Good Morning loved ones, especially grandmas & grandpas!
I'm helping mama & papa choose plants to landscape the front yard. Right now it is a steep, weedy lawn that's dangerous to mow.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Farmers' Market
We like to buy locally produced anything, especially food. I've been reading Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle. It's a great read and very inspiring. Kingsolver chronicles her family's year of local eating: everything grown/raised themselves or very nearby. They had to order flour, coffee, spices from fair trade growers as these aren't local. But even fruit and veggies from far-a-field were outlawed as the petrol costs of shipping and the usually low return to farmers was unacceptable. SO. The book is a really good read. Lots of articles about the state of American farming, loss of plant/animal species, gardening and preserving info, and recipes.
So on this week's trip to the farmers' market I decided to spend the $5.25 for a pound of lean ground bison meat. The money actually goes to the rancher! The animal was grass fed (as nature intends for range animals)rather than grain/steroid/synthetic vitamin fed and bison meat has less fat and cholesterol than skinless chicken and way more protien and iron than any other domesticated meat. It was really good! We grilled burgers prepared with only shallot/salt/pepper. YUM.
Also bought beets, corn, green beans, and peppers. I spent a total of $10.25 including the meat, money which I handed to the farmer. I'm going back Tuesday for more of everything. I want to can those yummy beets.
Photos: the haul, bean comparison: my purple beans and the big ol' greens from the farmer, Aedyn in Tummy Time.
missing you. go to your farmers' market!
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Security!
We're experiencing some Social Security Drama. We need to get Aedyn a passport (why? tell ya later) and must present his SScard to do so. We don't have a card. Aedyn was born 5mo. ago so surly his card must have been sent to the address we left when he was 3mo. old. So I called our new regional SS office, where everyone was very nice, to discover that Aedyn had not yet been issued a number. Kim, very helpful gov.employee, said 'that's odd' and told me to come in and reapply for a number. We would need his birth certificate and sealed medical records. Birth certificate, no problem. Med records still hadn't been sent from Dr. M. in Chicago and we had gone to pick them up (weren't ready) and requested them by phone and still no records. SO. Eric called again and said that they must be overnighted (we had PAID for these records to be sent months ago).
BREATH IN, BREATH OUT.
I went to SS office, met Kim, gave her the Bcertificate and sealed medical records--applied for a number for my 5mo old. OH, because the birth certificate was issued out of state, an authorization form would be emailed to the Chicago SS admin to verify his birth. THEN a number would be issued and we would get a letter that says "A number has been issued." About 2 weeks AFTER THAT we should be mailed a Social Security Card with which we could apply for Aedyn's passport.
OK. We need Aedyn's passport by Sept 30.
This morning at 8:02, Kim from SS office calls to tell me that "A number has recently been issued." So the application for a number was cancelled but I would need to come in again with documents to apply for a REPLACEMENT CARD. Kim called again 10 minutes later (she really is a good worker) to say that the number had just been issued YESTERDAY in Chicago so a card should be sent to our old address in 2 weeks, then if it isn't forwarded to us, I can go in and apply for a replacement card.
OH. MY. WORD!
Here, according to Kim, numbers are issued for newborns within 5 days.
In Chicago, 5 months (so it seems.)
My darling boy is sleeping. Amazing husband is probably saving a life and I just want to eat a cookie.
BREATH IN, BREATH OUT.
I went to SS office, met Kim, gave her the Bcertificate and sealed medical records--applied for a number for my 5mo old. OH, because the birth certificate was issued out of state, an authorization form would be emailed to the Chicago SS admin to verify his birth. THEN a number would be issued and we would get a letter that says "A number has been issued." About 2 weeks AFTER THAT we should be mailed a Social Security Card with which we could apply for Aedyn's passport.
OK. We need Aedyn's passport by Sept 30.
This morning at 8:02, Kim from SS office calls to tell me that "A number has recently been issued." So the application for a number was cancelled but I would need to come in again with documents to apply for a REPLACEMENT CARD. Kim called again 10 minutes later (she really is a good worker) to say that the number had just been issued YESTERDAY in Chicago so a card should be sent to our old address in 2 weeks, then if it isn't forwarded to us, I can go in and apply for a replacement card.
OH. MY. WORD!
Here, according to Kim, numbers are issued for newborns within 5 days.
In Chicago, 5 months (so it seems.)
My darling boy is sleeping. Amazing husband is probably saving a life and I just want to eat a cookie.
Monday, July 23, 2007
5month Old Attacks Elephant
He's 5 mo. old today! He's worked for a week on catching this pesky elephant in order to chew on its nubby ears, now Aedyn's a pro at it. He has to stand in order to get high enough to catch it. Strong legs, our big-game catcher. And, yes, I do like to stow a spare sock on Aedyn's excersaucer. and between the couch cushions, in the car, in my purse . . .
Part of making our new house feel like home is putting up some of our favorite art. We'll show them off here as you might not be visiting soon. (You Should.) We finally had 2 of our Chinese rubbings framed. We have a better picture of the rubbing but I wanted you to see the lovely view out the windows flanking the mantel. See, you really should visit!
missing you
Friday, July 20, 2007
Our Domain
Our little piece of earth is pretty. Because it's been so dry here our garden is a bit underwhelming and a few of the bushes we transplanted are beyond hope but the trees around the yard are lovely. This is today's harvest.
I wrote last week about a little water plant called velvet. The soft tiny petel-like leaves float. The fish ate them all. They had to because a racoon got the fish food.
missing you
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
On Tithing (or Another Example of How We Are Telling the Wrong Story)
OK. A bit of seriousness tonight. Have been meaning to blog this for awhile, but schedule has been busy. But it is even busier next month, so 'no day like today.' I have had questions about tithing put to me quite a bit lately, so I figured getting something general in writing would make specific responses easier. The following are some of my thoughts and reasons for thinking them, but with an eye to being brief. Therefore, references and full proofs are at a minimum, but you are free to comment and I can begin a new post with specific questions/concerns/comments.
Introduction
The tithe is an ancient Jewish concept/tradition. It means 'tenth' and refers to the Old Testament (OT) practice of giving a tenth of one's crop to YHWH (although the very first tithe mentioned was the spoils of war that Abraham gave Melchizedek). It was the last of the levitical codes to be given. How one 'gave' to YHWH was by giving it to the priesthood serving at the Tabernacle/Temple (Levites) who were therefore unable to support themselves by other means. Why one gave to YHWH seems in order to be a reminder that YHWH had given them all that they have, anyway.
Current Practice
It is currently generally accepted in much of Protestant Christianity (I am not sure about Orthodox or Roman Christianity) that this practice was meant to continue after the Messiah's enthronement, except that the 'local church' or 'church' leadership replaced the priesthood and money replaced crops. In some circles this idea is hinged strongly to the concept of duty/obligation. In some circles of those circles it is hinged to the concept of blessing and curses: if you give a tithe, you will be blessed by God, but if you don't, you will be under a curse. The basis of this is usually explained by Malachi's prophecy to the newly returned from exile Jews who were rebuilding the Temple (about 400 years before the Messiah). In som other circles it is taught that a tithe is required of everyone, regardless of your situation. It is often taught as a means of testing your faith/faithfulness.
Objections
The following are some reasons I think the concept of tithe needs to be rethought:
1. There is no NT mandate for such a practice. We are not Hebrews living within the covenant anticipating its eventual fulfillment. Rather, we are the worldwide family who is living in the reality of the fulfillment of YHWH's covenant with Abram in the Messiah and who are called to celebrate, embody and proclaim the reality that the Life of the Age to Come ('eternal life' in some translations) has already been given and we are living it.
2. The early church practiced much giving, and of more than, but certainly not less than, just money, but never felt compelled to explain it in terms of tithe. Likewise, there was no expectation that the poor among them would give, rather they were to be the recipients of what was given.
3. The idea of 'local church' seems to ignore the fluidity of the community of the people of God renewed and established in the Messiah and through the holy Spirit. It necessitates giving to structures with the name 'church', but really mean the organized, often self-appointed, hierarchy usually called 'leadership.' It denigrates the support of other believers who are in hard circumstances to be something less than giving to the church (even though this is more in line with the early church practice and mandates, and even though 'the church' is really the community of believers, not who is 'leading' them).
4. The analogy of Temple priesthood and church leadership ignores one of the biggest and most cataclysmic shifts that occured in early NT thinking, namely, the Temple, though appropriate for one act of the story, was passing away and was not fit for the next stage in the Creator's plan to restore his creation. The Temple system was not only corrupt and stood under Jesus' judgement as rightful king of Israel, but also he himself and the community he was forming around him were the actual REPLACEMENTS of the Temple. The Temple would soon be destroyed in judgement, but the community that was the fulfillment of what the Temple always anticipated would survive the cosmic judgement about to come (which came in 70 A.D.). The priesthood was therefore passing away as well, since Jesus became the priest for all and perpetually. The new community was not to model itself on the Temple system, but to be the enitrely new creation entity of hope in a despairing world. They were the place one could come to to receive forgiveness and to see the image and likeness of God--they were to be where the Presence of God dwelt and could be met face to face.
5. It is hopelessly caught up in biblical interpretation that finds it too easy to pick a scripture and generalize it to find a truth that is supposed to be true for everyone everywhere, and ignores the significance and uniqueness of historical events. In other words it feeds into an entire way of reading the Bible that repeatedly ignores things like #1 and #4 above.
Preliminary Conclusion
That's enought to get started. The next chance I get I will post some thoughts on a way forward for reimagining what it means to be God's people and what place giving has in that scheme. It may be awhile before that appears, but please don't think that I think everyone ought to stop giving. But as a foretaste of what is to come, it is not just one of many duties we perform: "to give," but the entire purpose God has renewed us for is to bless others, and especially the poor and orphans and widows and those unable to fend for themselves. Getting rid of the tithe doesn't make the Christian life easier, it prepares the way for a more arduous and all-consuming role God's purposes.
Introduction
The tithe is an ancient Jewish concept/tradition. It means 'tenth' and refers to the Old Testament (OT) practice of giving a tenth of one's crop to YHWH (although the very first tithe mentioned was the spoils of war that Abraham gave Melchizedek). It was the last of the levitical codes to be given. How one 'gave' to YHWH was by giving it to the priesthood serving at the Tabernacle/Temple (Levites) who were therefore unable to support themselves by other means. Why one gave to YHWH seems in order to be a reminder that YHWH had given them all that they have, anyway.
Current Practice
It is currently generally accepted in much of Protestant Christianity (I am not sure about Orthodox or Roman Christianity) that this practice was meant to continue after the Messiah's enthronement, except that the 'local church' or 'church' leadership replaced the priesthood and money replaced crops. In some circles this idea is hinged strongly to the concept of duty/obligation. In some circles of those circles it is hinged to the concept of blessing and curses: if you give a tithe, you will be blessed by God, but if you don't, you will be under a curse. The basis of this is usually explained by Malachi's prophecy to the newly returned from exile Jews who were rebuilding the Temple (about 400 years before the Messiah). In som other circles it is taught that a tithe is required of everyone, regardless of your situation. It is often taught as a means of testing your faith/faithfulness.
Objections
The following are some reasons I think the concept of tithe needs to be rethought:
1. There is no NT mandate for such a practice. We are not Hebrews living within the covenant anticipating its eventual fulfillment. Rather, we are the worldwide family who is living in the reality of the fulfillment of YHWH's covenant with Abram in the Messiah and who are called to celebrate, embody and proclaim the reality that the Life of the Age to Come ('eternal life' in some translations) has already been given and we are living it.
2. The early church practiced much giving, and of more than, but certainly not less than, just money, but never felt compelled to explain it in terms of tithe. Likewise, there was no expectation that the poor among them would give, rather they were to be the recipients of what was given.
3. The idea of 'local church' seems to ignore the fluidity of the community of the people of God renewed and established in the Messiah and through the holy Spirit. It necessitates giving to structures with the name 'church', but really mean the organized, often self-appointed, hierarchy usually called 'leadership.' It denigrates the support of other believers who are in hard circumstances to be something less than giving to the church (even though this is more in line with the early church practice and mandates, and even though 'the church' is really the community of believers, not who is 'leading' them).
4. The analogy of Temple priesthood and church leadership ignores one of the biggest and most cataclysmic shifts that occured in early NT thinking, namely, the Temple, though appropriate for one act of the story, was passing away and was not fit for the next stage in the Creator's plan to restore his creation. The Temple system was not only corrupt and stood under Jesus' judgement as rightful king of Israel, but also he himself and the community he was forming around him were the actual REPLACEMENTS of the Temple. The Temple would soon be destroyed in judgement, but the community that was the fulfillment of what the Temple always anticipated would survive the cosmic judgement about to come (which came in 70 A.D.). The priesthood was therefore passing away as well, since Jesus became the priest for all and perpetually. The new community was not to model itself on the Temple system, but to be the enitrely new creation entity of hope in a despairing world. They were the place one could come to to receive forgiveness and to see the image and likeness of God--they were to be where the Presence of God dwelt and could be met face to face.
5. It is hopelessly caught up in biblical interpretation that finds it too easy to pick a scripture and generalize it to find a truth that is supposed to be true for everyone everywhere, and ignores the significance and uniqueness of historical events. In other words it feeds into an entire way of reading the Bible that repeatedly ignores things like #1 and #4 above.
Preliminary Conclusion
That's enought to get started. The next chance I get I will post some thoughts on a way forward for reimagining what it means to be God's people and what place giving has in that scheme. It may be awhile before that appears, but please don't think that I think everyone ought to stop giving. But as a foretaste of what is to come, it is not just one of many duties we perform: "to give," but the entire purpose God has renewed us for is to bless others, and especially the poor and orphans and widows and those unable to fend for themselves. Getting rid of the tithe doesn't make the Christian life easier, it prepares the way for a more arduous and all-consuming role God's purposes.
Wookiee at the Post Office
Saturday was Eric's first day off in 10 days. We went to Charleston to the farmers' market. Along with a patipan squash and hard-stem garlic varieties we got a plant called 'velvet' for our pond and an ornamental pepper plant for the kitchen window (we have edible peppers outside.) We drove around a bit looking for something to do but the baby was not carseat happy so we pulled into the downtown mall parking lot and strolled around the mall. I don't know why Chewbacca was positioned outside the post office, but I couldn't pass up a photo of my boys with a wookiee.
We bought Aedyn's crib Saturday, too. He's been sleeping in a mini co-sleeper next to our bed. He's making the transition to his room rather well. During the night when he woke to feed, I found that he had scooted to the corner of the crib with his face pressed against the only place the crib bumper didn't cover, trying to get a good look at things.
He had immunizations yesterday and is not happy today.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Rivers of Babylon
I love this song based on Psalm 137. The Psalm was popularized in contemporary culture by Godspell. OK, the Katrina footage suggests a situation more analogous to Israel's exile than that which exists, but still, it's a beautiful song. Why can't we sing more Psalms like this? I wish I could write music.
Friday, July 13, 2007
First Fruits (rather, Veggies)!
Last evening Aedyn enjoyed his first non-milk product: carrots! Eric was the chef and server and our little diner seemed rather pleased.
Photos: First Bite & Umm
Also, Visiting Papa at the hospital
Monday, July 9, 2007
Word of advice
Select snacks carefully while breastfeeding. Of course, consider nutrition first, your body is producing your child's only nurishment. While actually feeding the baby, nothing hot should be consumed, and no toast. Toast crumbs and sweaty, baby-neck folds aren't a good combination.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
Mac is fixed
Eric has the details of what failed on our little powerbook, "Paul," but I can tell you that we lost stuff. Eric backs up on idisk but with Aedyn's birth, 2 graduations, buying a house and moving, it hasn't been done in a while. We lost pictures, including our wedding album. I hadn't had it printed (by mac's photo people) because E and I wanted to include our wedding vows and were trying to rewrite them as close to the origional as possible. We lost the copy of those vows the last time Paul crashed. Ugh. Aedyn's pics are also gone. Thankfully, I had made a disk for my mom of photos up through 6 weeks and our friend H has several. If you took a picture of Aedyn, can you email it to us?
Today my friend, America, is getting married. Joy and hope for your life together, America. I wish we were there to be part of the witnesses to your covenant.
Missing You.
Today my friend, America, is getting married. Joy and hope for your life together, America. I wish we were there to be part of the witnesses to your covenant.
Missing You.
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