A Happy Face

I enjoy carving pumpkins. It is a creative outlet for me.

This year, we neglected to buy a big pumpkin to carve, so instead, I carved Finley's little 6-inch pumpkin that she got last weekend on an outing.

I rather like it. Too bad it is already rotting.

Plumpy Nut and Honey Bees

I think if I don't stop watching 60 Minutes on TV Sunday evenings, I might just end up dragging my family to some hippy organic co-op out in some far corner of the earth.

Two weeks ago, I watched a story about Plumpy-Nut. It is a simple mixture of peanut butter, powdered milk, and other vitamins and minerals that is helping save kids from starvation. Read more about it here. It is amazing. Anyway, apart from the fact that seeing all those cute little kids caused my heart strings to get pulled a bit, there was one piece of dialogue that made me stop short. The interviewer asked a doctor, "But what about peanut allergies?" The answer: "You don't find peanut allergies in developing countries."

This Sunday, there was a story about honey bees. I did remember hearing something on the news earlier this year about it, but had forgotten about it until now. In short, millions of honey bees have been deserting their hives and disappearing. It has left everyone stumped, but many have their suspicions about the causes. The massive use of pesticides have weakened the bees' immune sytems, which is allowing more diseases to infiltrate the hives. Mites and viruses are commonly found in bee colonies, and the practice of growing only one crop on acres and acres of land doesn't allow the variety of food the bees need. (Can you imagine only eating, say, apples all day every day?)

So who knows. In a couple years, you may have to drive to the boonies to see us. Just watch out for happy bees and the antibiotic-free milk cow on the way up the lane.

a poem

dark and raining
street water reflecting street lights
vents blasting heat to curb the damp clothes chill
flashback to when i was alone
my atoms expanding into the old familiar feeling of freedom
like the newness of the universe feeling out the emptiness of space

Moderation

I keep thinking about things, and wanting to put down my thoughts in the blog... But it seems like there are several different subjects that somehow relate, so as a warning, I have no idea where this one will end up.

I have been thinking about moderation, and how wonderful a thing it is.

I have been chewing on the state of the earth a lot lately, and it makes me very sad to see how ravaged it is. I think we have taken too lightly our responsibilty to care for the earth, and have done irreparable damage in the process. Hosea 4 talks about the how the land and wildlife are impacted by man's relationship (or lack of relationship) with God. Just one aspect of this is the way farming is handled today in America, the details of which I refuse to get into at this point.

What really gets me frustrated is the fact that I feel powerless to do much about it. If I only bought food from local, organic growers, we wouldn't be able to eat much, since it is simply not in our budget to do so. If we tried to live off food we grew ourselves, we'd definitely starve. (I'm hoping to get better in that area, though.) The only answer I can find is in moderation. I can be concerned. I can buy what good food I can afford, and I have to draw the line at worry. Once I begin to worry, I am no longer in balance. Moderation.

The medical field. I know some folks who are extremely anti-medical-establishment. Yes, it is amazing how God provided natural remedies to many health issues. Yes, a lot of doctors rely too heavily on what their text books have taught them instead of waiting to see what the body will naturally do to correct itself.

On the other hand, I have loved ones that are alive due to the wonders of modern medicine. I have safely given birth to two children thanks to the help of modern medicine. I'm not sure things would have turned out so well for me otherwise. Moderation.

Hangovers are no fun.

Sipping a Newcastle is just plain wonderful. Moderation.

The Terrible/Terrific Two's Are Nothing

I've been thinking... Finley's 2nd year wasn't so bad for me. Yes, she had meltdowns and stubborn moments, but I don't think they can compare to what I have to deal with these days.

I almost like a kid throwing a tantrum. Joe threw his first good one the other day, and I just sat and smiled while I watched him scream and roll around on the floor. Since he isn't very verbally or cognitively developed yet, it is easy just to ignore him and let him figure out that screaming won't work.

Finley is three. Finley can talk, and she is getting more sophisticated in her thought processes. This means that I find her a whole lot more difficult to deal with.

Here is an example:
F- May I play on the computer?
Me- Not right now. You've been on the computer a lot already today.
F- Please?
Me- No.
F- But PLEEEASE! (thinking that because she uses the word 'please', I have to let her.)
Me- No.
Finley drops to the floor crying and this is when I ask her if she wants to be fun or to go sit on her bed.

Another example:
We are outside, and our neighbor Brenda is out in the yard with her granddaughter, Melissa.
F- What is Nannie doing?
Me- What do you think she is doing?
F- But what is she doing?
Me- I don't know. I can't see her. Go look and tell me what you think she is doing. (I look over and see that she is obviously watering flowers.)
F- She is spanking Melissa.
Me- No she's not! What does she have in her hand?
F- What is Nannie doing?
Me- Finley, look at Nannie. She is watering her flowers.
F- Is Nannie spanking Melissa?
Me- No. (Brenda and Melissa go inside.)
F- What is Nannie doing?

Yes, sometimes she can be funny, though. Last night, we were trying to get Finley to eat some supper.
Dad- If you eat your supper, you can have ice cream tonight.
F- I'll just have ice cream tomorrow after I eat all my pizza.
(Who said we were having pizza?)

P.S.- Photo is of Finley listening to 'The Grinch...' on Reanna's ipod.

The Men of the House

The War and Criticism

I recently watched a little of the documentary The War that PBS has been broadcasting. After seeing lots of war movies and hearing lots of stories, I thought I had at least some grasp of what happened during World War II. I don't think the quoting of numbers or the few movies I'd seen really gave me a clue. I have only seen a few hours of this new documentary, and it helped me understand how little I did grasp the magnitude of what was happening in the world back then.

A few months ago, I heard a talk show on NPR that was discussing the bombing of Hiroshima. One WWII vet (who fought in the Pacific) called in to defend the bombing, saying that the number of lives saved due to the bombing was estimated to be in the millions. Someone rebutted saying that those numbers were probably exaggerated.

What I realized was that it is easy for most of us, who are one or two or three generations removed from the experience, to criticize. We didn't witness the Japanese soldiers who would fight to the death or the civilians who chose to jump off cliffs rather than surrender or be taken captive. Yes, I admit the bombing was horrible, as was the entire war, but who is to say if the bombing was right or wrong under the circumstances?

More and more, I realize why God told us to 'Judge not, lest ye be judged.' Most of our criticisms and opinions come from pride and ignorance. More and more, I see the world is not a picture of black here and white there, but of black and white so intermingled, the picture is mostly grey.