Category Archives: Faith

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: September 12, 2016

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For Today… September 12, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… sunny and in the 70’s. It was cold enough in the house this morning that I had a hoodie on over my jammies while getting Daniel ready for school and on the bus!

I am thinking… about the classes I’m going to try and take this fall.

I am thankful… for a wonderful alto part in the anthem we sang for the offertory yesterday. It is so rare to find one this good in regular choral music.

One of my favorite things… my iced grande vanilla lattĂ© from $tarbux.

I am wearing… a green striped shirt and jeans. I’m barefoot as usual.

I am creating… various things with yarn.

I am listening to… one of the classical channels on Dish Network. (I think it’s Ensemble?)

I am hoping… to get all the application and registration stuff done in time for Fall Quarter.

I am learning… what my stomach will and will not allow me to eat. IBS stinks!

In my kitchen… my mom made beef burgundy yesterday and we ate it over some squash that my aunt brought. Dessert was plum clafouti and ice cream.

In the school room… Daniel continues to enjoy school.

Post Script… I am totally *NOT* surprised that vaccine critic Dr. Robert Sears is being charged with gross negligence and about to lose his license to practice medicine. Seriously, why would you trust a doctor that does not do his due diligence and do something as simple as REQUEST THE FREAKING RECORDS for a kid he is about to exempt from vaccines, endangering the life of this kid (for whom there is no proof that he actually had the problematic reaction in question) and the rest of us?

Seriously, I cannot understand the complete stupidity of some people.

Shared Quote… This isn’t a quote but an observation. My parish has two congregations sharing a building and we’ve been worshiping together for most of the summer, which means that worship is in both English and Spanish. Yesterday, our first hymn was “Amazing Grace” which is “Sublime Gracia” in Spanish. I find the idea of grace being “sublime” to be an interesting thought. 🙂

A moment from my day… One of my favorite classical pieces — the Bach: Concerto for Two Pianos in C major BWV 1061 (Vivace). I will never have advanced enough piano skills to play even one of the parts but I love the piece. It showcases the intricacy of Bach’s music and why he is the composer whose music I go to mentally when I need a happy place.

Closing Notes: I came across this on Facebook and I recommend checking it out as the pictures of the athletes in their native dress are stunning.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: My Somewhat Boring Life Edition

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Write 31 Days. I’ve decided to participate in Write 31 Days again this year. I tried to make all 31 days last year but had to quit at Day 17 due to Daniel and I being forced to move up to San Jose.

My topic this year will probably be special needs parenting.

— 2 —

For girls who aren’t afraid to make some noise! A friend of mine told me about Kazoo Magazine and I wanted to share the link with y’all in case you have daughters. It’s a magazine for girls that isn’t based around the beauty paradigm and it has interesting things to do like building rafts and cracking codes. I think it’s something that would have been awesome to have when I was growing up!

— 3 —

The way the cookie crumbles. For those of you studying piano or music in general, you might be interested in what music theory looks like using Oreos. 🙂

— 4 —

The faces of some of the men who fought for independence from Britain. There exists a handful of photos of soldiers who fought in the American Revolution. All of the men were ~100 years old when these pictures were taken. I’m greatly amused by the Rev. Levi Hayes who settled in Granville, Ohio because my grandfather’s family were some of the founders of the town and I lived next door in Newark for about a year and a half!

— 5 —

Prerequisite politics take. I really feel like this is the worst election I’ve voted in thus far. Considering that my first presidential election as a voter was the 2000 election that George Bush and the Supreme Court stole, that says something. It surprises me that I’m honestly offended by Trump stickers on cars. To be fair, I’m sure that there are voters that dislike Hillary stickers on cars.

November can’t come fast enough.

— 6 —

Back to school? I’m looking at taking a couple classes online at the local community college this fall to make me more marketable when I start job-hunting again. One is on Excel and Access and the other one is practical accounting. Both are things I’ve learned on the job but it would probably be good to actually take the classes so I have something to put on my resumĂ©. It’s been 14 years since I was in school so this should be fun.

— 7 —

125 years. My church celebrates its quasquicentennial anniversary on Sunday. It’s the second time I’ve been attending a church when this particular anniversary has rolled around so I’m pretty excited! I’m also hopefully going to be singing with the choir for it as well.

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

{five favourites}: Miscellanea (LXXIII)

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#5Faves

One

Fresh Express Pear Gorgonzola salad kit. This has become my favorite salad. We’ve found it to be even better with fresh sliced pears, blueberries, and extra gorgonzola cheese.

Two

My regular latté order. After a week and a half of having to avoid my beloved daily iced vanilla whole milk latté because of the milk content messing with my poor lungs and throat, I can handle it again! *angels sing from heaven*

Three

The sound of rain beating against my window and the roof. It was a calming thing last night when I was trying to the kiddo back to sleep. I’m sure rain is boring to most lifelong Washingtonians but this native northern Californian loves it!

Four

This idea for a “reverse Advent calendar”. Someone shared it on Facebook and I thought it was cool!

Reverse Advent Calendar

Five

Homer. Someone is being a very needy grey kitty and is following me around the house.

Go love up Bonnie, DeBalino, and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 28, 2016

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For Today… August 28, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. It was lovely and in the 60’s with a minor rainstorm in the afternoon. It’s so wonderful after a week of humidity and temps in the 80’s.

I am thinking… about all the calls I have to make tomorrow to structure my week around Daniel’s school schedule as his bus transportation seems to be messed up.

I am thankful… for my church and the Spanish ministry to whom a bunch of school supplies were donated and for the people who offered to buy backpacks for the kids who need them. It was also wonderful watching Rev. Helen kneeling in front of the non-Communing kids at the altar rail and giving them the best blessing she could in Spanish. She is an asset to us in many ways.

One of my favorite things… being able to breathe normally. I miss it with this stupid asthma exacerbation.

I am wearing… jammies. Church was my indigo shirt from Fred Meyer, black capris from Kohl’s, and black flats from the Naturalizer website.. I exchanged the shirt and the flats for my blue-green shirt and black flip-flops from Old Navy.

I am creating… a prayer shawl on one of my hooks.

I am reading… Just Desserts by G.A. McKevvett.

I am hoping… I don’t have too much of a problem getting a follow-up appointment this week after my ER visit on Thursday. I’m still having asthma issues and I need to talk about my med list.

I am learning… the ropes of getting Daniel’s services up here.

In my kitchen… we had Sunday dinner here with my uncle and my grandma so we had pork chops, chopped salad, mixed veggies, corn on the cob, and apple pie for dessert.

In the school room… Daniel starts back on Tuesday and I’m trying to get his transportation sitch resolved.

Post Script… I wanted to share this for my musically-inclined friends.

Shared Quote… “I find that when I think I am asking God to forgive me I am often in reality…asking Him not to forgive me but to excuse me. But there is all the difference in the world between forgiving and excusing. Forgiveness says ‘Yes, you have done this thing, but I accept your apology…’ But excusing says ‘I see that you couldn’t help it or didn’t mean it; you weren’t really to blame.’ …And if we forget this, we shall go away imagining that we have repented and been forgiven when all that has really happened is that we have satisfied ourselves with our own excuses. They may be very bad excuses; we are all too easily satisfied about ourselves.” — C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory

A moment from my day… From one of our hymns this morning which I was bummed not to be able to sing because of my voice and lungs.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: The Asthma Exacerbation Edition

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

About the title. I’ve been fighting something respiratory for more than 3 weeks now and it has exacerbated my asthma to the point where I am having a really hard time keeping food and liquids down because I’m coughing to the point of vomiting. It was bad enough last night that my mom was mobilizing to take me to the ER if I didn’t stop vomiting. Could y’all pray for my asthma to calm the heck down? I have asthma issues so rarely that this is scaring me.

**UPDATE** Sitting in the ER getting breathing treatments because I can’t catch my breath and the cough is making me vomit. Fun fun fun. The doctor just asked if I wanted hairball meds on my paws. I may or may not have glared at him.

— 2 —

What the fur?!?!?!? There was a thing on Facebook trends about Rush Limbaugh saying that the Obama administration is paying lesbians to go farm in red states. (I’m not linking to the story because I’d rather swallow ground glass than give a moron like him any page views.) Snopes.Com had this to say about it.

— 3 —

Anglicans and the rosary. There is such a thing as the Anglican rosary and this is what is. (I have two in my purse.)

— 4 —

Ryan Lochte. The guy is a 32 year old frat boy. Are you really so surprised that he pulled that stunt in Rio?

— 5 —

The toothpaste story. I really some of the parents of my classmates in middle school had given this talk to their kids. I still have scars.

— 6 —

Spot on. Most of you reading this are also Kelly’s readers so you’ve seen this but… her blog post last Thursday/Friday was amazing and oh so true. It resonates with me as Daniel’s mom because I know his diagnoses have probably caused me more grief than they have caused him. He is a really happy kid and seems oblivious to the fact that he is not at the level that his neurotypical cousins and classmates are.

— 7 —

Ew! I was seeing pieces of this during commercials for the Olympics and finally remembered to look it up on Youtube.

I also love this one:

And this one:

And given that I’m choking from laughing so hard, maybe I shouldn’t be watching these…

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

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 22, 2016

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For Today…

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… the sun should be setting soon. It was in the 70’s today. That’s totally better than the 90F temperatures we were having in Seattle on Saturday!

I am thinking… about various things that have to get done this week.

I am thankful… Jon brought his hotspot up with him because we still don’t have Internet at home.

One of my favorite things… a quiet evening.

I am wearing… jammies. It was my “We Will Not Be Silent” shirt and jeans earlier.

I am creating… bags to shred, to take to Best Buy for electronics recycling, and to take to Goodwill.

I am reading… Just Desserts by G.A. McKevvett.

I am hoping… they get internet turned on tomorrow.

I am learning… to just take the Ativan if I can’t sleep.

In my kitchen… we got pizza because Jon is visiting.

In the school room… Daniel starts back in a week. I need to find out what his school supply list is.

Post Script… this is my friend Gina’s new Etsy shop.

Shared Quote… “Will you love the “you” you hide if I but call your name? Will you quell the fear inside and never be the same?” — from one of the hymns last Sunday

A moment from my day… the actual hymn from which the quote comes.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 14, 2016

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For Today… August 14, 2016

Simple Woman's Daybook

Looking out my window… dark. It was dusky when I started writing this but I got caught up in watching the Olympics.

I am thinking… about my week and what it holds.

I am thankful… for Daniel going back to sleeping well. We had 4 nights of him not sleeping well and me ending up in tears at 2 a.m. because he was bouncing off the walls and I needed to go to sleep because I’ve been so sick. The pediatrician put him on antibiotics for the infection that Mom and I both have and we’re thinking that his inability to sleep might have been due to him feeling as crappy as the two of us are.

One of my favorite things… rooting for the underdog. I was so jazzed to see Max Whitlock get two gold medals tonight, Brazil get their first ever Olympics gymnastics medals, and Giulia Steingruber get the first ever Olympic gymnastics medal for Switzerland.

I am wearing… jammies. Church clothes were a dress with a camisole under it and black flats. The rest of the day, it was a charcoal tee from Old Navy and khaki shorts from Kohl’s.

I am creating… this blog entry. 🙂

I am watching… Olympic gymnastics.

I am hoping… Laurie Hernandez gets a gold or at least a medal of her own on beam. She was so fun to watch on floor even though she didn’t make it to the floor final.

I am learning… patience.

In my kitchen… no big Sunday dinner tonight which was fine — I’m nauseated from this stupid respiratory infection and the antibiotics for it.

In the school room… Daniel has another two weeks until school starts.

Post Script… I thought this was a fabulous piece on our need for each other.

Shared Quote…

Amos 5:8

A moment from my day… some Audrey Assad for y’all.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.