Never a Dull Moment

Jacob and I are sitting here eating the last of the pork roast from lunch while watching a cool documentary on Earth's most magnificent places.... Pause.

In the course of typing that last sentence, my fellow pork eater got up to pour himself a tall glass of orange juice to quell his thirst and somehow managed to drop the whole pitcher on the kitchen floor.

I was going to wax poetic about how wonderfully peaceful this rainy Sabbath has been, but.... well.... let's just say I ain't feeling it anymore. :D

So.

What's your favorite cleaner for the kitchen floor? Practicality. It's my calling, I'm afraid.

Haiti

My heart is so heavy for the people of Haiti right now. I've been watching the news at every chance I get and I can't get it out of my mind when I'm not watching. They keep displaying pictures and video that would shake any human with even a tiny amount of compassion to the core. I'm sure the visuals don't even do the reality of it justice.

While I've never been to Haiti personally, Mark has been there a few times and so has my mom along with several of our friends. The church that we used to attend had a wonderful ministry that they supported in Haiti so they went many times to build orphanages and to preach the gospel to the people who were in desperate need of the hope of Christ. Mark said that it is a place like no other and it rocked his world. This is after being in countless countries all over the globe because of his time in the Navy. He has seen poverty, but nothing like what he witnessed in Haiti.

Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. In fact, it is the only one that would be considered 3rd world here, at all. The poverty level is an astounding 80%, with 56% of them living in an even poorer subclass called abject poverty. If I may be so bold, most of us here in America don't have a clue what this looks like. All of that to say, that even on a good day, the Haitians had a hard time with things like suitable medical care (AIDS is rampant down there), proper hygienic opportunities (like clean water), and decent living conditions. So, now, with the horrific disaster that they have just endured, I can't even imagine how horrible the circumstances are.

It's so easy to shut our eyes and stop up our ears when the unpleasant things come to our attention with the thought that someone else will take care of it, but I believe that we, as individuals, are accountable for this once we are made aware:

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18

And lets face it, even the poorest among us are rich compared to these people.

Obviously, most of us can't just jet down to Haiti to be of physical help no matter how much we'd love to, however, there are ways to give to those that can. You can donate $10 to the Red Cross by using your cell phone to text "Haiti" to the number 90999. Your donation will appear on your next bill. Here is the website if you'd like to read more about it.

There are other groups, like Compassion, that are Christian based who will be making their way down there soon, that are reputable and will use your donations in an honest way. Click here to read about this wonderful organization. And you can click here to make a donation:

Haiti Earthquate

I know it is a time of financial hardship for most of us, but a little goes a long way in a situation like this.

Naturally, our prayers are of the utmost importance, as well. I know a friend of a friend has adopted a little child from an orphanage in Port Au Prince (or nearby), but due to a paperwork setback, they've been unable to get him home to the States. Now, they are desperately trying to find out if he is alright (their blog is here) There are so many people unaccounted for, and with limited communication available, there is no telling how long it will be before people will find out about their loved ones. So we pray for comfort in the HARD times of those who are waiting, and of course that the precious lives of their loved ones were spared. ~sigh~

For he has not despised or disdained the suffering or the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. Psalm 22:24

Book #1

Ok, I've decided that this is the first book out of my 25 that I'll be reading this year (see last post if you have no idea what I'm talking about):



You can click the image to take you straight to this book at the best price I could find on the web. I probably get 95% of my books from half.com because they are seriously a fraction of the price of other places. It is powered by Ebay, which makes it a very reputable site, and you use the same account in both places. You can get books that are brand new or you can find them used, but in good condition. Amazon has a version of this as well, but, on average, half.com is usually a little cheaper.

Now, about this book. Here is the quote from the back cover:

"A rare chance to know Jesus as his first disciples knew him. What would it be like to journey back to the first century and sit at the feet of Rabbi Jesus as one of his Jewish disciples? How would your understanding of the gospel have been shaped by the customs, beliefs, and traditions of the Jewish culture in which you lived? Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus takes you on a fascinating tour of the Jewish world of Jesus, offering inspirational insights that can transform your faith. Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg paint powerful scenes from Jesus’ ministry, immersing you in the prayers, feasts, history, culture, and customs that shaped Jesus and those who followed him. You will hear the parables as they must have sounded to first-century Jews, powerful and surprising. You will join the conversations that were already going on among the rabbis of his day. You will watch with new understanding as the events of his life unfold. And you will emerge with new excitement about the roots of your own Christian faith. Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus will change the way you read Scripture and deepen your understanding of the life of Jesus. It will also help you to adapt the rich prayers and customs you learn about to your own life, in ways that both respect and enrich your Christian faith. By looking at the Jewishness of Jesus, Ann Spangler and Lois Tverberg take you on a captivating journey into the heart of Judaism, one that is both balanced and insightful, helping you to better understand and appreciate your own faith. "

I've heard excellent reviews both from people on the web (at Amazon) and people I know personally, which generally holds a lot of water with me! I ordered it today, so I'm hoping to receive it by the end of this week. I've got some catching up to do since we will be halfway through January at that point (YIKES! That's NUTS, right?!)

In other news, we actually left the old abode today to head to church. I'm so glad to have broken the cabin fever because it was getting to the point of insanity for all of us. Thankfully, the temperatures are supposed to creep their way back up to normal, so by the end of the week, we should be seasonal for Sweet Home Alabama again. To say that I'm ready would be a gross understatement. I may even blind my family with some shorts and a t-shirt to celebrate. Or not. Talk about gross... ;)

Happy reading,

Bookety, Book, Book, Book.

Happy 2010!! I can't believe we are already 10 years into the 21st century. We have spent the first 9 days of it as virtual recluses because, baby, it's COLD outside! To qualify that statement, our meteorologist said that our area in Sweet Home Alabama was actually colder than Anchorage, Alaska! Bring back the 50's please. However, we did get about 3 flakes of snow, so that's always a fun perk since it's such a rarity. ;)

Being holed up, I've been hopping around the old blog-o-sphere more where I've noticed that there are people who are purposing to read more in the new year. Some have even called it a resolution. Well. I don't do resolutions because of the emotional breakdown and abject self-torture that I experience when I FAIL, FAIL, FAIL at them.

~deep breath~

Yet, I think that their idea is a great one. They (and I can't for the life of me remember who "they" are), are planning to read 52 books in one year. That's a book a week, based on my advanced mathematical calculations, which, I think that this is an impressive goal. I'm going to change it up for me, though, because I can come up with about 26 things that will keep me from finishing a book a week in this upcoming year. That leaves me with 26 weeks left, so I have decided to set a goal for myself to read 25 books this year. 25 just a better number than 26 in my world. Don't ask.... I can't explain it.

I'm planning to post the title before I begin a book, so that if any of you (if you're still there after all this time... ha-ha!) want to read along with me, you can. I'm also doing it for accountability. I really want to accomplish this! I can't believe how many books I've started and not finished in the last several years. I LOVE to read, but somehow, I've become easily sidetracked. This madness must cease!!

Once I complete the book, I will review it here, and we can discuss it if any of you decided to read, too. I don't have my list yet as I'm planning to sort of grab whatever strikes my fancy, but I'm completely open for recommendations. I'm more of a non fiction gal, because I have issues, which I discussed HERE, but that doesn't mean I won't succumb. ;)

I need to go put some groceries away, but I'll be back soon with my title. Stay warm, friends!!