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Every holiday brings back memories of the past, but no other holiday dredges up as many bad memories for me as Halloween. It is a celebration of good and evil, and some people get far too carried away with the evil. Our family, like others, has lost loved ones and experienced some tragedies on this date. So I pray that everyone will be very careful tonight, especially with their children. Keep them safe and make sure this is a holiday that will create happy memories for them!
Gary ate breakfast this morning before leaving for work! Okay, not worthy of the six o’clock news, but something his wife has been trying to get him to do for years. His varying work shifts make it almost impossible for him to do anything on a regular schedule, but I’ve often remarked to him that people who eat breakfast are generally healthier and happier than those who don’t. He eats breakfast on days when he works the late shift and on his days off, so it’s not as though he is opposed to the concept. And in the past he has eaten breakfast during his “break” when he is on the early shift. That, however, means being at work for at least three hours without any food. Not a good thing for a body that has already fasted for seven or eight hours during sleep. So I was quite pleased when he consumed a packet of instant oatmeal this morning.
I was raised in a family that always ate breakfast. In fact, I once had a friend spend the night and when mom started making biscuits the next morning our houseguest remarked, “I never eat breakfast.” To which my father replied, “You will this morning.” And she did!
My grandmother often made a huge breakfast buffet when several of us visited. It was not uncommon for her to cook bacon, sausage, pancakes, biscuits, gravy, eggs, and oatmeal. And she made her own butter and jelly! No one left her table hungry.
When we worked sunrise shifts in the fields we were sometimes forced to eat biscuits and boiled eggs in the car, but we ate, knowing it would be a long time before we were allowed to leave the field for lunch.
Most of our students eat breakfast at school, even if some of them bring a bag of doughnuts purchased in route. I don’t always approve of what they eat, (huge cinnamon rolls, chocolate-frosted doughnuts) but at least they are not going hungry. Studies show that classroom performance is improved when students eat a healthy breakfast. Some schools are so adamant about the benefits of early morning nutrition that they allow students to eat in their classrooms.
My own breakfast usually consists of eggs scrambled with spinach or kale and toast with apple butter, or a bowl of oatmeal with a tablespoon of almond or peanut butter, or on weekends, a whole wheat pancake with a little honey. Studies show that eggs are not bad for a person who does not consume a lot of cholesterol from other sources. In fact, people who eat eggs are generally more satisfied throughout the morning and consume fewer calories at lunch.
I know…you are considering whether you should take advice from a fat woman. But I would remind you that I am healthy and happy, seldom sick, and I am fat because I consume more calories than I use, not because I have an unhealthy diet. So if you do not normally eat breakfast I urge you to consider changing your habits and giving your brain and body a good start each day!
Other food notes for the week: almond butter is better for you than peanut butter; kale has more nutritional benefits than spinach, and Greek yogurt is worth trying if you want twice the protein and half the sugar of your regular yogurt. I’m also partial to Gouda cheese because it tastes so good and melts so well, but we were discussing nutrition weren’t we…
Have a great day!
I know you have heard some bad things about Facebook. I’m sure you are either addicted to it as I am or afraid to join, as are a few of my friends. However, this morning I feel nothing but gratitude for the way it has changed my life. I have been able to connect to friends far away, communicate with several of my school parents, keep up with friends who live busy lives nearby, and post information that needs to be announced. It has replaced many phone calls for me…which I always made reluctantly for fear of interrupting the lives and schedules of others. It has replaced most cards and letters, although I still write and send a few by “snail mail”. And in my circle of friends it has become a prayer list for those in need.
I still have mixed feelings about technology, but I encourage you to join us on Facebook!
Yes, that is a snake.
Yes, he was in the bathtub last night.
Yes, because of a similar encounter several years ago, I looked first.
And yes, I took the time to get my camera. Last time I didn’t and I swear some people thought I was kidding just because it happened on April 1st. I promise you, I do NOT make up these encounters, nor do I welcome them. However, I do tolerate them as one of the many joys of country living.
City residents don’t often have their yards vandalized by critters or their homes invaded by them, but they certainly have similar encounters with humans, so I’ll stick with the critters. I have lived in the city and had the opportunity to compare the actions of both. When we lived in the city our home was robbed, our car window was shot out, and our neighbor killed his wife. I’ll tolerate a snake or two.
I should also tell you that I didn’t kill him. I grabbed him just behind the head with the long-handled BBQ tongs and threw him outside with a warning to “Stay there!” Let’s hope he listens.
I was in the bathroom of a local store the other day and overheard a conversation that is still bothering me. Two employees were at the end of their shift and were standing at the sink talking about their commute when I walked in, so I know who was talking, but I don’t really “know” either woman.
Apparently one has a long drive and made the comment that she has to stop at a convenience store on the way home and go to the bathroom again before she gets home. The other said that she was glad she only lived twenty minutes away because she would not be able to stop anywhere; unless she lets her truck run for several minutes before putting it in gear, it dies and she is afraid she wouldn’t get home.
I’ve seen both of these women in the store for several years. Both of them are over forty. Both of them seem to be hard-working employees. Both of them are pleasant to customers. Both of them, it seems, are living with daily struggles even though they are working.
We focus a lot on the unemployed, but I know from my experience in retail and my husband’s current job in retail that many people in our country ARE employed, but at minimum wage, and without benefits because retailers notoriously hire employees at less than forty hours so they are not required to offer them insurance or other benefits. There are people all over the country who are working in physically and emotionally demanding jobs for wages that barely support their daily needs. When I worked in retail it was one of the THREE jobs that I had at the time.
Oh, I know that many people are in situations of their own making. I know that some have the opportunity for advancement or are working service jobs while they get an education. Everyone has a different story. But I think it is important to remember that some of those stories are sad and are stories of crisis and circumstances, of poor health and accidents, of marriages gone bad, and spouses dying unexpectedly. There are a lot of people, women in particular, who are in low-paying jobs struggling each day to survive. I plan to treat them well and pray for them specifically. I hope you will too.
Heard on the news this morning that most people plan to work until they are disabled or die. Many have set their sights on working at least until they are 80. The reason given by the majority is that they simply cannot pay their monthly bills. I don’t plan to ever “quit working”, but I certainly won’t teach for very many more years because I don’t feel like that would be best for me or for my students. I plan to begin the transition to my new career this spring and perhaps continue teaching for two to five more years. I suppose that I will do what I always do- keep moving forward and trust in the Lord to guide me.
Yesterday, while our dinner cooked in the oven, I stood in front of the sliding glass doors in the kitchen and watched the sun slowly make its way toward the horizon. The horses were grazing at the top of the hill and glorious rays of golden light played across the still water of the pond. A few turtles raised their heads here and there. A flock of sparrows flew from their perch in the trees to the feeder in our yard. Then I noticed some movements in the grass and watched as a pair of coyotes made their way down the hill and crossed over the pond dam. No, I didn’t run for the camera. I know some views can’t be captured adequately by its lens so I just watched and enjoyed. I did take some photos later when the skunk came to the yard for dinner. But it was too dark when seven raccoons and a rabbit came for a late night snack, so I just watched them for a few minutes before going to bed. It occurred to me that many people don’t have the privilege of watching nature so closely- some because they are not near it and some because they are just too busy and/or exhausted to see it.
My days often end in peaceful views and quiet reflection and I am blessed to be able to enjoy the wonders of nature in my own back yard. I often think about how frantic my life was at other stages when my children were small and the demands of being wife and mother and employee pulled me in so many directions. I suppose that is why I spend time praying for the younger women I know. They can’t see right now that their life will be different in a few years and hopefully they will have more time and peace and control over their days. They are often tired and frustrated and upset and even angry. They try to be all and do all, while knowing that they can’t. It’s a heavy burden sometimes to be a woman. But God gives us grace and time, which can lead to peace and reflection, and a wonderful life filled with family and friends, rewarding work, fulfilling hobbies, and evenings spent observing nature. Hang in there ladies.
Well, Oklahoma made the “Top Ten” list! But before you open a beer and throw those chicken wings on the grill let me tell you that it was NOT a list we want to be on, not now, not ever again.
Oklahoma is number ten on the current list of the Top Ten Most Dangerous States.
Let that soak in for a minute. The MOST DANGEROUS STATES.
And we move up the ranks in specific crimes. Oklahoma is #9 in property crimes and #6 in rapes. There has been such a sharp increase in rapes that we are now at our highest number since 1994!
The underlying causes for the crime statistics reported on the list are high poverty rates and low percentage of college graduates, which leads to unemployment or employment in low-paying jobs. Oklahoma’s poverty rate is 17.2%, while the national average is 15.9%. And yes, drugs are mentioned, as well as some other problems.
However, here is the statistic that breaks my heart!! Oklahoma’s percentage of the population with secondary degrees is one of the lowest in the nation- only 23.8%!!! How is that possible in a state that has so many great schools and colleges? How is that possible in a state where college is still affordable and supported by so many government programs and Native American groups? How is that possible in a state where we talk “high expectations” and “college prep” every other day? You tell me…please.
I know you are wondering, so here are our partners in crime:
9. Maryland- High murder rate, especially in Baltimore.
8. Florida- Crime rates improving, but not quickly enough.
7. Louisiana- Only 22% graduate from college and it has the #1 murder rate. Stay out of New Orleans.
6. Delaware- High median income, but also high assault rates, especially in Wilmington.
5. South Carolina- Highest property crime rate.
4. New Mexico- Worst in the country for drug-related crimes.
3. Alaska- Highest national rate for rape and sexual assault.
2. Nevada- High crime and lowest in percent of graduates.
1. Tennessee- Highest crime rate, especially in major cities where murder and robbery are more likely.
I don’t know what else to say except that we do NOT want to stay on this list! If the underlying cause is lack of money and education then we need to start working harder on those problems. We need to do everything we can to keep our children in school until they have some kind of degree in their hand and they are capable of earning a living.
I have decided that I could not have lived by the laws and decrees and guidelines of the Old Testament. I try to live a good life and I try to be kind to my fellow man and I try to follow the commandments of God, but honestly have you read Leviticus or Deuteronomy? Serious restrictions and dire consequences. Nearly every other thing they did was an “abomination” and the punishment for most sins was stoning by the elders. “Show him no pity” was a frequent command. I’m surprised people got out of bed in the morning!
I much prefer the new covenant of 2 Corinthians. I am so very grateful for the understanding and forgiveness of Jesus. The commands of the New Testament may seem restrictive, but compared to the old ways, they are quite simple. Here a few examples from Deuteronomy that will make you think twice about our current lifestyle:
14:1-21 No, I won’t even try to copy these verses! You have to read them for yourself. Deut. 14 It is a list of clean and unclean foods. Prepare to take notes! I’ll give you a clue: no pork. And it ends with “do not cook a young goat in its mother’s milk.”
21:18-21 if a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, which will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother and that, when they have chastened him, will not hearken unto them: then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him, bring him out unto the elders of his city, and unto the gate of his place; and they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard. And all the men of his city shall stone him with stones, that he die: so shalt thou put evil away from among you; and all Israel shall hear, and fear.
22:5 The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the Lord thy God.
22:22 If a man be found lying with a woman married to a husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
So if you get discouraged about the life Jesus has called us to live, be aware that we could still be under the old laws. In that case many of us wouldn’t even be alive…our ancestors would have been stoned centuries ago!
Of course like most of the Bible, many of the old ways might prove much more practical and appreciated than our current ways. Here is something that most women would approve:
24:5 When a man hath taken a new wife, he shall not go out to war, neither shall he be charged with any business; but he shall be free at home one year, and shall cheer up his wife which he hath taken.
Not sure who supported them, but it sounds like a great honeymoon!