A Lovely Translation

When I’m a SAHM (Stay-at-home-mom)…

1. Menu Plan for weekday suppers.

2. Learn to sew and knit and do both regularly.

3. Have a cleaning schedule, and not deviate too often.

4. Have potted herbs in my kitchen, and use them in my cooking.

5. Organize and purge more stuff from our lives. I’m all about getting rid of stuff lately. Don’t worry though, I put Chris in the “keep” pile.

6. Be a joy to my baby/kid(s).

7. Have every room in the house organized. No deadline for this… it’s just an eventual goal.

8. Go for lots walks with baby/kid(s). Enjoy them.

9. Use cloth diapers and make my own baby food.

9b. (Not 10 ‘cuz lists of 10 are so overdone) Read books regularly that challenge and stimulate my thinking (Have a reading list for the year).

I grew up without T.V. for the most part.  We never had cable. We had bunny ears so my Dad could watch the Toronto Maple Leafs’ games.  I watched Saturday morning cartoons sometimes, as well as the occasional episode of Full House and Family Matters.

Other than that, I was a bit clueless to all things television. My Mom was always bugging us to “play outside” or “do a craft” or the failsafe “read a book” or other such intellectually and socially stimulating activities.

We I first got married, our first couple of apartments had cable included in the rent.  It was a whole new world of mindless reality TV, spying on other peoples’ lives via TLC, etc, and stupid sitcoms that were “just” over the line of what I was raised to think of as “edifying”.  I was wide-eyed with wonder…

Then came the day when we moved into a new apartment that did NOT include cable.  And of course I refused to pay for it (we were poor anyway, and I really didn’t want to actually admit that I was a bit of a TV junkie).

Guess what happened?

I really didn’t miss it.

Nor do I now.

In fact, when I do check out and watch a couple of back-to-back sitcoms at supper-time (mostly when Chris is out), I find myself only mildly entertained, and majorly annoyed at myself for caving and watching them at all.  Thus, I don’t watch them very often.  I’d say maybe 3 hours of that a week… which sounds like such a waste of time to me…

We also are currently watching a show on DVD (which is much better because there are no commercials to fry your brain) called Stargate SG-1.  Yeah, it’s sci-fi geekiness. Yeah I’ll pause for a sec so you can stop laughing at me… It’s actually really good (and Season 7, which we just finished, is astronomically better than Season 1, but hey it started in the mid-nineties, what can I say?)

We also rent the occasional movie (like maybe one a month, if that).

So, yeah we haven’t chucked the TV out the window yet, and I doubt we ever will… but I am grateful I am NOT a TV junkie.  I shudder when I hear about kids watching an average of like 30 hours/week watching TV.  I can’t even imagine.  I’m grateful to my parents for teaching me the value in not rotting your brain with television.  I intend/hope to pass on this value to my own child, and I plan to do so by example!

This blog has been a bit of a conglomeration since its inception. I’m not quite satisfied with it, and thus am trying to figure out exactly what I want it to be. I think I want it to be a mixture of different kinds of posts. I am not an easily stereotyped person (I don’t believe so anyway). What I mean by this is that there are many different sides of me.

I have a strong passion for deep intellectual thought and academic achievement and learning. I heartily enjoy a good stimulating discussion on a number of controversial subjects or even simply the ones I find fascinating, such as the church, missons, culture, bioethics, Christianity, Christian living, the depravity of Western culture, the roles of women and men, and of course, war and pacifism. I desire to learn more about these things so that I can speak more intelligently about them.

On the other hand… I also have a more “simple” side (I’m not sure that “simple” is the right term - it’s certainly not an insult to those who would not call themselves “intellectually minded”). Unlike my Dad, I don’t spend my days reading and writing and thinking about “smart people stuff”. I enjoy it, but there’s another side to me. I love to be a housewife, and I think that’s my “first love”, or my “calling” in life. I take pride in it, and am seriously anticipating (with trepidation and undeniable excitement both) September - when I am a stay-at-home mother. I’ve been looking forward to that since I was a child, and I feel like I am finally going to have the opportunity to do what I am meant to do. (With D-day being only 17 weeks [give or take a few weeks] away, I am starting to freak out and wonder if I’m going to even be a good mom, etc. A normal part of pregnancy and preparing for your first child, I’m sure, nonetheless it’s quite the intense experience).

Anyway, back to the reason for this post. What do I want this blog to be? Well, I admit I would like it to be something people enjoy reading, but most importantly I want it to be a reflection of me. What I care about, think about, and find interesting - whether it’s the mundane, the intellectual, or the nonsensical. If I achieve that, then I think I will be satisfied.

So… some topics I am chewing on for future posts:

• Our consumer culture
• How the church has been commodifed
• Ways to save money at home (frugal living)
• Baking & cooking adventures
• How I envision being a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom)
• My reading goals - book list

And more to come… because if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s that my brain pretty much never turns off. Except for between the hours of 10pm and 9am. At that time I’m a zombie.

We shall see how this plays out. More to come, hopefully soon!

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/CollegeAndFamily/RaiseKids/ThePriceOfAMom.aspx

This is awesome! Too bad that’s not what you actually get paid.

I’m sitting here in my living room listening to a really good singer on American Idol. It’s embarassing, but I kind of like that show. It’s entertaining. And my Nana and Grampa love it, they enjoy “seeing the kids’ personalities”.  I don’t mention that as if it’s supposed to prove I’m not as big a dork as you might think, rather I just post it because I think it’s funny.  I might well be the only one, but I guess you’d have to know my family.

I just finished doing the dishes, am about to fold the laundry, and I’m not falling asleep as I type. Oh, and I already made my lunch for tomorrow. Hurray for me.

No stretch marks (yet), no morning sickness, just a few other minor complaints that no one really wants to read about… I can hardly believe how uneventful my pregnancy has been thus far. Let’s pray it stays that way until birth day. The latest amazing thing is feeling the baby’s movements (as of yesterday). It’s incredible, really.

As I sit here, with the TV on for background noise (as I always do when Chris is out), twilight rapidly seeping into my house, and just enjoying a quiet night to myself, I realize that I’m content. And it’s a nice place to be. I’m thanking Jesus for the life he’s given me, and pray that I can be content even in the hard times too.

If you want to read all the latest in my life, check out my baby blog - www.changeiscoming.wordpress.com.  I would write more here… but there’s basically nothing as exciting at the moment as this little baby growing inside of me, growing bigger and and getting more and more ready for his or her day of birth!

Yeah, so I like alot of things. I am a strange yet lovable person, and I just want to be the best version of me that God created me to be.

I like artistic things and music and colors and sunshine.  The rain is also pretty amazing, but I like more sun than rain.  A good summer thunderstorm with lightning and thunder when I’m snuggled on the couch with Chris is just amazing.  But a sunny day in March after a long winter is equally delicious.

I love food alot.  I love sushi, and dill pickles, and nachos and salsa.  Actually pretty much all Mexican food.  And turkey dinners.  I look forward to those all year long.

I have an unexplained fear of revolving doors and avoid them at all costs. I think that’s weird.  I also really love my friends and family. They are awesome.  I haven’t always had close friends in my life, let alone a group of 6 of us that I call best friends.  So blessed. And my family isn’t too bad either. haha.

Oh yeah, I love cleaning too, but yet my house isn’t spotless. Explain that one!

Scrapbooking is a favorite hobby, but I wish I were better/more dedicated at it.  Same goes for photography.  And painting.  And drawing.  And writing… and.. and…

I want to go back to school and get my masters someday.  In between kids, after kids, ever… ? I don’t know. God knows.

Anyway, that’s enough of my talking about nothing.  I guess I was bored or something. Good night!

Oh one more thing… ok like 3… I love babies and am having one of my own!!!!!!!! I love Jesus & seek Him daily, and I just love LOVE.  Jesus’ love of his bride is the ultimate example for how I am supposed to love.

Currently a hot topic in political news is this story:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23572671/?GT1=43001

I comiserate with those who have weighed in with their shock and dismay at these allegations. However, I am also somewhat baffled at the reaction from the secular world (I have not heard any opinions from other Christians on the issue).

That a governor of the state of New York, who is supposed to be one that people can trust and emulate, someone who sets an example of high standards and solid character, would choose to follow a path of such moral degradation and sexual immorality is surely a tragedy and an outrage. Isn’t it?

Woah! Wait a second. Since when did our secular, humanistic, and hedonistic society place any value whatsoever on traditional (”old-fashioned”) sexual morality and conservative values in one’s personal life? What happened to the sexual revolution? What happened to the age of tolerance (what’s right for you is right for you and I can’t judge you)? What happened to the idea of monogamy being antiquated and unrealistic? Those are the messages I’m getting loud and clear from my culture. So how come politicians are held to a different standard?

Don’t get me wrong here - I’m not saying I actually agree with any of those things. I believe strongly in monogamy. I believe that extra-marital sex (in all respects) is morally wrong - it is sin. I also believe that leaders should be judged more harshly and that they are examples to the people they are leading.

My problem is that I simply don’t understand where the secular world gets off saying that Spitzer’s actions are disgraceful and that he should resign or be impeached.

“Particularly because of the reform platform on which he was elected governor, his ability to govern the state of New York and execute his duties as governor have been irreparably damaged,” said Citizens Union, a good-government group that supported the crusading attorney general for governor in 2006 and provided critical support in his effort to reform Albany. “It is our strong belief that it is now impossible for him to fulfill his responsibilities as governor. Accordingly, Citizens Union urges him to resign as governor.”

The fact that he spent a significant amount of his own money (he is independantly wealthy) on a prostitute seems to be the main problem here. Is it because he cheated on his wife? The fact that he is married comes up only once in the article, which doesn’t even refer to the fact that what he did was commit marital infidelity. There’s more focus on the fact that he spent so much money. Perhaps if he’d spent the money selfishly on himself in lavish cars, luxury vacations, or any kind of ridiculous indulgence it would have been applauded instead. After all the problem of selfishness that is inherent in our capitalistic and narcissistic society doesn’t seem to be on anyone’s radar. In fact the more money and toys one has, the more one’s status in society is elevated. A “funny” parallel, I think. The Biblical values of sexual morality are paraded out as if they actually mean something to these people, while Jesus’ other teachings are all but non-existent to them.

What’s up with that?

I’m 10 and a half weeks pregnant… and I got to hear my baby’s heartbeat today, which was the most amazing sound ever.  For the lowdown on my pregnancy as it progresses… check out www.changeiscoming.wordpress.com

More later!

I’m becoming a closet sci-fi fan. In a small way, let me emphasize. It’s Chris’s fault.  But still, I guess I (grudgingly) enjoy it.  I’m watching Stargate Season 3 right now (last episode), and I have to say, it’s been entertaining.  Not terribly violent, fairly good language and values, and no inappropriate sexual scenes.  Kinda tame by today’s standards.  The first season was terribly cheesy, but they’ve gotten better as we went on.  I *cough* actually kind of like it.  And the best part - fairly often there are significant moral and philosophical issues in episodes, such as personhood, the meaning of life, what is defined as “good”, and the importance of being a learner in culture.

Well, now I’ve admitted it. There’s no going back…