Scribbles and Scrambles ~ April Projects Bring....?

Tomorrow begins two interesting and challenging "projects."

One. The Me Project book I reviewed a bit ago sparked some interest in tackling something that needs to be tackled. So. For 21 days I have committed to working on the book I'm writing with my buddy. I am writing the voices of an elderly lady and a 30-something male police officer. Yeah. A little out of my comfort zone. (Yes. I realize I'm opening myself up to a few comments about the elderly lady not being too much of a stretch.)

So beginning April 1st thru April 21st I will be spending focused time on this work in progress. I will be writing and rewriting and reading and learning and stretching.

And the second is even more interesting. We will be Vegan for the entire month of April. We've been into eating healthier and organic and local as much as possible the past three years. This was prompted by the desire to be healthier, but also because Rob was given the news that his rheumatoid arthritis had gotten to the point that he'd need to go on yet another medicine. An injectible. His pain level and the inflammation in his joints have really responded to the changes that we've made thus far. So much so that he doesn't need his break through pain medications. But the disease has not gone dormant and he hasn't been able to remove the big gun chronic meds that scare me the most.

A couple of friends have been really looking into Veganism because of their cholesterol levels and the desire to avoid having to take a medication. One of them has a strong medical background and she's digging into the science and research regarding animal-free eating. She is convinced. And she feels like a new woman after a few months of animal product avoidance.

Rob is a meat and milk kind of guy. This has been a tough challenge to convince him to give it a try. But he had a flare-up a month or so ago that left him unable to even function for a full 18 hours. Meat and dairy help inflammation thrive. And Rheumatoid Arthritis is not just aches and pains that kick in as we age. RA is an inflammatory disease where the body attacks itself...an auto-immune disease.

One month. He has agreed to one month meat and dairy free to see if it makes a difference in his life. I'm hoping it does. And it's up to me to feed him food that makes him think he's not giving anything up.

Expect to see posts regarding both of these situations because that is where my mind will be in April.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ A Bit Scary

In case you haven't found your own scary for the day. (Thanks, Eleanor Roosevelt for the blog fodder!) Here's one.

You all know I'm a little kinked. As in my children think Geek is a term of endearment. And that I can sit through an hour of a mildly amusing movie and not crack up til someone gets hurt. Then I can hardly control my mirth.

My dad may be one of the reasons that I am who I am. My formative years included many of his physical pratfallish feats which no doubt gave me my inclination to laugh when someone gets biffed. One of his other very endearing traits was to blurt out creative, hilarious insults which often included medical jargon. Since my family has been in the medical field for a few generations my dad's use of medical terminology was something he learned at his mother's knee. My grandma's favorite question was "have you had a BM yet today?" Yes. It's true. And "let your mom carry that, she's already had children, and I don't want you to rupture your uterus."

I won't go into the story about the poor boy who died from awful diarrhea after eating too many green apples. (Sorry, I guess I just did.)

Anyhoo. I was one of the only children on the block who knew the word sphincter, let alone had been called one. Flatus was one of dad's favorites. And let's just say it was used fairly often. If you don't know what it is think four letter f-words but not the queen mother. And then think about beans. There you go. That's the one.

Lest you think of my dad sitting in a Lazy Boy and scratching his beer gut while fumigating the house, nope, that's not the guy. He's complex. Very, very professional and quiet. One peering in from the outside would never know that a crazy, funny man lives within. He's also loves to dive into the Bible and find treasures. I love the heavy duty conversations we have. (He also manages to find a lot of medical comparisons within the things that he learns.)

My Word of the Day text was too perfect to ignore the other day. And it sums up a good portion of my dad. I want to share it with you.

af·fla·tus    /əˈfleɪtəs/ [uh-fley-tuhs] –noun

1. inspiration; an impelling mental force acting from within.

2. divine communication of knowledge.

Origin: Latin afflātus a breathing on, equivalent to af- af- + flā- (stem of flāre to blow ) + -tus suffix of v. action

nuff said?

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Scary Things Seen Out and About and Inside the Home Sweet Home.

In the spirit of Eleanor R. and doing something that scares me every day.....


Shopping. Ugh. And these arty heads were definitely awe-ish.


And let me introduce you to our Mother.

We are experimenting with coconut milk Kefir and Kombucha. A mother, and a small jar of kefir grains, came home with us from Minnesota.

The kefir "experiment" has already been "grown" and tasted and was not bad. Not bad at all.

The Kombucha is a whole different "animal" though. If you don't know about Kombucha, you might not want to. But I will tell you that it is a fermented tea. The mother is a colony that feeds off of sugar that is put in the tea in the early stages. I don't know that I'll be able to help in the fishing out of and handling of the mother as she finishes her growing phase and still be willing to taste the tea.

Yes.

Scary.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Monday Moment...

Do one thing every day that scares you.

Eleanor Roosevelt

and an appropriate intro to an April project or two. Stay tuned. : )

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Trash to Treasures

My favorite sewing project? An Oscar the Grouch in trash can costume.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Yip! Drip!

Couldn't resist.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Yip! Yip! Yip!

I love these guys!! Yip!!!Yip!!!Yip!!!Yip!!!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Read More Books : )

But em books, and buy em books and all they do is eat the pages.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Yip! Ring!

I love these guys!!!!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Dance as if No One is Watching

Hard to top this cleverness.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Top of the Sundae to You

Happy St. Patty's Day and a certain person's birthday. Here's one of his favorite Sesame Street moments.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Funny Farms are in the Eye of the Beholder

I may have enjoyed Sesame Street way more than my preschoolers ever did. But. Really. How can this type of shenanigans not make you smile?

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Uhhh, Well, Uhhh....Why Not?

So. I think Classic Sesame Street is way under appreciated. I'm sharing a few of my quirky favorites.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ A Happy 11 Morning to You.

I used to torture my children with this one. Not by making them watch Sesame Street but by singing it. Ha. Ha. Not sure why. I think it must have been the range. Truly obnoxious but very fun to sing.

Serials and Scenarios ~ Siri Mitchell's A Heart Most Worthy

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing A Heart Most Worthy Bethany House (March 1, 2011) by Siri Mitchell



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Siri Mitchell graduated from the University of Washington with a business degree and worked in various levels of government. As a military spouse, she has lived all over the world, including in Paris and Tokyo. Siri enjoys observing and learning from different cultures. She is fluent in French and loves sushi.



But she is also a member of a strange breed of people called novelists. When they’re listening to a sermon and taking notes, chances are, they’ve just had a great idea for a plot or a dialogue. If they nod in response to a really profound statement, they’re probably thinking, “Yes. Right. That’s exactly what my character needs to hear.” When they edit their manuscripts, they laugh at the funny parts. And cry at the sad parts. Sometimes they even talk to their characters.



Siri wrote 4 books and accumulated 153 rejections before signing with a publisher. In the process, she saw the bottoms of more pints of Ben & Jerry’s than she cares to admit. At various times she has vowed never to write another word again. Ever. She has gone on writing strikes and even stooped to threatening her manuscripts with the shredder.



Her ninth novel, A Heart Most Worthy, follows prior Bethany House releases: A Constant Heart (October 2008), Love's Pursuit (June 2009), and She Walks in Beauty (Apr 2010). She Walks in Beauty won the inaugural INSPY Award for Historical Fiction in Dec 2010. Two of her novels, Chateau of Echoes and The Cubicle Next Door were Christy Award finalists. Love's Pursuit was a finalist for the ACFW Carol Award.



Publishers Weekly proclaimed, "Mitchell delivers the historical goods."



ABOUT THE BOOK

The elegance of Madame Forza's gown shop is a far cry from the downtrodden North End of Boston. Yet each day Julietta, Annamaria, and Luciana enter the world of the upper class, working on finery for the elite in society. The three beauties each long to break free of their obligations and embrace the American dream--and their chance for love. But the ways of the heart are difficult to discern at times.



Julietta is drawn to the swarthy, mysterious Angelo. Annamaria has a star-crossed encounter with the grocer's son, a man from the entirely wrong family. And through no intent of her own, Luciana catches the eye of Billy Quinn, the son of Madame Forza's most important client.



Their destinies intertwined, each harboring a secret from their families and each other, will they be found worthy of the love they seek?



If you would like to read the first chapter of A Heart Most Worthy, go HERE.

My Review:


Siri Mitchell tells a good story. I've found myself immersed in her novels, picturing and smelling just what she is describing. I've also found myself connecting with her characters. I'm not sure that Siri has a fiction-writing weakness.

In another historical, which have all been intriguing, Siri takes us to Boston during a time of unrest and upheaval. Italian immigrants have come to America, Spanish influenza is on the horizon, and war overshadows. Three young women take jobs in a dress designer's shop and live in the nearby tenements. Their unique and sometimes similar struggles play out on the pages.

Siri has chosen an omniscient point of view which is not my favorite. However, this novel reads almost like a fairy tale or morality tale. And I found it worked very well. The number of characters might seem overwhelming at first but the reader does get to know each of them and the story flows. The Italian spice and Catholic faith demonstrated through the life of the characters and their interactions add elements that enrich the story, too. As things were tied up it felt a tiny bit hurried but that's minor. One plot element didn't quite feel satisfyingly resolved, but again, that is minor. Read it, if nothing else, for pure escapism. Read it if you are a writer because Siri excels. Read it if you like a good fairy tale.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Abide

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Firmly Planted

Romans 5:^{1 and 2} Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Vanishing Obstacles to You

Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish.

John Quincy Adams

Serials and Scenarios ~Health Care You Can Live With

The health care system may be a mess—

but you don’t have to be

Your health and wellness belong to you—and you alone. While it’s true that doctors and the health care system play a role in your care, they’re only one part of true wellness. If you’re ready to venture into real health, read this book.

Dr. Scott Morris, founder of the church Health Center in Memphis, TN—the largest faith-based clinic of its kind in the United States—shows how your physical health is being affected by your spiritual well being.


In Health Care You Can Live With, Dr. Morris explains how

• health care went wrong

• the church offers real answers

• you can take charge of your own wellness


Showing that healing—both physical and spiritual—is a key aspect of the Christian faith, Health Care You Can Live With provides an understandable framework for wellness and the encouraging real-life stories of those who found a better life within the overarching love of God.

With twenty years as a family practice physician serving a diverse population in Memphis, the nation’s poorest major city, Morris is uniquely experienced in the challenges of our health care system today and Health Care You Can Live With offers a surprising behind-the-scenes visit into the troubles we are currently facing around the issues of health care and health care reform. With a thoughtful yet candid approach, Morris invites the reader to question what we really know about health care. Who does our health care system serve, and what does it do or not do for others? Do we even know what medical research is really accomplishing? With clarity, Morris informs the reader, drawing from history, current research, and personal stories taken from the thousands of patients he has cared for, and equips the reader with both practical and valuable knowledge.

My Thoughts. None, other than the book intrigued me. I've really become more and more aware of what you don't know, do, or don't do can subtract quality of life. In an effort to baby-step towards health vs careen into a disease cocktail, I've made a lot of lifestyle changes. Working in a physician's office is a wake up call. Every year that I work there opens my eyes further. So when I was offered this book to review I jumped on it. Now. I just need to read it. And when I do I'll update this and post a review at Lunch and Amazon, too.

Health Care You Can Live With:

Discover Wholeness in Body and Spirit

by Dr. G. Scott Morris

Barbour Publishing/January 2011

ISBN: 978-1-61626-247-1

http://www.healthcareyoucanlivewith.com/

Listen to an interview with Dr. Morris on uReadBooks!

Would you like to review this book on your blog?

Email Audra at The B&B Media Group to find out how!

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Embrace it...

"For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” -

2 Timothy 1:7

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Your Mission Should You Choose to Accept It....

Here is the test to find whether your mission on Earth is finished:

if you're alive, it isn't.


Richard Bach

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Will You? Today? Let's!

Imagine watching all that God might have done with your life, if you had let Him.

Anonymous

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Today I Will....

There is no security on this earth, there is only opportunity.

Douglas MacArthur


What will you do with your opportunities today?

Will you take the opportunity to love? Opportunity to pray? The option of forgiving or looking for the good in a person who has hurt you? There are no promises of tomorrow. We all have an expiration date.