 |
| Photo by Peter Griffin |
Today, I'm grieving the death of a society
that cared about the earth.
A society that wasn't wasteful.
A society that didn't have so much
that barely anything was of value.
~ Hana Haatainen Caye
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, September 16, 2011
Friday's 3Rs -- dirty little secrets
It's a bit tempting to go ahead and bury the culprit in the middle of the trash can and hope no one in the family catches you 'cheating.' I understand. I've been there.
Here's the good news. A little bit of 'dirt' never hurt anyone, and it won't hurt the recycling process either. After all, organic materials will simply incinerate in the high heat during the process ... as long as we're talking small amounts. I mean, you wouldn't want to toss an entire jar of peanut butter in the recycling bin! Why would you do that anyway? Well, maybe you just found out about your son's nut allergy. Or maybe you bought a bargain brand and figured out with one spoonful, why it's a bargain brand! If that's the case, clean as much of the peanut butter out of the jar before recycling it.
Make sense? Good.
That's all I have for you this week.
Keeping it out of the landfill,
Hana
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Something's fishy
Are you a fish eater? Generally, I'm not. I tend to only like shellfish and an occasional cod, but overall, I don't eat a lot of things that spend their lives under water.
But for those of you who do eat fish, I encourage you to look for the Certified Sustainable Seafood MSC label. The Marine Stewardship Council is asking consumers to pledge to buying seafood that is certified as being sustainable and to urge stores and restaurants to carry certified seafood.
Why? Because billions of marine animals, including fish and turtles, are dying every year due to the poor management and destructive practices of many fisheries worldwide. The wastefulness is appalling.
But money talks. And where do they get their money? From consumers, like you and me. If we stop buying non-sustainable seafood, we can make a difference. Shooting off an email or sending a letter to local markets and restaurants to let them know you will only buy MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood can make an even bigger one!
Remember this label when you shop! If it's not on the packaging, DON'T BUY IT! And then, take the time to let the store manager know why you'll be shopping elsewhere for your fish. Period.
And don't forget to sign the pledge!
Caring for all of God's creation,
Hana
Why? Because billions of marine animals, including fish and turtles, are dying every year due to the poor management and destructive practices of many fisheries worldwide. The wastefulness is appalling.
But money talks. And where do they get their money? From consumers, like you and me. If we stop buying non-sustainable seafood, we can make a difference. Shooting off an email or sending a letter to local markets and restaurants to let them know you will only buy MSC Certified Sustainable Seafood can make an even bigger one!
And don't forget to sign the pledge!
Caring for all of God's creation,
Hana
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
No Pooing -- it's a family affair
This is probably the least expensive product I've ever written about for Review It Wednesday. As a matter of fact, it's pretty darn cheap. So if you're looking to save some bucks, read on.
It's also one of the most environmentally-friendly things I do. So if you're looking for to green up your life a bit more, read on.
Of course, it's possible the title of this post intrigued you. So if that's the case, I invite you to read on ... with an open mind.
My husband, my daughters and I are at various stages in our No Pooing journey. I started it about 3 or 4 months ago, followed by my husband, then Bethany, then Jess. What does it mean? It means we are shampoo-free and loving it!
I, literally, have not shampooed my hair in months. And my hair has never looked or felt better! My daughter's hair is looking rather lovely, too.
So ... if we're not shampooing, what exactly are we doing? We're No Pooing, a process that has been around for quite a few years now, although I couldn't pin down a starting point, or the person to attribute the 'No Pooing' phrase to. I did find info dating back to 2004 about the method.
Why the personal boycott on shampoo? For some of the same reasons I no longer use laundry detergent, fabric softener or traditional cleaning products -- it's healthier, both for me and for the environment. Not to mention the economic factor. Let's face it -- good shampoos and conditioners are expensive.
Commercial hair products are loaded with chemicals that have been linked to a whole slew of health issues, including cancer. Granted, there are organic products out there that are safe to use. While they may not hurt you, they certainly do hurt the wallet!
How do you keep your hair clean, if you're not using shampoo?
Excellent question! It's simple. I mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a cup of warm water and then apply the solution to my hair (after mixing well with my finger). You can do this in a small squirt bottle, which gives you the ability to target different sections of your scalp, or you can do it my way. I just pour a little bit at a time along my scalp and rub it in.
But there are no suds!
Nope, no suds. Which is a good thing, actually. Sudsing agents added to shampoos are totally unnecessary and just add to the excess gunk in shampoo. You don't need it.
After you rinse your hair, you'll immediately notice how soft it is. And squeaky clean.
You might have to adjust the amount of baking soda you use based on how fine or coarse, short or long your hair is. My husband cut back to 1/2 tablespoon for his fine hair.
The second part of my No Pooing success is in the rinse. I add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of water and pour it over my hair. Then I rinse it out and I'm all done. Every week or two, I mix 1/2 cup of ACV in 2 cups of water and pour it over my head without rinsing it out. I've actually been doing that for a long time now ... way before I had even heard of no pooing.
Some people opt to skip the vinegar rinse and others only apply the vinegar solution to the ends of their hair, avoiding the crown of their head completely.
Here are a couple of warnings:
If you have frizzy hair, you'll notice the frizzies are gone. No need for extra product to tame them! As a matter of fact, I no longer use any products in my hair whatsoever. And it's full of body and healthier than it's ever been. Oh wait, there is one chemical product I admit to still using ... hair dye. I'm not quite ready to give up on that yet. Just because I'm a grandma, doesn't mean I have to look like one, does it?
One more benefit of No Pooing is that it eliminates dandruff and scalp flaking. I'm thrilled about that! The idea that I don't have to use anti-dandruff chemically-loaded shampoo anymore, is worth celebrating!
Another thing you need to know is that it takes awhile for your hair and scalp to adjust to this new method of cleansing. Sometimes, it may be up to 3 - 4 weeks before you start reaping the benefits, at least appearance-wise. You'll find your hair is greasier than usual. That is normal! Eventually, that will go away.
Why does your scalp need to adjust?
When you shampoo, you strip your hair of natural oils. Your scalp senses this, so it starts to overproduce more oil. So you shampoo again and the cycle continues ... for years and years and years. When you stop shampooing, your scalp needs an adjustment period. That's what's happening in those first few weeks. Adjustment.
But once you navigate through those weeks, you'll discover less and less oil in your hair and you'll end up washing your hair less as well. I wash mine every 3 to 4 days. Seriously.
That's about it. I could go on and on about the harmful ingredients in most shampoos and conditioners, but you probably know all of that already. If you want to read more about No Pooing and someone else's experience, head over to the Uniquely Normal Mom blog where I first learned about this amazing hair washing system. She's been doing this for over 2 years and has the answers for questions you might have.
Wishing you clean and squeaky hair,
Hana
It's also one of the most environmentally-friendly things I do. So if you're looking for to green up your life a bit more, read on.
Of course, it's possible the title of this post intrigued you. So if that's the case, I invite you to read on ... with an open mind.
My husband, my daughters and I are at various stages in our No Pooing journey. I started it about 3 or 4 months ago, followed by my husband, then Bethany, then Jess. What does it mean? It means we are shampoo-free and loving it!
 |
| This morning ... after no pooing yesterday |
I, literally, have not shampooed my hair in months. And my hair has never looked or felt better! My daughter's hair is looking rather lovely, too.
 |
| Bethany could do an ad for hair products, but she's not using any! Photo by Kristie Miller |
 |
| Look how lovely Jess's hair looks! Photo by Kristie Miller |
So ... if we're not shampooing, what exactly are we doing? We're No Pooing, a process that has been around for quite a few years now, although I couldn't pin down a starting point, or the person to attribute the 'No Pooing' phrase to. I did find info dating back to 2004 about the method.
Why the personal boycott on shampoo? For some of the same reasons I no longer use laundry detergent, fabric softener or traditional cleaning products -- it's healthier, both for me and for the environment. Not to mention the economic factor. Let's face it -- good shampoos and conditioners are expensive.
Commercial hair products are loaded with chemicals that have been linked to a whole slew of health issues, including cancer. Granted, there are organic products out there that are safe to use. While they may not hurt you, they certainly do hurt the wallet!
How do you keep your hair clean, if you're not using shampoo?
Excellent question! It's simple. I mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a cup of warm water and then apply the solution to my hair (after mixing well with my finger). You can do this in a small squirt bottle, which gives you the ability to target different sections of your scalp, or you can do it my way. I just pour a little bit at a time along my scalp and rub it in.
But there are no suds!
Nope, no suds. Which is a good thing, actually. Sudsing agents added to shampoos are totally unnecessary and just add to the excess gunk in shampoo. You don't need it.
After you rinse your hair, you'll immediately notice how soft it is. And squeaky clean.
You might have to adjust the amount of baking soda you use based on how fine or coarse, short or long your hair is. My husband cut back to 1/2 tablespoon for his fine hair.
The second part of my No Pooing success is in the rinse. I add 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar to 1 cup of water and pour it over my hair. Then I rinse it out and I'm all done. Every week or two, I mix 1/2 cup of ACV in 2 cups of water and pour it over my head without rinsing it out. I've actually been doing that for a long time now ... way before I had even heard of no pooing.
Some people opt to skip the vinegar rinse and others only apply the vinegar solution to the ends of their hair, avoiding the crown of their head completely.
Here are a couple of warnings:
- Avoid getting the ACV in your eyes! Let me tell you ... it burns!
- Do not use the vinegar while washing with goat's milk soap. If you do, you'll experience what I did one morning ... a shower stall that smelled like someone had just thrown up all over me. Not pleasant!
If you have frizzy hair, you'll notice the frizzies are gone. No need for extra product to tame them! As a matter of fact, I no longer use any products in my hair whatsoever. And it's full of body and healthier than it's ever been. Oh wait, there is one chemical product I admit to still using ... hair dye. I'm not quite ready to give up on that yet. Just because I'm a grandma, doesn't mean I have to look like one, does it?
One more benefit of No Pooing is that it eliminates dandruff and scalp flaking. I'm thrilled about that! The idea that I don't have to use anti-dandruff chemically-loaded shampoo anymore, is worth celebrating!
Another thing you need to know is that it takes awhile for your hair and scalp to adjust to this new method of cleansing. Sometimes, it may be up to 3 - 4 weeks before you start reaping the benefits, at least appearance-wise. You'll find your hair is greasier than usual. That is normal! Eventually, that will go away.
Why does your scalp need to adjust?
When you shampoo, you strip your hair of natural oils. Your scalp senses this, so it starts to overproduce more oil. So you shampoo again and the cycle continues ... for years and years and years. When you stop shampooing, your scalp needs an adjustment period. That's what's happening in those first few weeks. Adjustment.
But once you navigate through those weeks, you'll discover less and less oil in your hair and you'll end up washing your hair less as well. I wash mine every 3 to 4 days. Seriously.
That's about it. I could go on and on about the harmful ingredients in most shampoos and conditioners, but you probably know all of that already. If you want to read more about No Pooing and someone else's experience, head over to the Uniquely Normal Mom blog where I first learned about this amazing hair washing system. She's been doing this for over 2 years and has the answers for questions you might have.
Wishing you clean and squeaky hair,
Hana
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
FDA threatening our choice to use supplements!
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| Photo of Fish Oil capsules by Petr Kratochvil |
Dr. MercolaDr. Mercola is the founder of the world’s most visited natural health web site, Mercola.com. You can learn the hazardous side effects of OTC Remedies by getting a FREE copy of his latest special report The Dangers of Over the Counter Remedies by going to his Report Page.
The FDA has issued a proposed mandate that represents the greatest threat to dietary supplements since 1994. Back in the early 1990s, consumers were so alarmed by FDA bullying that they staged a massive revolt. The result was that Congress passed a law prohibiting the FDA from banning popular nutrients (as the agency had threatened to do).
There was, however, a loophole in the 1994 law. The FDA was given authority to regulate ingredients introduced after October 15, 1994.
It has been 17 years, but the FDA just issued draconian proposals as to how it intends to regulate what it now calls "new dietary ingredients". You can find the FDA Draft Guidance on New Dietary Ingredients (NDI's) here. If implemented, some of the most effective nutrients you are taking will be removed from the market. This includes many fish oil formulas and natural plant extracts. A detailed analysis of the FDA Draft Guidance is available here.
These oppressive rules are exactly what the 1994 law (DSHEA) sought to prevent. The FDA is using its authority in direct violation of Congressional intent.
In order for these ingredients you are using today to return to the market, the FDA will require manufacturers to conduct outrageously expensive studies using absurdly high doses, in some situations multiplied by a "safety factor" up to 2,000-times the recommended dosage on a per product basis.
The FDA defines dietary supplements as being "new" if they were introduced after October 15, 1994. That means that even certain nutrients that have been safely used over the course of three decades will be subject to the FDA's oppressive policies that mandate costly animal testing.
The FDA Views Supplements in Same Light as Synthetic Food Preservatives
According to the new guidelines, the FDA believes that "new dietary supplements" must be regulated similarly to synthetic food preservatives. The FDA guidelines have modeled the outrageous safety thresholds after those in place for food additives. This appears to be in direct violation of DSHEA, the law enacted in 1994 to protect consumer access to dietary supplements, which classifies dietary supplements as foods, not food additives.
The FDA proposes that new dietary supplement ingredients should adhere to aggressive safety margins, which are typically reserved for chemical compounds known to be dangerous in all but the most miniscule concentrations.
Since food additives or preservatives such as aspartame, monosodium glutamate, and sodium nitrate are known to cause cancer or other severe health problems, the FDA has implemented safety guidelines which limit allowable concentrations of these food additives to levels that are supposed to be physiologically inert.
The fact that the FDA is trying to impose the same limits upon dietary supplements seems to be arbitrary and completely unfounded. In fact, when someone takes a dietary supplement, their intent is to positively affect the structure or function of their bodies in some way – limiting dosages of dietary supplements to physiologically inert levels defeats the entire purpose of supplementation with health-sustaining nutrients.
The FDA's new guidelines are so flawed that even nutrients shown to be completely safe in hundreds of human clinical studies would fail to accommodate the unreasonable safety margins.
To give you an example, each manufacturer of certain fish oils would have to conduct a one year study where animals would have to consume the human equivalent of 240,000 milligrams each day of fish oil.
Another option under the FDA's proposed mandates is to conduct a 90-day, 1,000 – fold safety margin study in which two species of animals, one being non-rodent – likely young beagle dogs, will theoretically consume the equivalent of 2.4 million milligrams of fish oil daily. We know of virtually no species can tolerate this high dose, so by default, FDA guidelines will make it impossible for certain omega-3 supplements to be sold. (Note typical dose of EPA/DHA people take each day is around 2,400 mg—100 times less than what the FDA proposes must be tested.)
Since these are not patented drugs, no supplement maker will be able to afford these "safety" studies, which means that many of the nutrients you now purchase at low prices will convert into high-priced drugs.
Pharmaceutical Industry Profit Threatened By Low Cost Supplements
It appears that the FDA is claiming that dietary supplements are unsafe, and in order to "protect consumers" the agency must place a stranglehold on the dietary supplement industry by requesting exorbitant safety testing. These ludicrous safety thresholds are in excess of those required by pharmaceutical drugs despite studies showing supplements are far safer than drugs.
According to the 2001 report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC), of the substances implicated in fatal poisonings in 2001, 84.6 percent were pharmaceutical drugs, with analgesics being implicated as the primary cause of death in 32 percent of fatalities or 341 deaths. This compares with 0.8 percent for all dietary supplements combined, even including substances such as dinitrophenol, a dangerous (and illegal) substance banned in 1938, as well as the central nervous system stimulant Ma Huang (Ephedra). Interestingly, the anti-asthma drug theophylline alone was responsible for 15 deaths, 66 percent more than all the available dietary supplements combined.
There is, however, a massive economic benefit for the drug industry if the proposed guidelines are enforced by the FDA. Health conscious Americans who properly supplement slash their risk of degenerative disease. The FDA's new rules, if enacted, will force the price of many supplements to surge upwards, while removing many effective ones altogether. That means that more aging people will have to rely on side effect laden prescription drugs to treat the degenerative diseases they will contract because they will be denied access to health-promoting nutrients.
Click here to find out what you can do to stop this impending carnage! Just scroll down the article to the links.
Dr. MercolaDr. Mercola is the founder of the world’s most visited natural health web site, Mercola.com. You can learn the hazardous side effects of OTC Remedies by getting a FREE copy of his latest special report The Dangers of Over the Counter Remedies by going to his Report Page.
Monday, September 12, 2011
The Sabbath Experience -- Four days of rest -- our anniversary getaway
It's been a busy month. With the blogiversary giveaway and Labor Day, I never did get around to blogging about Bill and my 20th anniversary getaway last month ... a wonderful four days of rest and renewal. And a little bit of falling in love all over again.
We headed to Berkeley Springs, West Virginia on Aug. 18th, where we spent four glorious days at a quaint little place called the Bathkeeper's Cottage.
When I say little, I mean little. When we first arrived, I have to say, we were a bit disappointed. The place was small. We're used to staying in cottages that give us a little bit more breathing room, but by the end of the four days, we were so sad we were leaving. The place enchanted us.
Was it what I expected? Not at all. Which made the enchantment all the more wonderful.
Before I go on, I should explain Toad, the elephant to you.
Ten years ago, my daughter, Bethany graduated from high school. What did she want as a graduation trip? A vacation with just me. How wonderful is that? I can not tell you how much that has meant to me throughout the years.
We headed to Savannah, Georgia for a week. While we were there, a rather large toad 'adopted' us. So we brought him in to our hotel room where he happily stayed in our bathtub for a few days. We named him Friend, because that's what he was.
On one of our last days in Savannah, we were browsing in a small shop and I came across the most adorable little stuffed elephant. His eyes begged me to share secrets with him. His incredibly soft fur invited caresses. I simply had to have him. This little elephant traveled with me everywhere from that day on. He listened to me cry when bad thing happened and he danced along when I was singing. Bill and I even took him with us on vacations and enjoyed taking pictures of him in various places. I know, we're a little bit nuts ... maybe that's why we're a good match. Anyway, because the elephant became such a good friend, I named him Toad, after the 'friend' Bethany and I made in Savannah.
Bill and I took Toad along to Berkeley Springs. Thus, the pictures you're about to see.
The area is largely focused on natural healing. After all, it is the location of the mineral springs known for their healing properties. Bill and I experienced that firsthand. On Friday, we decided to do the Roman baths, something I thoroughly enjoyed. Bill ... not so much. However, he benefitted from in a strange way.
The private bath was about 18 feet long, I think, and it was filled with the mineral spring water heated to a temperature of 102 degrees (which is what Bill did not enjoy). Soaking in the waters is said to draw impurities out of your body. For Bill, that is exactly what it did. Ten days prior to our vacation, a bee stung him on one of the knuckles on his right hand. It swelled and continued to hurt, with the pain intensifying in the middle of the night following the Roman bath. He woke up and went into the bathroom to discover the bee's stinger sticking out from his knuckle! It has been festering in there all that time! The mineral water drew it out.
In addition to the Roman bath, our cottage was spring-fed, which means we bathed, showered and drank it the whole time we were there. The result? We felt fantastic. My fibromyalgia pain was gone, and we both felt really healthy (something I don't feel often). It was enough to make me want to move to Berkeley Springs ... well, almost.
A little park was just two blocks from our cottage. The springs ran through it and on any day, we could find children playing in them. How refreshing that there were no 'laws' or 'rules' against it!
The town is full of new age kind of shops with crystals and other 'healing' components. I did enjoy the natural and organic food store, but stayed away from many of the other shops that tended to lean toward the occult. My spirit sensed it the moment we set foot in some of them.
I was excited to learn there were two antique malls in the town, but my excitement dwindled when I discovered one was out of business and the other was so ridiculously overpriced. Even the local Goodwill had prices that were 30% higher than the ones here in Pittsburgh!
However, Toad seemed to enjoy some of the novelties in the overpriced antique mall ... particularly in the taxidermy area!
What a brave soul he is! Speaking of brave, Berkeley Springs brought out the daredevil in Toad, much to Bill's dismay, who truly worried about what would happen if Toad fell:
Yes, Berkeley Springs brought out the frivolity in me. What can I say?
While we did eat most of our meals at the cottage, one thing we really did enjoy in Berkeley Springs was the restaurants. On our anniversary, we headed to Lot 12, a restaurant that served amazing food from local farms, albeit at a rather steep price. If you are ever in the area, I highly recommend you eat dinner there.
During a rainstorm, we ducked into the Ambraehouse and enjoyed drinks and appetizers at the bar. Awesome. And for a quick lunch, one day, we stopped at Temptations where I thoroughly enjoyed a stuffed scallop appetizer and a delicious crock of French Onion Soup. Highly recommended!
One place I definitey do not recommend is The Troubadour Lounge. Let me tell you, you haven't experienced karaoke until you've experience it in West Virginia. That's all I have to say about that.
The thing we enjoyed most about being in Berkeley Springs was the peacefulness. Everyone needs to get away from time to time to relax. I don't understand people's need to go on vacations that are so packed with activities, that when they return, they say, "I need to recuperate from my vacation!" That makes no sense to me. As I've stated over and over in my Sabbath Experiment/Experience posts, God created us to not only to work, but to rest as well. And that, we did.
I find it much easier to relax when surrounded by beauty, and that, we were.
We spent Saturday in nearby Hancock, Maryland, where we walked along the canal, enjoyed the views along the Potomac and let Toad 'play!'
I can't tell you how difficult it was to pack up to head home. Our 'fairytale getaway' was over and we had to come back to reality. As we drove back on Route 30, we stopped near Somerset, Pennsylvania to watch the wind turbines. Toad even enjoyed that.
No, I didn't lose my mind in West Virginia. Just a little bit of my heart.
Longing to go back to a place where make-believe was simply a whole lot of fun!
Hana
 |
| Toad, the elephant, at Bathkeeper's Cottage |
When I say little, I mean little. When we first arrived, I have to say, we were a bit disappointed. The place was small. We're used to staying in cottages that give us a little bit more breathing room, but by the end of the four days, we were so sad we were leaving. The place enchanted us.
Was it what I expected? Not at all. Which made the enchantment all the more wonderful.
Before I go on, I should explain Toad, the elephant to you.
Ten years ago, my daughter, Bethany graduated from high school. What did she want as a graduation trip? A vacation with just me. How wonderful is that? I can not tell you how much that has meant to me throughout the years.
We headed to Savannah, Georgia for a week. While we were there, a rather large toad 'adopted' us. So we brought him in to our hotel room where he happily stayed in our bathtub for a few days. We named him Friend, because that's what he was.
On one of our last days in Savannah, we were browsing in a small shop and I came across the most adorable little stuffed elephant. His eyes begged me to share secrets with him. His incredibly soft fur invited caresses. I simply had to have him. This little elephant traveled with me everywhere from that day on. He listened to me cry when bad thing happened and he danced along when I was singing. Bill and I even took him with us on vacations and enjoyed taking pictures of him in various places. I know, we're a little bit nuts ... maybe that's why we're a good match. Anyway, because the elephant became such a good friend, I named him Toad, after the 'friend' Bethany and I made in Savannah.
Bill and I took Toad along to Berkeley Springs. Thus, the pictures you're about to see.
The area is largely focused on natural healing. After all, it is the location of the mineral springs known for their healing properties. Bill and I experienced that firsthand. On Friday, we decided to do the Roman baths, something I thoroughly enjoyed. Bill ... not so much. However, he benefitted from in a strange way.
The private bath was about 18 feet long, I think, and it was filled with the mineral spring water heated to a temperature of 102 degrees (which is what Bill did not enjoy). Soaking in the waters is said to draw impurities out of your body. For Bill, that is exactly what it did. Ten days prior to our vacation, a bee stung him on one of the knuckles on his right hand. It swelled and continued to hurt, with the pain intensifying in the middle of the night following the Roman bath. He woke up and went into the bathroom to discover the bee's stinger sticking out from his knuckle! It has been festering in there all that time! The mineral water drew it out.
In addition to the Roman bath, our cottage was spring-fed, which means we bathed, showered and drank it the whole time we were there. The result? We felt fantastic. My fibromyalgia pain was gone, and we both felt really healthy (something I don't feel often). It was enough to make me want to move to Berkeley Springs ... well, almost.
A little park was just two blocks from our cottage. The springs ran through it and on any day, we could find children playing in them. How refreshing that there were no 'laws' or 'rules' against it!
 |
The springs leading to the Roman bath house  |
I was excited to learn there were two antique malls in the town, but my excitement dwindled when I discovered one was out of business and the other was so ridiculously overpriced. Even the local Goodwill had prices that were 30% higher than the ones here in Pittsburgh!
However, Toad seemed to enjoy some of the novelties in the overpriced antique mall ... particularly in the taxidermy area!
What a brave soul he is! Speaking of brave, Berkeley Springs brought out the daredevil in Toad, much to Bill's dismay, who truly worried about what would happen if Toad fell:
 |
| On the bridge over the canal in Hancock, MD |
 |
| On the footbridge from our cottage to the street |
 |
| Ahhh. Safely across! |
Yes, Berkeley Springs brought out the frivolity in me. What can I say?
 |
| Getting ready for dinner at the cottage |
 |
| Breakfast at the Fairfax Coffee Shop |
 |
| Grilled Filet Mignon~gorgonzola, potato croquette, port wine demi-glace, herb butter $32 |
One place I definitey do not recommend is The Troubadour Lounge. Let me tell you, you haven't experienced karaoke until you've experience it in West Virginia. That's all I have to say about that.
 |
| The path to the right of the cottage |
The thing we enjoyed most about being in Berkeley Springs was the peacefulness. Everyone needs to get away from time to time to relax. I don't understand people's need to go on vacations that are so packed with activities, that when they return, they say, "I need to recuperate from my vacation!" That makes no sense to me. As I've stated over and over in my Sabbath Experiment/Experience posts, God created us to not only to work, but to rest as well. And that, we did.
 |
| The path to the footbridge to the left of the cottage |
I find it much easier to relax when surrounded by beauty, and that, we were.
 |
| My handsome husband crossing the footbridge |
 |
| Playing hide 'n seek |
 |
| Toad made a friend at the bike shop in Hancock |
 |
| See the affection on his face! Toad is a huge fan! |
Longing to go back to a place where make-believe was simply a whole lot of fun!
Hana
Saturday, September 10, 2011
My Country, 'tis of Thee
My country,' tis of thee,
sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing;
land where my fathers died,
land of the pilgrims' pride,
from every mountainside let freedom ring!
My native country, thee,
land of the noble free, thy name I love;
I love thy rocks and rills,
thy woods and templed hills;
my heart with rapture thrills, like that above.
Let music swell the breeze,
and ring from all the trees sweet freedom's song;
let mortal tongues awake;
let all that breathe partake;
let rocks their silence break, the sound prolong.
Our fathers' God, to thee,
author of liberty, to thee we sing;
long may our land be bright
with freedom's holy light;
protect us by thy might, great God, our King.
~ Samuel Francis Smith
Friday, September 9, 2011
Friday's 3Rs -- Recycling memories
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| Jim and I on our honeymoon 6/8/81 |
Wow. Here it is -- September 9th again. Twenty-two years ago, my husband, Jim, lay in a hospital bed with third degree burns over 98% of his body. I sat by his side, holding the boney gloved remains of his hand, whispering "I love you"s and softly singing to my husband of eight years. He lasted 23 hours in that condition before finally surrendering to Eternity's call at 1:00 a.m. on September 10th.
A year does not slip by without my reliving those couple of days back in 1989, recycling memories. PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) plagued me for over a decade. Nightmares and panic attacks were quite common during this time of the year. Now, 22 years later, I still experience a twinge of it from time to time. A memory will slay me and my insides will start to quiver. I've learned to roll with it, experience it, and then go on with my day. It just seems to be a better solution than to just suppress the feelings.
The grief over my loss has absolutely nothing to do with the happiness I feel with my "new" life. One does not trump the other. I loved/love both of my husbands deeply, and there is nothing wrong with that. While some may have questioned my devotion to Jim when I moved on so quickly with Bill, my heart knows the answers and that is all that matters. After all, it was my heart that was ripped to shreds on September 10, 1989.
So today, I recycle my memories. They are recycled by necessity, as there can be no new ones to create. Jim and I were given less than a decade to form a family and gather a collection of memories. Wouldn't it be a disservice to what we had not to revisit it from time to time?
As it would be a disservice to the thousands who lost their lives ten years ago on September 11th, when evil tried to destroy good ... and lost. Perhaps to the many who endured loss that day, pain overshadows the 'victory.' But the reality is that the sinewy talons that reached into our complacency and tried to inject the poison of evil into our collective soul, failed at their mission. Evil did not prevail. It simply did not.
As we recall that day of unspeakable horror 10 years ago, let us remember it with truth, recycling our memories, not repurposing them. It is important we do not let political correctness, tolerance or outright lies taint the memories we have of that bright sunny morning when evil flew across the sky and laughed in the face of God. September 11th does not belong to the vicious men who perpetrated this attack. It belongs to the heroes, both sung and unsung; it belongs to the widows and orphans; it belongs to those who died, and those who endured.
We grieve. We shudder. And ... we remember.
May God continue to bless America, and may we never forget,
Hana
To learn more about my husband's death, please read Tears in a Bottle.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Review it Wednesday ... and another giveaway!
Welcome back to a new Review it Wednesday! Today, I'm happy to share my daughters' experiences with 2 products Mama Sweet sent to me from Sweet Knee.
Sweet Knee is a mom and pop company founded by Kristy Platt after her son developed a severe skin rash that did not respond to traditional diaper creams. After much reading, research and experimentation, Bun Glaze was born. And my daughter, Bethany, for one, is glad about that!
My grandbaby, Lincoln, just turned one a couple of weeks ago. And, after a year of a pretty clear, smooth bottom, suddenly, his bum erupted in a rather nasty rash. Perhaps it can be blamed on the teething. Or an allergy to a new food. What we know for certain, is that you can't blame the diapers. He's spent his life, so far, in cloth diapers washed in either Rockin' Green or Eco Nuts ... and, of course, no fabric softener. It's not the diapers.
While trying to find the cause was certainly on her mind, finding something to soothe the rash was the priority. And then she remembered the Bun Glaze I'd given her to review. Presto!
Here's what Bethany had to say:
Sweet Knee Bun Glaze is an alternative to diaper ointment and medicated ointments. I love that it has certified organic ingredients and is cloth diaper safe. I love that it does not contain petroleum, zinc or titanium-based ingredients that act as "barriers" and keep skin from breathing and healing quickly. Bun Glaze absorbs easily into the skin and contains natural vitamins A, D and E and the unique "skin" herbs and flowers of calendula, German chamomile, marshmallow and plantain. I love that there are no tubs, jars or tubes so there is no messy, germy double dipping! I also love that it's made in the USA!! I love that a little bit goes a long way, and if I do use too much I can rub it in on his feet or anywhere else! With this recent flare-up, I reached for the Bun Glaze and within a few days, the rash was gone!
Healing comes naturally! And, as you can tell, Bethany loves Sweet Knees Bun Glaze. This is yet another product sent to us with a request for a review, that gets a green thumbs up!
The second product I received from Kristy was the Oatmeal Cookie Bath, which I gave to my daughter, Jessica, to try with her nearly 3-year-old daughter, Laura.
Cute packaging, but is seriously lacking something -- instructions! Laura had a rash on her belly and back so Jess decided it was the perfect opportunity to try out the Oatmeal Cookie Bath. She opened the box and pulled out two cloth sacks, filled with oatmeal and the other ingredients. Then she called me.
"What do I do with this?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" I countered.
"Do I open the sacks and dump the oatmeal in the water?"
"Aren't there instructions?"
"It just says 'add to bath.'"
Confusing. Of course, I told her to just submerge the whole bag. But then there was the issue of what to do with the bag when the bath was through. Is it reusable? She didn't know. So, she threw it away. Quite honestly, I'm not sure if that was the right thing to do or not. I would have just composted it, I guess. After hearing from Kristy, I found out the bags can be washed and repurposed (we should have thought of that!).
The bath was soothing for Laura, as the oatmeal made the water smooth and comforting.
Quite honestly, I have mixed feelings about this product, although some of my negative feelings could be changed with the addition of instructions for those of us not familiar with this type of product. And let's face it -- a lot of new mamas already feel overwhelmed with the need to learn more and more every day. Let's make it simpler for them!
Here's what I like about the Sweet Knees Oatmeal Cookie Bath. It is certified gluten free with organic oats. It's safe for both babies and mamas. It is soothing for a variety of skin conditions, including sunburns, minor burns, scrapes and cuts, eczema, chicken pox, poison ivy/oak and just the plain ol' itchies.
And, of course, it's toxin-free! It contains 4 simple ingredients: oats, calendula flower, German chamomile and marshmallow leaf. It's safe and it's effective at easing the itch.
As sweet as she is, Kristy is offering a 20% discount to everyone in the GG community through 9/30/11. Simply go to the website, shop around and when you go to check out, enter the phrase 'SweetGrandma'.
Oh, and I mentioned 'giveaway' in the title, didn't I? Well, that's icing on the 20% discount cake! Mama Sweet is offering a $10 gift certificate to one lucky reader and she's not asking anything in return. But I am, just to be fair.
Go to the Sweet Knee website, browse through her products, and post a comment here or on Facebook, letting me know what you like best. And, make sure you check out the Sweet Knee Facebook page as well. You just might 'like' it : ) Tell her I sent you, if you do.
That's it. Contest ends at midnight EST on Monday, 9/12/11. I'll draw a winner via Random.org on Tuesday, 9/13.
Keep it sweet and clean,
Hana
Sweet Knee is a mom and pop company founded by Kristy Platt after her son developed a severe skin rash that did not respond to traditional diaper creams. After much reading, research and experimentation, Bun Glaze was born. And my daughter, Bethany, for one, is glad about that!
My grandbaby, Lincoln, just turned one a couple of weeks ago. And, after a year of a pretty clear, smooth bottom, suddenly, his bum erupted in a rather nasty rash. Perhaps it can be blamed on the teething. Or an allergy to a new food. What we know for certain, is that you can't blame the diapers. He's spent his life, so far, in cloth diapers washed in either Rockin' Green or Eco Nuts ... and, of course, no fabric softener. It's not the diapers.While trying to find the cause was certainly on her mind, finding something to soothe the rash was the priority. And then she remembered the Bun Glaze I'd given her to review. Presto!
Here's what Bethany had to say:
Sweet Knee Bun Glaze is an alternative to diaper ointment and medicated ointments. I love that it has certified organic ingredients and is cloth diaper safe. I love that it does not contain petroleum, zinc or titanium-based ingredients that act as "barriers" and keep skin from breathing and healing quickly. Bun Glaze absorbs easily into the skin and contains natural vitamins A, D and E and the unique "skin" herbs and flowers of calendula, German chamomile, marshmallow and plantain. I love that there are no tubs, jars or tubes so there is no messy, germy double dipping! I also love that it's made in the USA!! I love that a little bit goes a long way, and if I do use too much I can rub it in on his feet or anywhere else! With this recent flare-up, I reached for the Bun Glaze and within a few days, the rash was gone!
Healing comes naturally! And, as you can tell, Bethany loves Sweet Knees Bun Glaze. This is yet another product sent to us with a request for a review, that gets a green thumbs up!
The second product I received from Kristy was the Oatmeal Cookie Bath, which I gave to my daughter, Jessica, to try with her nearly 3-year-old daughter, Laura.
"What do I do with this?" she asked.
"What do you mean?" I countered.
"Do I open the sacks and dump the oatmeal in the water?"
"Aren't there instructions?"
"It just says 'add to bath.'"
Confusing. Of course, I told her to just submerge the whole bag. But then there was the issue of what to do with the bag when the bath was through. Is it reusable? She didn't know. So, she threw it away. Quite honestly, I'm not sure if that was the right thing to do or not. I would have just composted it, I guess. After hearing from Kristy, I found out the bags can be washed and repurposed (we should have thought of that!).
The bath was soothing for Laura, as the oatmeal made the water smooth and comforting.
Quite honestly, I have mixed feelings about this product, although some of my negative feelings could be changed with the addition of instructions for those of us not familiar with this type of product. And let's face it -- a lot of new mamas already feel overwhelmed with the need to learn more and more every day. Let's make it simpler for them!
Here's what I like about the Sweet Knees Oatmeal Cookie Bath. It is certified gluten free with organic oats. It's safe for both babies and mamas. It is soothing for a variety of skin conditions, including sunburns, minor burns, scrapes and cuts, eczema, chicken pox, poison ivy/oak and just the plain ol' itchies.
And, of course, it's toxin-free! It contains 4 simple ingredients: oats, calendula flower, German chamomile and marshmallow leaf. It's safe and it's effective at easing the itch.
As sweet as she is, Kristy is offering a 20% discount to everyone in the GG community through 9/30/11. Simply go to the website, shop around and when you go to check out, enter the phrase 'SweetGrandma'.
Oh, and I mentioned 'giveaway' in the title, didn't I? Well, that's icing on the 20% discount cake! Mama Sweet is offering a $10 gift certificate to one lucky reader and she's not asking anything in return. But I am, just to be fair.
Go to the Sweet Knee website, browse through her products, and post a comment here or on Facebook, letting me know what you like best. And, make sure you check out the Sweet Knee Facebook page as well. You just might 'like' it : ) Tell her I sent you, if you do.
That's it. Contest ends at midnight EST on Monday, 9/12/11. I'll draw a winner via Random.org on Tuesday, 9/13.
Keep it sweet and clean,
Hana
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
In honor of their return ... some stinkbug fiction
It's a chilly, rainy day in Western Pennsylvania, and somehow, I'm feeling a bit unmotivated. So I thought I'd post some fiction you might enjoy.
Many of you read this when I posted it in October of 2010. This was written for an assignment with my writing group, Writers at Work. Following this story is a sequel written the next month, but never posted here on the blog.
Watching the pseudo-armored bug struggle against inevitable death, Meredith smiled. The watery graveyard was mucky brown with those that had suffered identical fates – death by soapy water. It was a formula she learned about on Facebook from someone calling herself “Green Grandma” who promoted environmentally-friendly ways to solve common problems. Not that the eradication of stinkbugs was all that common, mind you. Meredith could not recall a time she had ever even noticed one of these insects in the past. Now it seemed these miniature army men were threatening to overtake civilization as she once knew it, creeping their way onto her kitchen counters, into her bathroom, atop her line-dried organic bamboo bed sheets. Everywhere she turned, she saw them. The news stations were airing special reports, strangers in the grocery stores were swapping war stories, and newspapers blowing in the wind sported headlines about the problem.
Meredith herself was working on a magazine article titled, Destined to Die: The story of an American stinkbug, but so far she could not seem to get past the title. That happened often with her. She would create a dynamite heading, often perusing her trusty Thesaurus for elegant alliteration or pithy similes, and then fall flat in her effort to match up her titling abilities with an equally dynamic article.
Maybe if I just spend some time with Charlie and all his Chinese relatives, I’ll come up with something, she had thought, but then succumbed to a killing spree rivaling any she had participated in prior to this partly sunny, unusually warm October day. Thinking about the mass grave she held in her hands made Meredith start to feel itchy. First, it was her shoulders and she twisted back and forth trying to reach the spots on her upper back where it felt like bugs were crawling. She could hear buzzing in her ears, the telltale sound of stinkbugs on patrol…or attack…or whatever it was they were doing.
“Vinegar!” she shouted. “I have to find some vinegar!”
Slamming the screen door behind her, Meredith started opening cabinet doors in her kitchen, pulling out bottle after bottle.
“There must be a jar of vinegar here somewhere, Tawny,” she said through gritted teeth. The cat ignored her, sauntering past her before bounding down the basement steps to his litter box. “The basement!” she exclaimed. “You are brilliant, Tawny. Of course, there’s vinegar in the basement!”
Tawny looked up at Meredith from his squatting position in the corner of the laundry room.
“Why vinegar, you ask?” Meredith directed her question to him as he scratched at the litter. “Well, because,” she continued. “Green Grandma says vinegar is the answer for everything! Remember when we watched that movie about the Greek family and the wedding?”
Tawny did not answer.
“Well, the bride’s father thought Windex was the answer, but let’s face it, Tawnmeister – Windex is not environmentally-friendly. Vinegar is!”
Retrieving the gallon jug from the cabinet above the washer, Meredith hurried up the steps, taking them two at a time. If I can find a way to eradicate these freakin’ demons, the article will write itself.
Her neck started to twitch as Meredith walked around the patio toting an almost full gallon of vinegar, without a clue as to what she was going to do with it. Realizing she was at a total loss, she went back into her office and began to type.
Dear Green Grandma…
The article would have to wait.
Hana Haatainen Caye
“I got it!” Meredith screamed. “I got it!” she repeated, jumping up and down with the prized piece of mail in her hand.
A woman and her son passed by on the other side of the street, witnessing the exuberant display of enthusiasm. The boy stopped and stared just long enough to catch Meredith’s eye. She waved at him as his mother grabbed his arm, pulling him to a seemingly saner place.
“Problem, lady?” Meredith yelled. “Haven’t you ever seen anyone get exactly what they wanted, huh? Better watch where you’re going … the stinkbugs might get ya!”
The protective mother quickened her steps as the boy strained to see what else the crazy lady might be doing.
“Yeee haaaa! Tawny, this is it!”
Getting caught up in the excitement, the tortoiseshell cat dashed over to the oak tree, scurried up several feet and paused before dropping back down to the mulch below. Meredith skipped down the walk to the house. As she opened the door, the smell of pumpkin roll baking in the oven sent her endorphins into an even greater frenzy, the disco ball of her brain spinning at a fevered pace. Meredith Graham had not felt this good since the Christmas of 1989 when her parents told her she was adopted. The relief and joy over finding out she was not biologically connected to the people who raised her boosted her serotonin level off the charts. This … this beautiful, wonderful, exquisite green envelope produced the same magnificent feelings. Pure, unadulterated joy.
But then, everything changed as Meredith spotted it, crawling insidiously across the crown molding, camouflaged against the stained wood.
"No!” she screamed. “I thought they were gone.”
With her heart rate climbing, she ran to the bathroom, unrolling a ribbon of toilet paper in her haste.
“I’ll get you. I’ll get you. I’ll get you.” Her voice crescendo-ing with each phrase as she mounted the couch and reached toward the ceiling. As her foot hit the slick leather, the couch slid on the hardwood floor, sending Meredith reeling backwards toward the entertainment center.
Crack. Her head hit the edge and she fell lifeless onto the braided area rug beneath her. The stinkbug flew from his place of ambush, landing on the green envelope as it perched on the edge of the table in the entryway.
The sound of the smoke alarm alerted Meredith’s next-door neighbor, who, finding the front door unlocked, discovered her body. The smell of burnt pumpkin roll wafted through the house and Gerry hurried into the smoke-filled kitchen in search of the phone. Snapping the oven’s control to the off position, she picked up the cordless, returned to the living room and dialed 911. As she was heading outside to wait for the ambulance, Gerry noticed the menacing presence of the stinkbug. Shivering with disgust, she gingerly picked up the corner of the green envelope and tossed it out the door. Whatever this dream-come-true letter revealed, it was just one more thing lost to the 2010 invasion of the stinkbugs.
Hana Haatainen Caye
©2010
Many of you read this when I posted it in October of 2010. This was written for an assignment with my writing group, Writers at Work. Following this story is a sequel written the next month, but never posted here on the blog.
Driven to Distraction
“Your turn, Charlie. Hop in!” Meredith placed the jar up against the brick wall prompting the stinkbug to jump. “One hundred and sixty-two.”Watching the pseudo-armored bug struggle against inevitable death, Meredith smiled. The watery graveyard was mucky brown with those that had suffered identical fates – death by soapy water. It was a formula she learned about on Facebook from someone calling herself “Green Grandma” who promoted environmentally-friendly ways to solve common problems. Not that the eradication of stinkbugs was all that common, mind you. Meredith could not recall a time she had ever even noticed one of these insects in the past. Now it seemed these miniature army men were threatening to overtake civilization as she once knew it, creeping their way onto her kitchen counters, into her bathroom, atop her line-dried organic bamboo bed sheets. Everywhere she turned, she saw them. The news stations were airing special reports, strangers in the grocery stores were swapping war stories, and newspapers blowing in the wind sported headlines about the problem.
Meredith herself was working on a magazine article titled, Destined to Die: The story of an American stinkbug, but so far she could not seem to get past the title. That happened often with her. She would create a dynamite heading, often perusing her trusty Thesaurus for elegant alliteration or pithy similes, and then fall flat in her effort to match up her titling abilities with an equally dynamic article.
Maybe if I just spend some time with Charlie and all his Chinese relatives, I’ll come up with something, she had thought, but then succumbed to a killing spree rivaling any she had participated in prior to this partly sunny, unusually warm October day. Thinking about the mass grave she held in her hands made Meredith start to feel itchy. First, it was her shoulders and she twisted back and forth trying to reach the spots on her upper back where it felt like bugs were crawling. She could hear buzzing in her ears, the telltale sound of stinkbugs on patrol…or attack…or whatever it was they were doing.
“Vinegar!” she shouted. “I have to find some vinegar!”
Slamming the screen door behind her, Meredith started opening cabinet doors in her kitchen, pulling out bottle after bottle.
“There must be a jar of vinegar here somewhere, Tawny,” she said through gritted teeth. The cat ignored her, sauntering past her before bounding down the basement steps to his litter box. “The basement!” she exclaimed. “You are brilliant, Tawny. Of course, there’s vinegar in the basement!”
Tawny looked up at Meredith from his squatting position in the corner of the laundry room.
“Why vinegar, you ask?” Meredith directed her question to him as he scratched at the litter. “Well, because,” she continued. “Green Grandma says vinegar is the answer for everything! Remember when we watched that movie about the Greek family and the wedding?”
Tawny did not answer.
“Well, the bride’s father thought Windex was the answer, but let’s face it, Tawnmeister – Windex is not environmentally-friendly. Vinegar is!”
Retrieving the gallon jug from the cabinet above the washer, Meredith hurried up the steps, taking them two at a time. If I can find a way to eradicate these freakin’ demons, the article will write itself.
Her neck started to twitch as Meredith walked around the patio toting an almost full gallon of vinegar, without a clue as to what she was going to do with it. Realizing she was at a total loss, she went back into her office and began to type.
Dear Green Grandma…
The article would have to wait.
Hana Haatainen Caye
©2010
 |
| Photo by Mikaela Dunn |
A Vengeful Stench
Opening the mailbox, Meredith spotted a bright green envelope. Her name and address was creatively printed across the front, as if merry little elves were playing with a brand new set of colored pencils. Tawny rubbed back-and-forth against her legs, mewing softly. “I got it!” Meredith screamed. “I got it!” she repeated, jumping up and down with the prized piece of mail in her hand.
A woman and her son passed by on the other side of the street, witnessing the exuberant display of enthusiasm. The boy stopped and stared just long enough to catch Meredith’s eye. She waved at him as his mother grabbed his arm, pulling him to a seemingly saner place.
“Problem, lady?” Meredith yelled. “Haven’t you ever seen anyone get exactly what they wanted, huh? Better watch where you’re going … the stinkbugs might get ya!”
The protective mother quickened her steps as the boy strained to see what else the crazy lady might be doing.
“Yeee haaaa! Tawny, this is it!”
Getting caught up in the excitement, the tortoiseshell cat dashed over to the oak tree, scurried up several feet and paused before dropping back down to the mulch below. Meredith skipped down the walk to the house. As she opened the door, the smell of pumpkin roll baking in the oven sent her endorphins into an even greater frenzy, the disco ball of her brain spinning at a fevered pace. Meredith Graham had not felt this good since the Christmas of 1989 when her parents told her she was adopted. The relief and joy over finding out she was not biologically connected to the people who raised her boosted her serotonin level off the charts. This … this beautiful, wonderful, exquisite green envelope produced the same magnificent feelings. Pure, unadulterated joy.
But then, everything changed as Meredith spotted it, crawling insidiously across the crown molding, camouflaged against the stained wood.
"No!” she screamed. “I thought they were gone.”
With her heart rate climbing, she ran to the bathroom, unrolling a ribbon of toilet paper in her haste.
“I’ll get you. I’ll get you. I’ll get you.” Her voice crescendo-ing with each phrase as she mounted the couch and reached toward the ceiling. As her foot hit the slick leather, the couch slid on the hardwood floor, sending Meredith reeling backwards toward the entertainment center.
Crack. Her head hit the edge and she fell lifeless onto the braided area rug beneath her. The stinkbug flew from his place of ambush, landing on the green envelope as it perched on the edge of the table in the entryway.
The sound of the smoke alarm alerted Meredith’s next-door neighbor, who, finding the front door unlocked, discovered her body. The smell of burnt pumpkin roll wafted through the house and Gerry hurried into the smoke-filled kitchen in search of the phone. Snapping the oven’s control to the off position, she picked up the cordless, returned to the living room and dialed 911. As she was heading outside to wait for the ambulance, Gerry noticed the menacing presence of the stinkbug. Shivering with disgust, she gingerly picked up the corner of the green envelope and tossed it out the door. Whatever this dream-come-true letter revealed, it was just one more thing lost to the 2010 invasion of the stinkbugs.
Hana Haatainen Caye
©2010
Monday, September 5, 2011
Labor -- a God-given purpose
There are people out there who believe resting on a daily basis is preferable to working, but I beg to differ with that train of thought. Of course, it's easy for me to say because I love what I do.
Yesterday, our minister, Bob Hartman, preached on the value of labor. He read from Genesis, illustrating how God created man to work. Or rather, to create. Do you recall what the first job was? To name the creatures. I wonder how long that took! God called upon Adam to exercise his brain ... to not be idle. As I'm studying Proverbs right now, I see idleness as a common theme. Inevitably, it leads to trouble.
Bob went on to read the parable of the talents, found in Matthew 25:14-30. It's pretty clear that when God provides us with something, we are to do something with it. Fair enough. And who among us is without a talent or two? Yes, I know, the talents referred to in the Scripture are monetary, but the passage can refer to Spiritual gifts and talents as well.
To sum up what Bob had to say, which I am in total agreement with, God created us to work, to be creative, to use the gifts He's given us. For months now, I've been writing about resting on my Sabbath Experiment/Experience posts. I've pointed out Scriptures supporting my claim that God calls us to rest. However, there would be no need for a Sabbath rest each week, if the previous six days were not spent working and creating in one way or another.
This is the reason I have problems with endlessly providing generation after generation with a means to live without requiring anything of them in return. As Bob stated, we are simply condemning them to being less than what God created them to be, which, in reality, is doing them a great injustice. We were meant to work. It was God's intention that we all contribute, in whatever way possible, to society. Do you get that?
Being idle leads to frustration, bitterness and low self-worth. In the midst of communities where the government has perpetuated this trend of something-for-nothing, we are seeing drug and alcohol abuse, as well as an escalation of violence, as is evidenced by the nightly news. People need to feel worth before they can project worth onto another life. Where there is no worth, there are few boundaries.
So, on this Labor Day, in the midst of economic turmoil and disturbing unemployment rates, my prayer for those of you who are blessed with jobs, is that you will be thankful for the work you have. For those who are desperately seeking work and are concerned about your future, my prayer is that God will provide and meet your needs. And for those caught up in the government-created web of idleness, I pray that you will tap into your God-given talents and break the cycle.
And now, I am going to join my husband for a day of resting from our occupations. Wishing you a pleasant Labor Day,
Hana
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Lessons from home
 |
| Four Generations |
"The family should be a closely knit group.
The home should be a self-contained
shelter of security;
a kind of school
where life’s basic lessons are taught;
and a kind of church where God is honored;
a place where wholesome recreation
and simple pleasures are enjoyed."
-- Billy Graham
Friday, September 2, 2011
Friday's 3Rs - an onslaught of junk mail
I came across this handy dandy website that makes this chore so much easier. It's called Catalog Choice and with a little bit of effort, you can easily eliminate much of the junk mail that is cluttering your mailbox, your home and your life!
As the holiday season rapidly approaches, most of us will be inundated with catalogs and flyers from retailers both known, and unknown, to us. As a community, let's all do our part to put an end to this nonsense!
In addition to filling out forms at Catalog Choice, another thing you can do is call the toll free number listed on every catalog you receive and request to be taken off their mailing list. Also, make sure to tell them you do not want your contact info given out. Perhaps they won't honor your wishes, but it is important to let them know anyway.
I just spent about a half an hour taking my name and address off a bunch of lists. The result should be a reduction in the amount of mail as October, November and December descend upon us and merchants chomp eagerly at the bit to sell me more stuff I don't need.
Here are some other helpful ways to eliminate junk mail:
- Stop Valpak from sending you those blue envelopes generally full of useless coupons
- Register with DMA Choice, an online tool that helps you manage your mail.
- Call Publisher's Clearinghouse -- 1-800-645-9242 -- and ask them to take you off their list
- Place a sign on your mailbox that says, "No Free Papers"
- Write "Return to Sender" on mail that comes for former residents (I know, most of you now have the song stuck in your head, don't you?)
- If you fill out your name and address for surveys, raffles, etc., add "You do not have my permission to share this information with anyone." Many surveys are just phishing ploys. The names and addresses are gathered and sold. One way you can determine if someone has done this is to change your name somehow when you fill out the form. Add a different middle initial or spell your first name differently. If you start getting junk mail addressed that way, you'll know the source.
- Check out companies' websites -- many have an opt-out feature where you can submit a simple online form.
Sharing tips with you for a better tomorrow,
Hana
Thursday, September 1, 2011
It's a matter of attitude
I'm concerned about our kids. Why? I'm sure you can come up with dozens of really good answers to that question. But perhaps you won't hit on my concern today.
I'm concerned about their lack of gratitude. And before you jump on the bandwagon and agree with me about the ungrateful bunch of young people out there, stop for a moment and ask yourself the following questions:
- Have I ever complained bitterly about the government or president in front of my kids?
- Have I ever torn down the local police department in front of my kids?
- Have I ever griped about my job in front of my kids?
- Have I ever torn down my spouse in front of my kids?
- Have I ever criticized my minister/the sermon/the worship service/the Sunday School teachers/other congregation members in front of my kids?
- Have I ever moaned about having to help a neighbor or elderly relative in front of my kids?
- Have I ever mentioned how much I did not like a present I received in front of my kids?
- Have I ever made fun of anyone in front of my kids?
- Have I ever excused foul language or a rotten attitude and blamed it on the day I've had in front of my kids?
No? Well then maybe, you just might want to look at the example you have set for them.
What good is it if you raise eco-conscious kids who have no respect for the institution of marriage, law enforcement, clergy members, teachers, bosses, peers, etc.?
We're raising a generation of kids who care for the earth, but not for life. And that, my friends, is very, very sad.
But it's not too late to turn things around! Starting with, you guessed it, you and me.
So, as September dawns, let me challenge you to 30 days of gratitude. Focus on it. Shift your attitude. Watch your language. Pray for, dare I say it, your boss, your country's leaders, your ex, your annoying neighbor, your needy in-laws ... Be grateful. Look around you at all that is good in your life and ... rejoice.
If you feel led, post the things you're thankful for on your Facebook page, or on the GG wall. Post it here in the comments. But remember. For this experiment, you want to start with just one thing. Just one. Then two. Then three. On the last day of the month, you will have 30 things on your list for that day.
It's all about attitude, folks. An attitude of gratitude.
So, today, I'll start. I am thankful for you.
Looking forward to a magnificent month,
Hana
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