Author Archives: Jen

About Jen

Jen isn't quite sure when she lost her mind, but it is probably documented here on Meditatio. She blogs because the world needs her snark at all hours of the night... and she probably can't sleep anyway.

Happenings in Life on the Prairie

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I haven’t updated all that much lately because I had (well… still have) a sinus infection that has pretty well drained me of all my energy, caused nausea, caused insomnia, and has just made me feel like someone hit me with a Mack truck.Â? I missed half of last Friday after I started vomiting uncontrollably at work and had to get my tail down to the clinic and I missed yesterday because I woke up (after 9 hours of sleep) feeling congested and nauseous.

So… here are the things happening lately that seem to be on my mind.

[+] To those who are going nuclear about Barack Obama’s comments on small towns: Unless YOU live in a small town, spare me your self-righteous indignation until he actually insults YOUR way of life. I mean, seriously, people might find his comments “elitist” but… I’ve read comments from people in Pennsylvania towns who actually AGREE with him. (I can agree with much of it given where I live.) Hilary actually comes off as “Pollyanna-ish” to a lot of people which makes it seem like she’s less understanding of the issues we face in small towns than Obama is.

[+] I’ve been listening to a lot of really great podcasts from Speaking of Faith lately that have been intellectually stimulating and have given my brain something constructive to do while I work. Some of the better ones have been conversations with Ingrid Mattson and Leila Ahmed on Islam, Joe Carter on African-American spirituals, Jimmy Carter on his faith life, Chaplain John Morris on the soul of war, and Krista Tippett herself on how her faith life. They have podcasts on other issues of ethics and faith but I’ll admit I have just stuck to ones that interest me or ones that match my beliefs.

[+] Apparently Mother Nature is displeased with those of us in Big Sky Country (well… the Pacific Northwest in general) because we’ve got a winter storm tearing through and we’re supposed to get 6-12 inches of snow here on the prairie.Â? I was skeptical at first but it might actually happen given the rate of snowfall at the moment and the lack of visibility out the window of my study.Â? This is going to probably wreck my commute on Monday but into every life a little rain snow must fall.

[+] Dooce.Com has introduced me to another snarky ex-Mormon blogger in SLC: Sarah Nielson.Â? She’s definitely less vitriolic than Heather but still sarcastic in a brilliant way.Â? I guess she’s another one to add to my Bloglines?

A Thousand Thanks

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To the women with whom I spent last weekend:

Thank you for being with me as I cried, laughed, sang, and prayed.Â? Thank you for giving me a reminder that I am not alone as a pastor’s wife and that others have dealt with all these things and survived.Â? You guys gave me my hope back.

Love,

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Ya Think?!?!?!?

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I was filling my pillbox for this week when Jon came into the kitchen with an article talking about the FDA investigation of a link between Singulair and suicide.Â? (I’m on Singulair for allergies and asthma and have been for almost 10 years.)

According to the article…

“We have no indication that anything about the mechanism of Singulair is consistent with these events [the suicides],” said George Philip, directorof research and product development.Â? “But because suicide is a life threatening event we thought it was important to provide this information in the product label.”

Apparently, suicide is a life-threatening event.Â? Who would have guessed?

(Jon laughed for about 5 minutes when I pointed this out to him.)

Chico Hot Springs 2008: My Redux

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I asked for this week off as it’s the Montana Synod Pastors’ Conference and was granted it so… I got to go to Chico Hot Springs with Jon for the conference!

The Good
-not having to commute an hour to work for 5 days!
-living in the most beautiful state in the union and seeing a part of it while driving down
-breakfast at the Park n’ Ponder in Great Falls on Tuesday
-soaking in the pool at Chico which is fed by natural hot springs so it’s a gigantic hot tub
-the food — all gourmet and all made fresh every day
-hanging with friends from the synod and making new ones
-getting to have a normal conversation with our most awesome bishop and being able to joke around
-AWESOME worship by people who KNOW how to do it
-going to Yellowstone on Wednesday afternoon and communing with the bison and elk and geese who were out
-being able to sit by the fire in the lodge and read Joanne Fluke murder mysteries
-dinner with Joe and Jon at Arby’s which was so fun that one forgot they were in a fast food restaurant
-walks in the falling snow while listening to my devotions as well as other podcasts on Panimatushka (my new iPod)

The Bad
-hard mattresses at the resort
-not getting to have a big orange tabby displacing my hips for several days
-missing my kitties

Otherwise, I’m chilling in my study because we have no heat (!!!!) and downloading interesting podcasts for work this week in addition to some Casting Crowns.

This Joyful Eastertide

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Christos aneste! Alithos aneste!

He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Happy Easter to those in the West. To those in the East, keep up the good fight with your Lenten fasts!

No plans as of yet for today other than church and more church but hopefully someone will adopt us? *gives local peeps Bambi eyes*

So Much For Sleeping When I’m Dead

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Pisco and I were talking today about how exhausted we’ve been lately and I had to laugh when I saw this in the chat…

I hear you. I been run down and worn out this week. I keep saying to myself, “I’ll sleep when I’m dead,” and then realize we’re supposed to expect resurrection of the body and think, “Oh, crap.”

Guess I’m not getting that sleep deficit worked off any time soon…

(Speaking of such things, I should get off and go shower and go to bed meself as I have to be up at dark-thirty for church tomorow.)