Category Archives: Creativity

#FiveFaves: Miscellanea (XXXVI)

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#5Faves

One

Jenna. For those who don’t know Mary Lenaburg, she lost her 22 year old daughter Courtney at the end of December after 22 years of taking care of her through daily seizures and other medical issues. Jenna sent this to her.

Two

Trader Joe’s Greek Yogurt Spinach-Kale Dip. This stuff is freaking awesome! I love it for dinner with carrot sticks on hot days. It also works well on a baked potato when someone in your house has consumed all the regular Greek yogurt you bought. (Not that this happened this past week or anything…)

Three

This graduation video. My class was so bad during graduation that subsequent classes were required to come in their pretty clothes and only allowed to put robes on AFTER they were searched! I wish we had done something like this instead.

Four

My priest. At Bible studies with new people, she introduces me as follows: “This is Jen. She’s a Lutheran pastor’s wife but we claim her.” Adding onto that, Jon was supplying at the Lutheran church across the street from my Episcopal church and I went over after my worship ended to catch part of his. I stayed for about 3 minutes at coffee hour (known as the third sacrament for Lutherans) which led my priest to tease the pastor of the Lutheran church about her indignation that “[HER] Lutheran went to [HIS] coffee hour.” I love her.

Five

Jessica Beck’s writing. I fell hard for her Donut Shop mysteries… and enjoyed a donut for the first time in years while finishing the last one. I was less than enthused about the donut (too sweet) but her books are fabulous. I’m starting her Diner series next.

Go love up Jenna and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: May 25, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 25, 2015

Outside my window… dark. I was planning to get this done early but ended up having to spend 5 hours in the dark fighting a migraine. It was cold this morning but it seemed to get nicer later.

I am thinking… about VBS and what songs to teach because I’m co-leading the music and trying to come up with appropriate songs for the day, especially on the days that I’m leading it all. (We’re coming up with our own VBS curriculum this year which involves Legos and creativity.)

I am thankful… for Wycliffe, Lutheran Bible Translators, and all those who work with similar organizations that translate God’s Word into languages that others do not speak.

In the kitchen… I made myself some leftover pulled pork and baked beans for dinner.

I am wearing… grey v-neck shirt and navy/white-striped pj bottoms.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, the water sitch here in California, my father-in-law who is fighting cancer, and a few special intentions.

I am going… to physical therapy tomorrow. I’m seriously looking forward to it.

I am wondering… about so many things at this late hour. This must be why I’m still up! 🙂

I am reading… I finished Tragic Toppings, Drop Dead Chocolate, and Illegally Iced this week and am taking a break from murder mysteries (I had some Livia J. Washburn ones that I just couldn’t get into) to read Vanishing Grace by Phillip Yancey.

I am hoping… to get all the Jessica Beck books I’m missing through the library.

I am looking forward to… seeing my parents on the 5th for a week and getting to spend some time with Rebecca.

I am hearing… various VBS-type songs on one of the Mission Bible Class YouTube channels.

Crocheting… blankets and amigurumi stuff from the last few months.

Around the house… quiet as I’m the only one up.

One of my favorite things… silence.

A few plans for the rest of the week: PT tomorrow, Bible study/errands/choir on Wednesday, and a concert on Saturday in addition to whatever else comes up.

A peek into my day… One of my favorite Bach pieces (the “Fugue” movement from the Concerto for Two Pianos BWV 1061). I wish I could make this my ring tone for my cell phone.

Post Script… At Bible study last Wednesday, my priest was talking about how she doesn’t like to do Pentecost readings in multiple languages at once because the point was that everyone understood despite the myriad of languages present. She then said that she’d love to post different languages up on the walls of the sanctuary and I offered to help because languages/linguistics is one of my geeky pleasures. While putting Daniel to bed on Thursday night, I compiled a bunch of interesting languages and sent them to her, thinking that she’d pick 4-5 of them.

I walked in on Sunday morning and found all of them — 35 in all — posted on the walls. I was seriously jazzed and also kind of wishing that I’d gotten them in every language off of Bible Gateway and Unbound Bible. People were impressed and it was honestly a really fun way to serve my church in helping to put it together.

I think my next task is going to be going in there and getting every language possible to post.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: Yet More On Vaccines, Flute Duets, and Some Prayer Requests

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Vaccine Take #1. This week, we’ll focus on the ethics of some vaccinations. For this first take, let’s talk about the issue of the MMR vaccine being derived from aborted fetal cell lines. This is one where I’m not happy that these cell lines were used for the vaccine (being pro-life and all) but it raises the question of whether putting a large number of people in danger by refusing the vaccine is ethically a better decision than getting it despite its origins. There are pro-life alternatives for measles-only and mumps-only shots but no alternative for rubella. Rubella *has* been eradicated in the Americas but that could all change if someone who is unvaccinated returns from an area where it is present (example: Africa) with the disease and goes into a group of people like the hippies in northern California or certain Hasidic enclaves on the east coast that don’t vaccinate. Another alternative situation for it spreading would be someone unvaccinated coming from Africa and being treated for symptoms in an ER with other unvaccinated people (example: cancer patients, transplant patients, etc.) before they can put infectious disease protocols in place.

So… my question for those who are concerned about the MMR vaccine for these reasons: what would be an ethical solution to this situation given that you can’t get around the rubella vaccination? Do you refuse to get it and risk contracting it yourself while any pregnant woman in your path risks severe birth defects for their baby or miscarriage? Assuming that you could get ahold of the only version of the MMR from Japan that is free of this cell line, do you pay through the nose to have it shipped to your doctor’s office? Do you bite your tongue and get vaccinated, after which you write sternly-worded letters to pharmaceutical companies to tell them off?

Here is the list of alternatives to the vaccines that are not derived from these particular cell lines. I tip my hat to JoAnna of A Star of Hope for providing me with it.

— 2 —

Flute duets. My amazingly talented friend Kathleen just published a collection of flute duets called Childhood. She’s asking people to help spread the news so… could y’all let any flutists or band teachers in your cohort know about this? Thank you. 🙂

— 3 —

Prayer Request #1. My friend Ian fought leukemia in 2013 and we thought he’d won until this week. Please pray for him, his wife Christy, and his daughters Asha and Fiona as they are dealing with the gravity of this.

— 4 —

Prayer Request #2. On my way back home from San Jose on Monday, my battery light started coming on and I thankfully made it home safely without a problem. I finally got a chance to take my car in today (Thursday) and it turns out that there was a problem with the alternator. It is at the repair shop of the guys who have kept my father-in-law’s Volvo running for almost 30 years and they’ve had to replace the alternator and 3 drive belts in addition to possibly having to replace the A/C. Could y’all pray that they can finish my car tomorrow (Friday) and that the bill isn’t more than the actual value of the car? Please and thank you!

— 5 —

Pentecost fun. At Bible study on Wednesday, my priest mentioned that she’d love to put copies of different translations of Acts 2:1-21 around the church on Sunday for Pentecost. I asked if she wanted help and she told me to start sending her languages. Between Bible Gateway and The Unbound Bible, we found some pretty interesting languages ranging from Maori to Wolof to Quechua to Coptic.

— 6 —

Prerequisite baseball take. The Giants swept the Dodgers this week, shutting them out each time. If it was in the budget right now, I’d make Jon go get a pedicure in Giants colors. 😀

— 7 —

Promise Walk 2015. I walked my 3.14 miles on Tuesday before going to physical therapy. If you’d still like to sponsor me, click here.

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

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: May 17, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 17, 2015

Outside my window… gray and cloudy. I’m wondering if more rain is in the future for my parents. (I’m up in San Jose with them for my birthday weekend.)

I am thinking… about a situation in my life right now. Unfortunately, I can’t give details.

I am thankful… for the visit with my parents and with my evil twin and his wife who came down from Washington for the weekend. They flew back north today so it’s just my parents, Daniel, and I tonight. The child and I head back down south tomorrow.

In the kitchen… steak on the barbecue and I think I smell potatoes in the kitchen.

I am wearing… light green shirt and black capris.

I am praying for… a full-time call for Jon, a safe trip back down tomorrow, for Daniel to acquire more speech, and for some special intentions.

I am going… to be walking a 5K on my 35th birthday (Tuesday) to raise money and awareness for preeclampsia research. Details are here.

I am wondering… about some things that need to be worked out when I get home.

I am reading… Tragic Toppings by Jessica Beck. I also finished Sinister Sprinkles and read Evil Eclairs this past week as well.

I am hoping… Daniel goes to bed without a fight tonight. Putting him to bed will be a chance for me to catch up on my NCIS backlog. Before we moved back down to southern California (and gave up having a TV), he used to fall asleep in my lap watching NCIS on Tuesdays while Jon had council meetings or Lutheranism 101. At my parents’ house, this is usually the easiest way to get him to sleep because it relaxes him.

I am looking forward to… my birthday on Tuesday.

I am hearing… Daniel’s tablet.

Crocheting… Daniel’s big boy blankie and the amigurumi stuffie.

A favorite quote for today… “Come mothers and fathers
Throughout the land
And don’t criticize
What you can’t understand
Your sons and your daughters
Are beyond your command
Your old road is rapidly agin’
Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand
For the times they are a-changin’”
— Bob Dylan

One of my favorite things… Ghiradelli brownies with caramel. (It’s what we got instead of a birthday cake last night because neither Sean nor I like cake.)

A few plans for the rest of the week: driving home tomorrow, doing my 5K and PT on Tuesday, various things and my physical on Wednesday, and my nephew’s second birthday on Saturday.

A peek into my day… Sean and I playing on the swings at the park yesterday.

Sean and I on the swings.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: May 10, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 10, 2015

Outside my window… dark. I’m blogging late yet again. It was in the 80’s today though it has cooled down to the 60’s at this time of night.

I am thinking… about how to deal with my troll who has followed my husband on Twitter in an attempt to get information about me.

I am thankful… for the opportunity to see a good friend of mine from high school yesterday. I also got to finally meet his wife and 13 month old daughter.

In the kitchen… some sushi from Trader Joe’s.

I am wearing… light grey v-neck and capri sweats.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, relief from my neck/back issues, and for assorted other things.

I am going… in for bloodwork and a x-ray tomorrow morning. Whee!

I am wondering… how to make the fly in my room go away. I kind of wish that Freya was in a hunting mood, even if it meant her leaping on my head.

I am reading… Sinister Sprinkles by Jessica Beck. I’m caught up on Donna Andrews’ work and also read/finished Fatally Frosted by Jessica Beck. I started reading Being Mortal by Atul Gawande and put it down in order to get it on my NOOK as something to read when I finish all of Jessica Beck’s work.

I am hoping… to upgrade my NOOK with any birthday money I get that isn’t going to bills.

I am looking forward to… the wi-fi getting fixed so I don’t have to stand in the kitchen to get a signal in order to post this entry.

I am hearing… Jon’s CPAP machine. (I managed to kill the fly by closing my laptop on it.)

Crocheting… Daniel’s big boy blankie and the amigurumi stuffed animal from last week.

Around the house… everyone is asleep except me.

One of my favorite things… working wi-fi. *sighs* #FirstWorldProblems

A few plans for the rest of the week: bloodwork/x-ray tomorrow, PT and errands on Tuesday, Bible study on Wednesday, and heading up to San Jose on Friday to be with my family for the communal birthday weekend.

A peek into my day… Freya sitting on the piano and getting it furry.

Miss Freya on the piano getting it furry

Post Script…

For my 35th birthday on May 19th, I’m walking a 5K to raise money for preeclampsia research and awareness. If you’d like to sponsor me, click here.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: May 5, 2015

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I did this last night and then WordPress ate it… twice! We’ll try again now.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY May 5, 2015

Outside my window… gray. It’s making it really hard to get up and start my day.

I am thinking… about going back to sleep… and fighting that thought.

I am thankful… for Jon getting Daniel off to school this morning after I turned my alarm off in my sleep.

In the kitchen… just microwaved some beef stroganoff from Trader Joe’s.

I am wearing… black v-neck shirt and jeans.

I am praying for… a call for Jon, relief from the wrist/hand pain, discernment in where to go for a few friends in their marriages, and for the usual special intentions.

I am going… to Target and Trader Joe’s later with my mother-in-law.

I am wondering… how best to deal with a troll situation.

I am reading… The Nightingale Before Christmas by Donna Andrews. I finished Some Like It Hawk! and The Good, the Bad, and the Emus by her this last week as well as reading Glazed Murder by Jessica Beck, whose books might become a new series for me to read obsessively.

I am hoping… the new router arrives soon so I can actually do things like check my email without having to be in a specific part of the house. (The main router is being catty and a new one is on the way.)

I am looking forward to… seeing my family in a couple weeks.

I am hearing… Daniel’s LeapPad.

Crocheting… Daniel’s big boy blankie and the amigurumi baby shower present for the friend.

Around the house… I have the washer going and I’m pretty sure there are other robots or machines working.

One of my favorite things… murder mysteries — both reading and writing them.

A few plans for the rest of the week: errands today, Bible study and doctor’s appointment on Wednesday, Daniel’s peds opthalmology appointment on Thursday, cleaning our crap out of the storage unit at some point, and whatever else comes up.

A peek into my day… This is in honor of Star Wars Day yesterday. I also didn’t know that Icelandic Lutherans were a cult. 😉

Post Script… I’m doing a 5K walk to raise money for preeclampsia awareness and research on my 35th birthday which is May 19th. If you’d like to sponsor me, details are at http://promisewalk.org/insteadofatattoo.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: What I Write About When It’s Hotter Than Hell

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7 Quick Takes

It has been in the high 90’s here (I’m not kidding) and I’m up trying to get Daniel back to sleep in his own bed because I can’t sleep well when he is in mine. In other words, forgive any misspellings and grammatical errors — it’s late here and I’ll try to clean them up tomorrow.

— 1 —

Vaccine Take #1. Instead of trying to write an entire post on vaccination/the ethics involved/why Andrew Wakefield should be shot for what he did, I think I’ll do one or+ two Quick Takes a week on some things that the anti-vaxxers are saying. So…

One of the flip-outs I hear frequently is that vaccines contain thimerosal and OMG thimerosal has mercury in it and it causes autism. Ummm… no. Most vaccines are thimerosal-free (the exception being the flu shot and there is even a version that is free of it) and even after it was shown NOT to cause autism, it was still taken out of infant vaccines in 1999. In the mean time, autism rates have continued to rise.

As for the OMG-it-contains-mercury argument, it’s not as simple as it sounds. The mercury present in it is ethyl mercury (C2H5Hg+) which passes out of your body in 18 days. Methyl mercury (CH3Hg+) is the freaky nasty form of mercury that is bioaccumulative in the human body (as in “never goes away”) and in the environment. You are in more danger of mercury poisoning from a piece of kappa maki (a tuna sushi roll) than you are from the MMR vaccine. #OrganicChemistryFTW

— 2 —

Vaccine Take #2. Since I announced that I was doing a post on vaccination, I’ve had a couple people send me links to sites talking about how Andrew Wakefield is *gasp* SOOOOOO MISUNDERSTOOOOOOOOOOOOOD and HOW HE IS EXPOSING THE EVIIIIIILLLLL PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIIIIIIIIEEEEEESSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11111

Cry me a freaking river.

The man falsified results, paid children for blood samples at his kid’s birthday party, testified as an “expert” witness against MMR manufacturers (being paid handsomely by UK Legal Aid Fund in undeclared money), and filed a patent for his own version of the MMR vaccine prior to publishing his falsified study in The Lancet. Pardon me if I call out your testimony of his brilliance and wonderfulness as complete and utter B.S. #sorrynotsorry

— 3 —

Bridal shower present done! I finished the afghan for Jon’s cousin’s bridal shower on Wednesday. I’m incredibly grateful to my wonderful and awesome mother-in-law Victoria who helped me figure out how to weave in all the loose ends.

— 4 —

Vaccine Take #3. I was talking with some of the CathSo chicas about this and one of the other women mentioned that her daughters’ autism is likely genetic as there are other cases in the girls in the family. I’m perking my ears up at this not only because of the possible genetic link (Daniel’s is unquestionably at least partially a genetic thing) but mostly because about 80% of autism cases are found in boys. (I don’t think there is actually a girl in Daniel’s kindergarten class which is a special K-3 for kids on the spectrum.)

How does this relate to vaccines? Simple. I HAVE A KID WITH MODERATE AUTISM. DO PEOPLE REALLY THINK I’M STUPID ENOUGH NOT TO HAVE DONE THE RESEARCH ON THIS BEFORE VACCINATING HIM?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? #firstworldproblems

— 5 —

I wish I was making this up… I saw this news story about a Florida teenager bitten on the face by the water moccasin he kept in a pillowcase on his bed when I was reading comments on the ViperKeeper page and I’m honestly wanting bang my head against a wall. Srsly?!?!?!?!?!? YOU KEEP A FREAKING POISONOUS SNAKE IN YOUR PILLOWCASE ON YOUR BED?!?!?!?!?!?!? There is a reason it’s illegal to keep one without a permit!!!!!!

— 6 —

Prayer request. Please keep my mom’s family in prayer. Her cousin John passed away last night. It’s not all that surprising (at least to me) and it was a blessed release but it is still very sad. The one and only time I met him was almost 9 years ago at my grandfather’s funeral. Most of his ashes will be sprinkled in the mountains though some of them will go to the pioneer cemetery in Oregon where my grandfather and his siblings are buried. (John’s mother was my grandfather’s older sister and she passed away over 10 years ago.)

— 7 —

For parents of kids with autism. My friend Krystin tagged me when she shared this on Facebook. It’s a wristband for kids with autism that has a place to put phone numbers so parents can be alerted if the kid is found alone. Daniel’s last ID bracelet has a faded place where his name and our phone numbers are so I ordered one of these for him.

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