Bowl parade my senior year in high school.
36. I love olives, green or black.
37. I hate mushrooms, broccoli and green peas.
38. I am a sugar addict.
39. About the only food that I binge on besides sugar is chips and salsa.
40. My favorite food (other than sugar) is probably pizza or lasagna.
41. I like to cook.
42. I went out with a guy a few times in college who later got murdered by his wife.
43. I love the "Little House on the Prairie" books (still) and have been to Laura Ingalls Wilder’s house in Mansfield, Missouri.
44. Other favorite authors are Janette Oke, John Grisham and Beverly Lewis.
45. When I was 8, I lived in the same neighborhood as Marcia Trimble, when she was murdered.
46. I didn’t know her, but I did know Jeffrey Womack, their main suspect (who was recently cleared after 30+ years), who babysat for my brother and me at Peggy Morgan’s house.
47. I learned to roller blade when I was 30.
48. I took Spanish in high school and college but don’t remember too much.
49. My great grandparents on my dad’s side lived and are buried in Henning, Tennessee, the same small town that Alex Haley, the author of "Roots" is from.
50. I have seen Niagara Falls from the U.S.
51. and Canadian side, but
52. other than Canada I have never been out of the country, but
53. my friend Laurie won a trip for 2 to Hawaii around my 30th birthday and took me with her for my birthday gift.
54. I am very conservative politically. I think George Bush is doing a great job, and I am dreading (or fearing, depending on the outcome of the election) January.
55. I like to listen to Rush Limbaugh.
56. I attended Bible Study Fellowship for 8½ years, including 2 years as a leader.
57. I live within walking distance from the Hermitage, Andrew Jackson’s home.
58. Except for our house, Don and I are debt-free.
59. Wal-Mart is my favorite place to shop.
60. I don’t like stores that make you use a card to be able to get their specials so they can track what you buy.
61. Amy Grant once sat next to me in church.
62. T.G. Shepherd is my second cousin (or something like that) on my mom’s side, but I have never met him.
63. One of the first things Don and I realized we had in common was that we both like fife and drum corps.
64. I like old cemeteries.
65. Both of my grandmothers lived past age 90.
66. Both of my grandfathers died before I was born.
67. Once in college my picture was on the front page of The Tennessean, along with a "snow bunny" I had built.
68. I used to decorate cakes but quit when I joined Weight Watchers because I always ate too much icing.
69. I had chicken pox when I was 12. I broke out on Christmas day.
70. I don’t like Christmas. I think it’s way too stressful and has completely lost its meaning.
71. I don’t like winter either. Summer is my favorite season, but I like spring and fall too.
72. My favorite flowers are daffodils, because they mean spring is beginning. I always hope to see some before the end of February, which I usually do.
73. My favorite colors are probably pink and purple, but I really like all bright colors.
74. My favorite kind of music is old hymns.
75. I also like contemporary Christian, light rock (especially oldies) and classical.
76. Even though I’m from Nashville, I don’t care for country music.
77. I don’t enjoy traveling; it stresses me out, but
78. if I ever get over that and have enough money, I would like to go to the Grand Canyon, Washington D.C., Italy, Scotland and the Holy Land.
79. One of my favorite places to go when I do travel is to the Smoky Mountains.
80. My friend Pam (who has since died) and I used to camp there every summer, and
81. Don and I went there on our honeymoon.
82. My favorite movies are Mr. Holland’s Opus, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Back to the Future and The Sound of Music.
83. I have never played the lottery, but
84. if I won it, I would probably give most of it away or use some of it to adopt a child from a foreign country.
85. I almost never watch TV. When I do watch, my current favorite show is Bones.
86. I like to do word puzzles and play word games.
87. I like to make beaded jewelry.
88. Don’s family is from Iowa. The first time I went there was at Christmas when we were dating. It was so cold, I thought I was going to die.
89. Last summer during one of the worst heat waves in history our air conditioning went out. It was so hot I thought I was going to die.
90. I don’t enjoy watching sports on TV, but I do like to go to baseball and football games.
91. I don’t like talking on the phone but love e-mail.
92. When I was little my mom kept my hair cut short. She thought it was cute, but I hated it.
93. As soon as I was old enough, I grew it out and have kept it long ever since.
94. I know how to sew but only do it when I have to.
95. When I was 4, I stuck a paperclip up my nose. My parents had to take me to the hospital to get it out.
96. That’s the only time I’ve ever been in the hospital.
97. I am fairly soft-spoken now, but I used to be much more so.
98. I need at least 8 hours of sleep a night or I am very grouchy and basically useless.
99. Don and I got engaged at the Ellington Agricultural Center.
100. I’m exhausted after typing all this!

(and you probably are too after reading it all!)

Entropy

Anyone who believes in evolution should consider the Second Law of Thermodynamics, or the concept of entropy, that nature tends to take things from order to disorder, not disorder to order, which is more or less the basis of their theory.
-
My house is a classic example of this. I vacuum my floor. It’s just a matter of time before it will be covered with dust, hair, dirt, leaves, dog toys, grass clippings and shredded phone book (see picture in my "bunny" blog). My yard is another example. I mow the grass, and it looks nice and pretty. Fast forward one week: a happy home for Tarzan. I weed my gardens and flower beds, and within a few days it’s time to start over. I put leftover food in my refrigerator, and well, let’s just say that if you open any containers in there, you do so at your own risk.
-
Then there are my sinks and bathtub. I would expect them to stay nice and clean because of all the soap and water that runs through them. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Does anyone know why soap and water get everything else clean, but leave "scum" on your sinks and bathtubs?
-
I just put all my shoes away the other day, so why are there five pairs scattered around my floor right now? My niece came over recently, took a look in my closet, and offered to clean it for me. Why should she need to? I just cleaned it a few months ago. And what would be the point anyway?
-
So why intelligent people would choose to believe that all of life evolved from a one-celled sea creature with no brain is beyond me. As far as I can tell, we’re having to fight to keep from heading back that way.

Surveys

When I have some extra time on my hands, I sometimes do surveys online. I do them mostly for fun, but some of them offer points that accrue and can be redeemed for cash or prizes. Some actually send me products to sample and give my opinion of. Things I have gotten include dog food, socks, razors, laundry detergent, cereal and frozen dinners. Some of the surveys will pay (usually $1 to $5). You have to get to these quickly, before they reach their quota of responses. Most say they are entering me in a "sweepstakes," though I have yet to win anything that way.

I have been doing all of the ones listed below for some time and would consider them to be reputable and safe to give information to.

These accrue points:

mysurvey.com
harrispollonline.com
globalopinionpanels.com

These don’t offer points, but sometimes pay money or send product samples:

surveyspot.com
greenfieldonline.com

If you sign up for any of these (especially the last two), be prepared to get your e-mail box full of them. I pick and choose the ones I want to do and delete the rest. Topics I am interested in, ones that offer me something or the amount of time they take (they usually tell you) are all factors that help me decide.

Cool Thing to Know: If you click on "Next Blog" at the top of this page, it will take you through randomly-selected blogs. A lot of them are in different languages. Kind of neat to be able to get a glimpse into people’s lives all over the world (even if you can’t read them) from the comfort of your living room.

Will They Ever Shut Up?

We live in a residential neighborhood. About a half mile away (as the crow flies) is a little nightclub. I don’t know what’s going on over there, but this weekend and last weekend they have had LOUD music playing from mid-afternoon until 10:30 or 11:00 at night.

Thankfully, I have been blessed with the ability to sleep through almost anything, but my husband hasn’t. He has been sleeping on the futon in the basement, which doesn’t lend itself to a very good night’s sleep. I guess he finds it preferable to laying awake upstairs and listening to loud music though. So the next day he is usually a little tired and grouchy.

This happened occasionally last summer too, but it didn’t seem to be quite as loud and only bothered us when we tried to sleep with the windows open. Right now the windows are closed, and it is still loud enough inside our house to sing along to. Don actually called the police on them one night, to no avail. Don’t we have any rights here? I know there are a number of houses as well as an apartment complex and a hotel that are even closer to them than we are, so we can’t be the only ones who are being bothered by it. Surely there is a noise ordinance that is being violated or something. It is a small place, so I can’t imagine that there are nearly as many people there enjoying it as there are neighbors who are being bothered by it.

I tried to find a web site where I could get an e-mail address and contact them and ask them nicely to be quiet, but couldn’t find one. I guess I could actually call them, though I don’t imagine their employees would be able to hear me over the loud music when they answer the phone, not that it would probably do any good even if they did. Does anyone have any suggestions for how we can handle this??

My Flute

"Praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute." Psalm 150:4

Don bought me a wonderful gift for my first birthday after we got married: a flute. Not just any flute, but a Gemeinhardt solid silver, open-hole flute with a B foot. I know this doesn’t mean a lot to a non-flute player, but it was a much nicer gift than I ever expected. As an added bonus, this gift also included six months of lessons.

I had always wanted to play the flute. In high school I played the clarinet but my heart was never in it because I wanted to play the flute. I had joined the band after everyone else and they already had too many flutes. I was never much of a musician, but I never lost my desire to be a flute player. Don, being a musician himself (a drummer), wanted to help me fulfill my dream.

I ended up taking lessons for about a year and a half, during which time I acquired adequate skills to be able to play in our worship team at church, which Don is also a part of. I very much enjoy doing this.

-

I don’t know what direction this will take in the future, but for now I am thankful for a husband who heard my heart and bought me a flute without me even asking or suspecting he would, and who encourages me when I don’t feel like I will ever be a good musician. I am also thankful for a church that allows me the opportunity to use what (meager) skills I have for the glory of God.

-

Cool Thing to Know: If you go to http://www.finalemusic.com/, you can download their free software, Notepad. It is a bit cumbersome, but allows you to write or arrange, play and print your own music.

-

Bella

Last night Don and I watched the movie "Bella." I really didn’t know what it was about but had heard it was good. Don was only convinced to watch it with me because Rush Limbaugh had recommended it on his website as one of his current favorites.

The rating was PG-13; it was clean, but there were some disturbing scenes – probably not for young children.

I was pretty well captivated from the beginning. Don got a little bored in parts of it (he prefers action), but he seemed to like it better as it progressed. The characters are very real and the story line, without being judgmental, demonstrates the sanctity of human life and the beauty of unselfish giving. It also portrays Latin Americans in a very positive light.

I won’t spoil it by revealing the ending, but let me say that Don and I both had tears running down our faces when it was over (he gave me permission to share this). The thing that’s significant about this is that I have known my husband for four and a half years, and I have NEVER seen him cry before.

If you’re looking for a wholesome movie that is a bit gut-wrenching, this is one to see.

P.S.: Happy 11th Anniversary Andy and Melissa!

Cool Thing to Know: The Metro (Nashville) Library has videos and DVD’s you can check out for a week at a time at no charge. They have almost any movie you would want, and will sometimes order one for you if you request it. I’m sure other cities offer this service as well.

Dasha

Dasha is a Russian name that means "gift of God." As I said in an earlier blog, I now consider Nash to be a gift from God, but it took me a while to recognize that. Not so with Dasha.
-
She came to me at a hard time in my life. My parents were getting divorced. I had passed my thirtieth birthday and had no prospects for marriage when it seemed like everyone around me was getting married. I didn’t like my job and was grossly overweight.
-
One day a friend asked me to keep her dog for a few days while she was out of town. I did, and it made me happier than I had been in a long time. I decided then and there to get myself a dog, though money was tight and it would involve a move to another apartment.
-
I began to pray about it, and money started coming in from unexpected places. I moved to a new apartment and made plans to get a puppy in the spring. I had to get a dog under 25 lbs. (apartment rules) and wanted a female who didn’t shed, preferably a poodle crossbreed.
-

The day finally came, and I found an ad in the paper for cockapoo puppies at a price I could afford. I called, and they had one female. I drove to a part of town I wasn’t familiar with at all and met the little brown dog who melted my heart. She was no bigger than a beanie baby. I had brought a crate to put her in, but I just couldn’t do it, so I drove home with her in my lap. She whined at full volume all the way home, and I cried too.

-

She wasn’t perfect. If you’ve ever had a puppy you know that they don’t come knowing all the rules. She whined most of the night at first but soon outgrew that. I had to housebreak her (which I was able to do in a reasonable amount of time) and replace or repair many things that she chewed up, but she was worth it.

-

My mom, who has never been a dog person, came over to see her and fell in love with her. I think her attitude toward dogs in general changed that day.

-

As for me, I now had someone besides myself to take care of who was a wonderful companion who greeted me enthusiastically every time I walked in the door. She lifted my spirits, and I never really felt lonely again after I got her.

-

I met Don a few years later. He was also a dog lover, though he was prejudiced against little dogs. Dasha soon won him over. We married and interestingly, bought a house on the very street where Dasha was born.
-
Dasha is ten now, and I am seeing signs of aging. Cockapoos are supposed to have long lives, so I hope to have her for many years to come. For however long I have her, though, I am thankful for each day we have had and for the gift God gave me to comfort me and bring me joy when I needed it most.