We.can't.wait!!

Harry Potter has come to Chicago--Sorting Hat and all!

Sam and I are HUGE Harry Potter fans, as is my daughter in law, Beth. We're going to go to the HP exhibit after school is out in June.

You can read all about it at the link, but here's a short list of some attractions:

1. Triwizard Tournament gear

2. Wands

3. The Marauder's Map

4. Voldemort's robes

5. Hermione's Time Turner

6. Remus Lupin's shabby robes

7. Hagrid's hut

8. Quidditch

9. The Great Hall

I'm looking forward to seeing EVERYTHING, but I especially want to see the Marauder's Map (the calligrapher in me is fascinated with that map. . .) and I hope, hope, hope the Howler that Mrs. Weasley sent Ron in the first movie is somewhere in the Great Hall.  Some other things I'd like to see:  the Pensieve, Mr. Weasley's car, Dumbledore's office, the Gryffyndor Common Room, the Fat Lady. . .

FELLOW POTTER FANS, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE?  Speaking of seeing, have you seen the trailer yet?

Trailer for Half-Blood Prince

Spring Flowers

Dictionary Word of the Day: eleemosynary

eleemosynary \el-uh-MOS-uh-ner-ee\, adjective:

1. Of or for charity; charitable; as, "an eleemosynary institution."
2. Given in charity; having the nature of alms; as, "eleemosynary assistance."
3. Supported by or dependent on charity; as, "the eleemosynary poor."

Another word that I have never seen before and could not even begin to figure out.

Here's a little bit more about the origin of this word:

Of or pertaining to alms or almsgiving; charitable.

Elliott: Grass and Flowers

I watched Elliott for a few hours this morning. The day was warm and windy so we went outside to walk up and down the sidewalk in front of the house. Up and down. Back and forth. Walking, walking, walking. He can walk (and run!) all by himself, but he seemed to want a hand on the sidewalk.

We've had many rainy days, so the grass was high and the violets (and a few dandelions) were poking above the wind blown grass. I pulled a single, long blade of grass and handed it to him. He held it in his chubby little fist, watching the wind blowing it around in his hand. He shook it and waved it and tried to put it in his mouth. He moved it from hand to hand. Eventually, he plopped down on the sidewalk to examine the grass growing alongside the walk. Very deliberately, he let go of his blade of grass, but lost it in the tall grass. He looked at me, looked at his hand, looked at the grass and then puckered up and whimpered a little bit. I found his grass and handed it back to him. He was the picture of delight!  Up he got and back to the sidewalk.  Up and down in front of the house.  Back and forth.

We picked violets. I taught Elliott not to put them in his mouth. After a few reminders, he was sniffing them and wrinkling up his little nose, his blue eyes dancing, his red hair flying in the breeze. He wasn't as sure of the dandelions, but we managed to pick a nice little bouquet of violets and we brought them into the house, bruised and bent, but still pretty.

My first flower picking outing with Elliott.  I'll never forget it. This memory will be forever tucked in alongside the memories I have of my own three boys at this age--picking flowers, stomping in rain puddles, watching the clouds, petting a dog, listening to the birds.

Sunday Hymn: Almighty God, Thy Word is Cast

ALMIGHTY GOD, THY WORD IS CAST

Almighty God, thy Word is cast
Like seed into the ground;
Now let the dew of heav'n descend,
And righteous fruits abound.

Let not the foe of Christ and man
This holy seed remove,
But give it root in ev'ry heart
To bring forth fruits of love.

Let not the world's deceitful cares
The rising plant destroy,
But let it yield a hundredfold
The fruits of peace and joy.

Oft as the precious seed is sown,
Thy quick'ning grace bestow,
That all those souls the truth receive
Its saving pow'r may know.

Trinity Hymnal #317

Mighty Mover

Elliott is 10 months old and already he's become a strong boy.  Here's a picture that John snapped with his camera phone:

He can lift a brick, too.  He is so BUSY right now.  He can walk wherever he wants to go and wherever he is, he finds something to do.  This is such a fun age; he's figuring out so many things--like how to turn the stereo on.  John and Beth have their work cut out for them, let me tell you!  I just hope he doesn't figure out how to climb out of his crib as fast as his daddy did!

Quote of the Week: Calvin

All our words ought to be filled with true sweetness and grace; and this will be so if we mingle the useful with the sweet.

John Calvin

Word of the Day: Paraenesis

This morning I was musing about solitary reading--how pleasurable it is to read along with other 'solitary readers.' Even when one is surrounded by other people reading, unless one is reading aloud, reading remains a solitary experience--until someone speaks up and shares thoughts about what is being read.

In that post, I mentioned that I had come across a word that I did not know and could not find in a dictionary--paraenetic. I asked my readers if anyone knew the definition of the word and in very short order, I had an answer and a link from a reader named sem:

The paraenetic style is that in which we give someone paraenesis.. . persuading. . . him to pursue something or to avoid something. Paraenesis . . . is divided into two parts, i.e., persuasion and dissuasion. (2)

Restoration Quarterly Volume 38/Number 3
Towards a Definition of Paraenesis
Tim Sensing Burlington, NC

It's an interesting read.

Is reading a solitary activity?

Sometimes I think that Kim from the Upward Call and I share a weird brain connection. We frequently think about the same things and sometimes we think about them at the same time. Like this morning. Kim is thinking outloud about reading:

This one, was floating about in a number of places. It's a story about the growing popularity of electronic reading devices, specifically, Kindle, and the future of reading and writing. It disturbed me on many levels. Here is a one line that stood out to me:

"Nobody will read alone anymore"

This is a rather sad thought. Reading is supposed to be a rather solitary pursuit, is it not? And frankly, I don't think I want to see privacy and solitude become extinct. If all of this cyber "community" is so great, why are there still so many lonely people?

Funny, because I was thinking about that just last night. Tom was sitting on one end of the couch reading a biography of Benjamin Franklin. Ivy and I were laying on the opposite end. I was reading Doug Moo's commentary on Colossians. Sam was sitting in a nearby chair reading Harry Potter. We were all inwardly engaged in our own little bookish worlds; Tom absorbed with history, me with theology, Sam with fantasy. It was quiet in the house. You could hear the birds singing outside and I was keenly aware that reading was going on. Solitary pursuits--until one of us read something that required a comment. Tom shared a few things that ol' Ben got started (lending library, fire department, fire insurance), I found a word that needed looking up (still don't know what the definition of paraenetic is) which led to a brief discussion about words used in specific disciplines and areas of study, and Sam made an observation about a plot hole in the book he was reading. Every time someone spoke up, we all stopped what we were reading, listened to the other person, entered into their bookish world for a moment, then re-entered our own again--until the next observation.

I thought last night, while this was going on, how much I enjoyed times like that, when we were all reading and sharing.  Alone, but not alone. 

My favorite place to read is alone but 'not alone' with my family.

_____________________________________________________

BTW:  here's the word paraenetic in its context:

Paul's warnings about people who insist on following certain kinds of rules as basic to spiritual growth have been cited by theologians and laypeople alike to hold up the principle of Christian liberty.  And the paraenetic section of the letter, though brief, is typified by a collection of broad ethical principles that have provided significant guidance for believers seeking to translate their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ into practice.

Any ideas?

Evidence of Elliott

Last night, Elliott and his mom and dad were here for dinner.  He is such a sunshiny little guy;  happy all the time.  Just thinking of him makes me smile.

This morning, I was unloading the dishwasher and smiled again when I collected his little sippy cup and put it on the shelf with his little plate and bowl.  I smiled again as I tidied up the house, finding sticky little finger prints on the edges of the glass table tops.  Two toys were rescued from under the coffee table and returned to his toy box.

It's so nice to have a little one around again, even when he isn't here.  It's nice to discover evidences he leaves behind in his very busy wake.

This and that

 Note to Self:  So, yesterday, it rained all day and all night.  And it's still raining.  But the forecast is calling for more rain, possibly some snow and by the end of the week temperatures in the 80's.  That's spring for you.

Saturday morning was perfect for yard work, though.  It was great to get out and start getting the yard back into shape after a long, hard winter.  I'm worried about two or three bushes--not sure they survived the winter.  So far, my lavendar and mint has not made a reappearance, but the daisies are making a strong comeback after having been transplanted to their own little garden plot last year.

We did the inevitable yearly chore of re-seeding in the spot where the dogs kill off the grass every winter.  We got the ground worked up and the seeds down before the rain, so when the temperatures pick up later in the week, the seeds should sprout.  We had a tree taken down a few weeks ago (and the other trees trimmed) so we redistributed the debris left from grinding out the stump and now have a big planting area to plan.  I need to go pick my neighbor, Sharon's, brain about what to plant.  She's the neighborhood garden artiste.  I'm thinking some azaleas and maybe a rhododendron or two.  It's a north east exposure, so I'm not sure what should go there.  Any ideas?

I didn't get the windows washed last week, or the curtains, so spring cleaning is carrying over to this week.  After all the hard work and elbow grease of last week, it was a bit discouraging on Friday when a sunbeam revealed how dusty this old house was again already.  Dust is a result of the fall, I am sure of that.  I am convinced that, in this life, you have to fight sin and you have to fight dust and weeds, all because of Adam's fall.

I read a whole book yesterday.  Haven't done that in a long time.  I'm going to go to the library and pick up a couple of biographies for the rainy days ahead.  You can't fight dust all the time, you know!

Uh, oh.  Time to sign off and get busy with my day.  Hope yours is a good one!

Dictionary Word of the Day: Crepuscular

crepuscular \kri-PUS-kyuh-lur\, adjective:

1. Of, pertaining to, or resembling twilight; dim.
2. (Zoology) Appearing or active at twilight.

CREPUSCULAR, CREPUSCULOUS, a. Pertaining to twilight; glimmering; noting the imperfect light of the morning and evening; hence, imperfectly clear or luminous. (Websters 1828)

Here's a bit more from a zoological POV from Wikipedia.

Crepuscular mammals include the Red Panda, cat, dog, deer, moose, rabbit, chinchilla, ferret, guinea pig, hamster, common mouse, skunk, rat, and capybara. Crepuscular birds include the Common Nighthawk, Chimney Swift, American Woodcock, and Spotted Crake.

Sunday Hymn: Blessed Lord, in Thee is Refuge

BLESSED LORD, IN THEE IS REFUGE

Blessed Lord, in thee is refuge,
Safety for my trembling soul:
Pow'r to lift my head when drooping
'Midst the angry billow's roll.
I will trust thee,
I will trust thee,
I will trust thee,
All my life thou shalt control.

In the past, too, unbelieving,
'Midst the tempest I have been,
And my heart has slowly trusted
What my eyes have never seen.
Blessed Jesus,
Blessed Jesus,
Blessed Jesus,
Teach me on thine arm to lean.

O, for trust that brings the triumph
When defeat seems strangely near;
O, for faith that changes fighting
Into vict'ry's ringing cheer!
Faith triumphant,
Faith triumphant,
Faith triumphant,
Knowing not defeat or fear.

Blue Trinity Hymnal #420

Quote of the Week: McGee

On Prayer for the Present Hour:

When a man prays for a corn crop, God expects him to say 'Amen' with a hoe. You can't just stay on your knees all the time and pray for a corn crop. That's pious nonsense. But to pray for the corn crop and then go to work is the thing our Lord is talking about in days when men's hearts are failing them. Men ought always to pray and not to faint.

J. Vernon McGee, Thru the Bible, Luke 18

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.

Recipe: Pork, Potatoes, and Parsley

Here's a recipe I used  to make a lot when the kids were little and the budget was tight.  I'd nearly forgotten about it until I brought home some poorly cut pork sirloin steaks.  I ended up with about half of it in diced pork by the time I trimmed away all the fat and bone and then I remembered this dish:

Diced pork steak or pork chops (from two large pork steaks or three bone in chops-fat and bone removed.

Shake in bag with flour and seasoned salt.  (I added a shake or two of Emeril's Essence seasoning this time, but you don't need it)  Brown the floured, cubed pork in bacon grease until the coating is crisp and brown.

In another pan, brown two cubed baked potatoes in butter until brown and crispy.  (I cook the potatoes in the microwave to save time.  They brown very quickly when you add them (still hot) to the preheated frying pot).

Transfer the potatoes to the pork.  Add a handful of fresh, chopped parsley (you can use dried parsley if you don't have fresh) and some crushed red pepper and stir together.  Add about 1/3 to 1/2 cup water and stir until a gravy forms and coats the potatoes and pork. 

Serve with a green salad and a nice glass of Shiraz.  Delicious.  Good enough for company.

Waiting for Dad to Come Home

Ivy was pacing back and forth, waiting for Tom to come home from work. She kept sidling up to me and 'grumbling' and talking, so I reached in the drawer and pulled out the camera: Eve finally woke up and had to find out what was going on!

Tax Day

Are you going to a Tea Party today? I'd LOVE to attend our town's Tea Party, but I'm hosting our church's prayer meeting and fellowship dinner tonight, so I'll have to miss it. You can be sure we will pray for our nation!

Elliott in Action

March 4, Crawling

April 12, Easter Basket

April 13, Walking by Himself (you'll need to turn your head or your laptop on its side. . .

Care to join me?

Have I tempted you to spring clean your home yet?  If so, have I got some links for you!  I was contacted this afternoon by a gentleman from Woman's Day, who shared two great Spring cleaning links:

How to Spring Clean--everything you need to know about how to get started

Spring Cleaning Check Lists--for every room in the house.

So, check it out--lots of good ideas.  I haven't had a chance to explore links very much so far (far too busy cleaning!) but they look great.

Today I finished the dining room (all except the school cabinet--why clean it now when we're almost finished this year?) and the living room, all except two drawers and the baskets full of DVDs (that's Sam's job!)

Tomorrow I will hit the sun room and the bathroom, Thursday I'm taking a day off since the morning will be spent in organizing my Bible Study notes and the afternoon is devoted to meeting with Carol and Dorothy to discuss our lesson.  Friday I'll be tackling my office (yikes!) and our bedroom.  Saturday I'll clean the front porch, wash and iron the curtains and finish up anything that's leftover.  Sunday is a day of rest.

Spring Cleaning

Spring cleaning starts tomorrow.  I'm thinking it'll take four or five days.  Every cupboard will be cleaned, every drawer sorted, every window washed, every blind dusted, every piece of painted woodwork washed.  I love/hate spring cleaning.  It's exhausting and exhilerating at the same time.  Clean windows and clean curtains and clean behind the 'fridge all at the same time.  It's a once a year chore, a once a year luxury, a once a year sense of accomplishment.

Does anybody else do an all out spring clean?

Update on Tuesday, April 14, 2009 at 06:34AM by Kim from Hiraeth

NOTE(s) TO SELF

Mon:  kitchen

TUES:  Almost finished the kitchen yesterday.  Ran out of steam around 8:45 with only one cupboard to clean and the windows to wash.  Today, finish kitchen.  Next up:  dining room and sun room.