Monthly Archives: August 2015

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 30, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY August 30, 2015

Outside my window… 88F. It’s vastly better than the high 90’s and triple digits we’ve been having!

I am thinking… about some financial things.

I am thankful… for the wonderful sermon this morning on Mark 7 that referenced parts of the Collect for Purity that we say every Sunday morning.

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

In the kitchen… I haven’t decided on dinner yet but I think my MIL is making liver and onions for my FIL.

I am wearing… my Run for the Little Flowers shirt and black shorts.

I am going… to Pep Boys tomorrow for new tires. I had a blowout on Friday and Jon had one today. Thank God for AAA! (I could have changed mine by myself but it was over 100F and I had Daniel with me.)

I am wondering… if Daniel will sleep through the night and not come into my room at 1 a.m. to start bouncing on the bed. (Not that this has happened the last two nights or anything…)

I am reading… Lord of the Wings by Donna Andrews. I finished Friendship Cake by Lynne Hinton last week and made it through Long Upon the Land by Margaret Maron as well.

I am hoping… my G-I appointment bears fruit this week even though I haven’t gotten to have the abdominal ultrasound appointment yet.

I am looking forward to… to having all the medical appointments for Daniel over this week.

I am hearing… Daniel on his toy laptop.

A Daniel story for today… when he was quite a bit younger (2 or 3), he wanted to go for a walk at my parents’ house. When I wasn’t responding quickly enough, he started bringing me every shoe he could find.

Around the house… air-conditioning. Yay!

A favorite quote for today… “Friendship is born at that moment when one man says to another: ‘What! You too? I thought that no one but myself . . .'” — C.S. Lewis

One of my favorite things… cool air.

A few plans for the rest of the week: getting tires tomorrow, PT on Tuesday, G-I specialist on Wednesday, Daniel’s sedated dentist appointment and probably orthopedics x-rays on Thursday, and his orthopedist appointment on Friday.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: Cleaning Out My Bookmarks from the Last Week

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7 Quick Takes

— 1 —

Worship Music Link #1. I’ve been a worship musician (not a choir member) for almost 16 years and while I like doing “contemporary music” every so often, I really prefer the older hymns. It’s an issue of musicality for me and also that many praise songs are theologically-shallow or inaccurate. Here are a few examples and why we need to stop singing them.

— 2 —

Worship Music Link #2. Here is a fabulous piece addressing why we need to stop singing praise songs. Be sure to click on all the links to understand why it is so wonderful.

— 3 —

Worship Music Link #3. I found this in the “I’m fed up with bad church music” group on Facebook and I know there are some praise songs I would pay serious money to not have to sing. What hymn/praise song/service music would you pay good money to block?

Block a hymn

— 4 —

Worship Music Link #4. One of the rants I see online frequently has to do with how the Catholic church has a beautiful tradition of choral music going back 1500 years and yet we have to settle for Marty Haugen, David Haas, and so on. Someone posted the “Glory Pony” mass on there and it’s facepalm-ingly bad how similar the mass setting is to the “My Little Pony” theme.

— 5 —

Twitter does it again. One of the best things I’ve seen online in the last few weeks is the #ThingsJesusNeverSaid hashtag on Twitter.

— 6 —

For those who love people with anxiety. Those who have anxiety or who love people with anxiety need to read this piece.

— 7 —

It makes a difference. While I was up in San Jose this month, I was worshipping with my friend Rebecca at my home congregation and I was in the pews this last week at my church here with my VBS music partner-in-crime Margaret. It was a content feeling each Sunday and upon reflection, I think the reason is that I didn’t have to explain what I was doing (standing, kneeling, sitting, singing, genuflecting) or *why* I was doing it as I frequently have to do when I’m at church in Jon’s Lutheran parishes given that my practice of the faith is more toward the Catholic and Anglican part of the spectrum. I’m liking the opportunity to worship with like-minded people and to not be on display all the time.

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

#5Faves: Miscellanea (XLIV)

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#5Faves

One

Rend Collective. I am seriously in love with this band. Their music is stuck in my mind and right now, it’s actually keeping me going.

Two

Margaret Maron. My mother-in-law was #1 on the library list for her latest book and she gave it to me to read when she finished it. Of all the murder mystery authors I read, she is in the top 3 favorites if not my favorite because I can actually get lost in her books without realizing it.

Three

Air1. Listening to music keeps me sane while driving and Air1 is the local nationally-broadcasted Christian station that I can get down here. (I could actually get it and KLOVE equally well when we lived up north and would switch off when a song came up that I didn’t like.)

Four

Trader Joe’s. The people at my Trader Joe’s are just fabulous and they love Daniel. (Then again, who doesn’t love Daniel that has met him?) I’ll be having some of their chili when I get home.

Five

Iced vanilla lattés made with whole milk. I fully believe that the existence of these is proof that God wants me to be happy. 😉

Go love up Jenna and the others.

The Simple Woman’s Daybook: August 23, 2015

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Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY August 23, 2015

Outside my window… dark. It got into the 90’s here today which was irritating but unfortunately not uncommon for August. (And yes, I’m seriously praying that Jon gets a call to a colder climate. The Arctic Circle is looking lovely right now.)

I am thinking… about some of the more asinine arguments and statements in favor of homeschooling that I saw on the Web today. I have friends who are amazing homeschooling parents like Dawn and Kelly so I’m definitely not opposed to it (also because my husband was homeschooled); but seriously, some of the crud I read today would be at home on the Sanctimommy page on Facebook.

I am thankful… for Daniel going back to school tomorrow. I’m kind of bummed that we didn’t get to go to Meet-the-Teacher on Friday but it was worth it to get the extra respite time with my parents.

In the kitchen… cheese and crackers because it’s too hot to do anything involving the oven, microwave, or stove.

I am wearing… the black cat nightshirt that my mother-in-law got me here as a coming-home present.

I am going… to pray Compline from the Book of Common Prayer when I’m done here.

I am wondering… how Daniel will do tomorrow with his longer school day.

I am reading… Friendship Cake by Lynne Hinton. I was reading Devoted by Jennifer Mathieu but it deals with the subculture that surrounds families like the Duggars and it just wasn’t a good thing in which to immerse myself at the moment.

I am hoping… the pain in my foot from walking almost 6 miles on Friday will go away.

I am looking forward to… being able to go for prayer walks and work out once Daniel is on the bus tomorrow.

I am hearing… various things on iTunes and YouTube.

A Daniel story for today… he said “mo nanna” (“more banana”) to my mom when she was watching him while I was somewhere last week.

Around the house… silence. It is positively blissful.

A favorite quote for today… “The worship-to-panda ratio has gone a different direction.” — Rend Collective in this video:

One of my favorite things… club soda when I’m trying to beat my Coca-Cola addiction.

A few plans for the rest of the week: PT on Tuesday, a bunch of phone calls, and getting medical records and such ready for a bunch of Daniel appointments.

A peek into my day… I was trying to explain this video to a friend last week. I find it hysterically funny because I’ve attended a church like this.

Post Script…

This is my favorite worship song and very few people outside of the UK or my chapter of Intervarsity know of it.

Hosted by The Simple Woman.

7 Quick Takes: Life’s A Beach!

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7 Quick Takes

I’m unexpectedly hanging out with my parents in northern California for a week longer than planned so Dad suggested that the four of us (him, my mom, Daniel, and me) go to the beach as Daniel had never been before and it would give us a chance to tire him out. It was a wonderful trip but it has also meant that with software updates and my laptop being pissy, I’m just now writing my Quick Takes at almost 1 a.m.! So… here are seven beach pictures.

— 1 —

The Pacific Ocean near Watsonville, CA.

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— 2 —

Daniel checking out the waves.

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— 3 —

Daniel with Grandma Kathy (my mom).

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— 4 —

Daniel and I examining some kelp. (The bandana on my head is to prevent my scalp from frying.)

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— 5 —

Headed north in search of sand dollars.

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— 6 —

Mom and I swinging Daniel into the water.

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— 7 —

Holding on to Daniel in order to keep him from getting knocked over by waves.

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

#5Faves: Miscellanea (XLIII)

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#5Faves

One

Iced vanilla lattés. They aren’t quite my comfort food but they’re close. I’m constantly searching out the best one. (The current winner is It’s A Grind in Elk Grove.)

Two

Coca-Cola. This one *is* actually my comfort food. It’s also one of the worst things I can put in my body and a hard addiction to break. The thing that is helping me do so right now is that I’m with my parents who do not allow it in the house except on rare occasions. (They’ve been referring to it as “hemlock” so every time I’ve gotten to drink one in their presence, I comment on the lovely “minty” flavor as I hear that hemlock tastes minty.)

Three

Lamb gyros. We got food from Yiassoo last Thursday and I had one at my favorite place in Elk Grove on Friday. I love them with onions, feta, and extra tzatziki sauce.

Four

Redwood forests. Daniel and I got to go to Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park on Saturday and I had no idea how much I missed them until we went. It had been 20+ years since I had been there and 9 years since I had seen redwood trees in person. (I’m a UCSC alum so I lived in a redwood forest for 3 years.)

Five

The ocean. We’re going to try to go on Thursday as it has been 9 years since my feet have been in the Pacific Ocean. (The last time was Lincoln City, OR when I was in Oregon for my grandfather’s interment.)

Go love up Jenna and the others.