...well, not really. We're going to Colorado for a few days for our anniversary. But this song has been in my head lately (I told you this is one of my favorite movies)...
PS- Our friend Rocco won Homecoming King at the Hound Dog Homecoming fundraiser for the Central Missouri Humane Society! Way to go Rocco!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Oh.My.Goodness.
Recently, my fantastically awesome husband brought me home a surprise from the grocery store:
After one bite of this most amazingly delicious and wonderfully nostalgic ice cream, I thought to myself: "I've died and gone to heaven."
Then last night on The Food Network, I saw this on Unwrapped. "Holy Moses," I thought. "That place is heaven!" I was so excited about it, I woke up my husband to tell him about my dream of eating at this place every day for all eternity.
Yes friends, there will be Samoa ice cream and cereal in heaven- I'm sure of it.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The Invisible Wall and The House on Mango Street
Yet again, I have two books to review for you today. The first is The Invisible Wall by Harry Bernstein, by far one of the best books I have read so far this year. Bernstein's memoir relates the story of his childhood, growing up in a poor neighborhood of Lancashire, a small mill town in England, on the eve of the first World War. Bernstein and his family are Jewish and therefore live on one side of the street while their Christian neighbors live on the other. He writes about the unwritten and unspoken laws that separate the families from one another, even as they interact throughout their daily lives. Their differences, beliefs, and prejudices form an invisible wall down the middle of their shared street that is rarely scaled in terms of true and deep friendship; interestingly the families live in a precarious tension of daily dependence on one another, the Jewish families only allowing Christians into their homes to light the fires during the Sabbath, and the Christians muttering insults under their breaths as the Jewish families patronage their stores and shops. Bernstein is clear to describe the pervasive feeling of anti-Semitism in his home country even before both World Wars brought this issue to the forefront; he is also brutally honest about the Jewish families' prejudice against their Christian neighbors. Bernstein details his family's life, focusing on his older sister Lily, who breaks with tradition and causes turmoil and strife among the entire street when she falls in love with a Christian neighbor. The resulting memoir is a beautifully written tale of friendship and distrust, misconceptions and illuminations, fear and love.
Perhaps one of the most amazing things about this specific memoir is the author. The book was released in 2008, meaning Bernstein was ninety-six when he penned his childhood story. Another memoir, The Dream, following his family after they emigrated to Chicago in 1922, has already been published. He is hoping to write a third book as well, if time allows him to do so. I sincerely hope it does, because his writing is phenomenally beautiful, and his story is not only amazing, but important for us to know, as it allows us a great glimpse into history, and quite possibly the future.The next book is a short novel by Sandra Cisneros. Told through a series of short vignettes, The House on Mango Street is the coming-of-age story of Esperanza Cordero, a girl living in the Latino quarter of Chicago. Esperanza uses poems and stories to express her emotions and feelings and to describe her environment, often oppressive. The book is a short read- I finished it in one sitting- and is highly enjoyable. I recommend this one to those of you looking for a quick read that has more depth and meaning.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Whirlwind Weekend
This past weekend, several very special events took place. Our whirlwind weekend began Friday evening with the screening of the film Neither Here Nor There in honor of World Refugee Day on June 20th. The film follows a Bosnian family our agency resettled a few years ago as they adjust to life in the United States and begin to build a new home in Missouri. This film debuted last fall at the Missouri Theatre, but the filmmakers wanted to do something special for World Refugee Day. After the film, there was a panel discussion with Kerri (who used to work for our office and co-directed the film), two of our wonderful refugees (one from Burma and one from Iraq), and myself. Shaw and Sar did a wonderful job answering questions during the panel discussion; I felt their comments truly allowed the community members at the screening to more fully understand the concepts of refugees, war, and starting over in a strange land. There was a brief newspaper article in the Tribune about the screening, as well as a snippet on KOMU. When the stress and frustration of my office is removed, and I get to spend time with refugees in a different setting, I realize just how much I'm going to miss talking to them every day, hearing their stories, and learning about their cultures. One event later in the weekend reminded me of this realization once again.
On Sunday, we attended the celebration of the Karenni National Day at the home of some of our Burmese refugees. Back in February, we attended the Chin National Day celebration and enjoyed ourselves immensely (I just now realized I never posted about that experience- a round of apologies, my friends). The Chin and Karenni are different ethnic minorities within the country of Burma, and both are very much persecuted by the ruling Burmese military junta. When S. invited us to celebrate their holiday with them, we were very excited! Indeed, we felt like the guests of honor, as they rearranged the start time so we could attend. We heard many songs, some speeches, and even tried a special drink the Karenni enjoy. Many of the Chin also joined the party, and it was beautiful to see the sense of solidarity among all the Burmese refugees. Lots of pictures below:
On Sunday, we attended the celebration of the Karenni National Day at the home of some of our Burmese refugees. Back in February, we attended the Chin National Day celebration and enjoyed ourselves immensely (I just now realized I never posted about that experience- a round of apologies, my friends). The Chin and Karenni are different ethnic minorities within the country of Burma, and both are very much persecuted by the ruling Burmese military junta. When S. invited us to celebrate their holiday with them, we were very excited! Indeed, we felt like the guests of honor, as they rearranged the start time so we could attend. We heard many songs, some speeches, and even tried a special drink the Karenni enjoy. Many of the Chin also joined the party, and it was beautiful to see the sense of solidarity among all the Burmese refugees. Lots of pictures below:
The awesome sign they made to commemorate the day.
Balloons welcoming us- in both English and Burmese!
Precious.
Singing Karenni songs- they are amazing!
Thumbs up for the rice drink the Karenni prepared for all of us.
He hates this picture, but I love it...
I am so white! P. and I enjoying the party.
I love this girl and will miss her so much- she is such a joy!
All smiles for S. and Isaac.
All the Karenni (plus two very white people)!
After celebrating with our Burmese friends, we made our way to our friends' going away party. I am very sad our beloved friends are moving to Virgina, but I know the Lord has wonderful things in store for them as they set forth on their next adventure in life. Truly, James and Clemma have been our dearest friends for the past few years, and Zach (our precious godson) is such a joy in our lives. We will miss them greatly, but we know that the Lord will bring us together again someday...
The girls (minus Claycie, who somehow got away)
My future son-in-law! Just kidding...well, it could happen...
Just because I love Jimmy.
We love you guys so much!Friday, June 19, 2009
World Refugee Day: June 20th
Tomorrow is World Refugee Day, designated by the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees). Not many people are aware of this day, so I'd like to take the time to share a little bit about the refugee situation worldwide. Most of you know I work with refugees in Missouri, so feel free to ask any questions; I'll do my best to address them.
A refugee is anyone who has fled his or her home because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on their race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or social and poltical affiliations. According to the UN, there are more than 11 million registered refugees worldwide today. In order to receive services as a refugee, an individual must be given this classification by UNHCR; UNHCR officials interview individuals and conduct background checks to authenticate identity before they grant refugee status to the individual.
Refugees usually flee to an area outside their country, but sometimes they remain within the boundaries of their home country (these are IDPs- Internally Displaced Persons). Most refugees remain in the country to which they fled (local integration), and some are able to be repatriated back into their home country. Obviously, the latter is the best situation if it is possible, but most times, it's just not an option for these people to return home; they are forced to begin again in another place where they may or may not know the language and culture. Less than one percent of refugees worldwide are ever resettled into a third country, such as the United States.
The United States and Canada receive the highest numbers of resettled refugees each year, but preoccupation with national security can sometimes hamper the process for these people. At the beginning of each fiscal year (which is October-September for the national government), the President sets an arrival ceiling for the nation, determining how many refugees he will allow into the country over the course of the year. He also determines priorities in terms of which populations need resettlement. The ceiling is usually set around 80,000 refugees, but very rarely do we reach that ceiling. Remember that less than one percent of refugees worldwide are ever resettled into a third country.
When times are 'good' and the economy is strong, it seems people might be a little more willing to help others (I don't know if this necessarily plays out into practice, however). But when the economy is poor, and people are struggling, programs like those who help refugees see a lot of backlash from the general American public. Virtually every day at lunch, one of our staff members has a story from someone saying something to the effects of, "You know, Americans are having a rough time right now. Never mind these other people- leave them where they are. Let someone else take care of the problem." Of course, we understand that many people are experiencing incredibly difficult times right now, but we also understand the plight of a refugee. These people have been beaten, raped, and tortured simply because someone didn't like the color of their skin or the religion they practiced or the town in which they were born. How can we turn our backs on these individuals who have suffered at no fault of their own? Is it not enough to remember that the United States signed numerous international treaties protecting individuals such as these and promising to provide help when needed? Perhaps realizing that thousands, even millions, of people were either indirectly or even directly made refugees because of what our country did or did not do through our various international policies is difficult, but it is necessary to understand. We have a responsibility to assist these people.
I was on a conference call a few weeks ago; our national affiliate was discussing how all the national resettlement agencies were pushing the President to increase the refugee arrival ceiling for FY 2010. Naturally, some individuals at various local agencies were concerned. One individual from Boston asked, "Do you think that is wise in this current economic situation of the nation? We are already having difficulties finding employment for people here- how can we find jobs for more people?" At first I thought I agreed with the individual from Boston; at our agency in particular, our caseload of new arrivals has tripled within the past three years, and we continue to serve refugees free of charge for up to five years after their arrival in the United States. As you can imagine, our client to staff ratio is rather high, and providing services can become very difficult. How in the world will this be better to accept more refugees for FY2010?
But then a woman working in D.C. said something that I will never forget. She mentioned she thought it was a wise decision to allow more refugees to resettle in the United States if we are granted the additional funding requested. [Side note: the amount of funding allocated to refugee resettlement programs is completely stagnant; the specific amount hasn't changed in over twenty years- not even an adjustment for inflation. Furthermore, of all the money allocated by Congress to fund resettlement, local resettlement agencies only see thirty-nine percent of that amount. The administrative overhead is sixty-one percent. So the next time someone complains about a local resettlement agency, just remember they are doing their best with stagnant funding of which they only see thirty-nine percent.] She continued: "I know it's hard for us to think about accepting more refugees into our already-strained agencies with our already-overworked employees, but it's important to note that the current economic crisis is not just an American crisis. It's a global crisis. UNHCR just released new data concerning those refugees who are on their 'desperately needing resettlement' list. 560,000 individuals are on that list now- 560,000 people are in situations so horrible that UNHCR wants them out now. Imagine the refugees living in these secondary countries, which are also facing economic crises. Imagine the backlash against the refugee living there. We must help these people. We must get them out- because living without a well-paying job and struggling to learn English in Boston is better than living in Kuala Lumpur, hacking it out among the city-dwellers, only to be arrested and thrown in jail by the Malaysian police." It's then that I realized the old adage of "There is always someone better off than you, and there is always someone worse off than you" rings true. We cannot simply forget the struggling when we ourselves are struggling; we cannot simply forget the oppressed and broken. We cannot.
Let us not turn our backs on these beautiful people. Let us not forget their plight.
A refugee is anyone who has fled his or her home because of persecution or a well-founded fear of persecution based on their race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, or social and poltical affiliations. According to the UN, there are more than 11 million registered refugees worldwide today. In order to receive services as a refugee, an individual must be given this classification by UNHCR; UNHCR officials interview individuals and conduct background checks to authenticate identity before they grant refugee status to the individual.
Refugees usually flee to an area outside their country, but sometimes they remain within the boundaries of their home country (these are IDPs- Internally Displaced Persons). Most refugees remain in the country to which they fled (local integration), and some are able to be repatriated back into their home country. Obviously, the latter is the best situation if it is possible, but most times, it's just not an option for these people to return home; they are forced to begin again in another place where they may or may not know the language and culture. Less than one percent of refugees worldwide are ever resettled into a third country, such as the United States.
The United States and Canada receive the highest numbers of resettled refugees each year, but preoccupation with national security can sometimes hamper the process for these people. At the beginning of each fiscal year (which is October-September for the national government), the President sets an arrival ceiling for the nation, determining how many refugees he will allow into the country over the course of the year. He also determines priorities in terms of which populations need resettlement. The ceiling is usually set around 80,000 refugees, but very rarely do we reach that ceiling. Remember that less than one percent of refugees worldwide are ever resettled into a third country.
When times are 'good' and the economy is strong, it seems people might be a little more willing to help others (I don't know if this necessarily plays out into practice, however). But when the economy is poor, and people are struggling, programs like those who help refugees see a lot of backlash from the general American public. Virtually every day at lunch, one of our staff members has a story from someone saying something to the effects of, "You know, Americans are having a rough time right now. Never mind these other people- leave them where they are. Let someone else take care of the problem." Of course, we understand that many people are experiencing incredibly difficult times right now, but we also understand the plight of a refugee. These people have been beaten, raped, and tortured simply because someone didn't like the color of their skin or the religion they practiced or the town in which they were born. How can we turn our backs on these individuals who have suffered at no fault of their own? Is it not enough to remember that the United States signed numerous international treaties protecting individuals such as these and promising to provide help when needed? Perhaps realizing that thousands, even millions, of people were either indirectly or even directly made refugees because of what our country did or did not do through our various international policies is difficult, but it is necessary to understand. We have a responsibility to assist these people.
I was on a conference call a few weeks ago; our national affiliate was discussing how all the national resettlement agencies were pushing the President to increase the refugee arrival ceiling for FY 2010. Naturally, some individuals at various local agencies were concerned. One individual from Boston asked, "Do you think that is wise in this current economic situation of the nation? We are already having difficulties finding employment for people here- how can we find jobs for more people?" At first I thought I agreed with the individual from Boston; at our agency in particular, our caseload of new arrivals has tripled within the past three years, and we continue to serve refugees free of charge for up to five years after their arrival in the United States. As you can imagine, our client to staff ratio is rather high, and providing services can become very difficult. How in the world will this be better to accept more refugees for FY2010?
But then a woman working in D.C. said something that I will never forget. She mentioned she thought it was a wise decision to allow more refugees to resettle in the United States if we are granted the additional funding requested. [Side note: the amount of funding allocated to refugee resettlement programs is completely stagnant; the specific amount hasn't changed in over twenty years- not even an adjustment for inflation. Furthermore, of all the money allocated by Congress to fund resettlement, local resettlement agencies only see thirty-nine percent of that amount. The administrative overhead is sixty-one percent. So the next time someone complains about a local resettlement agency, just remember they are doing their best with stagnant funding of which they only see thirty-nine percent.] She continued: "I know it's hard for us to think about accepting more refugees into our already-strained agencies with our already-overworked employees, but it's important to note that the current economic crisis is not just an American crisis. It's a global crisis. UNHCR just released new data concerning those refugees who are on their 'desperately needing resettlement' list. 560,000 individuals are on that list now- 560,000 people are in situations so horrible that UNHCR wants them out now. Imagine the refugees living in these secondary countries, which are also facing economic crises. Imagine the backlash against the refugee living there. We must help these people. We must get them out- because living without a well-paying job and struggling to learn English in Boston is better than living in Kuala Lumpur, hacking it out among the city-dwellers, only to be arrested and thrown in jail by the Malaysian police." It's then that I realized the old adage of "There is always someone better off than you, and there is always someone worse off than you" rings true. We cannot simply forget the struggling when we ourselves are struggling; we cannot simply forget the oppressed and broken. We cannot.
Let us not turn our backs on these beautiful people. Let us not forget their plight.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Another Shameless Plug?
At first I thought this post was going to simply be a shameless plug, but I don't think it turned out that way. In any case, you might find one of these things useful...and I'm a fan of free things- not lame free things, mind you, but awesome free things (like Amazon gift certificates and some extra cash in my PayPal account, for example).
Are you "swagbucking" yet? Swagbucks are the "digital dollar" of the internet; once you've earned enough swagbucks, you trade them in for various prizes, including books, collectibles, and gift cards. I'm planning on using my swagbucks to get some gift cards to Amazon.com to purchase Christmas gifts...and maybe a little something for myself, too (can we say new tea kettle from KitchenAid?!?). So how do you earn these swagbucks, you ask? By doing things you already do- searching the web, shopping online, and trading in old cell phones and video games. You also earn by referring friends; once they join under your referral, you earn one swagbuck for every swagbuck they earn (up to 100 swagbucks per friend). The two easiest ways are to simply use www.swagbucks.com as your search engine and shop online at your favorite stores by going through swagbucks.com first. It's as simple as that, and it's all free! I'm not usually one to spring for things like this, but once several trustworthy and level-headed friends gave their approval, I signed up and have been swagbucking ever since. I joined sometime in April, and I'm about to trade in my swagbucks for $20.00 to Amazon.com- whoot whoot! Click on the link below to learn more and to sign up and start earning today!
Heard of YouData? This is another new adventure I'm experiencing. You basically create a profile (called a MeFile) by answering some pretty simple questions. You don't ever give them your name, address, or telephone number; once your MeFile is complete, advertisers will pay you to simply click on their websites. You're basically getting paid for you attention. I've never clicked on a website that looks shady, and I always delete my cookies anyway (YouData also recommends you do this as well). The money is deposited into your PayPal account, and each time you earn money by clicking on a website, a happy little "Ding!" sounds. Seriously, it's a very happy little ding! I just started YouData last week and I'm not anticipating making too much money by participating, but a few extra bucks in my PayPal account every week certainly helps out! YouData also has a referral program, allowing you to earn extra money when your referred friends become members of YouData. Click here to learn more about YouData and to start getting some extra money for that PayPal account.
What about you? Do you participate in other similar programs that allow you to save and/or earn money? I'd love to hear about them, or even other practical advice about cutting costs, especially since Isaac is going back to school very soon!
Are you "swagbucking" yet? Swagbucks are the "digital dollar" of the internet; once you've earned enough swagbucks, you trade them in for various prizes, including books, collectibles, and gift cards. I'm planning on using my swagbucks to get some gift cards to Amazon.com to purchase Christmas gifts...and maybe a little something for myself, too (can we say new tea kettle from KitchenAid?!?). So how do you earn these swagbucks, you ask? By doing things you already do- searching the web, shopping online, and trading in old cell phones and video games. You also earn by referring friends; once they join under your referral, you earn one swagbuck for every swagbuck they earn (up to 100 swagbucks per friend). The two easiest ways are to simply use www.swagbucks.com as your search engine and shop online at your favorite stores by going through swagbucks.com first. It's as simple as that, and it's all free! I'm not usually one to spring for things like this, but once several trustworthy and level-headed friends gave their approval, I signed up and have been swagbucking ever since. I joined sometime in April, and I'm about to trade in my swagbucks for $20.00 to Amazon.com- whoot whoot! Click on the link below to learn more and to sign up and start earning today!
Heard of YouData? This is another new adventure I'm experiencing. You basically create a profile (called a MeFile) by answering some pretty simple questions. You don't ever give them your name, address, or telephone number; once your MeFile is complete, advertisers will pay you to simply click on their websites. You're basically getting paid for you attention. I've never clicked on a website that looks shady, and I always delete my cookies anyway (YouData also recommends you do this as well). The money is deposited into your PayPal account, and each time you earn money by clicking on a website, a happy little "Ding!" sounds. Seriously, it's a very happy little ding! I just started YouData last week and I'm not anticipating making too much money by participating, but a few extra bucks in my PayPal account every week certainly helps out! YouData also has a referral program, allowing you to earn extra money when your referred friends become members of YouData. Click here to learn more about YouData and to start getting some extra money for that PayPal account.
What about you? Do you participate in other similar programs that allow you to save and/or earn money? I'd love to hear about them, or even other practical advice about cutting costs, especially since Isaac is going back to school very soon!
Monday, June 15, 2009
The Friday Night Knitting Club
Ehhh...this book was okay. To be sure, it wasn't the worst book I've ever read, but I just felt most of the characters weren't well-developed, and the storyline just didn't grab my attention. I don't know about the author's life, but I feel like she wasn't writing from anything she knew from personal experience. This isn't necessarily a bad literary technique; Sara Gruen didn't live with a traveling circus in the 1930s, but while reading Water for Elephants, the reader is so entranced by her narrative that you know she was actually there, living out every detail she penned. But when the reader feels as though the author is guessing at what would really happen instead of relating the events with utmost confidence and authority, said reader is not overtly happy with the novel because it just doesn't flow, and it's not very convincing. The concept behind the book is an interesting one, but I definitely do not whole-heartedly recommend this book. If you've got some time on your hands, however, reading it won't necessarily kill you...and there are some very funny and redeeming moments sprinkled throughout the novel.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Treasuring God and Radical Womanhood
For nearly four years, my group of ladies (we say ladies because 'girls' sounds too young and 'women' sounds too old) has been meeting for Bible study, prayer, laughter, and fellowship (which always includes food). We've had some ladies come, and we've had some ladies go (you know, one of us goes off to one of the best med schools in the country or another moves to the Middle East- the usual in any group), but for the most part, we've remained pretty much the same. Just us, meeting once a week to stuff our faces with whatever food the hostess cooked up, cry about the crap going on in our lives, and laugh at each other's snide remarks and stories from work (ahem, Charity and the uterus story...need I say more?). This group of beloved friends will be one of the things I miss the most about living in Columbia.
Sometimes our group studied different books of the Bible, sometimes we went through topical studies, and sometimes we simply read through different books together. Back in January, we started Treasuring God in Our Traditions, a wonderful book by Noel Piper which I've read numerous times. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend purchasing it (it's one you'll want to read again and again) and begin reading it soon. As in, today. Piper discusses the importance of actively turning our attention to Jesus and intentionally focusing on our Lord. One of the most important ways through which we can accomplish this is for us to focus our family and our homes on bringing glory to the Lord. She offers practical suggestions on how this might look and also gives examples of how the Piper family chooses to bring honor to God through family activities, including holidays and special occasions, but also through the simplicity of every day life. This book, however, is not written as a how-to. Piper recognizes that each family is inherently different, and that uniqueness in and of itself pleases the Lord. She instead encourages each family to develop their own unique traditions that focus on our Saviour and bring glory to Him. This book is an easy read and is the perfect idea for a wedding or bridal shower gift as well.
After we finished Piper's novel, we decided to read through Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World, a recent release by Carolyn McCulley. Written by a former feminist, McCulley presents us with an incredibly well-researched explanation for the different waves of the feminist movement as well as how those waves affected society, women in the church, and how we approach Christianity and everyday life. I learned so much from reading it that I began to wonder how I had never learned any of the material located within the pages of this amazing book. This book is the perfect gift for any young woman; in fact, McCulley comments that this was the book she wished someone had given her in college. I understand that some people may be rather skeptical; they may not understand the true concept of biblical manhood and womanhood (please note that it is not forcing women to stay in the home by any means) and think McCulley just wants women to get married, stay at home, and take care of their children. In fact, McCulley herself is a single woman, a fact that I believe lends even more credence to her book (we also have single ladies involved in our group; they enjoyed this book as much as the married women and the married woman with a child). The purpose of women is not to get married and have children, but to glorify the Lord in our lives; McCulley clearly explains this purpose throughout the book while teaching the reader just how much the feminist movement has inhibited us from glorifying our Maker through our lives.
Sometimes our group studied different books of the Bible, sometimes we went through topical studies, and sometimes we simply read through different books together. Back in January, we started Treasuring God in Our Traditions, a wonderful book by Noel Piper which I've read numerous times. If you haven't read it, I highly recommend purchasing it (it's one you'll want to read again and again) and begin reading it soon. As in, today. Piper discusses the importance of actively turning our attention to Jesus and intentionally focusing on our Lord. One of the most important ways through which we can accomplish this is for us to focus our family and our homes on bringing glory to the Lord. She offers practical suggestions on how this might look and also gives examples of how the Piper family chooses to bring honor to God through family activities, including holidays and special occasions, but also through the simplicity of every day life. This book, however, is not written as a how-to. Piper recognizes that each family is inherently different, and that uniqueness in and of itself pleases the Lord. She instead encourages each family to develop their own unique traditions that focus on our Saviour and bring glory to Him. This book is an easy read and is the perfect idea for a wedding or bridal shower gift as well.
After we finished Piper's novel, we decided to read through Radical Womanhood: Feminine Faith in a Feminist World, a recent release by Carolyn McCulley. Written by a former feminist, McCulley presents us with an incredibly well-researched explanation for the different waves of the feminist movement as well as how those waves affected society, women in the church, and how we approach Christianity and everyday life. I learned so much from reading it that I began to wonder how I had never learned any of the material located within the pages of this amazing book. This book is the perfect gift for any young woman; in fact, McCulley comments that this was the book she wished someone had given her in college. I understand that some people may be rather skeptical; they may not understand the true concept of biblical manhood and womanhood (please note that it is not forcing women to stay in the home by any means) and think McCulley just wants women to get married, stay at home, and take care of their children. In fact, McCulley herself is a single woman, a fact that I believe lends even more credence to her book (we also have single ladies involved in our group; they enjoyed this book as much as the married women and the married woman with a child). The purpose of women is not to get married and have children, but to glorify the Lord in our lives; McCulley clearly explains this purpose throughout the book while teaching the reader just how much the feminist movement has inhibited us from glorifying our Maker through our lives.
Monday, June 8, 2009
I Needed This
Today has been a little stressful; working on reports is never fun when the system you have for reporting doesn't work well. And when agencies and government offices decide to change their fiscal year from January through December to October through September. And when nothing in refugee resettlement is never really accurate anyway.
I'm pretty sure my coworkers can always tell when I'm stressed. Always. I tend to wear my emotions very plainly. So Dan brought me to his office and showed me this video a few minutes ago. I was laughing so hard I started to cry.
Perfect.
I'm pretty sure my coworkers can always tell when I'm stressed. Always. I tend to wear my emotions very plainly. So Dan brought me to his office and showed me this video a few minutes ago. I was laughing so hard I started to cry.
Perfect.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
The Air We Breathe
This novel, written by Andrea Barrett, was selected as the One Read for Columbia this year. The story is written about a isolated community in the Adirondacks in northeastern New York state as the nation prepared to enter the theatre of the first World War. Individuals, suffering from tuberculosis, come to this town to breathe the crisp, clean air, hoping for a cure; virtually all the inhabitants of the town itself work either directly or indirectly for private cure cottages or the state-run sanatorium.Most of the patients at the sanatorium are poor, working class immigrants, while those living in the cure cottages come from wealthier backgrounds and higher socio-economic status, as they are able to afford the more expensive care. In this quiet and seemingly unassuming novel, the patients at Tamarack Lake learn a new way of life: rest as much as possible, eat well, and breathe the healing air, in order that they might defeat the tuberculosis in their lungs. Because most of these individuals transitioned from a life of intense manual labor, crowded living conditions, and poor health care to this life of forced rest and relaxation, a intriguing lifestyle begins and cautious friendships form among those patients who are able to survive the persistent illness.
A new patient, Leo Marburg, arrives and begins to settle into the strictly enforced scheduled life at the sanatorium. Nearby, Miles Fairchild, a wealthy and somewhat self-indulgent patient at Mrs. Martin's cure cottage decides to begin interacting with those at the sanatorium by forming a Wednesday discussion group. Through the course of the group and after a tragic accident at the sanatorium, the changing relationships between patients, staff, and friends will affect the course of their lives more than they realize.
This novel is an excellent example of human nature- how we see our differences, how we connect through our similarities, and how our reactions are not always something of which we are proud and willing to admit. Specifically, the interaction and assumptions of the character of Miles Fairchild relating to other patients at the sanatorium reminded me of our suspicion, fear, and even utter dislike from those who are different than us. Miles' fear of the unknown and assumption of knowledge led to his judgement of innocent people. Their crime: being different. He considered the other patients beneath him and any foreign-born individual as a potential spy for the German and Russian forces, many times leading others on witch hunt-like searches for guilty parties based on the smallest of evidence. This novel at first may seem like a quiet, simple read, but the reader soon discovers the truths written throughout the pages.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Water for Elephants and the Twilight SAGA
A double-review post today! I hope you all feel special...actually, I'm not sure if it technically counts as double since I'm actually discussing five books, but I'm lumping the Twilight saga together, so that counts as two, right?
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a former One Read of Columbia; written through the eyes Jacob Jankowski, an older man living in an assisted living facility, this novel tells the story of Jacob's experiences with a traveling circus in the early 1930s. Jacob hates living in the assisted living home and continually reminisces about his years with the circus; his memories make up the bulk of the book. When you think about a story about the circus, you would typically imagine the story to be rather funny, but this novel does not include one bit of cheesy stereotypical circus events. Gruen is able to draw the reader in by portraying the harsh and gritty lives of the circus performers and workers, allowing us to learn from completely different walks of life as they interconnect in the most unlikely of places. The novel in itself provides a sort of history lesson- one not typically taught in schools. The novel also forces the reader to think about getting older- not something I necessarily enjoy- but since the story is written as an older individual looking back on his life, this is a natural enough tendency for the reader. A major caveat however: since the author spares no details about the hard life with the circus, there are some fairly raunchy scenes within the pages. I would have whole-heartedly recommended this book if those scenes did not exist. As it is however, if you can get a censored copy of the novel, read and enjoy the story.
Okay, so here's the deal with the Twilight Saga. Yes, the word SAGA (in large, bold letters) is the only appropriate word to describe this series. Major, major drama. More drama than I remember there being in middle school- now that's saying something for sure because if any of you remember middle school... Also as I mentioned before, the books are not award-winning literature by any means, but they can become pretty addictive because of all the drama, which is probably the point.
Now let me clarify, I didn't really have any desire at all to read these books, but somehow I found myself reading Twilight, which is by far the most addictive and in my opinion, the best book of the series. Since it was part of a series, I had to read the next book (because I have this weird need to read complete series, not just one or two books). New Moon still had tons of drama, but for some reason, I didn't enjoy the storyline as much. By the third book of Eclipse, I was still reading the books almost straight through, but I felt the author was stretching too much. I honestly would have stopped, but I'd already invested so much time in the series that I just went ahead and read the concluding book. That one was even more of a stretch, but at the least some of the relationships 'normalized.'
Relationships normalized? What the heck does that mean? Well, the portrayal of relationships in these books is my main concern with them. Usually when young adult and even children's books containing magic and vampires and the like appear on the scene, many adults express concern over what our youth are reading; meddling with the supernatural, even though it may be fiction, can be dangerous. When vampires are the particular subject matter, most would assume that there is more sexual innuendos and discussions than what is appropriate for youth. In the Twilight Saga, there are some scenes dealing with sexual matters, though not as much as I would have expected. There are also some violent portrayals and imagery, but the most concerning aspect of these novels is the relationships between the main characters. Edward and Bella's relationship is in the deepest sense possessive and obsessive. The entire novel focuses on how they cannot live, cannot function without one another- that indeed, life is not worth living if they are not with the other one. This is not a healthy relationship, girls! Now, I know that I realize this and most adults are going to realize how unhealthy this relationship truly is...but do the young teenagers who are nothing short of obsessed with Edward realize and understand this concept? When what these young girls understand of love is what is seen on TV, in movies, and in books like these, no wonder these girls feel disappointed when they don't experience 'love' the way that Hollywood and the media portrays it. The interesting twist to this issue is that these young girls see what the media defines as 'love' as reality, and yet the content in the books and movies and television shows are often so sexually explicit that they begin to lose their innocence at such a young age. I pray that if I am ever a mother to daughters that I would be able to teach them about reality without forcing them to give up their most precious innocence.
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen is a former One Read of Columbia; written through the eyes Jacob Jankowski, an older man living in an assisted living facility, this novel tells the story of Jacob's experiences with a traveling circus in the early 1930s. Jacob hates living in the assisted living home and continually reminisces about his years with the circus; his memories make up the bulk of the book. When you think about a story about the circus, you would typically imagine the story to be rather funny, but this novel does not include one bit of cheesy stereotypical circus events. Gruen is able to draw the reader in by portraying the harsh and gritty lives of the circus performers and workers, allowing us to learn from completely different walks of life as they interconnect in the most unlikely of places. The novel in itself provides a sort of history lesson- one not typically taught in schools. The novel also forces the reader to think about getting older- not something I necessarily enjoy- but since the story is written as an older individual looking back on his life, this is a natural enough tendency for the reader. A major caveat however: since the author spares no details about the hard life with the circus, there are some fairly raunchy scenes within the pages. I would have whole-heartedly recommended this book if those scenes did not exist. As it is however, if you can get a censored copy of the novel, read and enjoy the story.
Okay, so here's the deal with the Twilight Saga. Yes, the word SAGA (in large, bold letters) is the only appropriate word to describe this series. Major, major drama. More drama than I remember there being in middle school- now that's saying something for sure because if any of you remember middle school... Also as I mentioned before, the books are not award-winning literature by any means, but they can become pretty addictive because of all the drama, which is probably the point.Now let me clarify, I didn't really have any desire at all to read these books, but somehow I found myself reading Twilight, which is by far the most addictive and in my opinion, the best book of the series. Since it was part of a series, I had to read the next book (because I have this weird need to read complete series, not just one or two books). New Moon still had tons of drama, but for some reason, I didn't enjoy the storyline as much. By the third book of Eclipse, I was still reading the books almost straight through, but I felt the author was stretching too much. I honestly would have stopped, but I'd already invested so much time in the series that I just went ahead and read the concluding book. That one was even more of a stretch, but at the least some of the relationships 'normalized.'
Relationships normalized? What the heck does that mean? Well, the portrayal of relationships in these books is my main concern with them. Usually when young adult and even children's books containing magic and vampires and the like appear on the scene, many adults express concern over what our youth are reading; meddling with the supernatural, even though it may be fiction, can be dangerous. When vampires are the particular subject matter, most would assume that there is more sexual innuendos and discussions than what is appropriate for youth. In the Twilight Saga, there are some scenes dealing with sexual matters, though not as much as I would have expected. There are also some violent portrayals and imagery, but the most concerning aspect of these novels is the relationships between the main characters. Edward and Bella's relationship is in the deepest sense possessive and obsessive. The entire novel focuses on how they cannot live, cannot function without one another- that indeed, life is not worth living if they are not with the other one. This is not a healthy relationship, girls! Now, I know that I realize this and most adults are going to realize how unhealthy this relationship truly is...but do the young teenagers who are nothing short of obsessed with Edward realize and understand this concept? When what these young girls understand of love is what is seen on TV, in movies, and in books like these, no wonder these girls feel disappointed when they don't experience 'love' the way that Hollywood and the media portrays it. The interesting twist to this issue is that these young girls see what the media defines as 'love' as reality, and yet the content in the books and movies and television shows are often so sexually explicit that they begin to lose their innocence at such a young age. I pray that if I am ever a mother to daughters that I would be able to teach them about reality without forcing them to give up their most precious innocence.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Library Fiend
This is the stack of books Isaac and I recently checked out at the library:
And we've got more waiting for us on hold. Oh yes, friends. Let the summer reading fun begin! Reviews to come.
And we've got more waiting for us on hold. Oh yes, friends. Let the summer reading fun begin! Reviews to come.
Monday, June 1, 2009
June's Focus: SpendYourself
Isaac and I choose a company our friends recently started as our Focus of the Month for June. According to their website, SpendYourself "is an apparel company with a heart for social justice and a vision to drive positive change in the world." SpendYourself will be selling a series of shirts in order to raise funds for specific causes across the globe. By doing so, they hope to help fund sustainable solutions to different social injustices, as well as to raise awareness, not only for each specific cause, but also for the need to be well-informed of what is happening in our world today. How can we fight social injustice if we do not know it is happening? By bringing attention to those individuals suffering under these injustices, we are helping to give a voice to those whose voice was taken away.
Currently, there are two shirts for sale on the SpendYourself website; one is the SpendYourself logo shirt (which Isaac has), and the other is the Omed Hope shirt (which I have). The proceeds of the Omed Hope shirt benefit Sozo International, working in Afghanistan to build a school for the children living in the Barek Aub camp, a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP). The people living in this camp fled during the fall of the Taliban regime and returned to their home to find nothing left but empty shells of houses and buildings and fields covered in land mines. Their home was now uninhabitable. The families traveled to Kabul in search of a new beginning, but the Afghan government eventually transferred the families to the area now called Barek Aub.
Baruk Aub means "broken water" or "fragile water" in Dari, one of the most beautiful languages I have heard (our office helped a Special Immigrant Visaholder from the northern part of Afghanistan). Water was originally delivered to the site of the camp, but half of it was undrinkable. In addition to the lack of clean water, the individuals living in the camp found it almost impossible to attain employment because of the remote location of their new 'home'. The families were quickly reduced to poverty at no fault of their own.
When you work with refugees, you see situations like this everyday- individuals and families forced to leave behind their homes, possessions, their life- because of someone else's war. Many of our refugees have faced extreme torture. Once they arrive in the United States, they often find it very difficult to adjust to the new culture. But one thing is abundantly clear: they want to begin again. They want to work, they want to be a part of the community, and they want to help others from their homeland do the same. Please understand that they don't necessarily want a hand out; they just want opportunity. It's the same with the individuals living in Barek Aub and all the others around the globe in similar situations. If you give them a chance, they will thrive.
Should we even care about what happens half-way around the world? As I mentioned in a previous post, the answer is a resounding yes. God is a just God who cares about injustice in our world, whether it is happening two houses down from you, or in the slums of South Africa, or in an IDP camp in Afghanistan. We are called to be His light, shining it throughout the world, including Barek Aub.
Please visit the SpendYourself website to read more about the people of Barek Aub and the efforts to help them. They will be adding more shirts to their line (I believe the next shirt will be benefiting a project in Africa), so be sure to check back often!
Currently, there are two shirts for sale on the SpendYourself website; one is the SpendYourself logo shirt (which Isaac has), and the other is the Omed Hope shirt (which I have). The proceeds of the Omed Hope shirt benefit Sozo International, working in Afghanistan to build a school for the children living in the Barek Aub camp, a camp for internally displaced persons (IDP). The people living in this camp fled during the fall of the Taliban regime and returned to their home to find nothing left but empty shells of houses and buildings and fields covered in land mines. Their home was now uninhabitable. The families traveled to Kabul in search of a new beginning, but the Afghan government eventually transferred the families to the area now called Barek Aub.
Baruk Aub means "broken water" or "fragile water" in Dari, one of the most beautiful languages I have heard (our office helped a Special Immigrant Visaholder from the northern part of Afghanistan). Water was originally delivered to the site of the camp, but half of it was undrinkable. In addition to the lack of clean water, the individuals living in the camp found it almost impossible to attain employment because of the remote location of their new 'home'. The families were quickly reduced to poverty at no fault of their own.
When you work with refugees, you see situations like this everyday- individuals and families forced to leave behind their homes, possessions, their life- because of someone else's war. Many of our refugees have faced extreme torture. Once they arrive in the United States, they often find it very difficult to adjust to the new culture. But one thing is abundantly clear: they want to begin again. They want to work, they want to be a part of the community, and they want to help others from their homeland do the same. Please understand that they don't necessarily want a hand out; they just want opportunity. It's the same with the individuals living in Barek Aub and all the others around the globe in similar situations. If you give them a chance, they will thrive.
Should we even care about what happens half-way around the world? As I mentioned in a previous post, the answer is a resounding yes. God is a just God who cares about injustice in our world, whether it is happening two houses down from you, or in the slums of South Africa, or in an IDP camp in Afghanistan. We are called to be His light, shining it throughout the world, including Barek Aub.
Please visit the SpendYourself website to read more about the people of Barek Aub and the efforts to help them. They will be adding more shirts to their line (I believe the next shirt will be benefiting a project in Africa), so be sure to check back often!
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