It’s Time For Change!

(Long philosophical rant. If you’re looking for happiness, move along.)

Our country is changing. It hasn’t been an immediate change and our new president did not bring upon the change himself. But we are a changing nation. Change is not always good though. You cannot assume that since we are changing it is for good and for the betterment of our nation. In fact, I believe the change we’re undergoing is going to destroy our country.

We are becoming more and more secular progressive. And while many call this “progressive” I call it repeating the same mistakes of nations past. I call it the fall of Rome. We are eschewing the ideals and foundations that are the very things that made this country great and has sustained it for over two hundred years. We’re throwing that away because we think we know better now. We think we’re more intellectual now. Nothing is new under the sun though. We are not getting better, we are not getting smarter. We are becoming more self absorbed while masking that with communal love.

It’s a slow fade…

And this didn’t happen in one day. And it’s not going to get worse because of one man. But I do see this day as a turning point. A point in time when our country is decidedly heading down the wrong path. The wide path, easy to walk on. The popular path, well-worn with shuffling feet wanting the easiest solution the quickest possible way. When in reality we need to be headed down the narrow path. The path where we must follow One who is more than us. The path where we must endure some hardships that will only make us better as we grow beyond ourselves. The path where we can truly help others without hindering them.

Black and white have turned to gray…

Our country is changing and I hope I’m not right when I say that I fear we’ve seen our last actively Christian president. Whether we like to admit it or not the Judeo Christian values that government in general have held are being swept under the rug. Erased from our text books and minds, we are to believe that it was our own human ingenuity that brought us to where we are. And therefore, if need be, we can switch paths when our human desires tell us we’re not where we need to be. God’s providence helped set up this nation. And the Judeo Christian values are what have kept it strong. Revisionists are drooling now waiting to get their hands on more of our history.

Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid…

And we are being deceived. Young Americans today are shamefully ignorant when it comes to American history. They are not being taught proper American history anymore. Instead, their textbooks are filled with verbiage that is subliminally anti-American. And they believe what their “intellectual” teachers and professors tell them to believe. It has always been natural for youth to question authority. Now that is being adapted. Today, youth is underhandedly taught to question tradition and morals. Take a look at what is on tv, on movie screens and on the radio. Hard, beautiful bodies; scintillating stories; people trying desperately not to age because to age is to fail. To stay young and rebellious against the old guard is what they strive for. And most youth don’t even realize this is what they’re being taught.

I’m lamenting today because to me this day encapsulates the heartache and downfall that our country is experiencing and will only experience in greater and faster degrees now. We’re running full steam ahead into a secular progressive grave that will bury this country and all the good it stood for. Today I am lamenting America’s death, and although it may still take a while to arrive, it is coming. And we are killing it ourselves–from the inside.

For it’s the little feet behind you that are sure to follow…

Today I am lamenting for my two daughters, and our future generations who will have a slim chance of knowing how great our country was. Kids who will not grow up feeling a deep and almost unexpressable love for their country. Kids who will grow up believing that America is what’s wrong with the world and that the word “patriotic” is intolerant. Kids who will think that our Judeo Christian values were intolerant and not worthy of maintaining. Kids who will most likely not have the freedoms that we do today.

Marana tha.

Wake up America! Before it is too late, it’s time for a real change.

(Quotes from Casting Crown’s “Slow Fade”)

Meeting of the minds

…aka Bloggy Hookup

I knew I would enjoy being back down in the south. It just feels like home being down here. We got hooked into the neighborhood quickly, plugged into a church immediately…and I started getting to know women there.

One of my friends at church and I got together the other night for coffee (venti iced chai latte for me, please). You can imagine how refreshing it was to get together with another woman of Christ. Alone. Our conversation ran the gamut from homeschooling to politics to relationships to cleaning and everything in between. It was like talking with an old friend. And we were without kids! Could I mention that enough?

I think we talked for close to two hours. I didn’t even know I could talk that much. The conversation wasn’t ending bu the drinks ran dry and the kids needed putting to bed and one of our bladders was about to burst…ahem, so we headed our separate ways. Not before promising to get together again soon. The cool thing is that we get to see each other every Wednesday night and Sunday morning too.

And not only that, she is a blogger too! We get to meet up in the blogosphere as well. And she is starting to introduce me to other church goers who are bloggers. Who knew! My bloggy meetings can occur right here at the local Starbucks! So I’m not going to miss (as much)  not going to the BlissDom Conference.

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My VF/FIRL* EmmyJMommy. I chose this pic because it highlights nicely all your monogrammed bling. It looks like I was rushing away to the restroom (which was partially true).

*VF/FIRL = virtual friend/friend in real life.

Exactly where I’m supposed to be

OR, 7th is the new 1st

So I finished 7th in the 2008 Weblog Awards for Best Diarist. And as a confirmed mediocre blog (see that pink little badge on the lower right) I really couldn’t aim for or hope for higher, right? So, I am very pleased at my final standing.

7th is officially the new 1st. 7 is also the number of completion in the Bible. Wait. I don’t know if I want that meaning attached to my blogging…hmm. 7 is beautifully simple–just two sticks converging in a nice little acute angle. But not as boring as the number one. It is possible to get too simplistic and lose the beauty. 7th is fantastically mediocre.

I was never actually sure how I’d do or where I’d end up at the end of the voting. I wasn’t sure how the whole asking people to actually vote everyday thing would go. After the first day I knew it would be a study in comedy. I let my readers do as they may without goading, promising, cussing at, or whining at them. And I seriously do thank all of you who voted, even once. Taking the time to do that really was kind. Thank you! Now, had I been closer to winning one of the top positions who knows what I would have done…

As for the cheating–I have no grounds to make any accusations, but let’s just say I checked on one blog’s readership in Google Reader and it was more than mine, but it wasn’tstar status. I also searched for that blog on Technorati and couldn’t find it (I’ve even got status on Technorati, mediocre as it may be). So where are the readers who turned into voters? After going back and looking at the blog today (which had a lot more buttons and paraphernalia on it today than during voting…perhaps it’s putting back on it’s regular look as it probably became more demure during voting) I’m guessing this blog has somewhat of a cult following….of followers who are absent everywhere else in the blogosphere. Anyway, I don’t really care, I couldn’t have kept up whether they cheated or not.

Overall, I definitely would go through the process again, what could it hurt? My dignity? Self esteem? Pride? I checked those all at the door the day I started blogging. So, hint hint, if there are ever any other blog awards and you see a category that would fit me nicely…hint, hint.

Oh, and go congratulate Tori over at Snapshots of My Life. She was a finalist too for Best Photo Blog! And she does some awesome things with textures.

I’m a winner! (kind of)

Just wanted to let all six of my fans know that polls are closed, voting has ended, and my status is forever marked in stone in my running for Best Diarist. And how fitting that my quest for popularity is ending on the night of the American Idol premiere.

I’ll be back to post a big boring recap of the whole process, how I feel about it, and how I think there was some cheating (obviously, since I didn’t win, right!?!). You know what you’ll be getting from me: crap in a bag to take home for leftovers, ahem. It’ll be upbeat though, promise!

Pot pour E

Man, the finalists for Best Diarist over at the 2008 Weblogs are boring (including this one here). I checked out some of the blogs today (not yours). Snoozefest. Even D**ce. This was probably the third time I’ve ever clicked over to her site (yes I can remember because I’ve been expecting to be blown away each time and each time…eh) and it’s no different than me talking about my daughter smearing lipstick all over herself…so what gives? On any of the ones I glanced at, where are the high speed chases and mountain climbing and first kisses and embarrassing bodily functions that make diaries exciting things to read? All I got were pictures. Fascinating.

I do have a question to ask though. Would y’all buy anything that said Not So SAHM on it?

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Don’t answer that. Would you buy a calendar with my freaky cats on it? What if they were wearing garish wigs? (Don’t answer that either.) Is there real income potential in being a blog star? Because if so I can start coming up with the merchandise and with the diary worthy material. Hardy har har.

Like this for instance:

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This is what my daughter does with my makeup when I accidentally leave the door open to our bathroom. She takes lipstick and smears it all over her face. She gets her application tips from her big sister I swear:

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Or how about this:

Better Than S3x Créme Brûlée
Original recipe from Big Oven

8 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar

Mix those until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is a pale yellow. Slowly add:

2 cups heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla

Something about straining and skimming off bubbles here, but I didn’t really pay attention to that step. I’m a simple cook y’know.

Pour into cool (as in neato, not chilled) créme brûlée ramekins and placethose in a water bath. Place into 300 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes. The sides will be set, the middles won’t. Once cooled remove from bath and chill for what seems like forever but really is about two hours. Sprinkle sugar over and flame torch until caramelized (or carmelized).

And I didn’t get a single picture of my masterpieces. They did look something like this though:

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Only better, of course. And so easy. And totally worth going out and buying the ramekins ($1 each at Pier 1) and the hand-held chef’s blow torch (so much cheaper at Bed, Bath & Beyond than at Williams-Sonoma).

So, there you have it: my ode to the totally boring and random diaretic (sic) blog posts that are in the runs (haha) with me as Best Diarist. I’m sure they’re all really, really good and exciting and entertaining the rest of the year when not under scrutiny.

Fly Lady redux

My Fly Lady post created a bit of a stir. I’ve decided to share my personal schedules/lists so you can see exactly what my goals are. These are PDF files. Click on the title to view the page.

Ambitious? I used to do this minus as intense of a homeschooling schedule as we keep now…and minus an extra kid. Can you imagine how much little hair I’d have if I were still managing my business?

The idea though is that breaking the big cleaning jobs down into smaller, bite-sized pieces, AND doing everything each month will make the jobs easier and faster to do. I am not going to dress down to my shoes each day and I am not subscribing to the email notifications. I have laminated these sheets (by applying clear packing tape over the part of the sheet I’m going to write on) so I can mark off what I’ve done each day, and then wipe the sheets clean at night. Because what is a list if you can’t mark things off of it?

What do you think?