For those following the "church year," you know very well that Lent begins tomorrow. (Just ask New Orleans: Mardi Gras is today, not that most of the riotous celebrators have any idea why they're celebrating... and probably won't remember much afterward, either).
Lent, being dependent on Easter, is early this year; Valentine's Day gets swallowed up in it. I'm trying to convince Darren that since Valentine's Day is a feast day, we can break the Lent fast for it. Not to imply that Darren is a stickler or anything, but he hasn't come around yet.
It's traditional to observe fasts and/or abstain from certain things during the season of Lent. It isn't because giving up meals, sweets, and meat will make up for any ground you lost during the rest of the year, bringing your balance with God back up to par. The idea is that your desire for your "put aside" pleasures acts as a reminder to focus instead on Christ, on repentance, and on charitable giving.
One "fast" I feel called to this season is to take a break from blogging, instead using the time to concentrate on God and some work He's given me to do. I'll miss checking up on everyone else's doings, not to mention improving the world with my own profound thoughts... but that's the point, right?
Darren may post from time to time, depending on what fast he chooses. But for the most part, Keeping Up (and my contributions to the Martha Blog as well) will lie dormant for a while. But not permanently -- I'll be back in about, oh, forty days.
Y'all come back and see me on Easter!
-- SJ
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
Monday, February 07, 2005
A Fun Playdate
Since becoming a stay-at-home mom (as opposed to a stay-at-home wife, which I was nine months before my career advancement), I've learned the art of scheduling playdates. "Will tomorrow work?" "No... how about the next day?" "Sounds good. My house or yours?" "Oh, yours, please. We'd love to see different walls for a while." "What time?" "Well, when are your naps...?"
So my friend Lisa and I set up a playdate for this weekend almost effortlessly. It helped that it was an evening one, so naptimes didn't interfere. Our boys were pretty happy that we'd made the arrangements. Even though they'd never actually met, they got along great and had a fun time.
It's so heartwarming to see husbands have fun with friends.
Darren and Chris watched the Superbowl together last night after Lisa and I discovered they'd like to have a buddy to watch it with (or, in Darren's case, a T.V. to watch it on in the first place). I'm glad to say that the guys played very nicely together and shared their chips.
-- SJ
So my friend Lisa and I set up a playdate for this weekend almost effortlessly. It helped that it was an evening one, so naptimes didn't interfere. Our boys were pretty happy that we'd made the arrangements. Even though they'd never actually met, they got along great and had a fun time.
It's so heartwarming to see husbands have fun with friends.
Darren and Chris watched the Superbowl together last night after Lisa and I discovered they'd like to have a buddy to watch it with (or, in Darren's case, a T.V. to watch it on in the first place). I'm glad to say that the guys played very nicely together and shared their chips.
-- SJ
Stuart Was Not Tired
Stuart was not tired.
He'd had a very long day yesterday and was up bright and early this morning. He threw a fit when Daddy couldn't understand that "chocowon" meant "chocolate one" which meant "chocolate graham cracker. Please."
Stuart was not tired.
He cried when Mama served him rice and meat, which was obviously thinly-disguised rat poison; and then Mama wouldn't let him have more than two and a half biscuits.
Stuart was not tired.
He objected when Addie got to pull his little wagon and when it was her turn to ride down the driveway on the little car, and Mama made him let go of the back despite his stated interest in keeping his grip. He cried when Mama said it was time for naps.
Stuart was not tired.
He ran into the house while Mama brought up the toys and herded Addie into the garage. Mama searched for Stuart, and finally found him in his bed, with his shoes on, waiting for Pink Bear, Horsie, and Sippy Cup to join him.
Now he is lying in his bed, alternately babbling and whining, and kicking the wall.
Because Stuart is not tired.
-- SJ
He'd had a very long day yesterday and was up bright and early this morning. He threw a fit when Daddy couldn't understand that "chocowon" meant "chocolate one" which meant "chocolate graham cracker. Please."
Stuart was not tired.
He cried when Mama served him rice and meat, which was obviously thinly-disguised rat poison; and then Mama wouldn't let him have more than two and a half biscuits.
Stuart was not tired.
He objected when Addie got to pull his little wagon and when it was her turn to ride down the driveway on the little car, and Mama made him let go of the back despite his stated interest in keeping his grip. He cried when Mama said it was time for naps.
Stuart was not tired.
He ran into the house while Mama brought up the toys and herded Addie into the garage. Mama searched for Stuart, and finally found him in his bed, with his shoes on, waiting for Pink Bear, Horsie, and Sippy Cup to join him.
Now he is lying in his bed, alternately babbling and whining, and kicking the wall.
Because Stuart is not tired.
-- SJ
Friday, February 04, 2005
Dr. DJ's All-Purpose Plot Remedy
Are you stuck in a plothole and can't dig your way out? Are your characters at a loss for dialogue to move the story along? Are you unsure of what should happen next? Dr. DJ has what you need. His all-purpose remedy launches you out of your holes, moves the characters forward, propels the story to the next scene.
Introducing Dr. DJ's All-Purpose Remedy:
"The Explosion"
Simply insert into any scene and watch the results happen!
Here is one unsolicited testimonial:
"I was at a complete loss as to where I should take my story next. I needed to get my character to a new place, but couldn't seem to work the story to get her there. For weeks I slaved over the same scene, trying to write dialogue and get the story moving.
Then Dr. DJ looked over my shoulder and suggested his remedy. The results were instantaneous. My castle was demolished, most of my major characters dead, and my heroine running for her life over the countryside. Now my story is going in a completely new direction. Wow, Dr. DJ!"
Don't be a slave to a slow story. Call now and get your own "Explosion" Insert today!
** This advertisement should not be construed as promoting Dr. DJ as a qualified story consultant.**
-- SJ
Introducing Dr. DJ's All-Purpose Remedy:
"The Explosion"
Simply insert into any scene and watch the results happen!
Here is one unsolicited testimonial:
"I was at a complete loss as to where I should take my story next. I needed to get my character to a new place, but couldn't seem to work the story to get her there. For weeks I slaved over the same scene, trying to write dialogue and get the story moving.
Then Dr. DJ looked over my shoulder and suggested his remedy. The results were instantaneous. My castle was demolished, most of my major characters dead, and my heroine running for her life over the countryside. Now my story is going in a completely new direction. Wow, Dr. DJ!"
Don't be a slave to a slow story. Call now and get your own "Explosion" Insert today!
** This advertisement should not be construed as promoting Dr. DJ as a qualified story consultant.**
-- SJ
The Novel Approach to Life
I've been reading a pretty-good fiction series recently. It's been a while since I've read just straight fluff fiction, especially Christian, so I'm newly-reminded of the way life happens in novels. Including:
* If there is tension between two people, they do not have to work it through. They just wait until a life-threatening crisis occurs, and in the aftermath all is resolved.
* Everyone has a deep, dark secret. If you, personally, don't have a dark secret, then there's one connected with your birth.
* Children, particularly of the beautiful-eyed type, always say profound, heart-changing remarks in complete innocence.
* If you've done something terrible to another person, and she doesn't know about it, don't confess it right away. Wait about eight years, after things have taken an irrevocable course, and then confess. She will forgive you.
* You can accurately read another person's thoughts by his facial expressions.
* People *always* redden, blush, or pale when hearing disturbing news.
* If someone finds a scrap of a torn letter, or discovers a letter kept back as a memento, it will always contain pertinent information. The scrap never says, "wash the dishes or." The letter never says, "Well, I don't have much news, especially about this certain person's dark secret; I just thought I'd write and say hi."
I'm also reminded that it's very hard to "present the gospel" in a story without making it sappy, and it's very hard to show your character grow in goodness without making her uninteresting. I guess because all of us struggle with conflict, and can't identify with someone who is perfectly good and happy. There aren't many "good" characters who are also interesting; do you know of any?
After this little exercise, I'm rethinking my ambitions to write a novel myself. It's hard to be original.
-- SJ
* If there is tension between two people, they do not have to work it through. They just wait until a life-threatening crisis occurs, and in the aftermath all is resolved.
* Everyone has a deep, dark secret. If you, personally, don't have a dark secret, then there's one connected with your birth.
* Children, particularly of the beautiful-eyed type, always say profound, heart-changing remarks in complete innocence.
* If you've done something terrible to another person, and she doesn't know about it, don't confess it right away. Wait about eight years, after things have taken an irrevocable course, and then confess. She will forgive you.
* You can accurately read another person's thoughts by his facial expressions.
* People *always* redden, blush, or pale when hearing disturbing news.
* If someone finds a scrap of a torn letter, or discovers a letter kept back as a memento, it will always contain pertinent information. The scrap never says, "wash the dishes or." The letter never says, "Well, I don't have much news, especially about this certain person's dark secret; I just thought I'd write and say hi."
I'm also reminded that it's very hard to "present the gospel" in a story without making it sappy, and it's very hard to show your character grow in goodness without making her uninteresting. I guess because all of us struggle with conflict, and can't identify with someone who is perfectly good and happy. There aren't many "good" characters who are also interesting; do you know of any?
After this little exercise, I'm rethinking my ambitions to write a novel myself. It's hard to be original.
-- SJ
Thursday, February 03, 2005
Inventing Beauty
Lindsay's observations on beauty fell right in with the book I just finished reading: "Inventing Beauty" by Teresa Riordan. In case you think that our fashion ideas of today are their ridiculous peak... you're wrong.
Riordan traces the history of modern beauty aids, each chapter -- like each era -- focusing on a certain part of the female body: hips, eyes, lips, bust, rear, hands, etc. It's a very enlightening study. Nothing looks so ridiculous as when it's dragged out of the society that approves it, objectively discussed, and held up for display. I'm not sure which is more ridiculous, the corset or the cage crinoline (the metal support for hoop skirts, sometimes as much as 3 feet in diameter). The bustle, however, wins out in the absurdity department. Women, join the grateful chorus that we live in 2005!
It was amusing to read about these fashion trends during those ultra-modest years when a woman wouldn't think of showing her ankles, while the entire point of a corset or a bustle was to emphasize her bust or her rear end. The author was a committed feminist, but I couldn't help sympathizing with her view, at least as far as fashion goes.
The one grating aspect of the book was the author's complete acceptance of evolutionary theory. Perhaps she did so because (according to her, anyway) many of the later fashion trends were influenced by Darwin's revolutionary theory. But it was irksome to read statements like, "The hands are not inherently sexy, so it isn't likely that they evolved to attract a mate..." It's the type of statement that leaves me sputtering, "Maybe we didn't evolve certain features to attract mates! Maybe those features are attractive to us because they're human! AAHHHH! Your reasoning is as circular as mine is but I don't call mine scientific!! AHHHH!" Darren doesn't like it when I read too many books like this.
-- SJ
Riordan traces the history of modern beauty aids, each chapter -- like each era -- focusing on a certain part of the female body: hips, eyes, lips, bust, rear, hands, etc. It's a very enlightening study. Nothing looks so ridiculous as when it's dragged out of the society that approves it, objectively discussed, and held up for display. I'm not sure which is more ridiculous, the corset or the cage crinoline (the metal support for hoop skirts, sometimes as much as 3 feet in diameter). The bustle, however, wins out in the absurdity department. Women, join the grateful chorus that we live in 2005!
It was amusing to read about these fashion trends during those ultra-modest years when a woman wouldn't think of showing her ankles, while the entire point of a corset or a bustle was to emphasize her bust or her rear end. The author was a committed feminist, but I couldn't help sympathizing with her view, at least as far as fashion goes.
The one grating aspect of the book was the author's complete acceptance of evolutionary theory. Perhaps she did so because (according to her, anyway) many of the later fashion trends were influenced by Darwin's revolutionary theory. But it was irksome to read statements like, "The hands are not inherently sexy, so it isn't likely that they evolved to attract a mate..." It's the type of statement that leaves me sputtering, "Maybe we didn't evolve certain features to attract mates! Maybe those features are attractive to us because they're human! AAHHHH! Your reasoning is as circular as mine is but I don't call mine scientific!! AHHHH!" Darren doesn't like it when I read too many books like this.
-- SJ
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
Gatecrashing for Jesus: Interview with Brother Andrew
"How can they ever love my Savior if they cannot first love me?" Now there's a radical way to evangelize the Islamic world - love! Sounds radical. Sounds new. Sounds - well, it sounds Christ-like.
I especially like the focus that Brother Andrew places on working with the historic Church in Muslim lands.
Mom and Dad read us God's Smuggler when I was very young, and I've always looked up to the work Brother Andrew does. May God bless him as he works to bring the light of Christ to a very dark place. --DJ
I especially like the focus that Brother Andrew places on working with the historic Church in Muslim lands.
Mom and Dad read us God's Smuggler when I was very young, and I've always looked up to the work Brother Andrew does. May God bless him as he works to bring the light of Christ to a very dark place. --DJ
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