tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20355578360225482492024-02-02T08:56:47.445-05:00Hieing to KolobGod is high in his heaven. But since I can't get there, I shall hie to Kolob. Reaching just as high as I can...Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.comBlogger437125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-80602399049870487092016-09-16T04:13:00.000-04:002016-09-16T04:19:15.736-04:00Day 78, Ogden EnterpriseAfter a few setbacks (including a huge kidney stone and a lithotripsy), and the added inconvenience of having to get jobs and go to work for a living, we are still making progress on the Brick House! We finally have a few rooms that are finished enough to be able to sit down and relax in. We even had our first guests for pizza and a game night in our newly painted dining room. But first let me show you the outside view. The lawn has greened up, just in time for fall. I'm hoping the bushes in the back will get a little taller. By next spring I should have it just the way I want it:<br />
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Remember what the living room looked like before? This is a shot of before we finished the floor:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8z_0m2KjtJBZcPNWWL8Sve379cxyvkPMFoaurUm1SssSTrxY0YPmH1M4fe1xg_szgFAB-mBVM4DawjcJd8m0dFwjrKV-chODXexQ4v9pTKmbM6fEqRiM-q0OCQnC_IqgNOa6AANwE4Ho/s1600/LR.after.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8z_0m2KjtJBZcPNWWL8Sve379cxyvkPMFoaurUm1SssSTrxY0YPmH1M4fe1xg_szgFAB-mBVM4DawjcJd8m0dFwjrKV-chODXexQ4v9pTKmbM6fEqRiM-q0OCQnC_IqgNOa6AANwE4Ho/s320/LR.after.jpg" width="320" /></a>And here is what it looks like now. I painted the bricks on the fireplace, and I'm really pleased with how they look. The flat paint makes them look very authentic, and I picked just the right shade (although the picture makes them look a bit redder than they really are). The wall is painted with Behr "Clay Dust," which is a nice neutral shade that is just a bit off-white. It's the first time I have used the "eggshell" finish, and I absolutely love it! <br />
It took us a while to hang the curtains, because the wall is an outside wall and we had to find screws that would work in masonry. Just look at the difference!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVX_Abtr-W6cuEKKHP2an1XxLqmzqWg0iLUYj3OLB1tOnf6rAQ0N-RVyLE4c4xVnaZEsDMbcFv4b_IvTH_gj0Tm6hpwbhhPfi7z0gPUUxgIms-z6U8UInH-ql0iQtTT-wpLZAEhreSug/s1600/windowseat.before.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimVX_Abtr-W6cuEKKHP2an1XxLqmzqWg0iLUYj3OLB1tOnf6rAQ0N-RVyLE4c4xVnaZEsDMbcFv4b_IvTH_gj0Tm6hpwbhhPfi7z0gPUUxgIms-z6U8UInH-ql0iQtTT-wpLZAEhreSug/s320/windowseat.before.jpg" width="320" /></a>Now, here's the other side of the room. This is after we had painted and the door had just been put in. Remember, I wanted a built-in window seat here?<br />
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I decided the project was beyond our skill set, so we had Chris at Architectural Impressions come and build it for us. I love how it turned out. It makes the room look so homey. And it's amazing how it makes the window look so much bigger and brighter! We saved a little $$ by doing the painting ourselves. The pillows came from D.I., because no way am I paying $30 a pillow, like they charge at KMart. I will still add a cushion to the seat, when I find my sewing machine (still in a box out in the garage!)<br />
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The top shelf on the right is waiting for when I find my set of Journal of Discourses. The cupboard on the left is filled with more books, and the one on the right has games and toys. Oh, yes, we also put in crown molding all around the room, which made it look more finished.<br />
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The dining room and the den are just about finished, but I'm still putting things away in those rooms, so I'll add pictures later.Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-68952179347853508812016-09-16T03:05:00.001-04:002016-09-16T03:05:37.827-04:00Virtue or Stupidity: Why Daniel Reminds me of the "M-Word"<b><big><a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=8b75c106dac20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=198bf4b13819d110VgnVCM1000003a94610aRCRD">OT SS Lesson #45</a></big></b><br />
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If there still exists anyone in the greater world of Mormon blogs who thinks I am writing these Old Testament posts as a resource for Sunday lessons and not for my own simple entertainment, this one should surely disabuse them. <br />
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Let me start out all faith-promoting, though, and I'll degenerate as I go along: The book of Daniel has always greatly inspired me. One of my very favorite Conference Talks was taken from the book of Daniel. In April 2004, Dennis E. Simmons' talk, "<a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=6ba0d9cbdb01c010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD">But If Not...</a>" speaks of the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego as they were about to be cast into a fiery furnace for refusing to bow down to the king's golden idol. They said that they knew that the Lord had the power to deliver them, <i><b>but if not</b></i>, they would still refuse to serve the king's false gods. Elder Simmons continued by enumerating other scriptural figures who had faith even if things didn't turn out the way they hoped. <br />
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"Our scriptures and our history are replete with accounts of God’s great men and women who believed that He would deliver them, but if not, they demonstrated that they would trust and be true... <br />
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Our God will deliver us from ridicule and persecution, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from sickness and disease, but if not … . He will deliver us from loneliness, depression, or fear, but if not. … Our God will deliver us from threats, accusations, and insecurity, but if not. … He will deliver us from death or impairment of loved ones, but if not, … we will trust in the Lord.<br />
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Our God will see that we receive justice and fairness, but if not. … He will make sure that we are loved and recognized, but if not. … We will receive a perfect companion and righteous and obedient children, but if not, … we will have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, knowing that if we do all we can do, we will, in His time and in His way, be delivered and receive all that He has."</blockquote>
Other stories in Daniel and this week's Sunday School lesson reinforce this type of faith. Daniel prays to his God, knowing that he will be cast into a lion's den for so doing. Esther goes before the king to plead for her people, saying, "if I perish, I perish." This type of faith is very appealing to me. I greatly admire those who have it. Yet, as I strive to develop it in myself, I begin to falter. How am I to react when prayers are unanswered over a long period of time, when promised witnesses fail to materialize? Is it virtue or stupidity to continue to believe when reason and circumstance seem to prove contrary? Haven't you heard the quote attributed to Albert Einstein, "Insanity is doing the same thing, over and over again, but expecting different results?"<br />
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Our God will deliver us, <i><b>but if not,</b></i> does reason dictate we should look for another way? <br />
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The reason why Daniel reminds me of the "m-word," is because of a story that was told by Vaughn J. Featherstone in a 1975 Conference Talk, "<a href="http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=609061cb2b86b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD">A Self-Inflicted Purging</a>."<br />
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“We shouldn’t have a problem with masturbation. I know one fine father who interviewed his 11-year-old son and he said, “Son, if you never masturbate, the time will come in your life when you will be able to sit in front of your bishop at age 19, and say to him, ‘I have never done that in my life,’ and then you can go to the stake president when you are interviewed for your mission and tell him, ‘I have never done that in my life.’ And you would be quite a rare young man.”</blockquote>
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“The father again interviewed the young man, who is now 18 years old, and he asked the son about masturbation. The son said, “I have never done that in my life. You told me, Dad, that if I didn’t do that, I would be able to sit in front of the bishop and stake president and tell them I had never done it, and I would be a rare young man, and I am going to be able to do it.”</blockquote>
You see, there is a young and idealistic part of me that thinks it is valiant and honorable to be able to take such a challenge, to stick to it for years and years, and then finally to be able to stand up and say, "I am a rare young man!" But then, on the other hand, I'm not sure that this isn't a completely natural and normal part of life. It would also be a rare young man who didn't eat chocolate for 19 years, wouldn't it?<br />
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What about those Daniels who are out there trying to sexually "starve" themselves, and finally give in, and despair of ever becoming the noble being they desperately desire to be? What about those Daniels who are cast into the lion's den, or the fiery furnace, and who don't have an angel come to rescue them by morning? <br />
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Are there any "but if not's" in your life? Are you still hanging on in faith that the miracle will come, even though it hasn't yet manifested itself?Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-80055924996404841422016-07-14T22:41:00.000-04:002016-07-14T22:54:19.955-04:00Day 14, Ogden EnterpriseToday marks two weeks that we've been in our new home! And there have been a whole lot of changes goin' on! I'm especially excited about the change in curb appeal. The front yard has been cleaned up, trimmed, weeded, and watered--and it's starting to really green up. There was a flower bed along the front, but it was filled with wildflowers gone wild! I really love wildflowers, but I'm pretty particular about how they should be planted in a home garden. By all means, plant the tallest varieties toward the back. And keep them in neat-ish clumps, don't let them tangle together. Here's what we started with:<br />
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I applied weed & feed, and spot treated some of the hardier weeds. I've been watering daily, and the lawn has already started to green up:</div>
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What I decided to do in the front was take out most of the perennials and widen the bed. I moved all of the rocks back and dug up the sod. Then we used a small cultivator to turn the soil and fertilize. I added 6 bags of garden soil.</div>
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Notice how dirty the cement is? Once we got the vegetation out of the way, it was really obvious. So we picked up a couple of gallons of Valspar outdoor paint in a light gray. We hosed it down and scraped it with a wire brush before painting. The weather cooperated by dropping down into the high 80s. While not exactly comfortable, it was tolerable working outside. </div>
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The best and most exciting change to the outside of the house was that our new door arrived. I was really shocked at how much it cost to buy a new door. We wanted a new one, because that is one's first impression of the house. We spent a little extra to have it installed, which turned out to be really fortuitous. When the old door was taken off, there was very little frame to work with. In between the brick and the sheetrock, the masonry had crumbled away. Our workman had us pick up some insulation to stuff into the walls and he basically built a new frame, with very little to attach it to. It took him about 8 hours to get that door hung. The difference is amazing!</div>
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From outside, it looks like this. I am so pleased, I think it's looking so much more homey.</div>
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Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-39416983924486047912016-07-09T11:32:00.000-04:002016-07-14T22:54:47.739-04:00Day 8, Ogden EnterpriseThe days have been flying by, full of hard work and dizzying heat! Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday we finished the floor. In order to do the back rooms, we took all of the doors off. Some were so damaged, they had to be thrown away.<br />
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Many of the doors in the house look like this, especially in the downstairs.<br />
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After putting the sealer on the floor and letting it dry, we went over it with a square buffer sander and 220 grit screen. We rented the machine at Home Depot. Finally, we put a clear polyurethane finish on the floor. It dried for 24 hours, then we hand sanded any places where there were drips or application marks with an orbital hand sander. Joe was way more particular than I was. He noticed every mistake, but I thought everything looked so beautiful!<br />
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The first night the finish went on, we slept in the car in the driveway. I guess we could have asked friends to stay, but we were so yucky and tired that we didn't want to see anyone! It wasn't that uncomfortable, in fact, it was easier on my back than our pad on the floor. The night the second coat went on we completed our work at 11 pm. We drove to Motel 6 to spend the night there.<br />
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Finally, the floors are done! I'm so pleased with how they turned out. The neighbors came to peek at it as it was curing. One of them said, "Weren't the floors a lot darker than that?"<br />
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Yes, they were! They were so dirty they looked several shades darker than the finished product:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iwej13YCOJGCjY0KSQqzxgnDt38Z_2sjQXdYeUseJEPjqp1yXLsadf7nIlriqZOCmr9SZSaH_FXXi4bl5FEAJQwtu4jEvC3zPCVpMCjgx4JBAA_1W9gV8XOpqYjskhSxsOcUZtWLWGs/s1600/floor+final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7iwej13YCOJGCjY0KSQqzxgnDt38Z_2sjQXdYeUseJEPjqp1yXLsadf7nIlriqZOCmr9SZSaH_FXXi4bl5FEAJQwtu4jEvC3zPCVpMCjgx4JBAA_1W9gV8XOpqYjskhSxsOcUZtWLWGs/s320/floor+final.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
In between doing the floors, we've been clearing the trash out of the yard, adding weed and feed, and dejunking. The previous occupants left a lot of their junk behind.<br />
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We've had a chance to do a little exploring around town, besides our trips to WalMart, Lowes, and Home Depot! One afternoon we went to the city center and got real Mexican tacos from an authentic taco cart. Yesterday we drove a little way up Ogden Canyon just as the sun was going down. As we drove, the air cooled and we drew great breaths of relief! We passed a small waterfall and a scary-looking suspension bridge. We stopped at a small cafe and shared a raspberry shake.<br />
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Yesterday, our moving van arrived in the late afternoon. We had a few tense moments as he manoevered the truck into our narrow driveway. After what seemed like a hundred trips from truck to garage in the hot sun, we snapped at each other, both feeling we were doing more than our fair share! Luckily, two strong friends showed up at 5:00 and worked for over two hours hauling the heavy stuff. They helped us unload the lion's share of the truck, and then we sat in our run-down back yard on folding chairs and shared pizza and root beer.<br />
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We still can't put much furniture on the floors. But the high point of the day was setting up our bed. After a week of aching backs, we finally have somewhere to rest our weary bodies! Hallelujah!<br />
<br />Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-83388874234189167552016-07-04T23:00:00.000-04:002016-07-06T00:02:40.311-04:00Day 4, July 4th, Ogden EnterpriseI briefly thought about taking a shower, but since I had one last night, I just threw my hair into a ponytail and went with it. We were on a roll, so we thought we'd spend this Fourth of July working on the house, and next Fourth of July we will plan to have friends over to our gorgeously refinished home!<br />
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We have our shopping trips down to a science now. Since it get so hot in the middle of the day (94 today!) we try to do our running around early in the day, or after the sun goes down. We needed a giant trash can for the inside of the house, fly strips, and about 10 other things, including ice cream. While there, I spotted a darling 70-ish year old lady with red, white, and blue flowers on her white bun. So adorable, so Utah!<br />
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Our floor work today began with finishing the sanding of the filler. <br />
<a name='more'></a>We used a 60 grit on the edges and then we were going to go to 100. We took turns with the orbital palm sander.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUucxsJ1FXz6VY0IfBSHkDneU9s3lARIqtk-_IjuWWC0Vkk_okc8kiqEtxZe0WpWmzLzdeEz7ZnKG8JP4qAY7s3NrPcP04Fdw14YMkrFIhzVRJ1exu43VMUQJv-fAn8QR9_AdZAtK43EE/s1600/Sanding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUucxsJ1FXz6VY0IfBSHkDneU9s3lARIqtk-_IjuWWC0Vkk_okc8kiqEtxZe0WpWmzLzdeEz7ZnKG8JP4qAY7s3NrPcP04Fdw14YMkrFIhzVRJ1exu43VMUQJv-fAn8QR9_AdZAtK43EE/s320/Sanding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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When we were almost done with the dining room, I asked Joe if I could fill some of the cracks in the middle of the floor that had been missed. He said that his father wouldn't have done it, because we didn't have the drum sander any more, but he guessed I could do it and then we would sand them down with the finer 100 grit.<br />
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Unfortunately, when I filled the cracks, I put the filler on too thick and wide, and the 100 grit couldn't handle it. The paper kept slipping off the sander, and it got used up really quickly. Soon we ran out of 100 grit. I felt bad about the mistake, but it is my first floor, and I am learning many things! It was getting later in the day, so we just finished with the rougher 60 grit. At last, it was ready for the sealing.<br />
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Joe explained that before we put the sealer on, the floor had to be completely dust-free. He thought a vacuum cleaner might help, but ours was still on the moving truck, which won't be arriving for several more days. The previous renters had left an old vacuum cleaner in the basement. Joe took it apart and cleaned it, piece by piece--with Febreze and a toothbrush! It still worked, so we vacuumed up and got ready to wipe down the floor with a clean, damp cloth.<br />
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But wait! Joe decided he simply couldn't live with the 3 nail heads that were still showing in the living room. He ran to Lowe's to buy a drummel tool to grind down the nail heads so he could push them down into the floor. Since it was the Fourth, he returned home with a rotisserie chicken, crab salad, potato salad, and root beer!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nTJD0i5tH0fNsY_kS0ilMy-A9nwNSBHTEFTljTnITdDmJdftvOI6sjkN9cP_Lwj5PuVbqJWDts2goiUuZBZHOTVEIXOSiG7OSuHayCI28xIXDDYdLBaEPHC-1Fv1qbahzh2BnDs2e5I/s1600/dinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4nTJD0i5tH0fNsY_kS0ilMy-A9nwNSBHTEFTljTnITdDmJdftvOI6sjkN9cP_Lwj5PuVbqJWDts2goiUuZBZHOTVEIXOSiG7OSuHayCI28xIXDDYdLBaEPHC-1Fv1qbahzh2BnDs2e5I/s320/dinner.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Our little picnic tasted AMAZING. (Do you love the retro green flowered chairs that were left in the house by the previous tenant? We will use them in the kitchen until our furniture gets here, but their rusty old legs are NEVER going back on those wood floors!)<br />
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After dinner it was back to work with the drummel tool, more filler, more sanding, more cleaning.... and finally...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3Hp6FaeYvMOlTRNNIx4GScRStSS2KV7k4JKqZ8wVBdDOYW98dtTej8ynRkiXfDWGu-2UTNR2T90OKuTC860VmoPJQy1kuMl7owEF6uWMZUlvgQiCO3j73Nb0n1COe7j5QxBadYsPQl8/s1600/Sealer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT3Hp6FaeYvMOlTRNNIx4GScRStSS2KV7k4JKqZ8wVBdDOYW98dtTej8ynRkiXfDWGu-2UTNR2T90OKuTC860VmoPJQy1kuMl7owEF6uWMZUlvgQiCO3j73Nb0n1COe7j5QxBadYsPQl8/s320/Sealer.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The sealer is going on! Isn't this gorgeous??<br />
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At 8 pm I thought we were done working, but we still had a teeny bit of energy left to go outside and spread some weed & feed in the front yard, do some edging of the lawn, and sweep up piles of detritus around the house.<br />
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As I write this post, I'm listening to fireworks go off in the neighborhood. What a successful Fourth of July! I'll never forget this particular one.Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-31478354048957561592016-07-03T23:56:00.000-04:002016-07-06T00:01:51.207-04:00Day 3, Ogden EnterpriseI spent most of the day on my hands and knees--or bent over like a crone. Today was floors, floors, and more floors. I was pretty pleased with the results after the first sanding. This is what they looked like:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6HL0fbfRkjTlxRw7y3RBgUlLQDwuUMjHdccTsxuRHWJpWjesqMpWqM4pSsbrs8-YnRwbgI9srSF-gZABP8B1-iA19hCB1VRGWb_EuMs10G4v0P3nSGgQtb-zymiHRhy45XzLqRJ3-Jg/s1600/drumsander.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX6HL0fbfRkjTlxRw7y3RBgUlLQDwuUMjHdccTsxuRHWJpWjesqMpWqM4pSsbrs8-YnRwbgI9srSF-gZABP8B1-iA19hCB1VRGWb_EuMs10G4v0P3nSGgQtb-zymiHRhy45XzLqRJ3-Jg/s320/drumsander.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
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There was already a big difference! But we had a lot more work to do, and we didn't get the sander returned by 9 am. Instead, we went ahead and kept it for the full 24 hours. That meant we had to get it back by 6 pm.<br />
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After the first sanding, Joe applied filler to the entire floor with a trowel:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_UYOmNAE3iQjV4DsueNnBDbf8GDE1QJWZ0YF-P397kF9Xq2NdQkOf901G2h8riflPxyJONGXPqMOISL54nZct2KXJseciQvfTWriyvKQvFdhJjyqBj-Ibv8GMha0wAZyx5LFnDF1UAuA/s1600/Filler2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_UYOmNAE3iQjV4DsueNnBDbf8GDE1QJWZ0YF-P397kF9Xq2NdQkOf901G2h8riflPxyJONGXPqMOISL54nZct2KXJseciQvfTWriyvKQvFdhJjyqBj-Ibv8GMha0wAZyx5LFnDF1UAuA/s320/Filler2.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Here's the filler we used:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42owsbCwzdbl3ef9LsgklPeT1Hj5agT3SFxyvZ6t9Tb84GNqSVvu3kK-5zZoSJCk-mbUofpEQX9GPP1G40yyAEwAGUutgFFDK8g87Qjnk3QMzOl3xN5lHHjchZTor8y14weaNjfjWnzE/s1600/Fillerpro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh42owsbCwzdbl3ef9LsgklPeT1Hj5agT3SFxyvZ6t9Tb84GNqSVvu3kK-5zZoSJCk-mbUofpEQX9GPP1G40yyAEwAGUutgFFDK8g87Qjnk3QMzOl3xN5lHHjchZTor8y14weaNjfjWnzE/s320/Fillerpro.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Apparently some people just use this to fill big gouges in the floor. Of course, we had plenty of those! But if you apply filler to the whole floor, it fills in all of the cracks and nail holes, which makes it look really professional. After the filler was applied to both rooms, it was sanded with the drum sander with a 60 grit sandpaper and then again at 100 grit. In between, Joe was telling me to find any cracks in the floor that were still not filled and touch them up.<br />
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We finished with the drum sander at about 5:30 which gave us just enough time to get it returned. Then we came home and took turns using the orbital hand sander on the edges. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqP9KPVILSi2HbidifRd92oJv03kIps0Ou-dA3U18awsqRX82xaYs5uU7Pzo9GJQVNK9p6sz439pUx6-Lci7TyWJ_92etCr9OAP1iGQtqYmExebDalnVekn-ZKqEqv4gYNuOvuc7hNXqY/s1600/Sanding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqP9KPVILSi2HbidifRd92oJv03kIps0Ou-dA3U18awsqRX82xaYs5uU7Pzo9GJQVNK9p6sz439pUx6-Lci7TyWJ_92etCr9OAP1iGQtqYmExebDalnVekn-ZKqEqv4gYNuOvuc7hNXqY/s320/Sanding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
This doesn't even look like the same floor, does it?<br />
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Hand sanding takes the longest, and is the hardest work.We had to take several breaks. During some of our breaks we went outside and watered the lawn -- which, of course, is completely dead. Of course. We met our neighbors, who are fabulous. They are glad to have someone move in who is going to take care of the place.<br />
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After a quick shower, I fell into bed exhausted. I should say, I fell upon my mat. I am not comfortable sleeping on the floor, and I can't wait for my bed to arrive. But I really want to finish the floors before the furniture gets here, so I guess I'll put up with it!<br />
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Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-7572298071195164002016-07-02T22:00:00.000-04:002016-07-05T00:52:54.841-04:00Day 2, Ogden EnterpriseWe got up at daybreak, still feeling absolutely exhausted! But we were excited to begin our home project. We went to Home Depot, Lowes and WalMart. We bought painting supplies, picked out our paint colors for the living room, dining room and kitchen, and got tons of other stuff. I began preparing the walls for painting. It took well over an hour just to scrub the large living room wall. The walls have dirty fingerprints and spills that are years old, and nails and screws hanging everywhere. The nasty looking blinds came down, too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWl9J9G8J6YG7-LXA7LurEZ8l8ZYpt4DmJ8k4VmOnY4ooyXou2DetCSsOjNXeW1B9ziAJVFmp7bk6aVnjg6Q6oW9ypFqB5U8ytP9ehlWt4xkUAPDvbCQZQR5sj55AfWi3yAbmI8tiXSyc/s1600/window.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWl9J9G8J6YG7-LXA7LurEZ8l8ZYpt4DmJ8k4VmOnY4ooyXou2DetCSsOjNXeW1B9ziAJVFmp7bk6aVnjg6Q6oW9ypFqB5U8ytP9ehlWt4xkUAPDvbCQZQR5sj55AfWi3yAbmI8tiXSyc/s320/window.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Then we had a conversation about floors vs. paint.<br />
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Joe's dad laid wood floors for a living, so he learned how to put in and refinish a floor as a teenager. Floor people always want to do the floors last, so they don't get paint on them. But if you put new paint up, it will be subject to all of the dust from sanding. We compromised by deciding to sand and seal the floors first, then paint, (I promise to be careful!) and then put the final polyurethane on the floor last.<br />
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At 6 pm we rented a drum sander from Home Depot, and our floor adventure began! First, all of the nails had to be pounded deep down into the board with a nail set. Then both floors were sanded with a 36 grit paper. I had to get on my hands and knees with a hand sander and do the edges. It was exhausting! We had to stop about 9pm because the light fixtures in the living room do not work. Plus, we didn't want to be an annoyance to the neighbors. Those things are LOUD.<br />
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We knew that the floor was in bad shape. As we sanded, we found many problems. Some boards had missing pieces out of them. Many had cracks. At one place, someone had nailed down the floor with large headed nails that could not be removed or pushed down. We couldn't go over these with the sander. There were stains on the floor that smelled like dog pee when run over with the sander. There were numerous scuffs and scrapes. About 90% of the area had been worn down to the bare wood. Along one wall, the floor had been <i>caulked</i> very inexpertly. This is what the floor looked like before:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pzsuopqjouC178IqJ8aKao52v6VuC5EVYf8hdUUgFup1se0KfVse1LV07rc04wDXPkWDlSvhbEA61lh7p3sV6Y5XsznMeNp_q4AhpHjqfuR2Jt6wMHBFBFS-lvUvtDO-UTAt6AEUCbg/s1600/floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="107" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pzsuopqjouC178IqJ8aKao52v6VuC5EVYf8hdUUgFup1se0KfVse1LV07rc04wDXPkWDlSvhbEA61lh7p3sV6Y5XsznMeNp_q4AhpHjqfuR2Jt6wMHBFBFS-lvUvtDO-UTAt6AEUCbg/s320/floor.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Seriously, this does not even do justice to how bad it looked. Here's another spot:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBbfeuRpMGc3hB-39eFDQV7GhADp9yDpKlpJZz8h2E5sLfe7xY0OVKc4MiyOOaPqEhCRpgkSPaWUoatVdtY_irCUTcTiUSw4pnGQwk7IEqZy-YxWtZ0ADsJ2Hnt_NYtgj1Fb2tX-R-iw/s1600/Floor2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBbfeuRpMGc3hB-39eFDQV7GhADp9yDpKlpJZz8h2E5sLfe7xY0OVKc4MiyOOaPqEhCRpgkSPaWUoatVdtY_irCUTcTiUSw4pnGQwk7IEqZy-YxWtZ0ADsJ2Hnt_NYtgj1Fb2tX-R-iw/s320/Floor2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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See how it is worn down to the bare floor? Notice the cracked board and the nails sticking out!<br />
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We had rented the drum sander for 4 hours. But if you rent it after 6 pm you get to keep it till 9 the next morning. We thought if we got up early tomorrow we could finish the sanding...<br />
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<br />Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-33067713281450198472016-07-01T22:00:00.000-04:002016-07-04T00:49:48.142-04:00Day 1 Ogden EnterpriseAfter a 14 hour drive (we took our time!) we arrived in Ogden at 3:00 am. We were planning on crashing as soon as we got here, but we spent about 30 minutes getting everything out of the car. Then I went in to go to the bathroom and I found this:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqhWmNtl6edXDJcMT1OMn8TYFU3UFNdHuQ1CpvsOGAwPvtVpgfBTtqEdxGeXt9Yn9L9ZhVrolsXxZ2Nb8ZQmDsLl9bzyBqNlq_mRU9oykvjgZtXBvUHugmAT84A30mgZRKmGdvwSdVV8/s1600/toilet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuqhWmNtl6edXDJcMT1OMn8TYFU3UFNdHuQ1CpvsOGAwPvtVpgfBTtqEdxGeXt9Yn9L9ZhVrolsXxZ2Nb8ZQmDsLl9bzyBqNlq_mRU9oykvjgZtXBvUHugmAT84A30mgZRKmGdvwSdVV8/s320/toilet.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
Eewwww!<br />
It took me almost an hour just to clean the bathroom well enough so I could use the toilet without fear of getting a disease.<br />
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We looked around us and realized that the previous tenants had completely trashed the place, and left it so dirty that we could not sleep. We drove to a 24-hour Wal-Mart to buy some supplies, and by then the sun was up. We began to work. I'm so exhausted, but I'll try to keep you updated on our remodeling adventure as we go.<br />
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Be warned...the before pictures are pretty horrible. But we are so excited to finally be here in our "Brick (Bruno/Swick) House!"<br />
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<br />Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-11258570261083588272014-05-19T21:34:00.000-04:002014-05-19T21:34:09.289-04:00The Fun Part<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Os4lCo-9Q-LvvKfMfhPDReGcaGRaE_o210f8BJ5WceYbXLF_88xL01uB0yIwXfLDZsas2muJ0qewSYxCU3CbL-fSoyFUMygOWAP7iBePyM2z50sclLb66CgF7TCeo1V4EbJ4qU3d088/s1600/hpnc_baby_chicks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Os4lCo-9Q-LvvKfMfhPDReGcaGRaE_o210f8BJ5WceYbXLF_88xL01uB0yIwXfLDZsas2muJ0qewSYxCU3CbL-fSoyFUMygOWAP7iBePyM2z50sclLb66CgF7TCeo1V4EbJ4qU3d088/s1600/hpnc_baby_chicks.jpg" height="180" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUhQizP0_7KOZSthGJ0hBB3THF5p0V1JgSeiI7yvRoYxL8JBUYRZQLM_sD-KCjpYs-F2zptpUwHlkHtpdbAFJGFvy412kNsk98uO7mo07ByA9c0bkTN-A609nA8HTYpawdegyPOedpks/s1600/th3RJ5RG56.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidUhQizP0_7KOZSthGJ0hBB3THF5p0V1JgSeiI7yvRoYxL8JBUYRZQLM_sD-KCjpYs-F2zptpUwHlkHtpdbAFJGFvy412kNsk98uO7mo07ByA9c0bkTN-A609nA8HTYpawdegyPOedpks/s1600/th3RJ5RG56.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><br />
And now, it's time for the fun part of my <a href="https://www.livebelowtheline.com/us/the_cause">eating experience</a>! With the $20 I saved by eating for $1.50 per day this past week, I am able to buy a flock of chicks for a family through <a href="http://www.heifer.org/gift-catalog/animals-nutrition/index.html">Heifer, International</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtVy5-UYRa3XSCm4vHBkqqiWjQhQfyHEfjAF52Z9-MB2uy8pw5TWHGDBtCYPIZZPWvc6btIbCa7id4VaByE_hy0aesUvw_rjKr9pQpBxoELTT1OyD7iZHWaJ13YDp8L_-OqaLSRpnLDU/s1600/thD3W2IZXA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZtVy5-UYRa3XSCm4vHBkqqiWjQhQfyHEfjAF52Z9-MB2uy8pw5TWHGDBtCYPIZZPWvc6btIbCa7id4VaByE_hy0aesUvw_rjKr9pQpBxoELTT1OyD7iZHWaJ13YDp8L_-OqaLSRpnLDU/s1600/thD3W2IZXA.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a><br />
<h3>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #660000;">Flock of Chicks Changes Lives</span></h3>
<span style="color: #783f04;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;">Your gift of a flock of chickens gift donation helps provide a family in need with a starter flock of 10 to 50 chicks, along with the training that will empower them to turn your donation into a lifetime of opportunity. Each flock of chicks:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #783f04;">Provides eggs and protein for nourishment</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #783f04;">Boosts income through sales of extra eggs and offspring</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #783f04;">Ensures security for generations through Passing on the Gift</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: #783f04;"> Chickens require little space and can thrive on readily available scraps; this allows families to make money from the birds without spending much. And since a good hen can lay up to 200 eggs a year, your flock of chickens gift provides a steady source of nutrition and income.</span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #783f04;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black;">Wouldn't you love to be able to do this for someone? I learned so much by spending just one week eating on $1.50 per day. I'm sharing my experience because I would love to see others help with world hunger in this way!</span>Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-64475802594452665942014-05-19T01:09:00.000-04:002014-05-19T01:09:03.994-04:00Third World Eating: Day 7<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have you ever had Madras Vegetables? It makes such a tasty breakfast. This was made with a bag of coleslaw mix--98c a bag and it was buy one, get one free! There are also frozen peas, a bit of oil, a single arbol chili, and turmeric, salt, cayenne pepper, black mustard seeds, cumin, and madras curry powder. With all of these ingredients, it is still about 60c a serving. It is cool, fresh, and lovely for a spring or summer morning. And speaking of that...<br />
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Just look at the view outside my kitchen window this morning. The Seattle area is absolutely gorgeous this time of year! I feel so lucky to be living where I do, where it is nice and green, and where I have access to all of the different foods that are such a pleasure to eat. <br />
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I was reading more about Pierre Ferrari's experience of eating on less than $1.50 per day and realized that the challenge he participated in was called "<a href="https://www.livebelowtheline.com/us">Live below the Line</a>." I read about <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pierre-ferrari/preparing-to-live-belowth_b_5218611.html">his experience shopping</a>, where he took $7.50 in cash to the store to spend for his weekly groceries. He was able to buy so much less than what I have been using, because I already have so many grains and spices and such in bulk. When you buy a small bag of rice in the grocery store, you pay so much more per serving than if you have a 50 pound bag.<br />
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Take, for example, this Thai purple rice (also known as "forbidden rice") that I had for lunch. This is my absolute favorite rice, and it is one of the more expensive rices. In my nearby grocery store, the Lotus Foods brand of organic forbidden rice costs $4.49 for a 15 oz bag! But when bought in bulk it is $2.89 a pound. Thus, I was able to have about a half-cup of this delicious rice and stay at 35c a serving. <br />
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I rounded out my lunch with a filling bowl of lentil soup, 15c per serving. Once again, the lentils were purchased in bulk, and therefore cost less. I imagine it would be much harder to purchase in bulk if you didn't have some start-up money to buy the large bags of rice and beans.<br />
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For dinner, I was once again craving fruit, so I had a 40-cent apple. <br />
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Total for the day came to $1.50. I could have eaten a lot more if I'd had lentils only, but I really liked the variety I was able to eat today. Come back tomorrow and see the culmination of this experiment of living below the poverty line! Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-57656746654925944592014-05-18T11:31:00.002-04:002014-05-18T11:35:49.133-04:00Third World Eating: Day 6<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9utERw96KI_XvkmWwdDnLQ7N0i6jvbNEg1fpJXyX6niTnTjCzwzDgOUCk5umplKoZ9kbzUyq4WUzF4zG1RfwrmcC2Z_k3IOJ9ajDvuB-2J315NTbwLy1w9_8QS15pLigGsYUChjjpNk/s1600/DSCN6154.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB9utERw96KI_XvkmWwdDnLQ7N0i6jvbNEg1fpJXyX6niTnTjCzwzDgOUCk5umplKoZ9kbzUyq4WUzF4zG1RfwrmcC2Z_k3IOJ9ajDvuB-2J315NTbwLy1w9_8QS15pLigGsYUChjjpNk/s1600/DSCN6154.JPG" height="75" width="100" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBS9C3PS2eUCNsATmiMII_q4w_sXM5vaH__eAdmYIHnpLln6iYM6aVqhuBK_k4LoMH99iV4J1jbY90cP2r-PW65Ku-n-AKVC-m1YY0jFLP_HvOOWoYON7-ZKfuit0djXVvkftkXt8kZ0/s1600/DSCN6259.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbBS9C3PS2eUCNsATmiMII_q4w_sXM5vaH__eAdmYIHnpLln6iYM6aVqhuBK_k4LoMH99iV4J1jbY90cP2r-PW65Ku-n-AKVC-m1YY0jFLP_HvOOWoYON7-ZKfuit0djXVvkftkXt8kZ0/s1600/DSCN6259.JPG" height="75" width="100" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HDogL29xDrLOSV-Z_uTNadPp9BYf_s2H47dcUU4lejb4keB5_86v-6kGkUY_rFbhynTDZ9RrehPqa_5_FbgYDED48M2zOoloY5sykvsFUts8qYxf1Siwmzr-eSV535V158ZTWC_2NSg/s1600/DSCN6257.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HDogL29xDrLOSV-Z_uTNadPp9BYf_s2H47dcUU4lejb4keB5_86v-6kGkUY_rFbhynTDZ9RrehPqa_5_FbgYDED48M2zOoloY5sykvsFUts8qYxf1Siwmzr-eSV535V158ZTWC_2NSg/s1600/DSCN6257.JPG" height="75" width="100" /></a>I ate mostly leftovers today: An egg for breakfast, curried cauliflower dish and rice for lunch, and for dinner I had rice, curried cauliflower, and curried chickpeas. (Yes, I love curry!) The total came to a little over $1.50. I had a lot of rice for lunch, about 2 cups of it; and I was quite full. So I went off to work without packing a dinner, because I didn't think I would need it. I was so wrong. I got so hungry I couldn't think straight. I had to eat more. The leftovers I had for dinner don't look very appetizing in the pictures, but I wolfed them down!<br />
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I don't know if it is just me, but when I'm on this kind of a restricted diet it's impossible to skip a meal. It made me feel so sad for people who often go long periods of time without food. It's hard to work or do anything, really.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqM3H-BitgYFH6_kGPJ8COjZZKcd7dlXvFQfP2p4hUqjq73ir2wqSaMRSLHAk2kQIKuakKXQi6ysBu9shGguzyPQF6TNMYpa_MKEBfPuTFg0DJ9OOaXk11xkVgNr3ReDibzTojjc_khbA/s1600/DSCN6260.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqM3H-BitgYFH6_kGPJ8COjZZKcd7dlXvFQfP2p4hUqjq73ir2wqSaMRSLHAk2kQIKuakKXQi6ysBu9shGguzyPQF6TNMYpa_MKEBfPuTFg0DJ9OOaXk11xkVgNr3ReDibzTojjc_khbA/s1600/DSCN6260.JPG" height="75" width="100" /></a>When I look at my blog posts for the past week and see just how much food I have eaten--and it really is pretty nourishing food--I can hardly believe how hungry I have been. I hate being hungry. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLjIB9VcszLzXco40-qnz95dGp5vcVzucF843ksqou-4lwGWOeZy5h4AaO43zXNU48c4hTzg7w1VjMC8YVhHw0zx5f7R_SEMlPSuXzR6wrjr916pQzFfeT_X4yTBbPTB1TQCYQh5LUVk/s1600/DSCN6263.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLjIB9VcszLzXco40-qnz95dGp5vcVzucF843ksqou-4lwGWOeZy5h4AaO43zXNU48c4hTzg7w1VjMC8YVhHw0zx5f7R_SEMlPSuXzR6wrjr916pQzFfeT_X4yTBbPTB1TQCYQh5LUVk/s1600/DSCN6263.JPG" height="75" width="100" /></a>Can you believe I want to do this for another week? I'd like to experiment some more with this diet and see if I can eat some different things and some different quantities so that I won't feel hungry. I'll try to figure out calories and see how much it takes to make me feel satisfied. I might add some more fats to this diet and see if that is what has kept me from feeling full. If you have any suggestions, let me know!<br />
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<br />Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-1044599549268787012014-05-17T03:04:00.000-04:002014-05-17T03:04:45.018-04:00Third World Eating: Day 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was in a bit of a rush this morning, so I grabbed a hard-boiled egg. I've discovered that eating this way is not convenient. Especially when it comes to breakfast. There are so many convenience foods that make breakfast quick and easy here in the States, but they are not easily available in third world countries, or else they are empty calories, or too expensive. The protein in this 17-cent egg kept me going on a nearly 5-mile hike this morning!<br />
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When I got home at noon, I had to rush off to work, so I was looking for something quick and easy to pack for my lunch and dinner as well. I settled for more upma for lunch. I just smashed 2 cups of it into a container, noticing that it was nice and fresh from being refrigerated. Maybe that was cheating, too? Again, I realized how lucky I was to have a way to keep food fresh.<br />
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Dinner was chana masala, made from curried chickpeas. I estimate that this was about 50c a serving, and it was soooooo spicy! I didn't need much of it to fill me up, because of the spiciness. But I ate around 5 pm, and after 6 I've been really hungry. <br />
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Total cost for today, about $1.55.Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-69272915766384310772014-05-16T03:23:00.000-04:002014-05-16T03:24:17.404-04:00Third World Eating: Day 4<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_HpfbK6CrZYnaRDz0pqkF-aQhDLsvpjw9OgPKqdL2GngShSkPC33u91HJ9HyqxsVJ46b1E_2HByE1by5dEsZD1sSSEunFpmyDkDWXlNcizF7qT4SFx-IS7mZDOkxs3YPDZequ8fMamo/s1600/DSCN6152_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ_HpfbK6CrZYnaRDz0pqkF-aQhDLsvpjw9OgPKqdL2GngShSkPC33u91HJ9HyqxsVJ46b1E_2HByE1by5dEsZD1sSSEunFpmyDkDWXlNcizF7qT4SFx-IS7mZDOkxs3YPDZequ8fMamo/s1600/DSCN6152_edited.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
Is it really only Day 4? Seems like I have been doing this for a long time now! Do you know that upma is the perfect breakfast food? I'd much rather have my semolina like this than like cream of wheat, with butter and sugar. It's tasty and spicy, and starts the day off just right. 37c a serving, and I kept to just one--but I really wanted more! Afterward, I went for a 2 mile walk, and I felt energetic.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3WUgrukVjkyaPst-odyfY-jG1paFTXePjKtVIXxjwUfcFssCROBVbJv6TzO4mPDBKjbAcaERVMlfZ1nynlZCE39kzbMZ0BLjtmcaK2R3vJ4qplKy1p4gKkWfyV7zBXZKrhHeYbBkTN0/s1600/WP_000471_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3WUgrukVjkyaPst-odyfY-jG1paFTXePjKtVIXxjwUfcFssCROBVbJv6TzO4mPDBKjbAcaERVMlfZ1nynlZCE39kzbMZ0BLjtmcaK2R3vJ4qplKy1p4gKkWfyV7zBXZKrhHeYbBkTN0/s1600/WP_000471_edited.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
Off to work, and I brought my lunch and dinner with me. I was craving some sort of fruit, so for lunch I splurged on an apple. I really don't know how plentiful fruit is in poverty-stricken countries. It was maybe cheating to have an apple, so I took a very small one. I accompanied it with about a quarter cup of hummus. My estimation for the total cost of lunch is around 50c. I was still hungry after I ate that, so I had a little bit of my dinner, too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJF4XJxVNbFsWmSxzaLAH-ujOj1YIaFKY4S_vr4NpS2HWeLiarHHqqOtHdoEMH9g_dtIztVnDFuewY20bMtAk6MsM5SExeW6dAreu8b4A5HAv_aNWqRIht71nGjKOHg1A4jzimY2Rxak/s1600/WP_000472_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiJF4XJxVNbFsWmSxzaLAH-ujOj1YIaFKY4S_vr4NpS2HWeLiarHHqqOtHdoEMH9g_dtIztVnDFuewY20bMtAk6MsM5SExeW6dAreu8b4A5HAv_aNWqRIht71nGjKOHg1A4jzimY2Rxak/s1600/WP_000472_edited.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a></div>
Here is my dinner. It was so cheap! A cup of rice and a cup of dal--22c. I didn't even heat it up. Brown rice has really been a staple of this diet. It fills me up and only costs about 2c a cup, since I buy my rice in bulk (50 pound bags!) This is the only way to buy rice, by the way. <br />
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Total cost for the day was $1.09. I could have had another apple! Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-71751877704776041812014-05-14T23:30:00.000-04:002014-05-16T02:39:38.254-04:00Third World Eating: Day 3Note: I am cranky. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fRTYJT6nSkcf21ASSOhwUmIl9FGvrNgKR5tg2HPzGG93cIu2xES0nbb7j0HQ2uA8_86ZBbqO52AdIG1v6QgnTdDP9Wuqgls48KdZkBI3ogGHxOmHvyVutb6es8GHqLQ4kP6mwKb-g0A/s1600/DSCN6135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fRTYJT6nSkcf21ASSOhwUmIl9FGvrNgKR5tg2HPzGG93cIu2xES0nbb7j0HQ2uA8_86ZBbqO52AdIG1v6QgnTdDP9Wuqgls48KdZkBI3ogGHxOmHvyVutb6es8GHqLQ4kP6mwKb-g0A/s1600/DSCN6135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4fRTYJT6nSkcf21ASSOhwUmIl9FGvrNgKR5tg2HPzGG93cIu2xES0nbb7j0HQ2uA8_86ZBbqO52AdIG1v6QgnTdDP9Wuqgls48KdZkBI3ogGHxOmHvyVutb6es8GHqLQ4kP6mwKb-g0A/s1600/DSCN6135.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Breakfast was spiced Dal (yellow lentils) which cost 20c a cup. This was accompanied by a boiled egg, 17c. I found it filling and delicious. As you get hungrier, food tastes really, really good. <br />
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I ate early, around 7am, and I didn't really feel any hunger until around noon. But there was a lot of cooking going on around here in the early afternoon. On the menu was a vegetable upma. Here's a picture of the ingredients used in this dish. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnEJFPRIvw8HaAuzUhyphenhyphen_wYYblnsf9cZ50TLW74TDhPRcTBQAXj34-0uxgYhp_XFGNVuXvMQYr-NBdHw51DtzMmx4Y-fZckDnu02061DwvmGRWaBdbq2XNan5kVPs4QfXDv3C31NNv2Y8/s1600/DSCN6137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMnEJFPRIvw8HaAuzUhyphenhyphen_wYYblnsf9cZ50TLW74TDhPRcTBQAXj34-0uxgYhp_XFGNVuXvMQYr-NBdHw51DtzMmx4Y-fZckDnu02061DwvmGRWaBdbq2XNan5kVPs4QfXDv3C31NNv2Y8/s1600/DSCN6137.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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It looks like a lot of stuff, but this upma can be made with whatever vegetables are available. Pictured is 98c worth of cabbage mix, 1/4 lb of cut up cauliflower stems (people usually throw these in the trash!) a few cashew pieces, I estimated 10c, $1.00 worth of semolina, 50c of zucchini, 25c of peas, and less than 2c worth of each of the following: salt, hot chili, urad dal, rye, cumin, and turmeric. <br />
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The finished product was estimated to cost 37c a serving.<br />
I think something similar could be made in third world countries using veggies from the garden or from the market.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNSX7Y5gCp5agGglE7arJxqaFQ5bK63d8qT6dyJInV8ahWWf08ii6aRFVwoZc3OCz_DMJvOuH4tjRHC4F8TR9CAtmhFv624BpJUHfbu2WlFsV8DHSrfEJWt44a5JGrZ1DUf68LTXtYbo/s1600/DSCN6149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXNSX7Y5gCp5agGglE7arJxqaFQ5bK63d8qT6dyJInV8ahWWf08ii6aRFVwoZc3OCz_DMJvOuH4tjRHC4F8TR9CAtmhFv624BpJUHfbu2WlFsV8DHSrfEJWt44a5JGrZ1DUf68LTXtYbo/s1600/DSCN6149.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
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Here's the finished product, all ready to eat. It made quite a bit--8 to 10 servings. This was a really filling dish as well. I limited myself to 1 cup, but I was satisfied for several hours. <br />
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It really is amazing how much inexpensive food is available to us in the U.S. It does take time to make things from scratch, but using grains and dried legumes is healthy, satisfying, and cheap. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_foLwhRUxnMC5jjqJVU6Jvs7XP1JG58yOeEYXhB-bSW2A99U1BTOEoRwZAFKUPZlRVtJYy3r1XYSZHvNvScZ0q38MuwqXgvCqIfNEmtVu0WsMuTkGa2K2oHbAQmw3xp3USImHZLs7rE/s1600/10334388_10203031693905608_1546912949371033670_n_edited_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb_foLwhRUxnMC5jjqJVU6Jvs7XP1JG58yOeEYXhB-bSW2A99U1BTOEoRwZAFKUPZlRVtJYy3r1XYSZHvNvScZ0q38MuwqXgvCqIfNEmtVu0WsMuTkGa2K2oHbAQmw3xp3USImHZLs7rE/s1600/10334388_10203031693905608_1546912949371033670_n_edited_edited.jpg" height="200" width="187" /></a></div>
Right after I ate this, I walked to my place of employment and worked fairly strenuously for 8 hours. Midway through, I had my dinner, which I had packed from home. It was rice and more of the spiced Dal from this morning. I was surprised that I didn't feel any of the hunger I felt yesterday. But now that I am home and it is late, I feel grumpy. So it's off to bed, and only 4 more days to go!<br />
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Total cost for the day: 96 cents. <br />
<br />Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-6736550106686269822014-05-13T22:08:00.001-04:002014-05-15T02:32:04.839-04:00Third World Eating: Day 2<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTt9PAJ5E59MZpc434qcVzDWlVQolWpCbCbeMN3MfkWVk0x98B2mcJyppaqVMnx-S4PTjGPMin5ZP9vLBt7UVpy_Ni9OyA1TRzrYeRaPHwmFUD6wePD0yY-Lo_y4MvQZOTE3yGR0yMjM/s1600/DSCN6130.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKTt9PAJ5E59MZpc434qcVzDWlVQolWpCbCbeMN3MfkWVk0x98B2mcJyppaqVMnx-S4PTjGPMin5ZP9vLBt7UVpy_Ni9OyA1TRzrYeRaPHwmFUD6wePD0yY-Lo_y4MvQZOTE3yGR0yMjM/s1600/DSCN6130.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>I made it through Day 2! I had to work from 6 to 8am, so I waited to have breakfast when I returned. This is a bowl of quinoa with edamame and arame (seaweed). This was not a cheap dish to make, but once again, it was leftover in the fridge, and I only had 1/2 cup of it. Homemade, it cost about 40c. I have bought this exact thing in the store and it is about 4x more expensive. The hard-boiled egg was 17c. It lasted me about an hour before I was hungry.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOP0qm1DdZu2_0Xi4WtkQtWyx_456OM7crYKS6xKFi14UhxLC9nIsv0dH2IjpK6X5nBwt32TdYqnJDtEkkdJfjk54SG7kO_b46WgtLP4zNcS1mVPU1sqKfoR3uOMPhzQ2r69ujW-5KZdc/s1600/DSCN6131.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOP0qm1DdZu2_0Xi4WtkQtWyx_456OM7crYKS6xKFi14UhxLC9nIsv0dH2IjpK6X5nBwt32TdYqnJDtEkkdJfjk54SG7kO_b46WgtLP4zNcS1mVPU1sqKfoR3uOMPhzQ2r69ujW-5KZdc/s1600/DSCN6131.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WA84s8Mfd7fvo8zth7tsB7_hMeQy7D9CXaafLRJUnjYhaTOKLXqZ-mllw3k6bwvl1N0ObjBbxrNVY9NNWwUXAbiWUtgQLNA36jJ7sg0TthOfwfkbwTJlqU5LKytt70vPVCT6NFj4l0M/s1600/DSCN6132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8WA84s8Mfd7fvo8zth7tsB7_hMeQy7D9CXaafLRJUnjYhaTOKLXqZ-mllw3k6bwvl1N0ObjBbxrNVY9NNWwUXAbiWUtgQLNA36jJ7sg0TthOfwfkbwTJlqU5LKytt70vPVCT6NFj4l0M/s1600/DSCN6132.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>Lunch was a cup of rice, (2c) and some more of the cauliflower dish that I had yesterday (44c). I am eating on small sized dishes to make it seem like it is more than it is! I feel like I'm getting a lot more variety and nutrition than would be possible if I were really in a third-world country. Spices really help a lot, and the amount used in all of the dishes makes them cost a penny or two. I just don't think they would be available in many parts of the world. The next time I send a care package as part of a service project, I'd like to include small packages of spices.<br />
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Dinner! I know this looks like a piece of chicken with rice, but nope. This is more of the hummus from yesterday, costing 45c. The rice adds 2c more. This meal actually filled me up a bit more than I thought it would. The hummus is sprinkled with a dash of paprika. <br />
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I can say that I felt hunger for most of the day. It wasn't enough to keep me from doing what I needed to do, but I definitely noticed it. Looking at these pictures, it seems like it should be plenty of food for one person. So I figured out the calories in these foods, and came up with 1857. That's certainly more than enough to sustain life, but less than I am used to eating. <br />
Total cost today: Exactly $1.50.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQERIX7MD2pd4BTr5K5PknBnwBjtQ27-BixjGu928x2tx2buXLCCtERlM9mJtwvW4gt6uhhGC6FhQmrHyaEsZX4_I7_XkiyNztDUPp1m0phY97hGGNIO3t7ySZHgqfF4EYHVFZEwj-1q8/s1600/WP_000468_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQERIX7MD2pd4BTr5K5PknBnwBjtQ27-BixjGu928x2tx2buXLCCtERlM9mJtwvW4gt6uhhGC6FhQmrHyaEsZX4_I7_XkiyNztDUPp1m0phY97hGGNIO3t7ySZHgqfF4EYHVFZEwj-1q8/s1600/WP_000468_edited.jpg" height="320" width="246" /></a><br />
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Another thing: I was out and about today, and I saw this. Watermelons, the first I have seen of the season. Ordinarily I would have bought one, just on an impulse. But then I realized that the price of one of these watermelons would be the cost of an entire week of meals in the third world! <br />
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Sobering.Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-61284386902650520122014-05-12T21:37:00.001-04:002014-05-13T22:08:32.743-04:00Third World Eating: Day 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9NXOV5gi4EtP9cYlnHBMb3FOVKKbtuKuv4whH-AF3j4Xh4inXN7pTDfuF9Nu0OFKGlnH0QmB3xAms4bNmn_5xjpS66cdiR_X9EH1PZmWNoC83TgmmP2QtVYQiy4kz6T-d3S04oRGiYs/s1600/DSCN6125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM9NXOV5gi4EtP9cYlnHBMb3FOVKKbtuKuv4whH-AF3j4Xh4inXN7pTDfuF9Nu0OFKGlnH0QmB3xAms4bNmn_5xjpS66cdiR_X9EH1PZmWNoC83TgmmP2QtVYQiy4kz6T-d3S04oRGiYs/s1600/DSCN6125.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>This morning I started with some leftover cheesy omelet from yesterday's breakfast. It certainly isn't anything someone from the Third World would have available to eat. But I've got to finish my leftovers or let them go to waste. This was just a small corner of an omelet, and probably used about one egg (17c) and 2 oz of cheese (38c). I was lazy and didn't count the onions, peppers and mushrooms that were in the omelet either, since there was such a small quantity. Then I only ate half of it, and saved the rest for lunch.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZMCy-kbVEYIIhkLOCi5K3BGpq42u763vr3GeTqNxcCX47jgjXDMhSBPl58SQ8zUHcgyx2I7KBG5xt3S6fcTyCsIVd7D2zAPYA_hvQrZExG6QjHDGzNUL320e8DQVocU29Noc1EJDqK4/s1600/DSCN6126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZMCy-kbVEYIIhkLOCi5K3BGpq42u763vr3GeTqNxcCX47jgjXDMhSBPl58SQ8zUHcgyx2I7KBG5xt3S6fcTyCsIVd7D2zAPYA_hvQrZExG6QjHDGzNUL320e8DQVocU29Noc1EJDqK4/s1600/DSCN6126.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
Here's what I had for lunch. On the top part of the bowl is the rest of the leftover omelet. It gave me a lot of my protein for the day. Then I added a scoop of rice. A whole cup of rice costs about 2c ! Now you know why people who don't have extra money for food eat a lot of rice. It fills you up and doesn't break the bank. On the right hand side of the plate is hummus. Not the kind you get from the store in a little plastic container. This was made this morning from dried chickpeas. When you make it this way, it costs 45c per cup. I think that serving was a lot smaller than a cup, but I just counted the 45c. I'll get better at measuring later!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLE_kUfKRpkXpxxJ4PpHaqkHTxRwPzyrfPs2wUPcyfgOtfXTFanNZW8e0s4TN4GACuqbNK9ekUeGL-XEJeFZteIohz_rvCZOH5ZMyBAqy1z0qhKiK99pNSiL-bfghVsMZDlE54TbBDqZE/s1600/DSCN6128.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLE_kUfKRpkXpxxJ4PpHaqkHTxRwPzyrfPs2wUPcyfgOtfXTFanNZW8e0s4TN4GACuqbNK9ekUeGL-XEJeFZteIohz_rvCZOH5ZMyBAqy1z0qhKiK99pNSiL-bfghVsMZDlE54TbBDqZE/s1600/DSCN6128.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a>After lunch, I had almost spent my limit, and I was really hungry. I drank a lot of water during the afternoon, trying to fill myself up. As I was drinking my nice glass of ice water, I realized that in the third world it probably wouldn't be so easy to get ice for drinks, so I decided to go with cool tap water for the rest of the week. For dinner, I had more rice, and a curried cauliflower dish, using some cauliflower that was in the fridge and needed to be used. I figured out that a cup of that cauliflower dish was 44c. I ate dinner about 4:30, because I was pretty hungry.<br />
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Total cost for today's meals was $1.48. The key to keeping it so low is definitely making the meals from scratch. Dried beans and grains are going to form most of my diet for the next week. <br />
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So far, so good!<br />
<br />Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-69593726446761746422014-05-12T17:36:00.001-04:002014-05-13T22:08:46.024-04:00Eating in the Third World<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATf8Rp6D1kxtPpW0qPVe2l29sVYdRXx-WJamM1pRwVlSlXqnKNvSDU0h-OsuXfqjsn7dRHdnT3TbpIKq0V84OgYbMAsTpqICmaFVfzd6RysgC0vLpMFCLrpy0Pli61GchkjCHbEOhztw/s1600/mcupload_5221180e326de.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiATf8Rp6D1kxtPpW0qPVe2l29sVYdRXx-WJamM1pRwVlSlXqnKNvSDU0h-OsuXfqjsn7dRHdnT3TbpIKq0V84OgYbMAsTpqICmaFVfzd6RysgC0vLpMFCLrpy0Pli61GchkjCHbEOhztw/s1600/mcupload_5221180e326de.jpg" height="82" width="320" /></a></div>
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Last week I read a blog post by <span class="userContent">Pierre Ferrari, CEO of <a href="http://www.heifer.org/ending-hunger/index.html">Heifer International</a>. He wrote to share his experience of eating for one day below the poverty line ($1.50). I thought this would be a fantastic way to raise my awareness of third-world eating, and decided to do this for one week. I estimate that with all the meals, snacks, drinks, and eating out that I do, I spend between $5 and $10 a day for my food. This is a small bit I can pass on to help solve world hunger.</span><br />
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<span class="userContent">I've been so impressed by the work of organizations like Heifer, International. The idea behind this program is to donate livestock, seeds, and training to help people cultivate their own food. One of the principles of the program is called <a href="http://www.heifer.org/ending-hunger/the-heifer-way/mission-and-cornerstones.html#cornerstone-passing">Passing on the Gift</a>. For each livestock gift, for example, families agree to pass on the offspring of that animal to another person in need. In some places, 22 generations of Heifer animals can be traced. On average, Passing on the Gift lasts for at least nine generations, no matter the project.</span><br />
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<span class="userContent">If I eat this way for one week and donate the money I save, I can give the gift of a flock of chickens to a family in need. My $20 donation can buy a starter flock of 10 to 50 chicks, along with the training that will empower this family not only to provide for themselves, but to help others. Chickens require little space and can thrive on readily available scraps. This allows families to make money from the birds without spending much, and since a good hen can lay up to 200 eggs a year, this inexpensive gift provides a steady source of nutrition and income. </span><br />
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Sometimes the many challenges that exist in this world seem so overwhelming, and since I have my own difficulties, it's hard to see a way to be involved or to help. So I'm just thrilled that I can try this little experiment this week, to feel some solidarity with people all over the world who are struggling, and to be a part of ending world hunger in just a small way. <br />
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I'll be writing about what I'm eating and how this challenge changes my life for good every day this week. Stay tuned!<br />
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</span>Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-39397828037980747542014-02-26T00:00:00.002-05:002014-02-26T00:00:24.653-05:00Nephi and the Kabbalistic “Four Worlds” of Human Consciousness In the opening verses of the Book of Mormon, Nephi gives an intriguing four-fold reference:
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1. I make a record of my proceedings in my days
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2. I make a record in the language of my father
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3. I make it with mine own hand
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4. I make it according to my knowledge
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2mxIJihwtqVRRvSeslHfXPTs9CFgcZ4LXM4z3Uzcb9F4_JCVcwXrRLwuad7mr8haGr1apzH92i-JwvBhzL-2JqXPAErv1aYFqvqCMXRglgQ2hENJwpxavrqd07-TqSC84TvjujGgK2g/s1600/alphabethebrew44.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF2mxIJihwtqVRRvSeslHfXPTs9CFgcZ4LXM4z3Uzcb9F4_JCVcwXrRLwuad7mr8haGr1apzH92i-JwvBhzL-2JqXPAErv1aYFqvqCMXRglgQ2hENJwpxavrqd07-TqSC84TvjujGgK2g/s1600/alphabethebrew44.gif" /></a>These descriptions of Nephi’s record are reminiscent of the Kabbalistic “Four Worlds,” exhibited in Isaiah 43:7, "Every one that is called by My name and for My glory (atziluth "emanation/nearness"), I have created (beriah "creation"), I have formed (yetzirah "formation"), even I have made (asiyah "action"). This describes the creative power of God, which descends through the four Kabbalistic worlds. As well as the functional role each World has in the process of Creation, they also embody dimensions of consciousness within human experience.
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Let us compare each step in the process of creation in ascending order, the order it is found in Nephi. The lowest and final step in the Kabbalistic process of creation is temporal, concrete and specific. This realm is that of effects, the causes remaining hidden in the mind of God. It is associated with the Hebrew word asiyah, human action or endeavor in the manifest world. In Isaiah 43 it is translated “I have made.” Nephi has made a record of his proceedings, or the actions which have taken place in his days. <br />
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The next of the “Four Worlds” is that of formation. Using language, God “spoke” the world into existence. Nephi’s record was formulated in the language of his father, consisting of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians. To the Kabbalists, the yetzirah world is half good and half evil. Likewise, the language Nephi uses is a dual one, the Jewish representing holiness and revelation, and the Egyptian representing worldliness. Hieroglyphics were understood to have been developed by Egyptian priests to conceal mysteries. The idea of concealing and revealing is conveyed in the language used to form Nephi’s record. Nephi’s engraving on gold plates emulates the yetziratic creation as well. In the fundamental Kabbalistic text Sefer Yetzirah, God not only speaks the universe into being, he engraves it, using the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The Hebrew word for engrave is chakak. Derived from this root are words meaning “rule” and “decree.” Nephi’s record is a book of law, containing rules and decrees of God, which properly govern human behavior. They are written on plates of gold, symbolic of divine perfection. <br />
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The world of beriah can be described as God extending his hand through the veil in his first creative act. It is the disclosure of absolute Truth through revelation. Nephi claims that direct encounter, beginning with a testimony that it is “true,” and that he records it with his own hand. In Kabbalah, the hand alludes to God’s divine power and spirit. When Nephi says that he is writing with his hand, Kabbalists might understand it to mean he is writing with the Holy Spirit, by the gift and power of God.
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Atziluth is the transcendent world of pure divinity, beyond word, speech, or form. When Nephi says that he is making the record according to his “knowledge,” this is gnostic, or secret knowledge, the hidden wisdom of God. It is the work of a Kabbalist to discover the innate holy nature of our earthly existence by entering into the pavilion of God’s hiding place at divine invitation.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzT9aIWs3fjWt3BhZGiqJHfoKjSdiXURzeTk7MnLBxQRPVpi7_fYj_w_dx-7z9Pl1OjUukbSl2oCVSSvWWW6ytw-KMwOuM30TN44g6FEFoX9bx3CYbKZjv9rFZvAoYtvdLDOPgo0vLZUo/s1600/en12sep42a-ALL-my-beloved-son-E12SCA42A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzT9aIWs3fjWt3BhZGiqJHfoKjSdiXURzeTk7MnLBxQRPVpi7_fYj_w_dx-7z9Pl1OjUukbSl2oCVSSvWWW6ytw-KMwOuM30TN44g6FEFoX9bx3CYbKZjv9rFZvAoYtvdLDOPgo0vLZUo/s1600/en12sep42a-ALL-my-beloved-son-E12SCA42A.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a>Nephi’s placement of the four “I Make” statements in ascending order indicates celestial ascent. As initiates ascend the tree of life, they move from immanence to transcendence. This is the path of return. As Nephi wrote, he experienced the process, beginning by describing temporal events, progressing through recognizing truth and experiencing the Holy Ghost, and culminating in personal and intimate knowledge of the Divine. A reader of Nephi’s record is invited to participate in the same process of purification and renewing of the mind that Kabbalists aspire to, through their ascending stages of consciousness. <br />
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Nephi’s four-step composition further alludes to ascent patterns encountered later in the text. These specifically include Lehi’s ascent to the Throne of God and vision of the mystic rose (1 Ne. 1:8), as well as Nephi’s own ascent of the heavenly mountain (1 Ne. 11). The Book of Mormon is written to be plain and easily understood. But each word contains a holy mystery, making the account more complex and rich. Applying a Kabbalistic hermeneutic to 1 Nephi potentially broadens its theological implications.
Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-66853089886177184722012-03-16T15:24:00.000-04:002013-12-14T23:26:37.586-05:00The Sacred Embrace as Five Points of FellowshipI often lament that modern Mormonism has lost portions of its early history. While some of these forms and concepts are best consigned to the trash-bin, others are sorely missed. I believe that there are traditions from our nineteenth-century past which have lost their significance because there has been a lack of understanding about their religious symbolism.<br />
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Many older members of the Church and students of LDS history will recall the "Five Points of Fellowship," which was a part of Mormon liturgy up until the last two decades. This was an important emblematic ritual -- a sacred embrace which preceded entering into the presence of the Lord through the veil. Because this symbolic rite had its origins in Nauvoo-era Freemasonry, there is much we can learn about the meaning behind the symbol from Masonic writings. But I don't believe these understandings were ever carried over into LDS discourse.<a name='more'></a><br />
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In the now-obsolete Mormon ceremony, the petitioner was not allowed into the symbolic presence of the Lord until he or she had conversed with Him upon the Five Points of Fellowship "through the veil." Since one cannot enter into the Celestial sphere without first having died and then been raised, this typology is an important part of the ritual. This aspect of being called up out of the grave is not apparent in the LDS version of the ceremony, but it has important connotations in Freemasonry. Mormons will easily recognize the associations which signify oneness with God and the whisperings of the Spirit within each of us, but other aspects of the rite are not as evident.<br />
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The Five Points of Fellowship are described as: 1.) inside of right foot by the side of right foot, 2.) knee to knee, 3.) breast to breast, 4.) hand to back, and 5.) mouth to ear.<br />
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<a href="http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m49/clbruno/5pof.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m49/clbruno/5pof.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 430px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 310px;" /></a><br />
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As explained by the Master of a Masonic lodge in the third degree ritual, the Five Points of Fellowship serve a double purpose in instructing in fraternal duties, as well as forming a mode of recognition. They are a method of explaining and emphasizing the need for brotherly love, co-operation and unity. The points may vary slightly among different Masonic lodges at different locations and time periods (for example: "cheek to cheek" instead of "mouth to ear"), but they are all very similar. A poem written by the "Masonic poet laureate", Robert Morris, gives the signification. In the first stanza, he summarizes the meaning of the points. In the second through sixth stanzas, he expounds on the symbolism for each point: 1.) foot to foot, 2.) knee to knee, 3.) breast to breast, 4.) hand to back, and 5.) cheek to cheek.<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Five Points of Fellowship </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
By Robert Morris </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Joyful task it is, dear brothers<br />
Thus to take upon the lip<br />
With full heart, and fitting gesture,<br />
All our points of fellowship.<br />
Foot and knee, breast, hand, and cheek<br />
Each a measured part shall speak:<br />
Speak of answering mercy's call;<br />
Speak of prayer for Mason's all;<br />
Speak of keeping secrets duly;<br />
Speak of stretching strong hand truly;<br />
Speak of whispering the unruly. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Foot to foot: 'tis Mercy's mandate,<br />
When is heard the plaintive sigh,<br />
Hungry, thirsty, homeless, naked,<br />
On the wings of aid to fly;<br />
Hasten, mitigate the grief --<br />
Hasten, bear him quick relief!<br />
Quick with bread to feed the hungry;<br />
Quick with raiment for the naked;<br />
Quick with shelter for the homeless;<br />
Quick with heart's deep sympathy.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Knee to knee: in silence praying,<br />
Lord, give listening ear that day!<br />
Every earthly stain confessing,<br />
For all tempted Masons pray!<br />
Perish envy, perish hate,<br />
For all Masons supplicate.<br />
Bless them, Lord upon the ocean;<br />
Bless them perishing in the desert;<br />
Bless them falling 'neath temptation;<br />
Bless them when about to die!</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Breast to breast: in holy casket<br />
At life's center strongly held,<br />
Every sacred thing entrusted,<br />
Sealed by faith's unbroken seal;<br />
What you promised God to shield<br />
Suffer, die, but never yield.<br />
Never yield whate'er the trial;<br />
Never yield whate'er the number;<br />
Never yield though foully threatened,<br />
Even at the stroke of death. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Hand to back: A brother falling --<br />
His misfortune is too great,<br />
Stretch the generous hand, sustain him,<br />
Quick, before it is too late.<br />
Like a strong, unfaltering prop,<br />
Hold the faltering brother up.<br />
Hold him up; stand like a column;<br />
Hold him up; there's good stuff in him;<br />
Hold him with his head toward heaven;<br />
Hold him with the lion's grip.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Cheek to cheek: O, when the tempter<br />
Comes, a brother's soul to win,<br />
With a timely whisper warn him<br />
Of the dark and deadly sin.<br />
Extricate him from the snare,<br />
Save him with fraternal care.<br />
Save him -- heavenly powers invoke you --<br />
Save him -- man is worth the saving<br />
Save him -- breathe your spirit in him<br />
As you'd have your God save you.</blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
This completes the obligation;<br />
Brothers, lest you let it slip,<br />
Fasten on tenacious memory<br />
All our points of Fellowship;<br />
Foot and knee, breast, hand, and cheek --<br />
Foot and knee, breast, hand, and cheek.</blockquote>
Thus, a Mason is taught the following (see William Morgan, <a href="http://books.google.com/books?id=LJIDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA76&lpg=PA76&dq=william+morgan+illustrations+of+masonry+five+points+of+fellowship&source=bl&ots=y17jLkfWWB&sig=XMtKCI3ev7DIH1uY6SlvyNUl4LY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=jJBjT6GxH5SPigKX3NiiDw&sqi=2&ved=0CFQQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q&f=false">Illustrations of Masonry</a>):<br />
<ul>
<li>Foot to foot. He should go out of his way, and not permit his steps to halt in extending mercy and benevolence.</li>
<li>Knee to knee. The knee should be bent in intercessory prayer for others, and in pleading for forgiveness for his own sins.</li>
<li>Breast to breast. The man of honor should guard all just and lawful secrets inviolate within his breast.</li>
<li>Hand to back. It is a Mason's duty to support his Brother, to lift him up, and to speak well of him before the world. This may also hold some symbolism of being "raised up" in other ways.</li>
<li>Mouth to Ear. He should whisper good counsel into the ear of a Brother, instruct him, and warn him of coming danger.</li>
</ul>
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Another poem written by Freemason N. A. McAulay expounds on the symbolism of these five points and concludes that these five points lead the Mason to the revelation of "that Mystic Word," i.e. the Lost Master's Word. In Mormonism, that Word is given as a blessing.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The Five Points Symbolism </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
By Brother N. A. McAulay </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Foot to foot, that we may go,<br />
Where our help we can bestow;<br />
Pointing out the better way,<br />
Lest our brothers go astray.<br />
Thus our steps should always lead<br />
To the souls that are in need. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Knee to knee, that we may share<br />
Every brother's needs in prayer:<br />
Giving all his wants a place,<br />
When we seek the throne of grace.<br />
In our thoughts from day to day<br />
For each other we should pray. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Breast to breast, to there conceal,<br />
What our lips must not reveal;<br />
When a brother does confide,<br />
We must by his will abide.<br />
Mason's secrets to us known,<br />
We must cherish as our own. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Hand to back, our love to show<br />
To the brother, bending low:<br />
Underneath a load of care,<br />
Which we may and ought to share.<br />
That the weak may always stand,<br />
Let us lend a helping hand. </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Cheek to cheek, or mouth to ear,<br />
That our lips may whisper cheer,<br />
To our brother in distress:<br />
Whom our words can aid and bless.<br />
Warn him if he fails to see,<br />
Dangers that are known to thee </blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Foot to foot, and knee to knee,<br />
Breast to breast, as brothers we:<br />
Hand to back and mouth to ear,<br />
Then that mystic word we hear<br />
Which we otherwise conceal,<br />
But on these five points reveal. </blockquote>
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Gerald B. Gardner, a freemason, was responsible for much of the modern revival of Wicca. He brought some of his personal idiosyncracities as well as some borrowings from freemasonry into this occultist group. Thus, in Wicca we see the ritual of the "Fivefold Kiss," a form of the Five Points of Fellowship. The Fivefold Kiss is a ceremony involving kissing five parts of the body. Each kiss given is accompanied by a blessing. These actions are reminiscent of the early LDS initiatory work, which has also changed a great deal in form.<br />
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Blessed be thy feet, that have brought thee in these ways<br />
Blessed be thy knees, that shall kneel at the sacred altar<br />
Blessed be thy [womb/phallus], without which we would not be<br />
Blessed be thy breasts, formed in beauty/ breast formed in strength<br />
Blessed be thy lips, that shall utter the Sacred Names.<br />
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I think it's intriguing that the Wiccan ceremony preserves the symbolic nature of the elements, while the Mormon ritual did not. This, in my opinion, is the reason that the ritual did not survive in the LDS church. As we lose the significance, symbolism, and historical background of our rituals and indeed many of the concepts and teachings in the Church, they are no longer vital in our worship.<br />
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<br />Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-88075698218236216672011-06-18T13:03:00.001-04:002011-06-18T13:07:10.754-04:004-Month Bell's Palsy UpdateIt's been about 4 months of Bell's Palsy and I want to put another update up here. The biggest thing I notice about my face that still hasn't cleared up is that I can't squeeze my right eye shut tight like I can my left. This bothers me a little bit, mostly when swimming without goggles on. When I laugh, I can't feel it, but the left side is a bit more squinty than the right. You can see it in this picture: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetKCMlNK6oo3-ah9vS-quDBSeWFWgDrztRGXF83UdpKm5F441O6rj0n4BtWWAZYyPLvEKihZ_g5CxaHxk8tvZJMwBURYCq2XHYyWaTXJr84qKHbMmoMZrTp42E89T9hreofQYA1H2yMk/s1600/DSCN3550-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhetKCMlNK6oo3-ah9vS-quDBSeWFWgDrztRGXF83UdpKm5F441O6rj0n4BtWWAZYyPLvEKihZ_g5CxaHxk8tvZJMwBURYCq2XHYyWaTXJr84qKHbMmoMZrTp42E89T9hreofQYA1H2yMk/s320/DSCN3550-1.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The past few weeks I have been feeling some twitchiness in the BP side, and a little tightness in the muscles. I am hoping this means more healing is taking place... I noticed when I close my mouth tight there is a lumpiness in my chin, I'm using muscles there that I never used before. I'm trying to remember to relax my chin when I close my mouth. My mouth is sometimes symmetrical and sometimes crooked. Both corners of the mouth work, but not always in unison. I think when I'm tired, the BP side doesn't cooperate as well. Here's what it looks like when crooked. (The BP side of the mouth is actually bigger here.)If I look in the mirror or concentrate on it, I have no problem making both sides look the same.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszgkavgj4LMpGKt1iWQ3LFWYltajrjXRFaZtwxhhvM96ZViqtUjHnVTe5Um8V9vysNKkrbJCq77MhF6Gdr275BQgHXBeDuHIIy9iZ13LafK9lvPLNkuk_Roop-831NoUR0Imq2aFeVNU/s1600/077+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjszgkavgj4LMpGKt1iWQ3LFWYltajrjXRFaZtwxhhvM96ZViqtUjHnVTe5Um8V9vysNKkrbJCq77MhF6Gdr275BQgHXBeDuHIIy9iZ13LafK9lvPLNkuk_Roop-831NoUR0Imq2aFeVNU/s320/077+%25282%2529.jpg" /></a></div><br />
I haven't been doing facial exercises, and I think I should do them again for a few weeks and see if I can get to 100% recovery. All in all I am very happy with how things are going!Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-28367163475668916242011-04-24T20:31:00.004-04:002011-04-24T21:31:48.886-04:00An Easter OdeIf you've read this blog for many years you know that <a href="http://kolobiv.blogspot.com/2008/03/hallelujah-christ-arose_6298.html">I love to attend Easter services</a>. Today I went to the Old Fort Baptist Church nearby for their morning service. I enjoyed watching their reenactment of Christ's resurrection (a short clip of the passion play they've been presenting this week), singing their modern worship songs, and listening to their fiery pastor. During the sermon, he said that there is a time and a place for reverence, but that this day is not one of them. I can't imagine a Mormon ever saying that about Easter Sunday. In fact, it inspired me to write a poem, which I titled: <a href="http://www.wheatandtares.org/2011/04/24/to-the-virgins-and-high-priests-of-the-second-ward-an-easter-message/">To the Virgins and High Priests of the Second Ward: An Easter Message</a>.<br />
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</div><div>I am pleased to note that Church with the Mormons this afternoon did not suck. There was some nice music by the choir, a Primary class did bells to "He Died that we might Live Again," (yeah, that was my class), and the closing talk on Resurrection was wonderful. The first talk was on the Atonement, and I'm glad we didn't spend the whole time on that subject. Though I think it's necessary to talk about the death of Christ at Easter, I like the emphasis to be on the risen Christ and the joy in such an event! (and, come on, we have all heard <a href="http://www.ywconnection.com/Activities/pageAhetookmywhippingforme.html">the story</a> of the boy who took the whipping for the kid who stole his lunch...)</div><div><br />
</div><div>I can never get enough of the music, the pageantry, and the poetry that is Easter. Kristine has given some wonderful <a href="http://bycommonconsent.com/2011/04/23/music-for-easter-morning-2/">musical links</a> for the day, Lynette compiled some <a href="http://zelophehadsdaughters.com/2011/04/23/thoughts-for-easter-weekend/">Easter theology</a>, and I will leave you with one more poem before you end your Resurrection Day. </div><div><br />
</div><div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEFneQfoC_vyGV_aclSz8quLv4ueK9MTSNa4d1k1m1VolN_ZQOgMHOpSOuAYglujpUsIQxLBzkFSkI2g2eXeD2cOd1xTUPkKM4Y5Xyj1jO9UQDbJNpwj0nPfrTQbi_exyJYDF9Xboh4k/s1600/violets+by+Veronica+Lawlor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEFneQfoC_vyGV_aclSz8quLv4ueK9MTSNa4d1k1m1VolN_ZQOgMHOpSOuAYglujpUsIQxLBzkFSkI2g2eXeD2cOd1xTUPkKM4Y5Xyj1jO9UQDbJNpwj0nPfrTQbi_exyJYDF9Xboh4k/s320/violets+by+Veronica+Lawlor.jpg" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Drawing: "Violets" by <a href="http://onedrawingaday.com/category/veronica/page/3/">Veronica Lawlor</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>An Easter Ode</div><div>by Paul Laurence Dunbar</div><div><br />
To the cold, dark grave they go <br />
Silently and sad and slow, <br />
From the light of happy skies <br />
And the glance of mortal eyes. <br />
In their beds the violets spring, <br />
And the brook flows murmuring; <br />
But at eve the violets die, <br />
And the brook in the sand runs dry. <br />
<br />
In the rosy, blushing morn, <br />
See, the smiling babe is born; <br />
For a day it lives, and then <br />
Breathes its short life out again. <br />
And anon gaunt-visaged Death, <br />
With his keen and icy breath, <br />
Bloweth out the vital fire <br />
In the hoary-headed sire. <br />
<br />
Heeding not the children's wail, <br />
Fathers droop and mothers fail; <br />
Sinking sadly from each other, <br />
Sister parts from loving brother. <br />
All the land is filled with wailing, <br />
Sounds of mourning garments trailing, <br />
With their sad portent imbued, <br />
Making melody subdued. <br />
<br />
But in all this depth of woe <br />
This consoling truth we know: <br />
There will come a time of rain, <br />
And the brook will flow again; <br />
Where the violet fell, 'twill grow, <br />
When the sun has chased the snow. <br />
See in this the lesson plain, <br />
Mortal man shall rise again. <br />
<br />
Well the prophecy was kept; <br />
Christ "first fruit of them that slept" <br />
Rose with vic'try-circled brow; <br />
So, believing one, shalt thou. <br />
Ah! but there shall come a day <br />
When, unhampered by this clay, <br />
Souls shall rise to life newborn <br />
On that resurrection morn. </div>Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-48288826599119191062011-03-16T22:07:00.000-04:002011-03-16T22:07:38.796-04:00Eye RollThis is going to be TMI for some of you...<br />
<a name='more'></a><br />
Today I read about something called "Bell's phenomenon" which is an upward rolling of the eye when the eyelid tries to close. This is actually a benefit right at first because it protects the eye when it can't close. But then it begins to be a habit, and every time you blink your eyelid the eye rolls up. When I read about this phenomenon I immediately got out my camera and took a video. Yes, my eye was rolling up. OH, NO!!! I became obsessed with it. All day long I've been trying to counter this by closing my eyelid while looking down. It's extremely difficult to do. And right now, my eyes are both exhausted.<br />
<br />
Here is an awesome <a href="http://allbellspalsy.info/facial-exercises-series-part-5-the-exercises/">Bell's palsy facial workout</a> that I found online. See the part that says "Do not worry, this Bell's phenomenon will go. Don't strain for this or any of the other exercises"?<br />
<br />
Yeah.Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-30310765655209482772011-03-15T11:17:00.000-04:002011-03-15T11:17:40.070-04:00Progress Report and IntrospectionThis is my one-month report. I am amazed at how well my recovery from Bell's palsy has gone. My right eyebrow and forehead work almost the same as they always have. (Downside is, I've lost the Botox effect, and my forehead wrinkles are back.) My eye closes and doesn't dry out at night. The blink reflex is back, but I can't squeeze my eye shut tightly, and the undereye muscles are still weak. My smile looks <br />
<a name='more'></a>almost normal. It's a little lopsided, but I'm probably the only one that could tell. When I laugh reeeeeal hard, it looks strange, because my left eye squints down real small and the right one doesn't. I can't purse my lips all the way on the right side. It's almost there, though, because I can whistle. I can't wrinkle my nose or flare my nostrils. I can't curl my right lip up in an Elvis sneer. I can't wink my right eye. (oh yeah, I never could wink my right eye, only my left!) Now that most of the muscles are working normally, I'm ready to start doing a few gentle <a href="http://www.bellspalsy.ws/exercise.htm">facial exercises</a>.<br />
<br />
I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth. But I have to wonder why I've been so fortunate to have such a quick recovery. My recovery is one of the faster ones. It wasn't miraculous enough to think that I was "healed" by the blessing I received or the prayers I offered up. Still, the inclination is to say I've been "blessed" or that I am seeing the "tender mercies" of the Lord on my behalf. But when juxtaposed with the horrible tragedy of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan, how can I even consider that the Lord was involved? Who am I compared to any of those thousands of people who died or were injured or lost family members or property? Surely not more righteous. Surely not more needed in my family or on earth. Not any more worthy of notice.<br />
<br />
My tentative conclusion has to be that we live in these fragile mortal bodies and they are subject to all of the conditions of earthly life. Our bodies are susceptible to disease, they wear out, malfunction, and they also heal and recover. Many conditions affect how well or how poorly they do these things. In like manner, the earth is in constant flux, subject to changing weather and geographical conditions that most likely have nothing to do with Divine interference. <br />
<br />
No matter how much I would like someone to persuade me that God has a personal hand in my life, my observations convince me otherwise. I tried really hard to let this Bell's Palsy condition work on me so that I could see some kind of otherworldly influence involved, whether in the causes or healing of it. I tried to let it soften my heart, to turn me to the Lord. I think I wanted this to be my watershed moment. My Saul-on-the-way-to-Damascus conversion. But I am left again in my faithless recreant state.<br />
<br />
Well, not exactly FAITHLESS. I have hope that there is a Divine Being. I desire for there to be a God. There could still be a God, one who works within the strictures of a created world. I'm still trying to discover Him, to uncover Him, to know Him. But I'm just not able to force my perfidious mind to believe in miracles I cannot see.Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-48095607816842119762011-03-07T01:34:00.000-05:002011-03-07T01:34:00.701-05:00Busted!I'm well enough that I can "fake" normalcy when I go out in public for short periods. So I thought I was going to get away without telling the whole ward that I was incapacitated. I did tell my Primary class, because it was very obvious the Sunday after I got Bell's Palsy. But then we had Stake Conference and I didn't go, and after that my face was beginning to look better. Friday my daughter and I went to visit a lady in our neighborhood who just had a baby and we dropped off a fruit basket. We were just about to leave, and DD made an ill-considered remark about me having Bell's Palsy. I was rather annoyed. Just after we visited, the compassionate service leader came by, to bring dinner in to the family with the new baby. That's when the Mormon grapevine went to work. So, today at Church I had to discuss my affliction with sundry people and put on a cheery attitude. GRRRRR. Also, the Bishop sent me a little message on my Facebook expressing condolences and asking if he could do anything to help. I know everyone means well. And they are very kind. There just isn't anything they can really do to "serve" me at this time. I'm probably being overly sensitive. But if they don't want anything to do with me on a regular basis, I don't really want them coming around me when I'm at my worst. Does that make any sense at all?Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2035557836022548249.post-89995942575660053302011-03-04T12:23:00.001-05:002013-12-14T23:27:08.130-05:00Do Mormons Need a "Nostra Aetate" of Their Own?In 1965 the Second Vatican Council produced a declaration on the relation of the Catholic church with non-Christian religions. In this document, "Nostra Aetate" (In Our Age), the Catholic Church revolutionized its relations with Jews by saying Christ's death could not be attributed to Jews as a whole at the time or today.<br />
<br />
A forthcoming book by Pope Benedict XVI supports and furthers this doctrine. In the second volume of “Jesus of Nazareth”, which will be released by Ignatius Press on March 10, the Pope explains that although scripture has the Jewish crowd shouting, “Let his blood be on us and on our children,” as they demand that Pilate execute Jesus, the crowd should be read to represent all humanity. News sources are hailing this excitedly with headlines like: "<a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110302/ap_on_re_eu/eu_vatican_jews">Pope Exonerates Jews...</a>" and "<a href="http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2011/mar/03/pope-absolves-jews/">Pope Absolves Jews...</a>" For the interest of FPR readers, I am going to include a lengthy excerpt from the book, which has been released as a "trailer" from the publishers. Pertinent information to this post is italicized.<a name='more'></a><br />
<blockquote>
Jesus’ interrogation before the Sanhedrin had concluded in the way Caiaphas had expected: Jesus was found guilty of blasphemy, for which the penalty was death. But since only the Romans could carry out the death sentence, the case now had to be brought before Pilate and the political dimension of the guilty verdict had to be emphasized. Jesus had declared himself to be the Messiah; hence he had laid claim to the dignity of kingship, albeit in a way peculiarly his own. The claim to Messianic kingship was a political offense, one that had to be punished by Roman justice. With cockcrow, daybreak had arrived. The Roman Governor used to hold court early in the morning. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
So Jesus is now led by his accusers to the praetorium and is presented to Pilate as a criminal who deserves to die. It is the “day of preparation” for the Passover feast. The lambs are slaughtered in the afternoon for the evening meal. Hence cultic purity must be preserved; so the priestly accusers may not enter the Gentile praetorium, and they negotiate with the Roman Governor outside the building. John, who provides this detail (18:28–29), thereby highlights the contradiction between the scrupulous attitude to regulations for cultic purity and the question of real inner purity: it simply does not occur to Jesus’ accusers that impurity does not come from entering a Gentile house, but rather from the inner disposition of the heart. At the same time the evangelist emphasizes that the Passover meal had not yet taken place and that the slaughter of the lambs was still to come. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
In all essentials, the four Gospels harmonize with one another in their accounts of the progress of the trial. Only John reports the conversation between Jesus and Pilate, in which the question about Jesus’ kingship, the reason for his death, is explored in depth (18:33–38). The historicity of this tradition is of course contested by exegetes. While Charles H. Dodd and Raymond E. Brown judge it positively, Charles K. Barrett is extremely critical: “John’s additions and alterations do not inspire confidence in his historical reliability” (The Gospel according to Saint John, p. 530). Certainly no one would claim that John set out to provide anything resembling a transcript of the trial. Yet we may assume that he was able to explain with great precision the core question at issue and that he presents us with a true account of the trial. Barrett also says “that John has with keen insight picked out the key of the Passion narrative in the kingship of Jesus, and has made its meaning clearer, perhaps, than any other New Testament writer” (ibid., p. 531). </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<i><b>Now we must ask: Who exactly were Jesus’ accusers? Who insisted that he be condemned to death? We must take note of the different answers that the Gospels give to this question. According to John it was simply “the Jews”. But John’s use of this expression does not in any way indicate—as the modern reader might suppose—the people of Israel in general, even less is it “racist” in character.</b></i> After all, John himself was ethnically a Jew, as were Jesus and all his followers. The entire early Christian community was made up of Jews. In John’s Gospel this word has a precise and clearly defined meaning: he is referring to the Temple aristocracy. So the circle of accusers who instigate Jesus’ death is precisely indicated in the Fourth Gospel and clearly limited: it is the Temple aristocracy—and not without certain exceptions, as the reference to Nicodemus (7:50–52) shows. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b><i>In Mark’s Gospel, the circle of accusers is broadened in the context of the Passover amnesty (Barabbas or Jesus): the “ochlos” enters the scene and opts for the release of Barabbas. “Ochlos” in the first instance simply means a crowd of people, the “masses”. The word frequently has a pejorative connotation, meaning “mob”. In any event, it does not refer to the Jewish people as such. </i></b>In the case of the Passover amnesty (which admittedly is not attested in other sources, but even so need not be doubted), the people, as so often with such amnesties, have a right to put forward a proposal, expressed by way of “acclamation”. Popular acclamation in this case has juridical character (cf. Pesch, Markusevangelium II, p. 466). Effectively this “crowd” is made up of the followers of Barabbas who have been mobilized to secure the amnesty for him: as a rebel against Roman power he could naturally count on a good number of supporters. So the Barabbas party, the “crowd”, was conspicuous, while the followers of Jesus remained hidden out of fear; this meant that the <i>vox populi</i>, on which Roman law was built, was represented one-sidedly. In Mark’s account, then, in addition to “the Jews”, that is to say the dominant priestly circle, the "ochlos" comes into play, the circle of Barabbas’ supporters, but not the Jewish people as such. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
An extension of Mark’s "ochlos", with fateful consequences, is found in Matthew’s account (27:25), which speaks of “all the people” and attributes to them the demand for Jesus’ crucifixion. Matthew is certainly not recounting historical fact here: How could the whole people have been present at this moment to clamor for Jesus’ death? It seems obvious that the historical reality is correctly described in John’s account and in Mark’s. <b><i>The real group of accusers are the current Temple authorities, joined in the context of the Passover amnesty by the “crowd” of Barabbas’ supporters. </i></b></blockquote>
<blockquote>
Here we may agree with Joachim Gnilka, who argues that Matthew, going beyond historical considerations, is attempting a theological etiology with which to account for the terrible fate of the people of Israel in the Jewish War, when land, city, and Temple were taken from them (Matthäusevangelium II, p. 459). Matthew is thinking here of Jesus’ prophecy concerning the end of the Temple: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, killing the prophets and stoning those who are sent to you! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken . . .” (Mt 23:37–38: cf. Gnilka, Matthäusevangelium), the whole of the section entitled “Gerichtsworte”, II, pp. 295–308). </blockquote>
<blockquote>
These words—as argued earlier, in the chapter on Jesus’ eschatological discourse—remind us of the inner similarity between the Prophet Jeremiah’s message and that of Jesus. Jeremiah—against the blindness of the then dominant circles—prophesied the destruction of the Temple and Israel’s exile. But he also spoke of a “new covenant”: punishment is not the last word; it leads to healing. In the same way Jesus prophesies the “deserted house” and proceeds to offer the New Covenant “in his blood”: ultimately it is a question of healing, not of destruction and rejection. </blockquote>
<blockquote>
<b><i>When in Matthew’s account the “whole people” say: “His blood be on us and on our children” (27:25), the Christian will remember that Jesus’ blood speaks a different language from the blood of Abel (Heb 12:24): it does not cry out for vengeance and punishment; it brings reconciliation. It is not poured out against anyone; it is poured out for many, for all. “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God . . .God put [Jesus] forward as an expiation by his blood” (Rom 3:23, 25). Just as Caiaphas’ words about the need for Jesus’ death have to be read in an entirely new light from the perspective of faith, the same applies to Matthew’s reference to blood: read in the light of faith, it means that we all stand in need of the purifying power of love which is his blood. These words are not a curse, but rather redemption, salvation.</i></b> Only when understood in terms of the theology of the Last Supper and the Cross, drawn from the whole of the New Testament, does this verse from Matthew’s Gospel take on its correct meaning.</blockquote>
<br />
In this excerpt the Pope points out that it was the "Temple aristocracy" and a few supporters of the figure Barabbas who were responsible for Christ's death. He also reinterprets the watershed verse in Matthew to take the onus off the Jewish people and place it upon sinful humankind. You may be aware that within our LDS texts also appears a "watershed verse":<br />
<blockquote>
Wherefore, as I said unto you, it must needs be expedient that Christ—for in the last night the angel spake unto me that this should be his name—should come among the Jews, among those who are the more wicked part of the world; and they shall crucify him—for thus it behooveth our God, and there is none other nation on earth that would crucify their God. (<a href="http://lds.org/scriptures/bofm/2-ne/10.3?lang=eng#2">2 Ne 10:3</a>)</blockquote>
Now, I don't believe that Latter-day Saints would consider themselves anti-Semitic. We describe ourselves as the "covenant people" and call non-Mormons "Gentiles." We identify with the Jews in many ways. Most of us even support Jewish Zionism. We are sometimes surprised to learn of the feelings of offense that many Jews take from Mormons' actions and attitudes. This came to the fore during a debacle over the <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/11/11/national/main4591564.shtml">posthumous baptisms</a> of Holocaust victims a couple of years ago. <br />
<br />
Could it be that we need a "Nostra Aetate" of our own?Bored in Vernalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14016611721544251941noreply@blogger.com0