I have a whole mish-mash of thoughts running through my head today, on a wide variety of issues, ideas and plans.
I'm definitely going to buy the stuff and try my hand at making one of these - how pretty is that?
I live in a dark basement where no plants can survive, but I've become a houseplant evangelist overnight, and as soon as I move to someplace that has light again, I'm going to buy a whole bunch. In fact, I'm going to start by getting several for my office. Why, you ask? I read this article last night, that informed me that sometimes the air inside of the building is more toxic than the air outside, and that houseplants, and in particular certain plants, do an incredible job of removing those toxins from the air. Very cool.
And, since I've been all about finding ways to live simply and "green" lately, as soon as I have a place of my own again, I'm going to give making my own household cleaners a try too. I have some friends who have started doing that lately, and had good results, so I think I'll give it a shot. I was always doubtful that you could properly clean something without chemicals, but it seems like investing in having less toxins in the air is probably good, not only for the environment in general, but for me, since I tend to be a bit chemically sensitive. I found an article here with recipes for a bunch of basic homemade cleaning products, and I'm going to give it a shot.
I'm amazed by this story about how a volcanic erruption in Iceland is wreaking havoc on European air travel, and I'm thinking about a friend who flew through Heathrow the other day, and will be coming back through next week.
I'm scheming about ways to save money on groceries for a little while, and still eat healthy and I think I'm going to attempt to buy minimally and really use up the stuff I've collected in the pantry and freezer. As best I can figure, I should really only have to buy some fresh veggies and fruit, and maybe some bread and chicken (just to break up the monotony of beef and pork that's in my freezer) for a while. Maybe even a month or two. Sweet.
I'm pondering how much harder it has been to keep up the habits of eating healthy since moving into Grandma's house because of the poorly equipped kitchen and the general lack of motivation to cook while being closely watched by my rather nosy Grandmother, and I'm trying to come up with ways around that, since I've definitely noticed the difference in how well I feel as my healthier habits have taken a nosedive. I'm remembering how well it worked to cook two meals at once earlier this week and just stash them in the fridge for the remainder of the week, and I'm considering the merits of batch cooking and freezing a whole bunch of individual meals for myself. If any of you are in Calgary and are interested in getting together some Saturday to cook several meals for freezing and easy access later, let me know, I'd love to cook with you!
Living in what has been an extremely challenging, and often toxic environment for the last nearly two months has left me thinking a lot again about what I want when I finally manage to have a home of my own. Simple, and as enviromentally friendly as possible are what I'm leaning towards.
Also, I want to garden. I want to grow herbs, and maybe some of my own vegetables, or check into Community Supported Agriculture, or at least patronize the Farmer's Market more regularly again. That last one should be easier to do soon. I'm within a week of having a car that is driveable again.
And with that, I'd better dive back into the many things demanding my attention.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
He still sees a person
I mentioned yesterday that one of my brothers, J, currently works for a local social services agency, as an aide of sorts in a home for teenagers with severe emotional and behavioural issues.
On Tuesday, he was forced to restrain a teenage girl, to prevent her from harming herself or others. In the process of restraining her (it took three grown men), she spat in J's eye, and bit him on his shoulder.
He's seen a doctor, who wasn't too concerned about the bite, and is getting bloodwork done, just to make sure she didn't transmit any diseases when she spat in his eye and bit him. He's okay.
But his response is what struck me.
We traded text messages about the incident for a little while yesterday, and, after assuring me that he was fine, his response was this, "I understand the need to restrain her, but it still sucks, to have to hold her down, and to get spat at and bitten."
What struck me was this - he still sees a person. Not someone evil who broke a lot of rules and is a danger to herself and others. But a girl, who needs help. A girl, who, while he'll restrain her to prevent injury to herself and others, is still a girl, and one who he regretted having to restrain. He sees the person behind the issues in these teenagers, and that challenges me.
Because with that many issues, and after being bitten and spat at, I'd have a hard time seeing anything but a person who bit me and spat at me.
J. and I didn't get along for a lot of years, and it's only within the last year that we've begun patching together a tentatively functional friendship. We are about as opposite as two siblings can be.
And yet, yesterday, with one line in a text message, Jesus borrowed his voice, and he taught me something.
He sees a person.
I think Jesus probably did too - when he was beaten and spat at and hanging on a cross. He cried out "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they do."
I read a powerful post at Donald Miller's blog this morning about what kind of story you're telling, and what happens if you don't tell a good story. And this morning I'm grateful for my brother, who told a story of love and acceptance. Who saw a human being, and loved her, even when she bit him and spat on him.
On Tuesday, he was forced to restrain a teenage girl, to prevent her from harming herself or others. In the process of restraining her (it took three grown men), she spat in J's eye, and bit him on his shoulder.
He's seen a doctor, who wasn't too concerned about the bite, and is getting bloodwork done, just to make sure she didn't transmit any diseases when she spat in his eye and bit him. He's okay.
But his response is what struck me.
We traded text messages about the incident for a little while yesterday, and, after assuring me that he was fine, his response was this, "I understand the need to restrain her, but it still sucks, to have to hold her down, and to get spat at and bitten."
What struck me was this - he still sees a person. Not someone evil who broke a lot of rules and is a danger to herself and others. But a girl, who needs help. A girl, who, while he'll restrain her to prevent injury to herself and others, is still a girl, and one who he regretted having to restrain. He sees the person behind the issues in these teenagers, and that challenges me.
Because with that many issues, and after being bitten and spat at, I'd have a hard time seeing anything but a person who bit me and spat at me.
J. and I didn't get along for a lot of years, and it's only within the last year that we've begun patching together a tentatively functional friendship. We are about as opposite as two siblings can be.
And yet, yesterday, with one line in a text message, Jesus borrowed his voice, and he taught me something.
He sees a person.
I think Jesus probably did too - when he was beaten and spat at and hanging on a cross. He cried out "Father, forgive them, they don't know what they do."
I read a powerful post at Donald Miller's blog this morning about what kind of story you're telling, and what happens if you don't tell a good story. And this morning I'm grateful for my brother, who told a story of love and acceptance. Who saw a human being, and loved her, even when she bit him and spat on him.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Daily 5 - 245
Today's Daily 5:
- I think this time I've finally gotten things straightened out with Enmax. And, after ten months of fighting with them to sort out a billing problem, the supervisor I dealt with was surprisingly helpful and accommodating.
- Picked out a great new purse on clearance at my favorite clothing shop tonight, and then got it to the cash register and found out it was ten dollars cheaper than the marked price.
- Really enjoyed the butter chicken that I cooked last night when I ate it for lunch today.
- Loving Sara Miles' "Jesus Freak" as I'm slowly reading it.
- Loving the audio version of "Stuff Christians Like" as I'm listening my way through that as well.
- Challenged by my middle brother
- Glad to have heard that a friend who was traveling with some potential complications arrived safely at her destination
Worth Checking Out
Angie wrote this beautiful post the other day.
There's been lots of good stuff at Donald Miller's blog lately. He's been posting far more regularly. I particularly enjoyed today's post, "How I Learned to Like Exercise, and Like Some Other Things Too" (which I'm having trouble linking to, so you'll have to find it on your own!)
There's been lots of good stuff at Donald Miller's blog lately. He's been posting far more regularly. I particularly enjoyed today's post, "How I Learned to Like Exercise, and Like Some Other Things Too" (which I'm having trouble linking to, so you'll have to find it on your own!)
Rambly Thoughts
I'm feeling quite rambly again.
I'm thinking and praying, still, for a dear friend in transit on the other side of the world. Wondering if she made her connections, or if there were problems, and waiting to hear.
I'm thinking about my brother, J., who works for a local social services agency, in a home for severely challenged teenagers. Kids with emotional and developmental difficulties. I need to text him later today and find out if he's okay. He had to physically restrain a girl yesterday and came out a little the worse for the wear. It took three grown men to restrain her, and J. was bit and she spat in his eye. Last I heard he was headed for a clinic and a lab to get the wound cleaned out, and get some blood work done. If I know J., within a week, he'll have found a way to make it a hilarious story. He's uniquely talented for the job - where I would see only the rules, he sees and enforces the rules, but still finds a way to see the kids. I think he's headed back to his usual summer landscaping job within a few weeks, but last I heard he was hoping to return to this agency in the fall, and work for them through the school year. So, I'll wait a while, and then I'll text him and find out how he's doing.
I'm debating evening plans. There's a conference going on at a local church that I want to attend, but I'm not feeling highly motivated to go alone tonight. I have friends to attend with the next several days, but not tonight. I might go anyway. Or I might go shopping. I need a good pair of walking shoes. I've been putting it off, but I need to take care of that soon. Or maybe I'll just go home and have one more evening of rest before diving into the busy rest of the week.
I'm still laughing over last's night's cooking adventures. I mentioned in yesterday's daily 5 that since my grandma was out for the evening, I took advantage of the quiet and did a whole bunch of cooking, knowing that the remainder of the week would be crazily busy, and I wouldn't have a chance to cook, and just barely time to eat. However, her knives are less than useful (a dull paring knife with a 2" blade, and a 30 year old serrated bread knife) and though I searched high and low, I couldn't find a frying pan to save my life. I did however manage to cook butter chicken with couscous, and italian pork chops with sweet baby bell peppers and roasted potatoes. And it all tasted great. I only had a bite of the butter chicken last night, just to try it, and then had pork chops and potatoes for supper. I'm quite looking forward to my lunch of butter chicken today.
I'm thinking about banking, because I need to do some at lunch.
And about payday, because I need to hand out paystubs to our staff today, and how that nice sum of money will "magicly" appear in my account in the morning.
I'm thinking about praying with oatmeal and tea and lots of funny little reminders to pray.
I'm wishing my former roommate, L., was only a phone call away, because I think she'd be fun to laugh with, over some of the many funny adventures I've had lately. Cooking at grandmas, the attack of the stupid little dog, J. being bitten by one of his charges. And because I'd love to hear about the places she's exploring overseas, and how her new job is going. I guess I'll have to email her soon.
And I'm thinking about the friends I've made, scattered around the blog world, and praying for them too - the ones I've met in person, and the ones I've corresponded with via emails and blog comments. And about how cool it is to connect in this way, in this sharing of hearts over the internet.
And with that, I'd better dive into my busy day!
I'm thinking and praying, still, for a dear friend in transit on the other side of the world. Wondering if she made her connections, or if there were problems, and waiting to hear.
I'm thinking about my brother, J., who works for a local social services agency, in a home for severely challenged teenagers. Kids with emotional and developmental difficulties. I need to text him later today and find out if he's okay. He had to physically restrain a girl yesterday and came out a little the worse for the wear. It took three grown men to restrain her, and J. was bit and she spat in his eye. Last I heard he was headed for a clinic and a lab to get the wound cleaned out, and get some blood work done. If I know J., within a week, he'll have found a way to make it a hilarious story. He's uniquely talented for the job - where I would see only the rules, he sees and enforces the rules, but still finds a way to see the kids. I think he's headed back to his usual summer landscaping job within a few weeks, but last I heard he was hoping to return to this agency in the fall, and work for them through the school year. So, I'll wait a while, and then I'll text him and find out how he's doing.
I'm debating evening plans. There's a conference going on at a local church that I want to attend, but I'm not feeling highly motivated to go alone tonight. I have friends to attend with the next several days, but not tonight. I might go anyway. Or I might go shopping. I need a good pair of walking shoes. I've been putting it off, but I need to take care of that soon. Or maybe I'll just go home and have one more evening of rest before diving into the busy rest of the week.
I'm still laughing over last's night's cooking adventures. I mentioned in yesterday's daily 5 that since my grandma was out for the evening, I took advantage of the quiet and did a whole bunch of cooking, knowing that the remainder of the week would be crazily busy, and I wouldn't have a chance to cook, and just barely time to eat. However, her knives are less than useful (a dull paring knife with a 2" blade, and a 30 year old serrated bread knife) and though I searched high and low, I couldn't find a frying pan to save my life. I did however manage to cook butter chicken with couscous, and italian pork chops with sweet baby bell peppers and roasted potatoes. And it all tasted great. I only had a bite of the butter chicken last night, just to try it, and then had pork chops and potatoes for supper. I'm quite looking forward to my lunch of butter chicken today.
I'm thinking about banking, because I need to do some at lunch.
And about payday, because I need to hand out paystubs to our staff today, and how that nice sum of money will "magicly" appear in my account in the morning.
I'm thinking about praying with oatmeal and tea and lots of funny little reminders to pray.
I'm wishing my former roommate, L., was only a phone call away, because I think she'd be fun to laugh with, over some of the many funny adventures I've had lately. Cooking at grandmas, the attack of the stupid little dog, J. being bitten by one of his charges. And because I'd love to hear about the places she's exploring overseas, and how her new job is going. I guess I'll have to email her soon.
And I'm thinking about the friends I've made, scattered around the blog world, and praying for them too - the ones I've met in person, and the ones I've corresponded with via emails and blog comments. And about how cool it is to connect in this way, in this sharing of hearts over the internet.
And with that, I'd better dive into my busy day!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
