Author Archives: Barbara Harper

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About Barbara Harper

https://barbarah.wordpress.com

Wednesday Hodgepodge

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Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

1. Do you like your name? Were you named after someone? If you have children how did you settle on their names?

This is 3 questions! 🙂 I did not used to like my name — I thought it sounded too “sharp” and I liked flowy romantic names like Crystal Lovelace when I was growing up (I remember having that as a name for something I was writing, but I don’t remember anything else about it.) Plus “Barbara” means “stranger,” so whenever name meanings came up, there were obvious jokes. But then once my pastor preached on Christians being “strangers and pilgrims” on this earth, and another time I found verses about God loving the stranger. So the meaning made it more special and it grew on me. Just please don’t call me Barb. I was named after my mother’s sister (who went by Bobbye), and my middle name came from my father’s sister.

With my own children, we looked at baby name books and meanings and narrowed it down to a list and eventually chose one. All our sons’ names start with J though we didn’t intend for that to happen when we started out.

2. How do you define success?

Had to think about this one a while. I think I’d say “Reaching one’s goals honorably.”

3. Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy?

I like them both, but Jeopardy wins because of the variety of questions and because I hate Wheel of Fortune’s Lose a Turn and Bankrupt spots on the wheel.

4. If you could own any single object that you don’t have now, what would that object be?

The living room chairs we have had on order for several weeks now but have had a series of problems in obtaining.

5. What is something that inspires you?

Missionary biographies.

6. Meatloaf-yea or nay? If its a yay how do you make yours?

YEA! I love meatloaf. Well…most of them. Mine is made in the microwave and has a sauce on top made with ketchup and brown sugar.

7. Which is more admirable-the ability to organize and be methodical or the ability to adapt and make do?

It’s valuable to have both. Both would be hindered by the lack of the other.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

My son posted this on Facebook a while back with the comment that there was probably a spiritual application that could be made.It has to do with studies that show we can’t walk in a straight line without some visible guide point. Yes. I can see a spiritual application! I don’t know how blind people are affected, though. But it was interesting.

 

Progress

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I’ve felt like I’ve been in a bit of malaise or brain fog the last couple of weeks, and, interestingly, I was scrolling through old posts yesterday looking for something and noticed I had a post saying about the same thing the first few weeks of January almost every year. I think a lot of it is due to transitioning back into routine after the holidays, but that was disrupted a bit due to several snow days. But after getting a lot of sleep, I think I’m back on an even keel. Yesterday brought progress in several areas:

  • Temperatures in the 40s! I didn’t have anything to do with that, of course, but after days and days of sub-freezing weather, 40 felt pretty nice, and most of the ice and snow has finally melted. Winter’s not over yet, but this little break was heartening.
  • Lists. In spite of “brain fog,” some of my problem was just laziness. I’d think of things to work on but would veg out with solitaire on the computer instead. After confessing that to the Lord, I made a running list of various things that needed to be done and got started on it yesterday.
  • I’m still working on decorating the house. It’s going slowly both because it takes me a while to decide where to put things and because I need Jim’s help for some of the heavier items — plus the holidays put all of that on hold. I concentrated on our room yesterday and got several things up on the wall, several boxes put away, and a dust ruffle and dresser scarf ironed and in place. A bit of lace and decorativeness does my heart good. I do still plan to post pictures of the house, hopefully soon. We’re still waiting on those living room chairs…

  • I’ve been able to make headway on this cross stitch project here and there during the evenings. Jason commented that I’d been working on it a long time, and a variation of the song came to mind…”Little by little, stitch by stitch…” I don’t even remember when I started it, but it’s fun seeing it come together. I’m dreading the words in the hoop, though, and left them for later. They’re the most important segment but they don’t follow the lines and squares — I may write them on with a washable fabric marker and stitch over them.

  • Anger…which is actually a regression rather than a progression. I’m not in general an angry person every day, and some times, by God’s grace, I can take things in stride. But sometimes I can get blindingly white-hot angry in a flash, and often over some stupid little thing. And it’s worse when I’m in “the right” (or else believe I am) because it’s harder to let that anger go. Such an incident happened yesterday (no, not with anyone in my family), and after the emotion cooled down I was terribly ashamed and discouraged. I didn’t really say anything, though if the other person was alert they could have picked up on it. But the roiling under the surface was neither healthy nor honoring to the Lord. I confessed that to the Lord as well, and a couple of verses came to mind (“Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools” [Ecclesiastes 7:9] was one, as was “the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God” [James 1:20]), yet I still felt shrouded in defeat. So this morning I did a brief word study on “anger” and “wrath,” mainly in Proverbs and the epistles. Several helped, but one that realy jumped out at me was, “The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression” (Proverbs 19:11). Meditation on that and some of the others is helping.

So, though winter will still be here for a while and I’ll always have a list of things to do and an old nature to contend with…I am encouraged to see some progress.

The Week In Words

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Welcome to The Week In Words, where we share quotes from the last week’s reading. If something you read this past week  inspired you, caused you to laugh, cry, think, dream, or just resonated with you in some way, please share it with us, attributing it to its source, which can be a book, newspaper, blog, Facebook — anything that you read. More information is here.

Here are a few that spoke to me this week:

From a friend’s Facebook:

Some pursue happiness, others create it.

From another friend’s Facebook:

God doesn’t merely want a change of habit. He wants a change of heart, which will lead to a change of habit.

Seen at Challies:

Trials and tribulations are very good for us in that they help us to know ourselves better than we knew ourselves before. —D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Among the many purposes God has for suffering, this is one. Usually, for me anyway, I discover a deficiency in myself or some new way in which I need to trust in or yield to the Lord more.

And, actually, I heard this first rather than read it, but then I wrote it down and then read it. 🙂

God does not love us because we’re valuable; we’re valuable because God loves us. ~ Adrian Rogers

Also since last time I shared quotes about winter and quotes from Anne of Avonlea in different posts.

If you’ve read anything that particularly spoke to you that you’d like to share, please either list it in the comments below or write a post on your blog and then put the link to that post (not your general blog link) in Mr. Linky below. I do ask that only family-friendly quotes be included. I hope you’ll visit some of the other participants as well and glean some great thoughts to ponder.

And please — feel free to comment even if you don’t have quotes to share!

Another year I enter

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The year still feels new to me! I saw this at Jewel‘s and thought it was a wonderful reminder for the year ahead.

Another year I enter,
Its history unknown;
Oh, how my feet would tremble
To tread its paths alone!

But I have heard God’s whisper –
I know I shall be blest –
“My presence shall go with you,
And I will give you rest.”

What will the New Year bring me?
I may not, must not know.
Will it be love and rapture,
Or loneliness and woe?

Hush! Hush! I hear His whisper –
I surely shall be blest –
“My presence shall go with you,
And I will give you rest.”

~Author unknown~

(Photo courtesy of the morgueFile)

Magic Skates

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Quilly has started something fun — a once a month Quilldancing Writing Assignment. She gives a prompt and we come up with a story based on it in 500 words or less.

If this were for a grade, I would automatically be marked off. I read the prompt, tucked it away in my mind, had a great idea for it in the shower, and as soon as I could pounded out the story at the computer. But I hadn’t reread the prompt and wrote a story about ice skates instead of roller skates. She said that was okay. Then my original attempt was over 800 words! I whittled it down to 558, and I can’t think any more and it’s “due,” so I’ll go ahead and post it. Hopefully I’ll do better next time. I really enjoyed it, even cutting down the words and tightening up the writing. One of my purposes for starting a blog was to work on my writing, and I don’t often write fiction, so this was a great exercise. Thanks, Quilly! The stories for this prompt are all here.

The Prompt:

You received a set of clunky, old-fashioned roller skates from the oldest, most eccentric member of your family. The skates appear to be too small, so you try to return them. S/he insists you try them on. You decide to humor him/her. To your amazement the skates fit. Suddenly you are overcome with the urge to skate and … (tell us what happens next in 500 words or less).

My Story:

Magic Skates

As Gran looked on excitedly, Jenny opened the Christmas present she had been savoring for last. The small box held — child-sized ice skates. She looked at Gran, confused.

“Those are your magic skates, honey. Put them on!” Gran exclaimed.

“But Gran, they’re too small. I’m 18 now.”

“Nonsense! They’re magic! Put them on.”

Gran wasn’t senile, but she didn’t always make sense. So Jenny tried to put them on to humor her or else show her that they really were too small. But as she slid her foot in — they did fit! Perfectly!

“Let’s go to the pond, Honey. I want to see you glide like a swan.”

Jenny didn’t understand, but she followed Gran to the pond. She wobbled on the ice and then found her footing. How exhilarating to sail across the pond!

“Glide, honey, glide!”

Jenny was skating as if she had done so all her life — spins, jumps, everything came naturally. As much as she liked the thrill of the jumps, what she loved most was just…gliding. Especially in a circle, leaning slightly back, arms outstretched. She could glide for hours.

But then she became aware of something beeping in the distance. She slowed and saw through fog a red light flashing in time to the incessant beeping  Had someone lost a cell phone?

She skated closer, the mist cleared, and she saw…not a cell phone, but an IV machine. Suddenly aware of dormant pain that now threatened to take over, she blinked: she was not on the pond but in a hospital bed, and memories crashed over her like waves….the accident, a broken ankle, ribs,  a fractured vertebra. She became aware of Gran’s voice..

“I’m so sorry, honey, that IV ran out before they changed it. I’ve been calling for the nurse.”

Just then a nurse bustled in to change the IV bag. She made small talk without really listening for an answer: “How are you today? I’m sorry about the bag — it’s been so busy. You’ll be feeling better in a few minutes. Such a shame, and so close to the Olympics.”

Jenny’s eyelids squeezed shut lest she cry in front of this stranger. The Olympics. She’d forgotten for just a few blissful moments that her dreams were as shattered as her bones.

As the medicine took effect, Jenny relaxed. Gran whispered, “Before the IV ran out, you had such a peaceful smile on your face.”

“I dreamed you’d given me magic skates. I was gliding on the pond.”

Gran smiled. “That’s what you called the first skates I ever gave you. You took to skating like a swan takes to water. I can’t wait to see you back on the ice.”

Jenny laughed bitterly. “I’ll be doing good to walk, much less skate.”

“Nonsense!” Gran was uncharacteristically stern.

“But Gran…I’ll only be able to glide in my dreams.”

“Dreams are nice to visit, but real life dreams take effort, sweat, and time. You do everything these doctors tell you, and you keep hope alive, young lady.”

“Yes, Ma’am.” Gran was right. Jenny knew she wouldn’t skate if she never tried. It would be as hard…no, harder than training for the Olympics. But she would try.

As she drifted to sleep, she noticed her first child-sized skates hung on her IV pole. Jenny smiled. She would hope, dream..glide.

Friday’s Fave Five

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Welcome to Friday’s Fave Five, hosted by Susanne at Living to Tell the Story, in which we can share our favorite things from the last week. This has been a wonderful exercise in looking for and appreciating the good things God blesses us with. Click on the button to learn more, then go to Susanne’s to read others’ faves and link up your own.

1. A “snow day.” We’ve already had more snow than I am used  to — and I am ready for it to be gone — not to complain, but just sayin’ 🙂 — but with three days off due to snow this week, there was only one day any of the kids got out in it and played.

Jason put together all the individual videos I took into one and added music. He even smoothed out my shakiness (I have to remember that laughing while filming is not good for later viewing…). (My husband missed all the fun because he was able to get to work, but he got one run down the hill at the end, after the credits).

Another couple of pluses — I finally figured out how to record video with my camera, and a neighbor saw the kids sledding on a cardboard box and asked if they wanted to use a sled she’d bought for her granddaughter. Jason gave her some of our baked goods when he returned the sled.

2. For my part on our snow day, besides being chief photographer and videographer, I baked Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:

Then yesterday I made banana bread so as to try to use a few overripe bananas. Mittu made mini blueberry muffins partly for the neighbor but partly for us as well. It’s been a week for baking!

3. A successful experiment in mixing putting together two different recipes to create Creamy Chicken with Cheesy Biscuits.

4. Mittu’s meal. One of my Christmas presents was a coupon booklet from Jason and Mittu:

And I used this one Saturday:

She made a yummy Hamburger Pie and Lemon Cake for dessert — which I thought I had pictures of but can’t find now. Maybe Jason took them on his camera. But they were good! And it was so nice knowing all day I didn’t have to cook.

5. Jesse’s teacher. Those of you who have read here for a while know that one of our biggest concerns in moving was Jesse’s adjustment to a new school, church, youth group, etc. All of that has gone fairly well. He has especially mentioned really (really, really) liking one particular teacher, and the other night he excitedly shared how his teaching was really opening up the Bible for him in his Bible class at school. That was a blessing to my own heart on many levels. It’s not that he didn’t have good teaching or teachers or didn’t appreciate any of them before, but there is something about this one in particular that is just clicking with him. I have to believe that might be at least one of the reasons the Lord led us here.

So overall it has been a great week even if we were a little housebound due to the weather. Only 65 days until spring…..

Flashback Friday: School Discipline

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Mocha With Linda hosts a weekly meme called Flashback Friday. She’ll post a question every Thursday, and then Friday we can link our answers up on her site. You can visit her site for more Flashbacks.

The prompt for today is:

How strict were teachers when you were in school? What were common methods of discipline? No recess? Writing sentences? Being sent to the principal’s office? Were “pops” or “swats” allowed? Did you ever get in “big” trouble at school? If so, what was it for and what happened to you? Were you ever suspended from school? If you got in trouble at school, what happened at home? Was school lunch a pretty relaxed environment or was discipline maintained in the cafeteria as well? If you are a teacher, what have you vowed never to do as a result of your experiences growing up?

My parents told us horror stories of their being swatted on the hand with a ruler or pulled by the ear to the front of the class, but when I was in elementary school, the primary method of discipline was writing an excess of sentences. I think “swats” were allowed at nearly every school I attended, and we had great legends about the paddles used. etc., but I don’t think I ever knew anyone who actually received any. It was very much a method of “last resort.” I don’t remember missing recess being used except once or twice when someone had to work on those sentences, though it was when my kids were in elementary school, and I felt that actually could make things worse for the child who needed to let out pent-up energy. Getting called to the principle’s office was a Really Big Deal. My father always said if we got a spanking at school we would get another one at home. Thankfully I never had to see if he meant it.

The only major trouble I got in was in first or second grade. Some of us were throwing rocks at each other — I don’t remember what we were playing, but it was in fun, not maliciousness. I got hit in the head by a rock and started bleeding profusely. The school had to call my mom and I had to go to the doctor. When I got back to school, all of us involved in the rock-throwing had to stay inside and write “I will not throw rocks” something like 50 or 100 times. At the time I thought that was grossly unfair of the teacher to include me in the punishment since I had been injured. I also remember getting in trouble for saying “doggone it.” If the teacher only knew what kinds of other things I heard at home, she would’ve thought that was pretty tame. 🙂 But I am glad I did learn the importance of watching my language.

I don’t remember what punishments were enforced in junior high and high school except that the Christian high school I went to for two years used demerits. I may have gotten a demerit or two for minor things, but overall I wanted to obey the rules. I would get upset if I thought that a teacher was not happy with me or thought I wasn’t doing my best, so I pretty much stayed out of trouble. There were some teachers who were very hard to please, but overall I didn’t do anything deliberately to cross them.

Book Review: Anne of Avonlea

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L. M. Montgomery Reading ChallengeI am participating in Carrie‘s third annual Lucy Maud Montgomery Reading Challenge and finished Anne of Avonlea this week.

This book takes up where Anne of Green Gables left off, covering Anne’s first two years of teaching beginning at the tender age of 16. Her beloved Matthew is gone and Marilla has rented part of the farm and is having trouble with her eyesight. Neighbor Mrs. Lynde is still the town gossip though waylaid a bit by her husband’s illness. Anne and Gilbert study together some times in hopes of pursuing college in the future, and Anne still has outings with her friends, mainly her “bosom friend” Diana Barry. Yet Anne has a new responsibility in teaching a classroom full of young charges.

I enjoyed seeing Anne’s natural enthusiasm and wonder mature a bit. I found the changes in the people and situations very natural, the course things might take in any young person’s life as they’re in that transition from youth to adulthood.

I had completely forgotten about Marilla’s taking in young orphans Davy and Dora from my previous reading. At first I thought the book lagged a little bit in recounting various “scrapes,” but by the time Montgomery introduced Lavendar Lewis (whom I had also forgotten), I was once again “hooked.” Her story ended perhaps a bit too perfectly and fairy-tale-ish, but, really, it was the ending I hoped for. I can’t imagine her story ending any other way without changing the whole tone of the book. And “happily ever after” is nice some times. I wasn’t terribly interested in Anne’s grumpy new neighbor, Mr. Harrison, at first, but later in the story I was. Anne’s visit from author Mrs. Morgan is very Anne-ish.

The book ends with yet another series of major changes facing Anne, changes that make her “glad with her head, sorry with her heart,” and yet also with a little glimmer of the joys to come.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from this book:

Anne: “It does people good to have to do things they don’t like…in moderation” (p. 55).

Mr. Harrison, of Mrs. Lynde: “She can put a whole sermon, text, comment, and application, into six words, and throw it at you like a brick” (p. 66). (Sadly, I’ve known people who take great delight in having that ability.)

Anne: “I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid and wonderful and exciting happens but just those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string” (p. 160).

She held over him the unconscious influence that every girl, whose ideals are high and pure, wields over her friends, an influence which would endure as long as she was faithful to those ideals and which she would as certainly lose if she were ever false to them (p. 168).

Mr. Harrison: “You’ve got a very expressive face, Anne; your thoughts come out on it like print” (p. 221).

She must leave many sweet things behind…all the little simple duties and interests which had grown so dear to her…which she had glorified into beauty and delight by the enthusiasm she had put into them (p. 230)

Charlotta the Fourth to Anne after a fanciful description: “Oh, Miss Shirley, ma’am, what is that in prose?” (p. 258).

Perhaps, after all, romance did not come into one’s life with pomp and blare, like a gay knight riding down; perhaps it crept to one’s side like an old friend through quiet ways; perhaps it revealed itself in seeming prose, until some sudden shaft of illumination flung athwart its pages betrayed the rhythm and the music; perhaps…perhaps…love unfolded naturally out of a beautiful friendship, as a golden-hearted rose slipping from its green sheath (p. 276).

I’m looking forward to Anne of the Island next. I had hoped to read through to Anne’s House of Dreams this month, thinking that book was the fourth, but I just noticed yesterday it was the fifth. So we’ll see! I am making myself wait to rewatch the DVD of Anne of Green Gables; The Sequel until I finish the books that it covers, but already I can see that it veered from the books more than I thought.

I’m enjoying revisiting this series again in all its wholesomeness and sweetness.

A successful experiment

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In planning for Sunday dinner after church, I was craving something creamy, with chicken, biscuits, and a bit of cheese. I didn’t have anything quite like that in my repertoire. But slowly an idea formed. I took this recipe:

And used chicken instead of ham. Instead of the “parsley pinwheels”

…which I didn’t usually make anyway (I usually used canned biscuits — the flaky kind is best — without parsley), I used the biscuit topping from this recipe:

It was perfect. It was exactly like I imagined it.

The only flaw was that it sat in the oven for 10-15 minutes before I realized the oven hadn’t been turned on. 😳 🙄 So the biscuit topping sank into the casserole a little more than it would have otherwise. And it took a little too long for a Sunday meal — we get out of church later than we’re used to and we have a 20 minute drive home. But otherwise it’s great for a cozy winter dinner.

Now, what to call it? Creamy Chicken with Cheesy Biscuits is a bit bulky. Chicken-Cheese-Biscuit Casserole is a bit stark. But whatever it’s called — I’m glad it turned out so well and hit the spot.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

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Joyce From This Side of the Pond hosts a weekly Wednesday Hodgepodge of questions for fun and for getting to know each other.

Today’s questions:

1. Every January 1st since 1976 Lake Superior University has published a list of words they’d like to see banished from the Queen’s English. Words may be banished due to misuse, overuse or just general uselessness and they receive over 1000 nominations. Here are the fourteen words/phrases they’d like to see banished in 2011-viral: epic, fail, wow factor, a-ha moment, back story, BFF, man up, refudiate, Mama Grizzlies, The American People, facebook/google when used as verbs, I’m just sayin’, and Live life to the fullest.

What word or phrase would you like to see banished from our everyday vocabulary in 2011? You can choose one from the ‘official list’ or you can get creative and come up with your own.

Mama Grizzlies? Hadn’t heard that one. The word “like” when used as an interjection can get annoying. And “a-MA-zing” is so over-used that it’s not really amazing any more. But there are two that I’d like to see banished. One is OMG or its unacronymed version, “Oh. My. God.” because, beyond just being annoying, that is taking the Lord’s name in vain. Taking His name in vain isn’t just using it in a cuss word — it is using it in a commonplace, meaningless way unbefitting Him. I cringe almost every time I hear it. The other is “WTF” — which I will not spell out for you, but which is coming even into mainstream print. Totally vulgar. As is a third,”suck.”

On to pleasanter topics…

2. Do you consider opportunity something that comes to you or something you create for yourself?

I think it is a little of both. I think ultimately they come from God, but He blesses initiative and hard work. Sometimes He brings them about through initiative and hard work.

3. Since we’re all eating healthy this month, ahem, what’s included in your favorite salad? Is there dressing?

A mixture of greens like iceberg lettuce, romaine, and spinach (but not weedy-looking greens) plus a few carrots topped with a little ham and cheddar cheese and just a few bacon bits and Catalina dressing.

4. The fourth Monday in January is said to be Blue Monday…aka the most depressing day of the year. The date was calculated using many factors including weather, debt level, time since Christmas, time since we’ve failed at our new year resolutions, low motivation and feeling a need to take action. Do you get the blues this time of year and if so what is something you do to lift your spirits?

I just posted Help for the winter blues yesterday and included a lot of ideas there. A couple of my favorites are reading, setting up a bird-feeder, playing uplifting music, buying fresh or artificial flowers, and remembering some of the benefits of winter — relief from heat, humidity, bugs, and the ability to have oven meals that I don’t make in the summer.

5. Do you wear a watch? Any other everyday jewelry essentials?

No. I have nerve damage in my left hand, and anything that fits close on my wrist bugs me. My wedding ring causes little pinging sensations like when you hit your “funny bone.” 😦 I don’t wear bracelets or a watch on my right hand because I am right-handed and it seems anything I wear there is constantly being banged against a counter or something. I do wear necklaces and brooches, but not every day.

6. What is something useful you learned in high school?

That not being in the “in crowd” can be a blessing in the long run.

7. Do you use an accountant when completing and filing your income tax returns or do you attempt to muddle through all by yourself?

My husband does them, bless him. He does use software, but I forget which one.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We’re on our third snow day these week and even Jesse is about ready to get back to school. Between these and the two or three we had before Christmas due to ice, I’m afraid we’re going to have to make up some of them, which is no fun. Because I have always lived in places where it snowed only once or twice a year and the snow only hung around for a day or two, I am more than ready for this to all be gone and for life to get back to “normal.” But temperatures are supposed to be fairly low all day and we’re still getting intermittent snow. I did see some sunshine for a little bit this morning, though!