Five For...

Five For...A New Address

2010-03-23T22:19:00.000Z

I want to say a warm Thank You! to all of my readers. I have loved hearing from you and sharing with you.
The time has come for a change and Five For will no longer be a working blog.

Please join me at my new site:

Tangerine Turtle

You can click on the link, or add http://tangerineturtle.net to your bookmarks.

See you there!

Five For...As a Man Thinketh- Part 3

2009-11-23T20:34:00.000Z

3. Effect of Thought on Health and the Body

THE body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed. At the bidding of unlawful thoughts the body sinks rapidly into disease and decay; at the command of glad and beautiful thoughts it becomes clothed with youthfulness and beauty.

Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express themselves through a sickly body. Thoughts of fear have been known to kill a man as speedily as a bullet, and they are continually killing thousands of people just as surely though less rapidly. The people who live in fear of disease are the people who get it. Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to the entrance of disease; while impure thoughts, even if not physically indulged, will soon shatter the nervous system.

Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigour and grace. The body is a delicate and plastic instrument, which responds readily to the thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own effects, good or bad, upon it.

Men will continue to have impure and poisoned blood, so long as they propagate unclean thoughts. Out of a clean heart comes a clean life and a clean body. Out of a defiled mind proceeds a defiled life and a corrupt body. Thought is the fount of action, life, and manifestation; make the fountain pure, and all will be pure.

Change of diet will not help a man who will not change his thoughts. When a man makes his thoughts pure, he no longer desires impure food.

Clean thoughts make clean habits. The so-called saint who does not wash his body is not a saint. He who has strengthened and purified his thoughts does not need to consider the malevolent microbe.

If you would protect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind. Thoughts of malice, envy, disappointment, despondency, rob the body of its health and grace. A sour face does not come by chance; it is made by sour thoughts. Wrinkles that mar are drawn by folly, passion, and pride.

I know a woman of ninety-six who has the bright, innocent face of a girl. I know a man well under middle age whose face is drawn into inharmonious contours. The one is the result of a sweet and sunny disposition; the other is the outcome of passion and discontent.

As you cannot have a sweet and wholesome abode unless you admit the air and sunshine freely into your rooms, so a strong body and a bright, happy, or serene countenance can only result from the free admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and goodwill and serenity.

On the faces of the aged there are wrinkles made by sympathy, others by strong and pure thought, and others are carved by passion: who cannot distinguish them? With those who have lived righteously, age is calm, peaceful, and softly mellowed, like the setting sun. I have recently seen a philosopher on his deathbed. He was not old except in years. He died as sweetly and peacefully as he had lived.

There is no physician like cheerful thought for dissipating the ills of the body; there is no comforter to compare with goodwill for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow. To live continually in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self made prison-hole. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all—such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor.

This part of the book really speaks to me. As a cancer survivor, I whole-heartedly agree with it. When I was diagnosed, I spent many hours a day visualizing the cancer receding and my healthy cells becoming strong and dominant. There is more and more research coming out that supports the connection between mind and body. While I don't necessarily think that your thoughts can completely irradicate every disease out there, I know first-hand that they absolutely do have an impact on your health. Although I have been clear of the cancer for the last 10 years, I frequently find that when my mind is full of negativity that my body is also sluggish and slow to heal itself.

So this chapter is one that I should read and re-read regularly to help me keep my mind and body healthy.

How about you? What is your experience of the relationship between your thoughts and your health? Have you noticed any connection?

I'd love to hear from you.

Five For...As a Man Thinketh- Part 2

2009-11-20T00:01:00.001Z

2. Effect of Thought on Circumstances

MAN'S mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed-seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.

Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts, and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts. By pursuing this process, a man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life. He also reveals, within himself, the laws of thought, and understands, with ever-increasing accuracy, how the thought-forces and mind elements operate in the shaping of his character, circumstances, and destiny.

Thought and character are one, and as character can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstance, the outer conditions of a person's life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state. This does not mean that a man's circumstances at any given time are an indication of his entire character, but that those circumstances are so intimately connected with some vital thought-element within himself that, for the time being, they are indispensable to his development.

Every man is where he is by the law of his being; the thoughts which he has built into his character have brought him there, and in the arrangement of his life there is no element of chance, but all is the result of a law which cannot err. This is just as true of those who feel "out of harmony" with their surroundings as of those who are contented with them.

As a progressive and evolving being, man is where he is that he may learn that he may grow; and as he learns the spiritual lesson which any circumstance contains for him, it passes away and gives place to other circumstances.

Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself.

That circumstances grow out of thought every man knows who has for any length of time practised self-control and self-purification, for he will have noticed that the alteration in his circumstances has been in exact ratio with his altered mental condition. So true is this that when a man earnestly applies himself to remedy the defects in his character, and makes swift and marked progress, he passes rapidly through a succession of vicissitudes.

The soul attracts that which it secretly harbours; that which it loves, and also that which it fears; it reaches the height of its cherished aspirations; it falls to the level of its unchastened desires,—and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.

Every thought-seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bad fruit.

The outer world of circumstance shapes itself to the inner world of thought, and both pleasant and unpleasant external conditions are factors, which make for the ultimate good of the individual. As the reaper of his own harvest, man learns both by suffering and bliss.

Following the inmost desires, aspirations, thoughts, by which he allows himself to be dominated, (pursuing the will-o'-the-wisps of impure imaginings or steadfastly walking the highway of strong and high endeavour), a man at last arrives at their fruition and fulfilment in the outer conditions of his life. The laws of growth and adjustment everywhere obtains.

A man does not come to the almshouse or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the pathway of grovelling thoughts and base desires. Nor does a pure-minded man fall suddenly into crime by stress of any mere external force; the criminal thought had long been secretly fostered in the heart, and the hour of opportunity revealed its gathered power. Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself. No such conditions can exist as descending into vice and its attendant sufferings apart from vicious inclinations, or ascending into virtue and its pure happiness without the continued cultivation of virtuous aspirations; and man, therefore, as the lord and master of thought, is the maker of himself the shaper and author of environment. Even at birth the soul comes to its own and through every step of its earthly pilgrimage it attracts those combinations of conditions which reveal itself, which are the reflections of its own purity and, impurity, its strength and weakness.

Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are. Their whims, fancies, and ambitions are thwarted at every step, but their inmost thoughts and desires are fed with their own food, be it foul or clean. The "divinity that shapes our ends" is in ourselves; it is our very self. Only himself manacles man: thought and action are the gaolers of Fate—they imprison, being base; they are also the angels of Freedom—they liberate, being noble. Not what he wishes and prays for does a man get, but what he justly earns. His wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts and actions.

In the light of this truth, what, then, is the meaning of "fighting against circumstances?" It means that a man is continually revolting against an effect without, while all the time he is nourishing and preserving its cause in his heart. That cause may take the form of a conscious vice or an unconscious weakness; but whatever it is, it stubbornly retards the efforts of its possessor, and thus calls aloud for remedy.

Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound. The man who does not shrink from self-crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set. This is as true of earthly as of heavenly things. Even the man whose sole object is to acquire wealth must be prepared to make great personal sacrifices before he can accomplish his object; and how much more so he who would realize a strong and well-poised life?

Here is a man who is wretchedly poor. He is extremely anxious that his surroundings and home comforts should be improved, yet all the time he shirks his work, and considers he is justified in trying to deceive his employer on the ground of the insufficiency of his wages. Such a man does not understand the simplest rudiments of those principles which are the basis of true prosperity, and is not only totally unfitted to rise out of his wretchedness, but is actually attracting to himself a still deeper wretchedness by dwelling in, and acting out, indolent, deceptive, and unmanly thoughts.

Here is a rich man who is the victim of a painful and persistent disease as the result of gluttony. He is willing to give large sums of money to get rid of it, but he will not sacrifice his gluttonous desires. He wants to gratify his taste for rich and unnatural viands and have his health as well. Such a man is totally unfit to have health, because he has not yet learned the first principles of a healthy life.

Here is an employer of labour who adopts crooked measures to avoid paying the regulation wage, and, in the hope of making larger profits, reduces the wages of his workpeople. Such a man is altogether unfitted for prosperity, and when he finds himself bankrupt, both as regards reputation and riches, he blames circumstances, not knowing that he is the sole author of his condition.

I have introduced these three cases merely as illustrative of the truth that man is the causer (though nearly always is unconsciously) of his circumstances, and that, whilst aiming at a good end, he is continually frustrating its accomplishment by encouraging thoughts and desires which cannot possibly harmonize with that end. Such cases could be multiplied and varied almost indefinitely, but this is not necessary, as the reader can, if he so resolves, trace the action of the laws of thought in his own mind and life, and until this is done, mere external facts cannot serve as a ground of reasoning.

Circumstances, however, are so complicated, thought is so deeply rooted, and the conditions of happiness vary so, vastly with individuals, that a man's entire soul-condition (although it may be known to himself) cannot be judged by another from the external aspect of his life alone. A man may be honest in certain directions, yet suffer privations; a man may be dishonest in certain directions, yet acquire wealth; but the conclusion usually formed that the one man fails because of his particular honesty, and that the other prospers because of his particular dishonesty, is the result of a superficial judgment, which assumes that the dishonest man is almost totally corrupt, and the honest man almost entirely virtuous. In the light of a deeper knowledge and wider experience such judgment is found to be erroneous. The dishonest man may have some admirable virtues, which the other does, not possess; and the honest man obnoxious vices which are absent in the other. The honest man reaps the good results of his honest thoughts and acts; he also brings upon himself the sufferings, which his vices produce. The dishonest man likewise garners his own suffering and happiness.

It is pleasing to human vanity to believe that one suffers because of one's virtue; but not until a man has extirpated every sickly, bitter, and impure thought from his mind, and washed every sinful stain from his soul, can he be in a position to know and declare that his sufferings are the result of his good, and not of his bad qualities; and on the way to, yet long before he has reached, that supreme perfection, he will have found, working in his mind and life, the Great Law which is absolutely just, and which cannot, therefore, give good for evil, evil for good. Possessed of such knowledge, he will then know, looking back upon his past ignorance and blindness, that his life is, and always was, justly ordered, and that all his past experiences, good and bad, were the equitable outworking of his evolving, yet unevolved self.

Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results. This is but saying that nothing can come from corn but corn, nothing from nettles but nettles. Men understand this law in the natural world, and work with it; but few understand it in the mental and moral world (though its operation there is just as simple and undeviating), and they, therefore, do not co-operate with it.

Suffering is always the effect of wrong thought in some direction. It is an indication that the individual is out of harmony with himself, with the Law of his being. The sole and supreme use of suffering is to purify, to burn out all that is useless and impure. Suffering ceases for him who is pure. There could be no object in burning gold after the dross had been removed, and a perfectly pure and enlightened being could not suffer.

The circumstances, which a man encounters with suffering, are the result of his own mental inharmony. The circumstances, which a man encounters with blessedness, are the result of his own mental harmony. Blessedness, not material possessions, is the measure of right thought; wretchedness, not lack of material possessions, is the measure of wrong thought. A man may be cursed and rich; he may be blessed and poor. Blessedness and riches are only joined together when the riches are rightly and wisely used; and the poor man only descends into wretchedness when he regards his lot as a burden unjustly imposed.

Indigence and indulgence are the two extremes of wretchedness. They are both equally unnatural and the result of mental disorder. A man is not rightly conditioned until he is a happy, healthy, and prosperous being; and happiness, health, and prosperity are the result of a harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer, of the man with his surroundings.

A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life. And as he adapts his mind to that regulating factor, he ceases to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against circumstances, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid progress, and as a means of discovering the hidden powers and possibilities within himself.

Law, not confusion, is the dominating principle in the universe; justice, not injustice, is the soul and substance of life; and righteousness, not corruption, is the moulding and moving force in the spiritual government of the world. This being so, man has but to right himself to find that the universe is right; and during the process of putting himself right he will find that as he alters his thoughts towards things and other people, things and other people will alter towards him.
The proof of this truth is in every person, and it therefore admits of easy investigation by systematic introspection and self-analysis. Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life. Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies into circumstance. Bestial thoughts crystallize into habits of drunkenness and sensuality, which solidify into circumstances of destitution and disease: impure thoughts of every kind crystallize into enervating and confusing habits, which solidify into distracting and adverse circumstances: thoughts of fear, doubt, and indecision crystallize into weak, unmanly, and irresolute habits, which solidify into circumstances of failure, indigence, and slavish dependence: lazy thoughts crystallize into habits of uncleanliness and dishonesty, which solidify into circumstances of foulness and beggary: hateful and condemnatory thoughts crystallize into habits of accusation and violence, which solidify into circumstances of injury and persecution: selfish thoughts of all kinds crystallize into habits of self-seeking, which solidify into circumstances more or less distressing. On the other hand, beautiful thoughts of all kinds crystallize into habits of grace and kindliness, which solidify into genial and sunny circumstances: pure thoughts crystallize into habits of temperance and self-control, which solidify into circumstances of repose and peace: thoughts of courage, self-reliance, and decision crystallize into manly habits, which solidify into circumstances of success, plenty, and freedom: energetic thoughts crystallize into habits of cleanliness and industry, which solidify into circumstances of pleasantness: gentle and forgiving thoughts crystallize into habits of gentleness, which solidify into protective and preservative circumstances: loving and unselfish thoughts crystallize into habits of self-forgetfulness for others, which solidify into circumstances of sure and abiding prosperity and true riches.

A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.

Nature helps every man to the gratification of the thoughts, which he most encourages, and opportunities are presented which will most speedily bring to the surface both the good and evil thoughts.

Let a man cease from his sinful thoughts, and all the world will soften towards him, and be ready to help him; let him put away his weakly and sickly thoughts, and lo, opportunities will spring up on every hand to aid his strong resolves; let him encourage good thoughts, and no hard fate shall bind him down to wretchedness and shame. The world is your kaleidoscope, and the varying combinations of colours, which at every succeeding moment it presents to you are the exquisitely adjusted pictures of your ever-moving thoughts.

"So You will be what you will to be;
Let failure find its false content
In that poor word, 'environment,'
But spirit scorns it, and is free.
"It masters time, it conquers space;
It cowes that boastful trickster, Chance,
And bids the tyrant Circumstance
Uncrown, and fill a servant's place.
"The human Will, that force unseen,
The offspring of a deathless Soul,
Can hew a way to any goal,
Though walls of granite intervene.
"Be not impatient in delays
But wait as one who understands;
When spirit rises and commands
The gods are ready to obey."

Again, this is another powerful chapter from Mr. Allen. My only niggling thought is....what about people who are in poverty or oppressed? Surely their own thoughts have not caused their oppression. I suppose this is one of the main criticisms of the Law of Attraction. Where do these sorts of situations fit into this scheme of thinking? I'm not really sure and it sits uneasy with me.

That being said, I am again encouraged and challenged by the thought of how powerful my own thoughts are to my own circumstances. I am sure I have unwittingly (and sometimes knowingly) brought negativity and failures to my life. Now is the time to change those thought patterns and take a step towards my inner success.

It strikes me that 'success' as we define it currently, does not serve us well. There seems to be a feeling that success is external to ourselves. But if we turned that on its head and looked at it as an internal state, how would that change our view of our lives? Would it feel more or less successful? I have a sneaky suspicion that it would feel more ...a lot more successful.

In the end, though, I suppose the main thing to take away from this chapter is:

Whatever we spend time thinking about, is what will become true and real in our lives.

Let's think on that for a while....

Five For...Bananas Foster Banana Bread

2009-11-11T22:32:00.000Z

I found this recipe at the Brown Eyed Baker. The picture above has a little story. We made these muffin/cupcakes a few days ago. By the time I got around to taking a decent picture (or any pictures at all), this was the lone muffin left, so no beautiful presentation of a mountain of cakes. Just one....and this one didn't last long either!

Here is the recipe:

Bananas Foster Banana Bread
Yield: 1 loaf

For the Bread:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
3 medium bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 tablespoons milk

For the Streusel Topping:
1½ cups chopped walnuts
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons butter

For the Rum Glaze:
¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter
2 tablespoons water
¼ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup rum

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

Combine ingredients for streusel topping in a medium bowl and combine with fingers to create a crumbly topping with the butter evenly distributed. Set aside.

Whisk the flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a small bowl to combine. Set aside.

On medium speed, beat the sugar and vegetable oil to combine. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each until combined. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract; beat to combine. Alternatively add the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Beat just until the flour is incorporated and finish mixing with a spatula.

Spread batter into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake until a thin knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean, about 60 minutes.

To make the rum glaze, combine the butter, water and sugar in a saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rum. Set aside and cover to keep warm.

Cool the cake on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then, using a skewer poke holes all over the top of the loaf. Spoon about ¼ cup of the rum glaze all over the loaf. Let the cake sit for about 5 minutes and then spoon the remaining glaze over it, a little at a time, until it is all absorbed into the bread.

Since we have young kids, we omitted the rum glaze and just made a butter/sugar syrup. Also, the recipe is for a loaf, but this made about 16 large cupcakes/small muffins and the cooking time was adjusted to about half.

I really do wish this picture could do justice to the taste of this cake. It is AMAZING.

All I can say is.....try it!

Five For...As a Man Thinketh- Part 1

2009-11-10T21:33:00.009Z

I recently came across this book in my travels around the net. It is possibly the first publication of what is now known as the Law of Attraction or The Secret. It is only a few pages long and because its copyright has expired, it is now in the public domain. I will post a section every day with my thoughts. I'd love to hear from you too! If you'd like to read the book online, you can find it here.

Foreward

THIS little volume (the result of meditation and experience) is not intended as an exhaustive treatise on the much-written-upon subject of the power of thought. It is suggestive rather than explanatory, its object being to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that—

"They themselves are makers of themselves."

by virtue of the thoughts, which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master-weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.

JAMES ALLEN.
BROAD PARK AVENUE, ILFRACOMBE, ENGLAND

1. Thought and Character
THE aphorism, "As a man thinketh in his heart so is he," not only embraces the whole of a man's being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.

As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of a man springs from the hidden seeds of thought, and could not have appeared without them. This applies equally to those acts called "spontaneous" and "unpremeditated" as to those, which are deliberately executed.

Act is the blossom of thought, and joy and suffering are its fruits; thus does a man garner in the sweet and bitter fruitage of his own husbandry.

"Thought in the mind hath made us, What we are
By thought was wrought and built. If a man's mind
Hath evil thoughts, pain comes on him as comes
The wheel the ox behind....
..If one endure
In purity of thought, joy follows him
As his own shadow—sure."

Man is a growth by law, and not a creation by artifice, and cause and effect is as absolute and undeviating in the hidden realm of thought as in the world of visible and material things. A noble and Godlike character is not a thing of favour or chance, but is the natural result of continued effort in right thinking, the effect of long-cherished association with Godlike thoughts. An ignoble and bestial character, by the same process, is the result of the continued harbouring of grovelling thoughts.

Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armoury of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace. By the right choice and true application of thought, man ascends to the Divine Perfection; by the abuse and wrong application of thought, he descends below the level of the beast. Between these two extremes are all the grades of character, and man is their maker and master.

Of all the beautiful truths pertaining to the soul which have been restored and brought to light in this age, none is more gladdening or fruitful of divine promise and confidence than this—that man is the master of thought, the moulder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny.

As a being of Power, Intelligence, and Love, and the lord of his own thoughts, man holds the key to every situation, and contains within himself that transforming and regenerative agency by which he may make himself what he wills.

Man is always the master, even in his weaker and most abandoned state; but in his weakness and degradation he is the foolish master who misgoverns his "household." When he begins to reflect upon his condition, and to search diligently for the Law upon which his being is established, he then becomes the wise master, directing his energies with intelligence, and fashioning his thoughts to fruitful issues. Such is the conscious master, and man can only thus become by discovering within himself the laws of thought; which discovery is totally a matter of application, self analysis, and experience.

Only by much searching and mining, are gold and diamonds obtained, and man can find every truth connected with his being, if he will dig deep into the mine of his soul; and that he is the maker of his character, the moulder of his life, and the builder of his destiny, he may unerringly prove, if he will watch, control, and alter his thoughts, tracing their effects upon himself, upon others, and upon his life and circumstances, linking cause and effect by patient practice and investigation, and utilizing his every experience, even to the most trivial, everyday occurrence, as a means of obtaining that knowledge of himself which is Understanding, Wisdom, Power. In this direction, as in no other, is the law absolute that "He that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened;" for only by patience, practice, and ceaseless importunity can a man enter the Door of the Temple of Knowledge.

This, I suppose, is the crux of the Law of Attraction. What you think is what you get. But this part of the book seems like so much more than just that thought. It is both liberating and frightening to think that we have so much power over our lives. I don't know about you, but I know that I get caught up in feeling like life is happening to me without my consent sometimes. It is just at those times that I think it would be useful to come back and read Mr. Allen's words.

I find it comforting to think that I can control much of what is happening in my life, if by nothing else, than adjusting my attitudes and learning lessons from whatever is going on at the time. I think we all know that sometimes the most testing times are those that later yield the brightest jewels of wisdom. It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day and not even give a thought to the meaning of things. This chapter of the book is a good reminder to take time to really get to know ourselves and our thoughts.

The other thing that struck me is that our thoughts control our character. We are so conditioned in our society to be self-depracating and critical. It is no wonder we get negative results. If we are not thinking good thoughts, how can good actions come back to us? Call it 'karma', call it 'reaping what you sow'...the result is the same. If we continue to berate ourselves, we will start to believe our own words, and eventually, the words will become our reality. It is just as easy to say positive words as it is to say negative words, but the outcome is a world apart from each other.

I hope this gives you some food for thought.

I don't know about you, but I'm looking forward to seeing what Chapter 2 brings!

Five For...Frustration

2009-11-09T23:34:00.000Z

photo credit frustrated

Do you ever have one of those days when nothing seems to go right?
That's me today...

I have spent HOURS trying to install a new domain on a new web host to no avail. This, of course, has meant that I haven't had time to work on my blogging today!

Bear with me, I hope to resume normal service tomorrow....

SIGH....

Five For...Orthodox Advent Countdown

2009-11-08T13:17:00.061Z

photo by alicepopkorn

In Orthodox Christianity the season of preparing for Christmas (commonly known as Advent) is called the Nativity Fast. It lasts 40 days and begins on 15th November.
Because of the difference in dates, (Advent begins on the Sunday four weeks before Christmas) it is almost impossible to find an Orthodox Advent calendar.So this year, my family is planning to make our own Countdown calendar. (Technically, it's more of a countdown than calendar, but you get the idea.)

Similar to my earlier post about recycling socks for an Advent countdown, I have decided to make our Orthodox Countdown on a string too. We have decided to use red stars for each day. Red, because it is the liturgical colour for the season, and stars because they remind us of the Star of Bethlehem, showing us the way towards Christmas. Every day in Orthodoxy is dedicated to one (or usually, many) saints or feasts. To help keep us focused and teach our children about the saints and the Christmas Story, each day we will place a picture and short description of the saint of the day (or piece of the Christmas Story) on each star.

By the time the Nativity Fast ends, we will be surrounded by a beautiful garland of saints and symbols of Christmas. I'll post pictures as the garland progresses.

How about you? How do you count down to Christmas? I'd love to hear your ideas!

Five For...Roasted Autumn Veggie Soup

2009-11-07T17:59:00.006Z

This recipe comes from Market Kitchen on the Good Food channel. It is listed as Butternut Squash Soup with Sausage, but I have renamed it since it uses most autumn root vegetables. It is ridiculously easy to make and so, so satisfying on a crisp, autumn day. Try it!

Ingredients:

7 Juniper Berries

1 1/2 tsp Caraway seeds

I Butternut Squash- peeled, seeded & chopped

2 small Sweet Potatoes- Peeled and chopped

2 Parsnips- peeled and chopped

2 Carrots- peeled and chopped

2 tbsp Olive oil

6 spiced sausages

salt & pepper- to taste

Preheat oven to 190C/375F.
Crush the juniper berries and caraway seeds with a pestle and mortar.
Put all the veg, oil, spices and salt & pepper in a large roasting pan and mix with your hands until the veggies are well coated with oil and spices.
Roast in the oven for approximately 45 minutes (until golden and soft). Turn over once halfway through cooking to make sure they are roasted evenly.
Remove from oven and cool.
Fry sausages in a pan.
Puree the vegetables and add water to make desired soup consistency.
Return soup to pan, warm through and serve with sliced sausages.
Enjoy!

Five For...Saying Sorry

2009-11-06T23:58:00.001Z

Today after school, my 5 yr old was emptying her school bag. They usually get homework on a Friday and I wanted to see what it was for this week. She proceeded to pull out a small (sealed) brown envelope with some grown-up writing on it with what I presumed were some reading levels on it. It looked like a teacher's resource to me and all she could say was "it was in my bag". For a good 15-20 minutes we went round and round, me explaining (calmly AT FIRST) that it wasn't good to take things that aren't ours and that you shouldn't pick things up without asking and her saying that she didn't know how it got in there. At some point, I couldn't contain my irritation and raised my voice.

Eventually... very eventually, I came across her Reading Journal. This is a book where the teachers can comment on the child's weekly reading tasks and parents can comment on their homework. It's mainly a communication tool between the teachers and parents. In it, there was a mysterious entry that said something about flashcards. It finally dawned on me, that MAYBE the envelope contained flash cards in it. I asked my daughter and she proceeded to tell me "yes, that's what Mrs. So-and-So said. We can work on what we don't know with the flashcards." Inside I wanted to scream, but I took a deep breath and through gritted teeth said "WHY didn't you tell me that to begin with?!" She shrugged in her 5 yr old way.

We went downstairs to get a snack and when I served it to her, I leant down, brushed her hair off of her face and apologized for yelling at her. I told her that I had misunderstood and thought she had done something she shouldn't and was sorry. I had barely got the words out of my mouth when she leant over and give me a big, squeezy hug. (The kind that are not very common when you're a 'big girl' these days.)

It struck me that so often as parents we are afraid to apologize to our children. If I hadn't chosen to do so in this situation I am sure that it would have been a little wound on her heart. These little wounds build up and lead to resentment and frustration, causing un-necessary pain that ultimately breaks down a loving, open relationship between children and their parents. It is also important for children to see their parents model good behaviour, After all, when they do something wrong, I am sure that 99% of us demand that they apologize. But if they don't see the adults in their lives doing the same thing, they get mixed messages. It does not make you weak as an adult to admit your mistakes to your children. They need to see that everyone makes mistakes and how to appropriately rectify them.

So, if you have an opportunity in the next few days, remember it's a great teaching moment to show your child how to handle making a mistake and making amends. I promise you, you'll feel great and your relationship with your child will become closer through it.

Five For...Busy Busy

2009-11-05T23:23:00.000Z

Today has been busy, busy, busy!

Three school runs, coffee morning at my house, gymnastics class, cheerleading practice, and maybe, just maybe the chance to take a breath.

So, this is just a short hello, to say I haven't forgot about all of you. I'll be back tomorrow.

I also wanted to say that I am saddened to see the news about Fort Hood in Texas. All the families and friends of those involved are in my thoughts and prayers. May you find comfort in knowing that there is a world out there who cares about your pain and loss.

So, until tomorrow...

Five For...Sticking With It

2009-11-04T22:47:00.001Z

Inevitably, the crash comes after the high...I was feeling great yesterday, having posted 4 times in 3 days. I was meeting my NaBloPoMo target nicely and feeling very inspired.

Today....you guessed it. Writer's block. Not an inspiration to be found anywhere. Sigh....

So, I apologize for this post, but I had to decide whether to stick with my commitment to write one post every day this month or not post something unless it was interesting. I chose to stick with my commitment.

It strikes me that there are many times in life where you don't 'feel' like doing something, but commitment overrides lack of inspiration. Any of you who are married for a significant amount of time will know this is true. You don't feel 'lovey' every day and heaven knows, some days 'like' is even a struggle. But you continue doing what you're supposed to do because you made a promise 'for better or worse'.

If I was married to my writing, today would definitely be a 'for worse' day. So I want to say, "thanks for sticking with me!" I look forward to sharing something much more inspirational and interesting tomorrow.

Five For...Your Purpose in Life

2009-11-03T14:18:00.000Z

Do you ever get the feeling that 'someone' is trying to tell you something? Maybe it's something a friend says to you, maybe it's something you read in a magazine or newspaper or in a favourite blog *wink*, maybe a billboard that catches your eye...

I have been having one of those moments for the past few days. Everywhere I turn, someone seems to be talking about their purpose in life and how to achieve it. I know it's a popular topic these days. But it seems significant to me that it has crossed my path in such a cluster, three or four times a day for two days. Could it be...(dare I say it)....a MESSAGE? Is God trying to tell me something?

Those of you who know me will know that this has been something I have wrestled with over the last few years. Maybe it's THAT birthday (40), or maybe it's just my analytical nature. As I've mentioned before, I am a dreamer. It can be a lethal combination, being a dreamer AND being analytical. I have a tendency to get caught up in my own head sometimes. That being said, I have struggled to make the transition from 'going out to work' to 'staying home to work'. I had my first daughter five and a half years ago and it has taken me about five of those years to get comfortable with staying at home to take care of her (and then her two younger sisters) and finding a J-O-B that I can fit around my family.

I know it's a struggle that thousands of you out there share with me. What I am realizing more and more is that it's not really about the job. It's what the job represents. An identity. Specifically, a meaningful identity that OTHERS value. That's right....I've been valuing others' opinions more than my own. What makes it worse is that I've even been valuing strangers' opinions more than my family's and friends' (and certainly more than my own). When I write that on paper, it sounds... so....bad! But I have to face it, it's true.

There was a period in time when I used to answer people who asked me what I do with what I 'used to do' (before I had kids). Somehow, I just couldn't say "I'm a stay-at-home mum." People just don't rate it. Their standard answer would be something like "Oh. Then silence." Talk about a conversation killer! Talk about a confidence killer! I wanted to shout..."but wait, I was a counselor! I used to help people get their lives together! I'm intelligent! I have something to offer the world!" Instead, I'd slink away feeling like a big nothing. I even started to avoid going out to meet new people. I just couldn't face the eventual question that would lead to the scenario I just described.

Thankfully, I am past that now. The thing I wanted to share with you, the MOST IMPORTANT THING is...your purpose in life, your life's purpose, does not necessarily have anything to do with your job. Let me say that again, "Your purpose in life does not have anything to do with your job." It has to do with your contribution to the world around you. Now, you may be lucky enough to have the two coincide, but the two may just as easily be independent of each other. It has taken me a while to realize this.

The quote above by Carl Jung really speaks to me. I need to remind myself of his words every day. Am I kindling light today or am I contributing to the darkness by not giving of myself? Luckily I have been blessed to find my real passion recently. It's writing. Through my writing, I can share inspiration and information with thousands, even millions of people out there. And I'll admit it, getting paid to do it is a wonderful bonus. But I am also kindling light when I take care of my children and husband or make time to spend with friends. I am kindling light when I make my home a nourishing and inviting space for my family and friends. I am kindling light when I make the effort to smile and say hello to someone when I really just want to rush to my destination. I am kindling light when I volunteer to help out at church or school.

So, it seems that I have acheived my purpose in life, at least today.

What a wonderful thought!

Peace to all of you,

Five For...Monday's Angel- Week 3

2009-11-02T23:59:00.002Z

Welcome to Week 3 of Monday's Angel, an eight week series on angels in Christianity.

Today we meet the second of the seven named Archangels in the bible.

Icon of the Archangel Gabriel

The Holy Archangel Gabriel is one of the seven great angels who stand before the throne of God.

He is believed to preside over the 1st heaven (which is closest to humanity) and is the bearer of God's secret messages to His chosen ones.
Gabriel is the patron saint of midwives, nurses, doctors, and all those who provide care throughout pregnancy and childbirth, messengers and all forms of communication and media.

Name
The name Gabriel comes from the Hebrew meaning "Man of God." It has also been translated as "God is mighty" or "the strength of God."

The Messenger of God

Gabriel is known as the Messenger of God.
His most important role has been revealing to humanity the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ by:

Announcing the birth of the Theotokos (Mother of God) to her parents Joachim and Anna.
Visiting Joseph in a dream, telling him that Mary's pregnancy was indeed miraculous and that he should protect and care for her.
Appearing to the shepherds near Bethlehem, telling them of the Nativity.

Some also believe that he will also announce the Second Coming of the Lord by blowing a trumpet.

Old Testament

Gabriel explained to Daniel his vision of a ram and a billy-goat foretelling Alexander the Great's conquest of Persia and a prophecy foretelling the freeing of the Israelites. It has also been suggested that Gabriel is the angel who wrestles with Jacob in the form of a man and that he was involved in the destruction of Sodom and Gommorah. Enoch says that Gabriel was sent to destroy the giant children of the fallen 'watchers' and did so by turning them against each other In 'Paradise Lost'.

New Testament

Gabriel was present during the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord.
According to Church Tradition, when the Lord prayed to the point of sweating blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Archangel Gabriel was sent to Him from the Heavens.

An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. (Luke 22:43).

Most importantly, it was Gabriel who announced Christ's Resurrection to the Myrrh-bearing Women outside the tomb.

Other Faiths

In Judaism, according to the Talmud (Sanhedrin 95b) it was Gabriel who destroyed the armies of Sennacherib "with a sharpened scythe which had been ready since Creation."
It is also written that Gabriel prevented Queen Vashti from appearing naked before King Ahasuerus and his guests in order to bring about the election of Esther in her place.
It was Gabriel who dealt death and destruction to the sinful cities of Sodom and Gommorah.

In Islam, it is believed that Gabriel dictated the Koran to Mohammed and presented the Black Stone of the Kaba to Abraham in Mecca. To this day thousands of people travel to Mecca to kiss this stone.

Feast Day
In the Orthodox Church Gabriel's feast day is celebrated on March 26 and July 13. It is believed that the Synaxis of the Archangel Gabriel was transferred from March 26 to July 13 so that it could be celebrated more festively than in the period of the Great Fast.

In the Roman Catholic Church Gabriel shares his Feast day with Michael and Raphael on September 29.

Legends

There is a tradition that Gabriel is the Angel of Birth.

It is said that he carefully spends the nine months of the pregnancy watching over each unborn child and instructing that child on the necessary knowledge of Heaven that is an inherent part of all people.
Just before birth, though, Gabriel touches each baby on the upper lip to make the child unable to remember all of the information about Heaven until the child returns to the spiritual state at death.
The sign of Gabriel’s Touch is the cleft just below the nose.

Joan of Arc credits Gabriel with the inspiration to challenge the King of France in her court testimony.

Icon

Gabriel is usually portrayed with certain distinguishing characteristics. He typically wears blue or white garments; he holds either a lily (representing the Theotokos), a trumpet, a shining lantern, a branch from Paradise presented to him by the Theotokos, or a spear in his right hand and often a mirror—made of jasper and with a Χ (the first letter of Christ (Χριστος) in Greek)—in his left hand.

Five For...Surprise Broccoli Cheese Soup

2009-11-02T13:09:00.000Z

Before I do anything, I want to thank my dear friend Stacy for giving me the courage to face my fear. Yes, I have a few. Not too many, (well, one full-blown phobia...*whispers* spiders...) but other than that, not many and usually not in the kitchen. However, there is one area that I have been avoiding for a while and Stacy's encouragement helped me believe I could face it.

Yes folks, we're talking about soup. Specifically, creamy, cheesy soups. Generally, I like to try new things in the kitchen, but for some reason, creamy soups scared me. I had visions of a horrible split mess and better than face that, I avoided trying to make them altogether. Yes, I know it's irrational. Yes, I should have tried sooner. But I didn't. Until today.

I'd like to report, it was a total success!

I started out with inspiration from a Cream of Broccoli & Cheese soup that she posted on her blog. The *surprise* in the title is meat. In this case- turkey. Let me tell you why I added this. Lately, we are having 'issues' at meal-times with my 3 yr old daughter. It's not the veggies she has a problem with, it's the meat. I have tried various forms, various textures and so far, she has turned her nose up at almost all of them. I'm hoping it's a phase, because she was never a picky eater before (and heaven knows I refuse to make seperate meals for each member of the family). But in any case, I knew in order to get her to eat any meat I'd have to get (even more) creative. That is the reason there is turkey in this soup, and that is the reason it has been shredded in the food processor. (It's HIDDEN....don't tell her.)

Here is the recipe:

25 g (approx 2 tbsp) butter

Splash of vegetable oil

1 medium onion

1 medium head of Broccoli

200 g turkey pieces

200 g grated cheddar cheese

Approx. 6 cups water

1 clove garlic

1 tsp dried parsley

1 chicken stock cube

200 ml double (heavy) cream

3 tsp cornstarch

salt/pepper to taste

Boil turkey in water for 15-20 minutes until done.
Shred turkey in food processor (you could dice them or leave them in large chunks).
Melt butter in oil over medium/low heat (the oil prevents the butter from burning).
Add chopped onion and broccoli and saute for 10 minutes until the onion is translucent.
Add garlic and turkey and saute for 2-3 minutes.
Add water, parsley, stock cube and salt & pepper. Bring to boil, then turn down heat and simmer until broccoli is tender.
Add cream and heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently.
Dissolve cornstarch in cold water and slowly add to soup, stirring constantly. Keep adding until the soup is thickened.
Stir in cheese until dissolved.
Enjoy!

Five For...A New Look-Part 2

2009-11-01T23:04:00.002Z

After considerable technical issues with the last template, Five For has a fantastic new look.
I hope you love it as much as I do!

Five For...Pumpkin, Pumpkin Everywhere!

2009-11-01T00:23:00.014Z

When I first came to England, I was dismayed and frustrated at not being able to buy good ole American Libby's pumpkin (in a can). I panicked and wondered how I would ever make my favourite autumn dessert...you guessed it...pumpkin pie.

Eventually, after I calmed down and started breathing again, I got onto my trusty computer and Googled 'how to make pumpkin puree'. After all, the settlers didn't have canned pumpkin...surely they made it from scratch...so why couldn't a 21st century girl from Baltimore do the same? It didn't take long to find what I was looking for. Several years have passed since that day and for a few years I didn't make anything made of pumpkins. (I know, gasp!) One reason was that for at least two autumns, I was pregnant and pumpkins contain one of the highest amounts of Vitamin A of any vegetables. Vitamin A is something that is restricted during pregnancy because in high doses it can cause birth defects and liver toxicity. I'm sure a few pieces of pie wouldn't have hurt anything, but I was slightly neurotic about these things...must have been the hormones.

Anyway, I digress! Back to the pumpkins...

This year, I decided it was time to get the autumn baking going again and 'pumpkin anything' was at the top of the list. Ree from The Pioneer Woman posted this great step-by-step on her blog about how to make roasted pumpkin puree. It sounded ridiculously easy and I love Ree's recipes, so I gave it a try.

Finally, the beautiful puree was finished and next came the fun part~ using it to bake something scrumptious.
I searched around the net, but in the end, I decided to try a recipe sent to me by one of my oldest and dearest friends. (Thanks Janis!) Here is what we ended up with... one loaf of pumpkin bread, one round pumpkin cake and 13 small pumpkin muffins. (!) Let me just tell you, she had warned me that she LOVES this recipe, and it did not disappoint. It is just the moistest, most yummy stuff you have ever tasted. Interestingly, the muffins were not as dense as the cake or bread, but I like that the same batter can give you such variation based on the baking tin.

Here is the recipe:

3 cups sugar... (I used 2 1/2 cups sugar and it was plenty sweet)
1 cup vegetable oil... (I used 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 cup applesauce)
4 large eggs
1 15 oz. can pumpkin

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
2/3 cup warm water

Preheat oven to 350F (180C).
Lightly butter loaf pans.
Beat 3 cups sugar, oil, eggs & pumpkin in large bowl.
In another large bowl sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, & spices.
Stir into pumpkin mixture.
Slowly mix in 2/3 cup water.
Divide batter between pans.
Bake approximately 1 hour.
Transfer to rack to cool 10 minutes.
Knife around edges then turn onto rack to cool.
Enjoy!

Try this recipe....do it!

Five For...Fun Halloween Facts

2009-10-31T13:11:00.002Z

photo from "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!"

To all those who celebrate it, Happy Halloween!

Here are some fun and interesting facts for you:

Halloween is thought to originate in Ireland with the Celtic festival of Samhain. It only became 'big' in America in the 1800's.
The word- Samhain- means 'summer's end' and was a harvest festival. It also marked the end of the light part of the year and the beginning of the dark part of the year (winter). This was the Celtic New Year and was celebrated on 31st October.
The pagan Celts believed that at this time of the year the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead were the thinnest and that dead souls could come back and visit the living. It is possible that the wearing of scary costumes was to scare away those spirits.
The name 'Halloween' has its orgins in the Roman Catholic Church. It comes from a contraction of the words 'Hallows' and 'E'ven'. 'All Hallows E'ven' (or evening) was the day before (or eve) of 'All Hallows Day'. 'All Hallows Day' (Hallow meant holy or saint in Old English) was previously celebrated in May but was moved to the 1st November by Pope Gregory in 835 CE . It is a day set aside to honour saints who don't have their own feast day.

Here are two possibilities for the origins of trick-or-treating:

The Celts would go door to door and collect food to give as offerings to the gods for the harvest.
In the Middles Ages in Ireland and Britain the poor would go door to door and collect food in exchange for saying prayers for the dead on All Soul's Day (2nd November) . (Similar to wassailing at Christmas, this was called 'Souling'). At the time, it was believed that the dead remained in limbo (purgatory) for a time after death, and that prayer could help their souls get into heaven quicker.

Did you ever wonder about Jack-o-lanterns?

According to folklore, a man named Stingy Jack tricked Satan into climbing a tree. Jack then carved an image of a cross in the tree's trunk, trapping the devil up the tree. Jack made a deal with the devil that, if he would never tempt him again, he would promise to let him down the tree. After Jack died, he was denied entrance to Heaven because of his evil ways, but he was also denied access to Hell because he had tricked the devil. Instead, the devil gave him a single ember to light his way through the darkness. The ember was placed inside a hollowed-out turnip to keep it glowing longer.
The Irish used turnips as their "Jack's lanterns" originally. But when they came to America , turnips were hard to find but pumpkins were plentiful. So the Jack-O-Lantern in America was a hollowed-out pumpkin, lit with an ember.

Some fun superstitions:

The superstition of knocking on wood for good luck originates from pagan beliefs in regards to trees.
Sparrows are thought to carry the souls of the dead and it is believed to bring bad luck if you kill one.
Put your clothes on inside out and walk backwards on Halloween night to meet a witch.
You should walk around your home three times backwards and counterclockwise before sunset on Halloween to ward off evil spirits.
If you ring a bell on Halloween, it will scare evil spirits away.
If a candle flame suddenly turns blue, there's a ghost nearby.
A piece of bread crossed with salt (holy bread with salt which was a witch-repellant) was carried in the pockets of travellers to keep them safe.

Have a fun-filled day!

Five For...A New Look!

2009-10-31T01:42:00.002Z

As you can see, I decided it was time for a blog makeover. Let's face it, a girl needs one every now and then...
I'm getting used to it, just like when I get a new hair-do....it takes a few days to get over the shock.
Let me know what you think (but please be gentle....I'm fragile..LOL)

Five For...Working on Habits

2009-10-27T21:20:00.001Z

We all have things we'd like to change about our lives. You know what I mean, those little habits that are keeping us from reaching the heights of our potential or at the very least keeping us from finishing today's to-do list. For me, one of those areas is self-descipline. I envy those people out there who can mechanically just 'do' what they need to do every day to be productive. Me, I am a dreamer...I could easily spend my whole day dreaming of ways to make my life (and the lives of those around me) a little better, a little more beautiful, a little more inspired. I know it's a gift, but it is also my downfall. I am great at planning, my home is full of lists and various organizing tools. At some point though, the dreamers out there like me need to turn those dreams to action. That is where I usually come unstuck. I don't like the nitty-gritty. There...I've said it. It just seems too much like 'WORK' to me, and THAT is most definitely a four-letter word!

Many people say that you can make or break a habit in 21 days (or 28, depending on who you talk to.) So, spurred on by this thought, I am taking a step to reach my potential. I am joining NaBloPoMo this November. If you don't know what that is, click here. In a nutshell, it's a commitment to writing one blog post every day for a month. My hope is that by doing this, I will become more disciplined at writing every day, not just when I feel 'inspired'. The writers out there will know what I am talking about. Inevitably, this leads to the dreaded writer's block at some point. I've been there recently and I don't want to go back any time soon.

So, join me in my journey this November. Maybe you'd like to join NaBloPoMo yourself, or maybe there are other habits you would like to work on. Post a comment and let me know. Let's help each other reach our potential together!

Five For...Recycling Your Socks for Christmas

2009-10-20T14:25:00.000+01:00

photo courtesy of familyfun.go.com

I know it's not even Halloween yet, but I like to plan ahead. (I try, anyway!) I originally came across this wonderful idea on the Family Fun website. The idea is to take various colourful socks that your kids have and string them up as an Advent Countdown calendar. I thought that was great, but I've put an even better twist on it and best of all, in today's credit-crunch society, it's THRIFTY.

How about using all of those stray socks you have? You know, the ones the dryer ate, or have somehow magically disappeared? You could do just about anything you like to decorate them. You could dye them to make them colourful like the picture above, you could embroider them, decorate them with ribbons and buttons, or even paint them. Let your imagination run wild! You don't have to have kids to do this, it's a great idea for the 'big kids' out there too!

Here's what you need:

25 socks
A marker or paint
25 mini clothespins (available at craft supply stores, but if you want, you could use (recycle) regular clothespins too)
Stocking hangers, painter's tape, or pushpins
6-foot length of cord, string, or ribbon

How to do it:

Use the marker or paint to number the clothespins with 1 through 25.
Use stocking hangers, painter's tape, or pushpins to temporarily hang a 6-foot length of cord, string, or ribbon.
Clip the treat-filled socks to the cord in numerical order, then each day have kids remove one to discover their surprises.

Ideas for Fillers:

Get Out of Chores Free" or "Pick a Movie Rental" cards -- each good for one use!
A puzzle distributed in pieces among the socks; kids can put it together over the course of the month.
Trading or sports cards
Special coins such as foreign currency or a silver dollar -- chocolate coins are always a hit too!
Music or other gift cards
Jokes or riddle
A game (a Mad Libs or Sudoku a day)
Art supplies, such as a mini paint kit and pad
A special ornament to add to the tree
Write or print out an encouraging thought for each day or a Christmas fact to focus on what Christmas is really about.

I hope you enjoy this idea and if you end up making it yourself, please post pictures. I'd love to see your finished project!

Five For...Blog Action Day 2009

2009-10-15T11:14:00.002+01:00

Today is Blog Action Day 2009 and the topic is Climate Change. Since I signed up to blog about this, I have been trying to decide what to blog about. There are so many possibilities. The Blog Action Day site has a link to The Top 100 Effects of Global Warming. This made for interesting reading, but it didn't really help me. With so many areas that climate change is affecting, how could I choose just one? They ALL seem so important in one way or another. (OK, maybe not the 'Say Goodbye to Pinot Noir', but then, if you're a wine-lover, it might be earth-shattering for you.)

In the end, I have decided to talk about....holidays. I love them. I love planning for them, packing for them, travelling to my destination and of course, relaxing when I get there! I would hate to have to give them up. However, I hear little whisperings in my ear...words like 'carbon footprint' and 'off-setting'. So I decided to do a little searching with my good friend, Google.

I found a gem of a site called ResponsibleTravel.com. It's fantastic, listing everything from green/eco holidays to adventure to luxury and even volunteering holidays. Really, I can't speak highly enough about them, check them out!

If you would like to be more climate-friendly and still enjoy your holidays, here are a few things to think about when planning:

Plan your route to minimise carbon emissions - travel by train and public transport where possible, and minimise internal flights.
For train travel almost anywhere in the world, go to Seat61.com.
Use public transport, hire a bike or walk when convenient - its a great way to meet local people on their terms and reduce pollution and carbon emissions.
Buy local produce in preference to imported goods.
Use water sparingly - its very precious in many countries and tourists tend to use far more than local people.
If you are planning to go diving or snorkelling on your holiday, check out these tips.
Particularly on exotic holidays, THINK TWICE about your souvenirs.
Ask your tour operator for specific tips for responsible travel in your destination.

I hope this has given you a few ideas to think about and make your next holiday/vacation climate-friendly. That way you can relax knowing you're helping to keep the environment beautiful for future generations to enjoy too! What could be better than that?

Five For...Monday's Angel- Week 2

2009-10-05T21:57:00.004+01:00

Welcome to Week 2 of Monday's Angel, an eight week series on angels in Christianity.

Today we meet the first of the seven named Archangels in the bible.

ARCHANGEL MICHAEL

Icon of the Archangel Michael

The Holy Archangel Michael is one of the most celebrated of the Angels and bodiless powers. The Greek Fathers and many others place him over all the angels - as Prince of the Seraphim. He serves as the Defender of the Faith. Michael is most often invoked for protection from invasion by enemies and from civil war, and for the defeat of adversaries on the field of battle. Many Jews believe that he appeared to Moses as the fire in the burning bush and led Daniel from the lions' den.

In the Roman Catholic Church, Saint Michael has four main roles or offices.

He is the Christian angel of death, carrying the souls of all the deceased to heaven, where they are weighed in his perfectly balanced scales (hence Michael is often depicted holding scales).
At the hour of death, Michael descends and gives each soul the chance to redeem itself before passing, thus consternating the devil and his minions.
St Michael is the special patron of the Chosen People in the Old Testament and is guardian of the Church. It was not unusual for the angel to be revered by the military orders of knights during the Middle Ages.
Last, he is the supreme enemy of Satan and the fallen angels.

Name
In Orthodox Christianity he is called the Archistrategos, or "Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Hosts." Roman Catholic Christians often refer to him as "Saint Michael", an honorific title that does not indicate canonisation. He is generally referred to in Christian litanies as "Saint Michael the Archangel." He is called "the prince of Israel" in the Book of Enoch.

The name Michael means "like unto God" and in the Talmudic tradition his name is translated as "Who is like El (God)?" As a question, it is understood as being rhetorical, implying the answer, "No one is like God."

Icon
Michael is usually shown holding a sword in one hand. In the other, he often carries either a shield, a date-tree branch, a spear, or a white banner. Some icons of the Archangel Michael show the angel holding an orb in one hand and a staff in the other.

Michael is also represented in icons as standing on a horizontal body and with his left arm held high, holding a small image of a "baby". The body represents a human being at the time of his death and the image of the "baby" represents the soul of the dead person. This icon came about because the Archangel Michael, along with the Guardian Angel is believed to escort the souls of the dead.

In Russian iconography he is most likely to be wearing red and can be shown trampling the devil under his feet. The devil is sometimes depicted as a dragon. This comes from the tradition that Michael was the main opponent of Satan in the battle for Heaven. Satan, previously called Samael, was always looking to discredit Israel, while Michael was its main protector. In the end, Satan attempted to drag Michael down in his fall from the heights, but Michael was rescued by God.

Feast
In the Eastern Orthodox Church his feast is celebrated on November 8. This is known as the Synaxis of Michael and all the Bodiless Powers of Heaven.

September 6 also celebrates the miracle of the Archangel at Colossae. Tradition tells that the pagans directed the stream of a river against the sanctuary of St. Michael there to destroy it, but Michael appeared and split the rock by lightning to give a new bed to the stream, diverting the flow away from the church and sanctifying forever the waters which came from the gorge.

In the Roman Catholic calendar of saints and the Lutheran Calendar of Saints, his feast day, once widely known as Michaelmas, is celebrated on September 29 and was one of the four quarter days on which accounts were settled and, in when terms began in universities.

Around the World

In Constantinople, Saint Michael was seen as the great heavenly physician. His principal sanctuary, the "Michaelion", was at Sosthenion, about fifty miles south of Constantinople. It is believed that he visited Emperor Constantine and intervened in various battles.

He is said to have appeared, sword in hand, over the mausoleum of Hadrian, answering the prayers of Pope St. Gregory I the Great that a plague in Rome should end. In honour of this, the Pope named the mausoleum the "Castel Sant'Angelo" (Castle of the Holy Angel), by which it is still known. The sick slept in this church at night to wait for a manifestation of St Michael. His feast was kept there on June 9.

The Catholics of Egypt placed their life-giving river, the Nile, under the protection of Saint Michael. They adopted the Greek feast and celebrate it on November 12. On the twelfth of every month they celebrate a special Commemoration of the Archangel Michael. In addition, on June 12, when the Nile River begins to rise, they keep the feast of "St Michael for the rising of the Nile."

In Normandy, France, Saint Michael is the patron of mariners. He is said to have appeared to St. Aubert, Bishop of Avranches in his famous sanctuary at Mont-Saint-Michel in the Diocese of Coutances in 708. His feast was universally celebrated in Normandy on October 18, the anniversary of the dedication of the first church, but is now confined to the Diocese of Coutances.

In Germany, Saint Michael replaced for the Christians the pagan god Wotan, to whom many mountains were sacred, hence the numerous mountain chapels of St. Michael all over Germany. He is also known as the patron saint of the German Nation. His picture bedecked the war standard of the old German Empire (the Holy Roman Empire).

I hope you have enjoyed learning about Archangel Michael today. Join us next week when we meet Gabriel.

Five For...Monday's Angel- Week 1

2009-09-29T01:55:00.001+01:00

Welcome to Monday's Angel, an eight week series exploring angels in Christianity.

This week, we find out exactly what the Church believes about angels...

Icon of the Synaxis of the Archangels

The Orthodox Christian Church dedicates every Monday to the holy angels. Church services include the prayer: "Holy Archangels and Angels, pray to God for us." But what do we actually know about angels?

The word 'angel' comes from the Greek word- aggelos- and means 'herald' or 'messenger'.
The Bible refers to angels hundreds of times and tells us that there are thousands of angels.

But you have come to Mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering. ~ Hebrews 12:22

...and came forth from before Him. A thousand thousands ministered to Him. Ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. ~ Daniel 7:10

Angels are bodiless, but can take on the appearance of man if necessary.
Every Orthodox Christian receives a guardian angel at baptism with the prayer: Yoke unto his (her) life a shining Angel to deliver him (her) from every plot directed against him (her) by the Adversary, from encounter with evil, from the noon-day demon, and from evil dreams.

~ The World of Angels ~

The Heavenly Hierarchy is made up of 9 Ranks of angels. There are 3 hierarchies:

Highest

Seraphim: The closest to God, the Seraphim are described as six-winged and fire-like. They blaze with love for God and kindle others to the same.
Cherubim: Their name means 'enlightenment'. Through the cherubim, wisdom is sent down to give knowledge of God and spiritual understanding.
Thrones: The Thrones are living symbols of God's justice and authority.

Intermediate

Dominions: The Dominions dominate over the rest of the angels who follow behind them. They instruct earthly authorities to rule wisely, teach us to resist temptations and sinful desires and master our will.
Powers: They are filled with divine strength and easily fulfil the will of God. They work miracles and give miracle-working abilities to saints who God has deemed worthy. They help with patience and spiritual strength and fortitude.
Authorities: They protect people from demonic temptations and have authority over the devil. They also help people struggling with evil thoughts and guard over ascetics.

Lower

Principalities: They have command over the lower angels and instruct them in fulfilling God's commands. They watch over the world and nations and teach those in authority to use their position as God wants, rather than for any personal gains.
Archangels: They are messengers of great and miraculous news. They reveal prophecies, knowledge and understanding of God's will as is passed down to them from the higher angels. They deepen faith in God by enlightening with the knowledge of the Holy Gospel.
Angels: They are closest to man and reveal the lesser mysteries of God and His intentions. They guide people to a holy life. They are always prepared to help if we want it. They are appointed to guard each believer.

I hope you have enjoyed this overview of angels in Orthodox Christianity. Next week we will meet our first angel- Michael.

Five For...Thrifty Kid-Friendly Pork & Veggie Rice

2009-09-22T17:12:00.000+01:00

This recipe uses almost exclusively left-overs, takes about 20 minutes to make and is kid-tested.

What more could a mama want?

On Sunday, my hubby made some delicious roasted pork chops with even more delicious pan-gravy. We had a few extra chops left-over so I made this for lunch for myself and the kids today. It is essentially a stir-fry recipe and really couldn't be easier to make. You can adjust the quantities to your liking.

Ingredients:

Roasted pork chops (I used 2 1/2 for this recipe)
Mixed veggies (I used half a bag of ready-cut stir-fry veggies that I had left from a previous meal)
Boiled rice (1 cup)
1/2 cup stock (I used the pan-gravy that my huband made with the roasted chops)
soy sauce (to taste)
salt & pepper (to taste)
1 tbsp oil

Method:

Shred the pork chops in a food processor (You can dice or thinly slice them if you want to, I chose to shred to make it easier for my young kids to eat)
Heat oil in wok or large frying pan
Stir fry the veggies until just soft
Add the pork and stock
Fry for 2 minutes to warm through
Add the rice and soy sauce
Stir fry for 3-4 minutes, making sure to keep stirring all the time so the rice doesn't stick to the pan
Salt and pepper to taste
Enjoy!

Five For...Making Children Feel Special

2009-09-13T17:20:00.007+01:00

Friday nights are scheduled as 'Family night' in our house. Usually my husband and I try to think of ideas that will be different on this night than other nights. It usually involves things like staying up later, maybe watching a special show or movie, fun food and general 'together time'. It sounds wonderful doesn't it? Occasionally (usually) things don't go to plan.

This Friday was one of those times.

I expected that it might be a tough night. The last day of the first week of school for two little ladies and getting up earlier than we have in months spelled a recipe for 'anything goes'. I thought I was prepared. I wasn't.

On our menu for the evening was pan-fried salmon, baked potatoes and corn on the cob. (It's the corn on the cob that's the important bit in the story so far.) The rest of the meal had been served up and my husband had gone back into the kitchen to get his plate. An altercation ensued between my eldest and middle daughters. The eldest tried to take the biggest piece of corn from her sister, citing that she was the biggest therefore she should have the biggest piece (not an entirely flawed argument). At this point, Hubby yelled in from the kitchen that the bigger piece actually was for her younger sister because she had helped make the meal tonight. That is when it happened.

Daughter #1 erupted into tears. I tried to reason with her, 'Darling, you can have the bigger piece next time. It's your sister's treat for helping with the cooking tonight.' This was met with loud, gasping WEEPING. Between the sobs, she managed to get out~ 'I'm not special' and then, almost yelling- 'DADDY THINKS I'M NOT SPECIAL!' She was nearly hysterical by now and kept repeating~ 'I'm not special.' She proceeded to sob, 'I was tidying up and when I was ready to help, there was nothing to do.' I was stunned. I actually sat there for a moment and didn't move, just watching her. (Please, PLEASE do not message me and tell me how bad of a mother I am...I've been beating myself up all weekend.) When I finally did, I pulled her onto my lap, stroking her hair and kissing her and trying to explain to her that Daddy DID think she's special. She finally calmed down (with a cuddle from Daddy too, of course.)

I've been processing this incident in my head all weekend now. Children, are so fragile. They need so much encouragement. If you have independent kids like I do, it is so easy to forget how much they need you when they're constantly trying to tell you that they don't. In the day to day 'trying to get by' it is so easy to let moments slip by when you can show and/or tell your kids how much they mean to you and how important they are. Here are five ideas to help you do just that.

1. Put down what you're doing to listen to your child when they're talking to you, and make eye contact.This can be easier said than done sometimes, but it shows how much you respect your child and also models good communication skills to them.

2. If you have more than one child, make sure to make one-on-one time for each of them. Even if it's only a walk or drive around the neighbourhood, a half an hour of uninterrupted time with them will show them that they are the most important thing in the world to you for that period of time.

3. Put a note in their lunchbox or schoolbag telling them how much you love them and how special they are.

4. Buy or make your child a special greeting card, just because. Send it in the post, complete with stamp.

5. Make a 'Jar of Loves' for each child.
Choose a container of some kind, (we will be doing this this week and using recycled jam jars). Decorate them with each child's name (you could do this as a project together and let them help with the decorating) Every day write down on a piece of paper something that you love about them or that they have done well and put it in the jar. At the end of the week, have a special time set aside to read all of the 'Loves' they have received that week. You may want to have a larger container in their room where they can store all of the 'Loves' and can read them anytime they are feeling low.

I hope some of these ideas help you to show your children how special they are. It is one of our greatest responsibilites as parents to build confidence and self-worth in them. The time and trouble you spend to do this will be worth far more to them than the most expensive toy or clothes that you could ever buy for them. They will thank you for the rest of their lives.