Arg

I've never written "arg" before now. I've never said "arg" either. I'm not sure who does except maybe Archie and Jughead in the comics. Anyhoo, today's hair.

I made it black and white because my pants are bright red stretchy pants and they're not very photogenic. They look rather stupid really. They have a pink heart on the front though so that's why I bought them. I love hearts. I heart hearts. But furthermore, all my blue jeans are a little loose in the bum section. I don't know what's going on. I'm losing my bum!

What do I like? Generally, overall, I like it. There's a breeze so it won't lay dutifully like I'd like it to. The ends are doing a curly Q thing that I do hate. I wonder if my blunt cut is not really blunt and that's why they go like that. They don't do it all the time, at least I don't think they do. I'd like the ends to stay very straight like in my June '08 photo. But the worst news is this. It only grew 1/8th of an inch. Now that's a reason to say "ARG." Who counts 1/8th of an inch of growth anyways? Apparently I do because if my son reports it, I have to report it too. I asked him to remeasure and I spied with my little eye that both he and my husband did a secret grin to each other then my son said, "So ya don't like that measurement, huh?" Arg! No. I. Don't.

I'm on a special diet of 4-5 almonds per day for the month of September and I better see 43.5" on October 1st or else! Of course, I'm not eating almonds exclusively, but adding almonds to my regular eating. If a biotin or protein or vitamin E pill is good for you, how much better (and tasty) and complete is the food that contains it.

14 issues

And adding a link to an article at Yahoo.com about how the selection of Palin has energized and electrified the Republican base. I am one of those! Before her selection as V.P. I really didn't care much about the election. How I'd love to see her in person! Two statements I disagree with in the article are "I can tell you that this pick tells millions in the base of the party that they can trust McCain. More specifically that they can trust him with Supreme Court picks and other key appoitments" [sic] Nah, I don't see that. Truth is, the vice prez does pretty much nothing. The thing about Palin being selected that's important is that she's entered a bigger stage. No one knows yet how she'll show in the next couple months, but if she does well it opens opportunity for her in the future, and that's exciting. All depends, doesn't it?

She grew up Pentecostal and is now (this is a new word-of-the-day for me) a post-denominationalist. Glory to God!

The Stephen test

I finished a study of Stephen with my family. Sometimes it's like pulling a camel through the eye of a needle, but I did it! Read about Stephen in the New Testament in the Book of Acts also known as the Acts of the Apostles. If you want to take the test too, read Acts chapter 6,7,8 about the death of Stephen, and Acts 11 and 22 about the martyrdom and persecution of Stephen. You might have to do a little research on your own such as looking up how many members the Sanhedrin had. A good single page about Stephen is here. It's an open book test. If you want the answer key email me. It's in my head. :) (See profile page for email addy.)

The Death of Stephen

1. For numeral one, circle all that are correct. Stephen was a(n)

a. disciple
b. apostle
c. Pharisee
d. Egyptian

2. He was the first ever Christian _________ to die for defending the Truth of Christ.

a. apostle
b. martyr
c. fisherman
d. deacon

3. Stephen believed that Jesus of Nazareth was The Christ, Son of God

a. True
b. False
c. He wondered about it

In a brief sentence, state how Stephen died.

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4. The story of Stephen is found in the Book of

a. Moses 17, 22, 41
b. Genesis 1
c. Acts 6, 7, 8
d. Matthew 101 and 142

5. His martyrdom and persecution are recorded in

a. Acts 1 and 2
b. Genesis 7
c. Acts 11 and 22
d. Revelation

6. What gave believers the ability to boldly preach about Jesus?

a. Some real good wine at the wedding in Cana
b. The Holy Spirit at Pentecost
c. The Sermon on the Mount
d. Mary, Jesus’ mother

7. The Jewish Sanhedrin was

a. The Supreme Court of ancient Israel
b. An excellent musical group
c. A man in robes
d. The main political party at the time

8. How many men made up the Sanhedrin?

a. 5
b. 7
c. 71
d. 77

9. One school of thought or sect or group within the Jewish religion in the first century were the

a. Greeble de grubs
b. Pharisees
c. Sanhedrin
d. Josephus

10. Where was the first large Jewish and non-Jewish church where believers were first called Christians located?

a. Canaan
b. Los Angeles
c. Mesopotamia
d. Antioch

11. What man’s writings in the New Testament are the major source of Christian doctrine because he wrote so prolifically?

a. Peter
b. Jesus
c. Paul
d. Adam

Briefly, how can you apply the story of Stephen to your own life. There is no wrong answer to this question.

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Who?

Sarah Palin? She's anti-abortion. She's doesn't talk it up, she's living it. She's Alaskan. I like Alaskans. They're a unique breed. She's awfully young but age doesn't always confer wisdom. I'm interested. She's anti-gay marriage but has passed legislation to enable them to qualify for certain benefits. It seems as if, hmmm, let me check, I think I'm a little excited about her. This is a first for me in this long, drawn out, dull campaign. I hope they don't start the 2012 campaign in 2009.

How will she stand up in debate against Joe Biden? That's a big question. She's relatively inexperienced and she'll be stepping in with a whole lot of heavyweights. It'll be interesting to see how she handles herself.

Shortest

This is my hair short. Actually it was originally that style that is one inch spikes all the way around. Remember that hair style? I only got it once because I'm just not the kind of woman who goes to a stylist regularly. Too bad I didn't get a picture of it huh, but I was a little busy at the time. This is a few months later after it had been growing out. I'm pretty sure this was 1999 so the previous photo must have been in 2000. I had gotten a terrible hair cut during my pregnancy. I cried and cried after what a rotten girl did to my hair. Finally I chopped it all off. I don't think I ever will again because short hair just doesn't look great on me.

We enjoyed a spectacular lightning show tonight. And as we sat a roadrunner came by. He took a good sand bath for a minute then walked right by me as I sat in my chair. Ten minutes later a second roadrunner came by and took a sand bath in the exact same place, but he walked off in a different direction instead of walking by me.

I worked in the Visitor's Center with my husband today. I did an overcharge and had to void it. I wanted to clunk the visitor over the head, but we volunteers aren't allowed to do that. I said, "Four nights will be eight times four and that's $32.00" Guy says yes. Just a nanosecond after I hit the register key he says "No, three nights." Why I oughta.

At least the lightning show and the roadrunners made up for it.

Small one

This is an old snapshot (before digital!) of my hair eight years ago in 2000, age 40. I had plenty of silvers so I had my hair heavily, let's say that again, "heavily" highlighted. This was part of my journey of maturation whereby I finally quit the highlighting and ended up keeping the silver. Blonde isn't my color although I did have some extra fun as a blonde. Some of us just don't get to be the awesome blondes though. At the time I drove a red convertible of which I kept highly shiny and very clean. One afternoon I was driving down the road and a couple guys, the cute type, were making eyes at me. I pretended I didn't notice but I was so happy! I was convinced it was because of those chin length side pieces the hair stylist gave me.

Had to severely crop this here photo on account of I'm wearing a hootchie mama top and I don't want to distress your delicate little eyes. Haha!

We went to the ranch and it was heavenly. Out of this picture I made the little one for MySpace. I have two friends there and sometimes I get tired of looking for just the right picture, so twice now I made my own.

My dad is home from the hospital and everyone is phoning and visiting him. He is very popular right now!

Site

My husband can't stand looking at Drudge today. There's a photo of Madonna and she's all ripped with tendons sticking out of her arms and upper thighs and he's grossed out. He wants them to take the picture down. And there's an interesting picture at the top with the caption "Unified" and Hillary is looking at Obama while he's speaking. If looks could kill, Obama would be dead!

Bananas

I am tired of making subject titles.

I am joyful. My dad called me from the hospital tonight to tell me how good he feels. He's had a good day. I am not far wrong to say he's living on borrowed time now. And praise to the Lord, my husband spoke with my dad on the phone, a lively, happy conversation, and I am overfilled with, with, with, something for which there are no words for right now. They have not spoken to one another for years. I waver between faintness before the Lord and strong power. He is used to that with us probably.

He went to the doctor's office for arrhythmia on Tuesday and was sent directly to the hospital when his pacemaker began shocking him over and over about 15 times.

Yesterday they went in with a tiny catheter to fix his heart but they couldn't get to the part of the heart where the problem is, so the ablation was not done. An ablation is when they deaden the nerves in an area of the heart where the problem pulses are coming from. They said he'd have to stay in the hospital until they can do another surgery that would entail an ablation over a larger part of the heart thus rendering him 100% dependent upon his pacemaker. The up side being that he wouldn't have to take heart medication anymore. But after the unsuccessful surgery they started him on Sotalol and he's been doing surprisingly well. So with that, who knows...maybe another surgery will not be necessary. My agnostic dad says it's a miracle. He has people all over the country praying for him and sometimes he leans to the atheist side. Looking death eye to eye changes things though. Truly, I have seen the hand of God at work this week.

Collette, she cracked me up, asked for more, more, more pics. Haha! I have only a few, the ones my mum emailed me. This is one of them. I performed this night with a borrowed ghawazee coat which is more modest but my husband took this one of me at home afterwards. I'm sad we didn't get photos of the event. I do know someone took my photo though because I had a moment, this great moment, where I was twirling with my hands outstretched to the sky. Sounds dramatic but it was the choreography. It was night and I could see the stars. We were on an outside stage at a restaurant. And as my face was turned upward toward the heavens someone's flash went off in my face. It burned the moment into my memory banks! I felt a oneness with everything.

Oneness with everything.

"Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

That is in Luke 6:38!

Dad's ablation was unsuccessful.

The Law vs. Grace

"Run, John, run. The law commands

But gives neither feet nor hands.

Better news the gospel brings;

It bids us fly and gives us wings."

- John Bunyan

Vintage Lil 1983

My mom emailed me some photos today. Mine are all in storage in another state and I've really been missing them lately.

'Member the big perms of the '80s? Here's mine. My husband still thinks it's sexy. Hehe. I was almost 24 years old. A slow talkin' Texan named Bill took this and some other pics. He liked me and he was very nice. Well, he did pursue me, but he was like a big old bear. For one, he had a wife who came home to take a few things and she emptied the house and they got a divorce. He told the story so calm and it was funny the way he said it in his long, old drawl. Sometimes, I'd think he was all finished talking so I went back to my typing and he'd up and start talking in the middle of a sentence. Actually, he was just finishing his original sentence though. Haha! Also, at his house one time I was cold and he just didn't understand that I could be cold. I knew I couldn't be with a man who didn't make me warm. Then! I saw his bathroom sink. That was the end of that.

But I fancied my husband who was not yet my boyfriend and I could not date two men at the same company where I worked. I gave one of these to my husband before he was my husband. It's before I got my teeth fixed because it was my husband who got me my braces. Golly, and I weighed about 107 pounds soaking wet. Really.

Fullness of life

This is the first week of our vacation time off of homeschooling. It's pretty good.

My mom sent out the genealogy book and I got mine yesterday. It's the culmination of years of work and research she's done. Really amazing. She got stories from all my aunts and my uncle. She got info all the way back to Ireland in the 1800s. I read the whole thing before I phoned her. I was glued to the sofa. I didn't realize she was testing me but I think she didn't believe I'd read the whole thing and I answered every single question she had correctly. Hehe! I cried twice as I read it and laughed out loud too. I had to wait to phone her so I wouldn't get choked up on the phone.

Went to Cruces yesterday and spent, whaaat?, $60.00, on thread and a rotary cutter and practice fabric to start my quilt. I got a kit from Blackberry Quilts. What did I do then? I left the store and left my INSTRUCTIONS inside. Realized what I'd done at about 8:00pm that night. I wrote Blackberry and I'm hoping she can email me the instructions.

I found a super outstanding page that lists important people in the bible and the story about them and what they did. I'm leading my family in a study about Stephen and I googled and found this page. Gasp! I just tried to link to it and it's gone. Eeek. Horror of horrors. And I was going to use it as a curriculum! I hope it's just a momentary glitch!

Exasperated mostly

I took out my beads and wire and looked at the stuff I made when I left off frustrated in May. I've been staring at them actually and not a productive stare at that. These were practice. I like everything as much as when I put it away and that's not much. I think I'll try to rework the wires with the green Swarovskis. I like their simplicity but the Swarovski color is blah. I have no idea why I picked them. Oh, but yes I do. They looked nice with the top I was wearing that day and I now hate that top. Then I'll redo the long chain ones with the bluebell beads at the bottom. I feel they have potential and maybe a prettier bead will do it. Possibly.

Old stuff

I like old things. In California, most places are not terribly old. The ranch in New Mexico where this was taken has been with a single family for several generations. I could spend a week photographing on the topic of "old things" there.

Fifth grade done

Here I am, Lord. I've finished teaching fifth grade. I hope I did it all right. I hope I didn't miss anything super important. I'm not just teaching subjects, I'm rearing up a boy who will one day be a man among men; be head of a household. I've taught him all that I can think of to build strong character. It's an ongoing process as you know and it takes time. I'm training him up and educating him about reproduction and I pray, Lord, that I leave a legacy You are proud of. I talk to him frankly about sex, drugs, rock and roll and ruination. He is a young man of God, I know that already, Jehovah. I see it. I sense it in him. I didn't do it quite on purpose but I did have purpose and I know it was Your plan. Thank you for calling me out of the darkness and into the Light. Sorry I took so long.

I say this not because You need to hear it but because I need to say it. Where did I hear that from? Oh yes, my book from Keri.

Please guide me, Lord. Please let me honor You in all I do. Help me be sharp for sixth grade, keep me from getting lazy. Thank-you for this life which I don't deserve. Help me develop that which is within him. Help me train him to recognize and to curb his negative tendencies. Where is he going, Lord? I would like to know. Help me strengthen him for the difficult times that are coming. I don't know what they are, but they come to all in one form or another. Please help me prepare him rightly. I am listening, Lord. I am listening.

I am listening with all my heart. Help me because I cannot do it without You.

Thank-you!

A new Wal-Mart is born

Today Wal-Mart opened in our town. The whole community was there with smiling faces. There was a talking toothbrush who drew even our son into conversation. The town shall be forever changed from this day forth. I can't say it's not nice. I can't deny it's nice to buy large, ripe, edible tomatoes and my favorite Lawry's taco seasoning packets right here in town. I can't say it's not nice being able to buy low cost toilet paper and paper towels and camping toilet chemicals without driving 70 miles one way. I can't deny it's great to see the economically impoverished families in the area able to buy food and products at lower prices than usual in this tiny, out-of-the-way, off-the-beaten-track, place. Since many retirees reside in this area many of the Wal-Mart employees are retired seniors who seek a second income. We will be sad to see the small stores in town disappear though. Wal-Mart had a lot of problems finding employable people. The rate of drug use here is so high (meth) that out of one set of 100 applicants, six passed the drug test. Apparently they found people to hire finally. Seniors aren't into meth.

On Monday we heard a pastor was going to Wal-Mart to bless it. Everyone's wondering why Wal-Mart is getting a blessing. It's the little shops in town that need the blessing. Wal-Mart's going to kill them.

Empathy

Ahhhh yes. Every once in awhile I am reminded of the difference between empathy and sympathy. Being well, it is not extremely hard to have sympathy for others. But after being sick my comprehension of empathy soars.

I lost a little weight but most unfortunately for me it is from my bum. I need my bum and I don't need it to be any smaller. What about my waistline? That's where I want to whittle an inch or two off. In ratio, my waist appears exactly the same to me. Actually, I did notice my pants seemed big around the waist this morning, but I definitely don't look any better. I think when ladies get older, we need those extra pounds even though they're jiggly and not firm anymore. Look at Madonna. She supposedly in shape but she hasn't got a maternal shape at all. I wouldn't want to look like that. I want to be a cuddly, shapely Mamma. The celebrities. They always go for too much of everything.

I'm sick

I don't know what's up but this is my second week of puniness. Now I have a tummy ailment. And it's the week-end!

A day

It's a mighty hunter deep in the Amazon forest ready to pounce upon his prey! Or a cat in a tree in our friend's backyard. He started acting so goofy when I started taking his picture. He liked the attention and acted like he was seriously doing something or going somewhere. He wasn't going anywhere and he wasn't doing anything. Not a thing.

Our son today said he wants to go to church. It's the third week in a row he's said that so I think I will check around and look for a Bible study at another church. We do go on Sundays but I guess he wants more. I could use a good Bible study. My church has a ladies group but they study a chosen book and talk about mother and woman things. I'm not especially interested in a protracted discussion on those topics.

The private school where we enroll our son is opening this week. We're not enrolled yet because we're taking August 15 to September 15 off from studies, but I received a nice compliment from a lady who will be teaching there. I want to enroll our son in science and she'll be teaching it. She knows our son very well because he spends sooo much time at their house. She said he should not go into sixth grade science, but seventh or eighth grade science instead. I have to admit I felt well about that since he's technically entering sixth grade. I like a school that will fit the child rather than forcing the child to fit it.

If I may complain for a moment? I was pleased about what the teacher said and shared it with someone who's supposed to be close to me. And she said, "Was he tested?" I said, "No." This was said to imply that the teacher's opinion is of no import and the compliment was not worth much. I was moved up a grade in fifth grade (in language arts only) and I wasn't tested. If teachers know a student, why test? Tests are for an unknown quantity. Testing is done when teachers and administrators have no idea who a child is or what he knows. So narrow minded are some people. I prefer the Socratic method for this age. The plain 'yes' or 'no', 'right' or 'wrong' question and answer method is so dull. No wonder children and youth begin to hate school. If they get too many wrong answers they're labeled dumb and given enough time, even think of themselves as stupid or slow. Breaks my heart and makes me angry. She never did say it was nice of the teacher to say. That's all I was saying. It was nice to get a compliment. Some peeps are so, what, competitive, or so against homeschooling? I don't understand it.

My husband took me today to look at caterpillars crossing the road. It was...interesting. We got out of the truck and inspected them. Most were going one direction, but one was crossing the street in the opposite direction.

My father is well tonight. He cooked himself a breakfast which he hasn't done for a month. My daughter-in-law has gestational diabetes though. I have to phone my son and tell him, "Do not buy and do not eat cookies in front of her." Poor thing.

Tonight

I wanted to finish my thoughts about Mary but my thoughts are moving already. Yet I want to write about the Great Schism and I don't want to write about it before I finish up on Mary to my satisfaction.

Tonight we watched a Rita Rudner comedy DVD. I like her very much. She's as funny as she used to be. I love that she wears an evening gown for her comedy show. And I say, she must work out daily. She had great arms and a flat tummy. I want her arms.

This is the statue at the ranch that got me to thinking about Mary. This statue is called Immaculate Conception or Blessed Virgin Mary statue and it's one of the most popular according to the Catholic online store I looked at. Note if you can, she's standing on something. See her right foot? She's standing on a serpent. And she's standing on a globe. The reason why she's standing over the serpent is because the serpent represents Satan and she, Mary, is victorious over the devil. Mary, unlike Eve, is obedient to the Lord. She agrees to have this baby as the angel Gabriel has instructed her whereas Eve was convinced to eat of the forbidden fruit in the garden. I am not positive but I think the globe she's standing on is in reference to her appearance to a young nun in France in 1830 who saw a vision of Mary on a globe - the globe was referring to France or the world. http://www.amm.org/medal.asp

Catholics refer to two verses especially in reference to the Immaculate Conception.

Genesis 3:15 - I will put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.

and

Revelation. 12: 1-5, 17 - And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head a crown of twelve stars...And another portent appeared in heaven; behold, a great red dragon... And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, that he might devour her child when she brought it forth; she brought forth a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron... And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the Devil and Satan...Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus. Verses copied from http://www.padrimariani.org/en/laity/conf_terror.html

And a Pope made it all official dogma, meaning they agreed to agree that it's official Catholic belief. Actually, even among Catholic scholars there has be debate for centuries over Mary being sinless.

From a Catholic guy's page I finally found some reasons why the Catholics infer so much more from Scripture than I do. He said:

Many believers in the doctrine of sola scriptura seem to hold this opinion, but this is not the Catholic position.

We Catholics believe that Scripture is inspired by an infinite God, and therefore it could have infinite layers of meaning in each and every verse.

We Catholics do believe that the human authors employed their own human agency while writing, and the intended meaning of the human author is the primary meaning, and no interpretation is considered correct that directly contradicts this primary meaning. We call this the "literal sense" of Scripture.

The literal sense does not necessarily mean "literal" the way some who define themselves as fundamentalist might say. Rather, if the human author was writing poetry, it needs to be read as poetry. If he intended history, it needs to be read as history, and so forth.

However, in addition to the literal sense, there is the allegorical sense, the moral sense, and the anagogical [Per Lil, note that anagogical is not a typo at Merriam-Webster] sense of Scripture, and all of these senses are developed with an eye to fitting everything into a coherent whole (for God is ultimately the author of all Scripture), and reading the text in continuity with the tradition of the Church.

Here is how the Catechism of the Catholic Church describes each sense of Scripture:

116 The literal sense is the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture and discovered by exegesis, following the rules of sound interpretation: "All other senses of Sacred Scripture are based on the literal."

117 The spiritual sense. Thanks to the unity of God's plan, not only the text of Scripture but also the realities and events about which it speaks can be signs.

1. The allegorical sense. We can acquire a more profound understanding of events by recognizing their significance in Christ; thus the crossing of the Red Sea is a sign or type of Christ's victory and also of Christian Baptism.

2. The moral sense. The events reported in Scripture ought to lead us to act justly. As St. Paul says, they were written "for our instruction".

3. The anagogical sense (Greek: anagoge, "leading" ). We can view realities and events in terms of their eternal significance, leading us toward our true homeland: thus the Church on earth is a sign of the heavenly Jerusalem. http://evervirgin.blogspot.com/

I like to know this so that I can explain to my Catholic friends, and to myself, why I think as I do. Generally, I think that Catholics tend to be people who prefer a more paternalistic church. Generally, I think that Protestants tend to be people who are individualists. Generally.

As Martin Luther, the leader of the Reformation believed, I too believe in sola scriptura.

Incidentally, the Great Schism is the forerunner of the Reformation. I might buy myself a tee shirt that says 1517 on it! That is the year that Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the church in Wittenburg, Germany, and unintentionally set off a firestorm across Europe! The invention of John Gutenberg's printing press in 1440 didn't hurt either.

August hair

Of course I have things of much more import to write about tonight but my husband wanted me to watch Star Wars, so I did. It was about half an hour too long. Then I started getting a headache. My eyes are hot now too so I gotta go to bed. Lest my world gets all counter balanced, I need to put up a hair picture first. This is me today on a walk. I'm a two colored hair person and it's nat. I ordered a new Ficcare today. A Ficcarissimo. Night, night.

A horse

This is a horse. Haha! Oh I know you know that. I liked him because he tried to nibble my bun off of my head. I don't know if he liked my hair, my Ficcare, or my sunglasses. He had some big teeth.

I'm thinking about Mary a lot tonight. Mary, the Mother of God. The Roman Catholics make statues and such and while at the ranch we visited another nearby property and there was a statue. At first they thought it might be Francis but I said no, Francis was a guy. Actually Saint Francis is the only saint I know of - he's the protector of animals and since I love animals I guess that's how I know of him. The statue we saw however, was a woman. The peeps I went with are Catholic while I am Protestant. Anyhoo, I said, it must be Mary. It was just my best guess really. I spose it could have been Martha but my Catholic saint knowledge is severely limited.

The gal with us noticed a serpent at Mary's feet and she said, "I was raised Catholic. What's that? Why is that snake there? That's not right." But the guy, he put his hand on the serpent as if he was trying to explain it, but he just didn't quite have any words that I heard. Neither did I, and so I said that I'm not familiar with Catholic doctrine so I don't know what it means. She said, "Well, Catholics are Christian." I shrugged my shoulders in my mind because I didn't say Catholics weren't Christian, and I said, "Yes, they are, but I'm not familiar with their doctrine." And I wandered away. I had gotten my picture so why stand there. She said something about how I didn't want to walk with them and, sheesh, I just ignored it. The guy is real sweet. So tonight I've been reading about that statue because I knew there had to be some hardcore historical religious significance in there.

That serpent, who do you think it represents? That's what I thought too, Satan, but why's the serpent at Mary's feet? Aha! Because you see, she is victorious over the enemy. Mary, unlike Eve, listened to God. Mary said, "Yes, Lord." Actually, technically, in Luke 1:38 Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her." Crazy, huh? Crazy awesome. Her answer set everything in motion. She had free will just like you and me. She could have said, sayonara, I ain't doin' this. As it was, she could have been stoned, right? I'm pretty sure you could get stoned to death in those times for being pregnant when you're about to be married and the guy you're marrying knows he isn't the father.

And what about this... The Immaculate Conception? What do you think that is? Describe it to yourself. If you're like me, you said it has to do with Jesus being born to a virgin, as in she got pregnant without having intercourse. Well you'd be wrong. That's a huge misunderstanding of the phrase. I suppose most, or many, people think that's what the Immaculate Conception is about but it's not. The Immaculate Conception has to do Mary, the Mother of God. The Immaculate Conception is Mary being sinless, completely free of sin, since her conception. What? Who can be sinless but Jesus, I wondered. (Adam and Eve were once and I think, John the Baptist?) I think that Protestants and Roman Catholics believe differently as to whether Mary was without sin. Don't quote me on that, I'm still figuring it out. I found the simplest, easiest explanation about immaculate conception at, of all places, snopes. www.snopes.com/holidays/christmas/immaculate.asp

Words to know:
Doctrine = principles
Dogma = established opinion
Mariology = study of Mary

I think the problem between the two schools of thought is that the Protestants think Mary is way up there in honor what with being the mom of Jesus Christ but they take exception with the veneration of Mary which the Catholics believe in. I am sure Protestants agree with the whole virgin birth thing, but not that she is sinless. Fascinating stuff.

My nose is running like a faucet and now it's sore even though I'm using Puffs. My eyes are all small and itchy. I hope tomorrow will be better.

The ranch

We went to the ranch today and I rode on an ATV. We had so much fun. Everything is amazingly green due to all the rains we've had. The road was washed out. That's why we had to ride ATVs instead of driving the truck.

This is a door. The city of Redlands had a nice historic district. I remember there was a poster. All doors. It had nothing but doors on it and it was pretty poster if you like doors and I do like doors.

Today the superintendent of parks asked me for a CD of my photographs. They are interested in publishing one, or some, of my photos in their brochures. Perhaps someday I will be a published photographer?