Tips for you

Today is Sunday, April 5th. I'm cold and so have built a fire in the fireplace--in April. But if you will remember I also was going to burn up that wood rather than haul it off the porch AGAIN. The temperature is around 50 but the wind is raging and cold!



Yesterday we went to an auction. Along with the fun, bargains and fellowship, we all got exfoliated. Or blown to death with dirt and other airborn stuff. The exfoliation explanation just sounds more fulfilling!

Ya'll know my love for buying stuff for a dollar! I purchased this neat-o little ummmm whatchacallit caddy/organizer paired with a hideous backless chair/stool which I somehow amazingly forgot (accidentally on purpose) at the auction site!



For a dollar, my mom bought an old ironing board. Have you bought a new one lately? They are horridly flimsy and when you iron the aluminum or whatever pops up and down as you move your iron. A very nice lady bought a bunch of books for a dollar a box before I got there and let me have some when the auction was over.

But Sarah is the girl who really scored with a dollar. She bought a photo enlarger. A new one is around 300 dollars. Now of course, not everyone is going to set up a home dark room and develop their own pictures, so perhaps that is why she got a bargain. Which of course will reside somewhere in our house until she has a home of her own ("under a rock or a log or a stone!" Please tell me you've read Home for a Bunny by now!)

She also purchased (in one of those spontaneous, end of the auction, everyone's tired moments) a large box of bakeware for a dollar. It contained muffin pans, pyrex baking dishes, a mixing bowl from a stand mixer and this lovely glass bowl which I've filled with fruit so you can see how large and pretty it is.


And speaking of fruit.....I learned this the other day while perusing the internet:

Do you buy organic produce? Organic has become all the rage. And being fashionable fruit-wise will make you healthier. Pesticide exposure from fruit is of special concern to pregnant women and small children. All fruit should be washed before being eaten but some especially should be washed with soap and water. Some fresh fruits and vegetables have a thick skin that is peeled away, reducing your exposure to pesticides. Download this handy shoppers guide from FoodNews.org to carry with you and you won't have to stand in the produce section and try to debate the importance of buying organic lettuce or cabbage. Lettuce is on the 'Dirty Dozen' list and Cabbage is one of the 'Clean 15.' Buy organic carrots, but don't spend extra for pineapple. Peaches and apples top the list with the highest pesticide load, while onions and avocados are at the bottom.

And lastly:

Are you a Christian? Do you like satire? Do you like to see stuff from a different perspective? Visit Stuff Christians Like, by Prodigal Jon. My favorite funny post is Understanding How Metrosexual your worship leader is and today's post ('bout being naked!) is my favorite thoughtful one! Check out Jon! Or should I say 'visit his blog' so I don't sound weird?

One more thing--please pray for my husband, Les. (my favorite worship leader who is pretty conservative but does have a goatee and his wife does not and never will play tambourine on stage so he does get a few points on the above mentioned scale.) He needs your prayers the next two weeks. Today he has only been home to change clothes and he is going to be super busy with Easter next weekend and the musical "Annie" the following week.

I hope you keep all your pastoral staff in your prayers. They hear stuff we can never imagine--from dumb stuff like criticism about their job performance (to many hymns! Not enough hymns) to people's heart-breaking problems. Remember, it's not just a Sunday job, whatever people might joke (and I hope they are joking) about.

Have a great week!