Sacred Pathways and Celebrity Diets

Dear Friends,

Last week over dinner my husband and I had a conversation about the barrage of celebrity diet advertisements on our Facebook news-feeds. Aren't they bizarre sometimes? "Baby-food Diet," "M-Plan Mushroom Diet," "Five Factor Diet" (in which you cook with only five ingredients), and of course don't forget to stock up on the "revoluntionary fat-buster" diet supplement --Garcinia Camogia!

My husband said he heard a radio talk show host say the only celebrity diet worth following is the "Marilyn Monroe Diet."

"The Marilyn Monroe Diet?!!" I had no idea there was such a thing.

I did a search online. It really exists! And you are absolutely guaranteed to look like the Blonde Bombshell if you follow it.

One journalist went on the "Marilyn Monroe Diet" for ten days. She ate two raw eggs whipped in warm milk for breakfast, no lunch, broiled liver, steak, or lamb with five carrots for dinner, and a hot-fudge sundae for dessert.

Here is part of her entry for the final day:

"I have stayed basically the same weight and have a huge cystic pimple on chin. But my breasts seem — slightly? — more firm, and I don’t have to drink raw eggs anymore. Raw eggs make everything seem tolerable in comparison."

Ayiyi. I think I'd rather eat bread, potatoes, and a Philly Cheesesteak on occasion. I think I'd rather eat a fresh Cobb salad, or homemade chicken noodle soup! Maybe instead of trying to be Marilyn . . . I'll just be me.

Now let's talk about diets for the soul --

Recently my pastor loaned me his copy of Sacred Pathways: Discover Your Soul's Path to God by Gary Thomas.

I gobbled it up like a hungry child.

"Instead of learning from others, Christians have often chosen to segregate themselves by starting a new church whenever worship preferences diverge. Unless you happen to be born into just the right tradition, you're brought up to feed on somebody else's diet."

With a heavy heart I think of the church of my childhood. It began as a church split because there was a disagreement over whether or not puppets depicting Bible characters should be used in children's church.

Puppets? They split the church over puppets?! 

I think, too, of some of my life-long spiritual frustrations --

Why does this little plastic communion cup and stale cracker make me sad? Why am I afraid to admit that lighting this candle helps me pray? Why does my heart positively ache with a yearning for beauty? Why am I afraid to lift my hands in church?

Ina Garten's maple glaze. Drizzle on muffins, scones, quick bread, and cake.
Mix  1  1/4 cup confectioners sugar, 1/2 cup real maple syrup, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Thomas describes nine "sacred pathways" for those who feel like they are stuck in a one-size-fits-all spirituality. Each of these temperaments has unique traits, strengths, and potential pitfalls. Most individuals will find their spiritual temperament to be composite of multiple "pathways." 

Here is a list of the nine "Sacred Pathways":

Naturalist: Loving God out of Doors
Sensate: Loving God with the Senses
Traditionalist: Loving God through Ritual and Symbol
Ascetics: Loving God in Solitude and Simplicity
Activists: Loving God through Confrontation
Caregiver: Loving God by Loving Others
Enthusiast: Loving God with Mystery and Celebration
Contemplative: Loving God through Adoration
Intellectual: Loving God with the Mind

Sacred Pathways offers a short test at the end of each chapter to help you determine which pathways help you relate to God best. I scored highest as a "Sensate" and lowest as an "Activist."  This was helpful information. (For example, now I know why I hesitate to share the status updates of my activist friends.)

This is a 100 year old recipe for apple cake that my friend, Tim Fall, shared on his blog.

Let me clarify: I am not trying to implore you to leave your faith tradition! But I will encourage you to give grace to others who might need to exercise their faith in a way that is different from you. Let's celebrate the wondrous diversity of spiritual life, while at the same time being wary of the potential pitfalls that come with each "sacred pathway."

Do you sometimes feel pressured to practice your faith in a way that does not suit your spiritual temperament?

Peace & Joy,

Adriana

P.S. I'm eager to develop this further. Viewing some of the authors of the classics through this lens might help me answer the question, "Why did the author write this book?

Jane Eyre Synchro-Read Starts Today!

Good Morning Dear Readers!

It's Jane Eyre Day!

I am so pumped. I've been looking forward to this one for quite a while.

So here's how the Synchro-Read will work:

1. Go to my Classical Quest Facebook Page and click "like" if you haven't already.

2. Grab an unabridged copy of Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte.

3. Read as much as you are reasonably able to each day. Remember, I have five young children so this is not a high pressure thing! Most people can easily keep up with my pace.

4. I will try to post a status update for each chapter read. (If you haven't seen something in over 24 hours it probably means there is a stomach virus in my house.)

5. Feel free to read ahead. I promise I won't be mad at you! In fact, I encourage you to read ahead if you can.

6. Interact with me and other readers under the status update for each chapter. Write about how the chapter makes you feel. Share you favorite passages. Ask questions. You are even allowed to complain! Don't worry about being articulate. Just be yourself. Your thoughts matter.

7. If you come across an interesting article on the web about Jane Eyre, feel free to post it directly on the timeline.

8. Enjoy!

Dancing "The Charleston"

the road home

Dear Readers,

While driving home this evening, I rolled down the windows and tuned in to our local radio station for some Saturday evening big band and swing jazz music.

It was good.

There is something about big band in late summer. Crickets chirping between songs, curtains flapping in the breeze .  . .  I'm seventeen again and back home at my parents' farmhouse. It's a Sunday evening.

in Mom's parlor

I know it is a Sunday evening because I still have on my dress. (I always wore dresses to church then.) It's my favorite dress -- black with tiny lavender flowers all over it. I love how it flows when I dance "The Charleston." Such a goofy dance! But so fun! I giggle as I move forward then backward across the hardwood floor.

in Mom's parlor

My cousin is visiting. She is laughing at me too. I take her hands and show her the steps. She catches on quickly and before long, we are dancing together. As she moves forward, I go backward, then vice versa.

Watch George Bailey and his sweetheart Mary dance "The Charleston" in this famous scene from "It's a Wonderful Life":

George Bailey: "We must be good!"

Oh. I love it! 

I love how George and Mary laugh at their own ridiculousness. I love how they keep on dancing even after they fall into the pool!

Haven't we all been there?

I must be good!  . . . KERSPLASH! 

No matter how ridiculous we may seem, it is a soft, happy, childlike spirit that will keep us afloat.

Blessings to you, friends!

With Love,

Adriana

P.S. I'm looking forward to starting Jane Eyre with you tomorrow, the 26th of August.

Summer Play: Ocarinas, Cards, Cup-Clapping, and Fried Chicken

Dear Friends, 

Today I'd like to share with you some really important things I learned how to do this summer.

Make an ocarina with my hands. 

I think ocarinas are neat. I especially like the ones that look and sound like birds. I own two: one sounds like an owl, the other sounds like a mourning dove.  My oldest son and I enjoyed learning how to create an ocarina with our hands via the You Tube video below. (We have some room for improvement. The kid in the video is amazing.)

I received this one as a gift. It was purchased from Ten Thousand Villages.

I bought this one in Eger, Hungary. It sounds just like a mourning dove. We like to "talk" to real doves with them.

Play "Slap Jack."

I don't recall playing this card game as a kid, but it was the perfect game to play with my 4yr old and 6yr old on vacation. I bought a special "Slap Jack" deck. Normally it is played with a standard deck of cards.

Sing while cup clapping.

My 9yr. old daughter and I had a blast learning to use cups in sync as rhythm instruments.

Watch the adorable Lennon and Maisy do it --

And here is Anna Kendrick singing the song my daughter and I learned --"Cup Song"--

It is so fun! I seriously can't be left alone with a cup and a flat surface. It's addictive!

Here is the chant to help you learn it:

clap-clap

1-2-3

clap

up-down

clap

side

hand

table

hand 

slap

down

If you haven't had enough yet, here is the same song in a music video. It starts with one lone cook rolling out biscuits and before long all of the customers in this restaurant are cup-clapping.

Make my grandmother's fried chicken.

Well, I hope I have learned how. While on vacation with her last week, I watched closely as she made it for dinner -- twice!  I bought the ingredients tonight and I plan to make it tomorrow.

Your turn! Have you tried anything fun and new this summer?

P.S. Don't forget: I'm starting Jane Eyre on August 26th. Grab an unabridged copy and plan to join me!

With Love,

Adriana

Be Kind! A Few Thoughts about Oliver Twist

Hello Dear Readers,

It's been a full summer for my little clan and now we are all gearing up for fall. This week I'll be doing my back-to-school shopping.

I finally finished Oliver Twist! Woo-hoo!

I believe it took me longer to read than any novel on the list so far. With the exception of maybe Anna Karenina.

But don't let that scare you away from it if you haven't read it already. It wasn't the book; it was me. During my illness last month, I couldn't read much at all. I read the last 3/4 of it while on vacation with my family last week. 

Dickens managed to mingle a lot of humor into a dark subject. He is not as blatantly preachy as Harriet Beecher Stowe in Uncle Tom's Cabin, but he get's his sermon in and it's an essential one: BE KIND!

If I had one complaint it would be that I expected more of Oliver in Oliver Twist. He was like this dear little angel that just floated through adversity. His circumstances changed but he did not change much at all. 

I'm sitting here pondering this a bit . . . I realize he got angry and flew into Noah Claypool and ran away, but even that was righteous anger.

I suppose I prefer a main character who becomes transformed.

You may remember I was reading the novel list in chronological order according to publication dates. I had skipped a few titles at one point and I've now gone back to read the earlier novels I missed before. From this vantage point, I can see how characterization has evolved into something more sophisticated today. Dickens' characters are memorable, but they play out their roles in a way that is somewhat predictable. Have you read Oliver Twist? If so, did you get this sense?

Then again, this was one of the first novels on the WEM list in which the plotline was not a surprise for me. I've seen film versions of OT since I was a kid.

The chapter, "The Flight of Sikes" made me think of Crime and Punishment and underscored my impression that Dostoevsky was beyond compare. I noticed in one of the footnotes to Anna Karenina that Tolstoy read Dickens, so maybe Dostoevsky read him too -- who knows? 

My favorite characters are Mr. & Mrs. Bumble. Absolutely hilarious. I relished every scene in which they showed up. They deserve their own novel. 

OK, one more complaint: Why does Fagin have to be the Jew? He isn't portrayed as an evil person who happens to be Jewish. He is Fagin: the Jew! the Devil! The constant reminders that he is Jewish made me cringe. I thought it paradoxical that while Dickens preaches BE KIND, his intolerance is showing. Ugh. 

So that's about it for now. It's late. I've started running again! I hope to get up early for that tomorrow. 

Have you had a good summer? I hope you enjoy what is left of it! Blessings!

With Love,

Adriana

P.S. Jane Eyre is up next!

Cyber-Samplers for Just One Train Wreck After Another

My friend Tim Fall over at Just One Train Wreck After Another has posted a couple of my designs today. I'm so excited! 

I like to call my quote pictures "cyber-samplers" because I used to create needlework samplers as gifts before I discovered the internet. The process of creating quote pictures feels similar to me. I get a thrill out of matching a quote to just the right image. And it's really fun to create a cyber-sampler surprise for a blog friend after he or she posts an especially quotable quote. I'm learning as I go! I'm sure I would benefit from some lessons in computer graphics; if you have any experience with such things, I would appreciate your tips!

The following two images are not the cyber-samplers I made for the Train Wreck; they are the photos I started with. I took these photos in a town near my home. Tim is asking his readers to vote on the images at his blog today. So please go over to the Train Wreck and vote, then read his great post on lust that inspired me!

A Rainbow-Themed Post in Which I Open a Discussion About the Effect of the Internet

"Slide down my rainbow into my cellar door and we'll be jolly friends forevermore."

Hello there friends! Hope you are have a lovely summer/winter!

After battling an illness for over a month, I am at last feeling much better.

Today I want to say a hearty thank you. I've been blown away by all of the love and care that my kids, my husband and I have received from friends and family. There have been days when I've received phone calls that I haven't had the energy to take, but simply knowing that someone was checking in to see how I was doing has meant a lot. Many of you have sent me kind emails. Thank you so very much. It may take me some time to get around to responding, but I've read each one with a warm heart. Our community group friends have watched our kids, they've taken them to VBS, they've brought us meals. I could go on and on. When you have five kids, it truly takes a village to pick up the slack when Mom is down! And the prayers! Oh my word. I'm humbled.

There is something about this experience that gives me a pang though -- and that is you. It seems like the kind of support system I have is in global decline. Is this true for you? What would happen today if suddenly you crashed and could not get out of bed for week?  When the rubber meets the road all that matters is knowing you are not alone. I want to know where you are with that. Do you feel like you are literally holding everything together all by yourself? I used to be more of a loner. I used think I'm fine. I got this. And as I said, I am humbled.

The road home.

In my last post we talked about the subject -- "I am your keeper and you are mine." -- which is biblical, of course. A wise person once pointed out to me that the entire Bible could be viewed as a long reply to the question that Cain asked God after he killed his brother Abel in Genesis chapter four:

Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel your brother?” He said, “I do not know; am I my brother's keeper?” 

The answer is YES! Yes, you are your brother's keeper! And God spent a lot of time and effort showing us what that is supposed to look like!

When I was a girl there was one family in my large neighborhood who had a computer in their basement. (My parents still don't have one!) I never would have dreamed then that I would one day be able to converse with friends all over the world!

Sitting in church last Sunday I looked around at all of the nifty new hair styles and I thought, Isn't Pinterest enriching? We are in a hair-renaissance!  Doesn't that just get you excited! It gets me really excited because it is a sign of how our global-connectedness is working it's way into our most mundane decisions -- like how we do our hair.

When you and I sit down to type out our thoughts or post pictures of a healthy, yummy bean salad we really have no idea how far our influence will go.

So in light of our Bible story today, the question I keep tossing around my mind is this: How does being each other's keeper work in the online world?

We are sitting here in front of our computer screens witnessing the dawn of a new era and we have no way to measure our influence over time. We are laying the groundwork for generations to come. The internet is a tool that meets needs in the here and now, but it is also a work of eternal significance.

So talk to me -- I want to know what you think being each other's keeper should look like on the web. Many of my readers are Christians like me, but some of you are not. I want to hear from you no matter what faith tradition you are speaking from.  Vision casters -- speak!

My online life did not start out incredibly meaningful. I had a homeschool blog in the beginning because I always saw myself as becoming a gloriously successful homeschooler. The plan was to show you how you could become a gloriously successful homeschooler like me. The only problem with that plan is that not too far into my homeschool journey, I realized I wasn't going to be gloriously successful. I found myself doggie-paddling, barely able to keep my head above water. Reading other homeschool blogs just made me feel bad about myself.

First I blogged the wrong way, now I'm learning how to get it right. (Yes, I'm still learning!) I know this much for sure: when you use the internet correctly it will have a positive effect on both your online and offline life. It is a powerful tool, but it takes time and practice and a lot of mistakes to get it right. 

Be patient with yourself and be patient with others. 

There is only love.

Now I want to hear from you. Tell me about your experience with the internet and it's effect on you. Tell be about how you use it and give me some suggestions on how to make our online experiences more enriching. 

Oh and before I forget, here's the recipe:

"Jolly Friends Rainbow Salad":

1 red pepper, diced

1 yellow pepper, diced

1 orange pepper, diced

1 red onion, finely diced (optional -- it adds a nice purple color to the rainbow, but I rarely use it.)

1 can chick peas, rinsed

1 can black beans, rinsed

1 bag of frozen shelled edamame, rinsed to thaw

(In the above picture I used fresh parsley, b/c I happened to have some on hand. This recipe is really flexible. Just have fun with it. I added some peas to the baby's meal.)

Let your children help you mix this salad. Their eyes will pop when the colors start to blend. Season liberally with seasoned rice vinegar to taste. Take to a grill-out and and enjoy with friends.

Much love,
Adriana