{five favorites}: Things That Are Making Me Happy

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#5Faves

One

This picture. My cousin Sarah has a love of sloths so we share lots of sloth memes on her wall. During my week of silence after making the decision to end my marriage, this picture was one of the few things that made me laugh.

Sloth meme.

Two

Cashew milk ice cream from So Delicious. Seriously, these are better than real ice cream. My favorite thus far is the Dark Chocolate Truffle flavor though the Snickerdoodle stuff in the freezer is also pretty amazing.

Three

This calligraphy of one of my favorite prayers. An Episcopal priest rendered this prayer in calligraphy and I love it.

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.

She has some other really pretty images in her shop and she was wonderful to work with when I sent the calligraphy to a dear friend for her daughter’s room.

Four

Morning Prayer. My church has had BCP Morning Prayer before Bible Study during Lent and it has been a really beneficial practice for me.

Five

This app on my phone. I have the app version of this website on my phone and I seriously love it. It has liturgies for almost every Christian tradition I can think of, the ability to save reminders for things, and it allows me to add sites to it to help me learn, reflect/pray, or be productive.

It is unfortunately only available for Android though.

Go love up Ashley and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: March 13, 2016

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY March 13, 2016

Outside my window… rainy. It’s absolutely spectacular to have a rainy weekend here.

I am thinking… about some of the things that are happening this week. It’s not going to be as abnormal as last week but it will be relatively busy.

I am thankful… for the Dimetapp which finally helped get the kiddo to sleep at 1 a.m. after he woke up coughing. *shakes fist at all the pollen in the air*

In the kitchen… I think Dad is making steak tonight.

I am wearing… burgundy top from Old Navy and black sweats from Target.

I am going… to try and get caught up on my temperature afghan this week or at least get caught up with recording the temperatures. (My illness threw me off a bit.)

I am wondering… the structure of the readings in the Coptic lectionary. (Laura will have an email in her box tonight. :))

I am reading… Calmness by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. I still have Accidental Saints by Nadia Bolz-Weber on my NOOK and got a little bit of that read this past week.

I am hoping… to get some walks in this week now that the bronchitis is (almost) gone and the rain should be going away. Now if only the bursitis would take a hike!

I am looking forward to… the games night on Saturday. Bob is making red beans and rice and someone else is bringing corn bread.

I am hearing… Coptic liturgical music (I’m keeping their Lenten fast so I’m checking out their music) and my dad drilling various things into walls.

A Daniel story for today… when I took the precious sweetling to Target on Friday to get his happy meds refilled, I was telling him “first shopping, then toys.” (First/then statements are an ABA thing.) Daniel’s response: “OK. Buh-bye.” I seriously need to record myself saying it the way he does because it was ADORABLE.

Around the house… Dad is attaching towel rods now that the painting of various bathrooms is done.

A favorite quote for today… I found this on Facebook and thought it was appropriate.

Political wisdom from the Lakota.

One of my favorite things… a fire in the fireplace on a rainy night.

A few plans for the rest of the week: catching up on things tomorrow morning, psych appointment for the kid on Tuesday, knitting/crocheting group on Tuesday night, morning prayer/Bible study/choir on Thursday, psych appointment for me on Friday, and games night on Saturday.

A peek into my day… I love this cover of “The Sounds of Silence” by the artist Disturbed. I’m a huge Simon & Garfunkel fan so I appreciate how he was faithful to the original song while giving it kind of a metal spin.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: Politics and Other Musings From Bronchitis-Suffering Jen

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

#NeverTrump To the people who thought that last Thursday’s #GOPDebate was entertaining and who actually *LIKE* Trump: you are the embodiment of everything that is wrong with politics and America today and I really wonder if you think that the 2016 election is just another season of “The Apprentice”. Discussions of one’s genitalia are not remotely appropriate for policy debate and the candidates who participated in this immature exchange have made me even more resolute in my plans to stay as far away from the Republican Party as I can.

Twitter, you have my undying thanks for giving me the highlights of these debacles so that I don’t have to traumatize myself more by actually watching them.

— 2 —

Sorting out what is true and false. If you want help sorting out the truthfulness of what the various candidates in the presidential election are saying, Polifact is a pretty good source.

— 3 —

So who would I most likely vote for? At this point, I think I’m liking Bernie Sanders the best of everyone in the race. If Hilary got the Democratic nomination, I would most likely vote for her. If both Sanders and Clinton were abducted by aliens and I had to pick which Republican candidate I would be OK with having in office, I would probably go with John Kasich because he’s the least batcrap crazy person in the Republican Party that is currently running. One of my Facebook friends commented that he’s the Democrat’s Republican and my response was, “that’s probably why I like him ;)”

— 4 —

Most importantly… You need to vote for not only the presidential candidate of your choice but *ALSO* the local/state/congressional races. No presidential candidate can fix every single problem or ram every single piece of legislation through Congress but if you actually exercise some common sense in picking the other people involved in governing and legislating, you can reasonably survive a 4-8 year term of the candidate you hate most.

Please vote.

— 5 —

Update on the bronchitis. The Z-pack seems to have knocked out the worst of the bronchitis and the low grade fever is gone so I’m just left with a coughing reflex. My childhood apiarist friend is out of local honey so I’m having to make do with some from Safeway. 🙁

— 6 —

Finally home again. We had some painting going on and as the dust and paint fumes (and wet walls) were not good things for Daniel (or me recovering from the bronchitis), my parents stuck us in a motel room for two nights until the painters finished. When we got everything up to the room and I closed and locked the door, Daniel had a panic attack. At that point, it hit me that Daniel’s meltdowns at doctor’s appointments and when he was stuck in one room while living with in-laws was due to claustrophobia on his part and not necessarily bad behavior. It put me in a really tough spot because we couldn’t be home — it was not a good place for Daniel — so we had to really push through it. I ended up curling up with him and his tablet on one of the beds in the room and eventually he calmed down. He started panicking again when it was time to take his shower (motel bathrooms tend to be pretty small) but once he was in the shower, he was OK. I even got to take my own shower before he went to sleep because I was able to trust that he would stay on the bed and play with tablet instead of escaping the room.

The painters finished this morning and I am really happy to be home in my own bed with my parents’ grey cat Homer hanging out with me.

— 7 —

Self-promotion. On Monday, I went over to hang out with Laura of Coptic Dad and Mom to talk about my Lenten discipline of (kinda sorta) fasting Coptic-style. Go check it out!

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.

{five favorites}: Miscellanea (LIX)

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#5Faves

One

Progresso Creamy Roasted Chicken Wild Rice Soup. When I went to Target on Saturday for Sudafed, I picked some of this soup up as well. Yes, I realize that it is not vegan and totally not siyami. Oh well… bronchitis trumps fasting.

Two

So Delicious French Vanilla Coconut Milk “Creamer”. My mom has been making me lattés with this since I got sick last week. It is awesome and saves me money by not depending on $tarbux for my coffee.

Three

Calmness by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. I haven’t gotten super far with this yet because I’m reading it on my phone but I’m liking it and will probably read a fair amount tonight after the kid goes to sleep.

Four

This post from Jamie. Jamie of Jamie the Very Worst Missionary posted on having to take Zoloft 3 years ago and shared it again this week because she decided to go off her meds. That did not go well. As someone who has spent close to half her life on various meds for depression and anxiety, I recommend reading it.

Five

Bunmi Laditan. If you don’t follow her on Facebook, run and do it! She is hysterically funny. She’s the amazing mind behind Honest Toddler.

Go love up Ashley and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: March 6, 2016

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY March 6, 2016

Outside my window… sunny after getting smacked by a monster rainstorm with high winds last night. We even lost power briefly. This meant my dad built a fire in the fireplace last night which brings back childhood memories of power outages where we’d be playing cards around the fire or reading around the fire.

I am thinking… about whether or not to try and find an urgent care today that will take my Medi-Cal or waiting until tomorrow and taking the chance that my doctor can’t see me during Daniel’s school hours. (My allergies are now full-on bronchitis.)

I am thankful… for my parents. My mom has Daniel outside playing so that I can be in bed resting right now. My mom also made me one of the best coffee drinks ever this morning.

In the kitchen… Dad is making shrimp pasta tonight which is one of my favorites. Unfortunately, my Lenten discipline of keeping a Coptic fast is suspended until I heal from this because I’m seriously needing chicken soup.

I am wearing… charcoal fitted shirt from Old Navy and navy/white striped pajama bottoms from Target.

I am going… to be doing the lectionary reading for today and listening to a friend’s sermon later.

I am wondering… if I can get a nap in this afternoon.

I am reading… Calmness by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. I’m not very far into it but I am liking it thus far.

I am hoping… I can see my doctor tomorrow and don’t have to spend the morning calling around to find an urgent care that will take my Medi-Cal.

I am looking forward to… not coughing up a lung or having to swallow shots of Robitussin every 4 hours.

I am hearing… a game on Daniel’s Kindle Fire.

A Daniel story for today… I attended the kid’s IEP meeting on Wednesday and discovered that someone can say “I want iPad” when he goes to see his speech therapist. We are now requiring him to use “I want” whenever he asks for something and he said, “I want a cookie!” on Wednesday afternoon after we started requiring it.

Around the house… the usual cleaning, painting, etc.

A favorite quote for today… “Vestry retreats do not need exercises with yarn. Yarn does not sow seeds of transformation. Jesus does. Yarn is good for knitting scarves.”– tweet from Rev. Tim Schenck of Clergy Confidential and Lent Madness

One of my favorite things… naps.

A few plans for the rest of the week: seeing a doctor in the next day or two, avoiding painters at home, meeting on Tuesday morning for collateral support for Daniel, Bible study and choir on Thursday, and whatever else comes up.

Post Script…

Thank you to everyone who has continued to offer me support right now. It means the world to me.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: Songs That Are Pulling Me Through Right Now

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7 Quick Takes

I want to thank everyone who has emailed me, sent me Facebook messages, or who have reached out to me in other ways to let me know that they are praying for my sitch. It means more to me than you know.

I have no plans to share details of what is happening in my personal life online except to say that I am in a really hard place mentally and emotionally right now and I need some serious prayer.

— 1 —

“If I Stand” by Rich Mullins. This is probably my favorite song in the world and I found it during a really dark time in my life. I love the idea of falling on God’s grace when I just can’t stand on my own.

— 2 —

“Hold Me Jesus” by Rich Mullins. I post the lyrics to this one on occasion when I am in a really tough place. Right now, I am really having to be held by God because I am lacking the strength to do anything on my own these days in terms of prayer.

— 3 —

“Worn” by Tenth Avenue North. It perfectly describes me right now and speaks to me as someone who suffers from depression and anxiety.

— 4 —

“No Longer Slaves” by Bethel Music. I need the reminder frequently that I am a child of God, as the chorus states. Last night when I was fighting insomnia, I had this on repeat.

— 5 —

“Thou Wilt Keep Him in Perfect Peace” by Samuel Sebastian Wesley. We sang this as an anthem during Lent 2003 at Jon’s internship congregation. It has remained one of my favorites since then.

— 6 —

“Who Am I” by Casting Crowns. This is another song that describes the place that I am in right now. It has been a favorite song of mine for probably 12 years now and I think it perfectly describes the Christian faith.

— 7 —

“Lord, I Need You” by Matt Maher. My attempts at prayer right now are usually me crying out to God about how much I need His peace in my life. I especially love this version recorded at WYD 2013 in Rio because Matt is singing it on his knees in front of the Eucharist. Seriously a powerful image.

For more Quick Takes, visit Kelly at This Ain’t The Lyceum.