#19 on my list, Read 15 new books (#7)

Why a book on manners? What are manners? Why do we need to concern ourselves with proper etiquette? What priority do we need to place on all the above? "Manners" is defined as our way of acting, our social conduct. Etiquette is the use of good manners. Having good manners and observing the rules of etiquette need not be a burden. It is simply caring about one another's feelings and comfort. It stems from common sense and thoughtfulness. The reason for this book is that it might become a quick reference for those many occasions in which you might have a question as to the right thing to do or say or wear. May your motivation to do the right thing come from a desire to "walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing" (Col. 1:10).

This was a really easy read for book #7 on my list, which was nice considering how busy I've been lately. It was a real blessing to receive from my friend Trish. Her daughter was initially looking at it and she didn't know if they had anymore and so I asked Trish if she knew, as she was purchasing it. She said it was the only one, but then said if I wanted it I could have it, on her. With the stipulation that I DO read it. Well the other day I got the chance as I was waiting for a friend at Starbucks.

Initially I thought there would be more explanation behind the rules, but when you think about it good manners never need any real explanation. You either have them or you don't.

Some of the rules, I thought, were just common sense. Like, A wise Christian woman does not eavesdrop. However, most of these rules, like when walking with a man, it is a womans place to be on the inside of the walk, have pretty much died off in society so it's nice to have a reference to have handy (my dad tought me that rule on one of our father daughter dates when I was 16). And how do I know it's dead, because I've had to tell guys about that rule and the've looked at me like I'm crazy.

Some of the chapters and corresponding rules

1. In the Home
~ The conscientious Christian woman will not allow the slits on her dress to rise higher than the bottom of her knee.
The list of traditional anniversary gifts was also neat.

2. In the House of God
~ The children of a thoughtful Christian woman are not to be found running through the church (this is a huge pet peeve of mine when I see it).

3. In the Market Place
~ The womans escort is to be seated to her left.
One that wasn't mentioned, and my Dad also taught me, is that a man is to be seated facing the door, when sitting in a restaurant.

4. House-Trained
~ Children should not be allowed to interrupt others while they are conversing (another pet peeve).

5. Time for Tea
~ Never extend the ring or pinkie finger while drinking a cup of tea.
I also enjoyed seeing the steeping time for different teas.

If I ever have a daughter it will be a good teaching tool. Of course I'm going to have to learn and practice most of these myself since example really is the best tool in teaching children how to operate in society. Anyway, it's a good book for those who are interested in what the rules of polite society are, or those who really want to put it into practice. If you're interested you can get it through Sword of the Lord Publishers (and yes here's the link for it). They also have one for young men. I'm thinking Christmas presents for next year. Dad, Nancy, what do you think?

#7 on my list, Have 30 girls nights (#7, 8, 9, 10)

It's been a while since I posted about any girl nights. I've had plenty, but I just didn't keep up so I'm posting about the most recent one first and a few others that I've had along the way too.

#7. Tonight I had a wonderful girls night with Sherri. Last month I was her secret prayer sister and wanted to have her over for dinner then, but it never worked out. Tonight, however, I got my chance. We had my Mac & Cheese (which she says is better than Bro. Glovers. Who wants to call on the official Mac off?) and a very colorful salad (I like my salad with lots of veggies. No bag salad for me). I also found blood red sparkling orange juice, instead of sparkling cider, it was awesome!!!Anyway, it was a very relaxing evening talking about things and just hanging out. Plus she brought Levi! I can't officially own a dog, due to my lease, but there's nothing that says that they can't visit:). I think he was on sensory overload though. He walked around sniffing everything. That tuckered him out though because he just sprawled out on the couch while Sherri and I talked.

#8. This one happened back around Christmas time. Every year it is a tradition that Sherri and I get together to watch White Christmas. I enjoy bursting out into song at any given moment and we both just enjoy watching Rosemary and Bing spar. Plus who doesn't love Danny Kaye? Of course the movie plot is no mystery to us, but it's fun to have traditions with your friends. Well this year, we also had another friend join us (she was ever so stylish with her jingle bell bracelets:)) Anna was supposed to join us too, but she bailed at the last minute. Hot cocoa was served all around and topped with my peppermint marshmallows. It was a lot of fun and just a great night with friends! Even if I didn't sing much of the movie this year. However, I did hum the songs. Plus here's a little known fact. White Christmas (the song) was originally written for the movie Holiday Inn (Bing also sings it in Holiday Inn). It was only after the song gained popularity that it was turned into it's own movie. I just love Bing's Bass voice.

Here are some of my favorite songs from the movie:

Snow



Gee, I wish I was back in the Army

Sisters

White Christmas

#9. A few weeks ago Nicki came over and we shared our gospel tracts with each other and watched Phantom of the Opera. Personally I prefer the live stage show. If you're sitting in the right section, of the audience, when the chandelier comes down it looks like it's going to fall right on you. Her primary motivation for coming over was to see my new couch, which she liked a lot too!

Here's my favorite song from Phantom:



#10. This one was really fun, because it involved some of the preparation for the sweethearts banquet. A few weeks ago we got together over at Nicki's to write out and put together the invitations. Kali printed them, I addressed them (all 44), Nicki (in recovery from her wisdom tooth extraction) cut ribbon, Kali and Alyssa tied the ribbon, and Anna sealed the envelopes (I think she might have tied some of the ribbon as well). Again, I can't give to much away because most of our conversation was spent in planning certian aspects of the event. However, much of the evening was spent in giggles:) Nicki showed off her twisted wisdom teeth and was a really good sport about us being there for not feeling well. The irony for me though was that I spent the evening writing out the addresses on the envelopes, so you'd think that my hand would have cramped up, yet it was my legs that fell asleep from sitting on the floor. Go figure.

So that should catch you up just a bit. Sorry there's not a lot of detail, but like I said I've been a slacker.

#7 on my list, Have 30 girls nights (#6)

The evolution of a conversation between two females is something of a wonder. When two women are talking we can start off in one subject (like loosing weight) and end up on a completely different one (like home decorating). Such was the girls night that I shared with my dear friend Shannon. It was nothing momentous. There was no personal angst for me to disect through my analytical brain, and the was nothing for me to seek council about, it was just two friends hanging out and talking while her little one was napping. AWE!!! Anyway, it was a few hours well spent between friends, albeit a short one, considering that time always flys when you're having fun! I hope that y'all have friends that you too can share special times with. We need those from time to time:)

#7 on my list, Have 30 girls nights (#5)

An impromptu girls night happened last night after dinner at the Waldrons.

I spent the day over there since my place is pretty boring, and watching paint dry seemed to be way more fun, or maybe that was the fumes from the paint. In any case a day spent with the Waldrons is always fun. We talked and tried to go to the local thrift store except that it was a holiday and it seemed like every local business, that was not a grocery store, was closed. I made my plum chicken for dinner since they were all busy painting and it just seemed like I could help somewhere so I did. Everyone really liked the chicken, I love this recipe and am totally keeping it, and it made such a difference finally using the boneless chicken thighs instead of the bone in. Anyway, after dinner all the girls watched Anne of Avonlea. Sigh, I love that movie (sniff, sniff)! I couldn't believe that they ahd never seen it before, since I have been watching it since I was about 6, so it was fun to watch it with new people. I was so bad wen I was younger that I used to try and bargain with my dad so that I could stay home, at certain times, and watch it. My argument "But it's my favorite part." My dad's reply "Every part is your favorite part." Obviously my dad was not easy manipulated. We shared in some high humor involving the periodic table of elements, you had to be there, and Mags and I put together the Waldrons new hower curtain, ummm backwards. I blame it on the paint fumes;) LOL, anyway I hope to be able to share in more updates from my list since I'm out of school for the next few weeks.

Peace out!

#14 on my list, Meet 30 new people (#6 & 7)

This one is moving along in a grand fashion. This past weekend we at Bible Baptist church had the pleasure of hearing one of the missionaries that we support preach.

6 & 7. His name is Bill Richards and he had his wife Brenda with him. Evidently we have been supporting them since they left the BBF missions program 20 years ago, but they had never been to see us before. However this Sunday changed all that. He gave 2 great sermons. I especially enjoyed the one in the evening, about not forgetting what we were prior to salvation. I know it had to be difficult for his to try and preach in English again since he's been doing it in German for 20 something years, but I thought he did an excellent job. Any time the gospel is presented it is a excellent message. I'm glad that I got to talk with them and find out more about their ministry, as well as their sons. For we also support their son Seth's new ministry work in Germany as well. In all honesty I stayed to converse with them way later than I had expected to, but it was well worth it because it's not all that often that we may be able to see them so you have to take advantage of the opportunities that come along.

I especially enjoy getting to talk to missionaries and find out about what they face on different fields. I would love to go to a foriegn field to help and evangelist, but the only request that I have concerning that is, that if it ends up being in the Lords will for me to marry someone that is called to the mission field that it's not in Asia. Don't get me wrong Asia is beautiful, but it's muggy and sticky! I don't mind heat, but humidity is not something that I enjoy for more than a week, if I were on a vacation. I know this because when I was in Japan and Diego Garcia (for about 6 months each) it was like that, and I was there during monsoon season, UGH! Of course I'll go and do whatever he asks of me, but I can always pray and still hold on to the hope that my wishes will meet up with what the Lord desires of me.

#7 on my list, Have 30 girls nights (#4)

YAY for Jane Austen!!! The 4th installment of girls night's (which included me, Kali, Maggie, Nicki, Anna, Deborah, and Sharon) had us watching the PBS adaptation of Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, and it was outstanding! The evening didn't really start out as a girls night since Josh and Chris decided to "watch" it with us, which really amounted to then trying to distract us from our enjoyment of watching it. So it was a lot of turning up the volume, and rewinding the TV (you gotta love DVR) until the boys realized that their attempts to thwart our fun were finally becoming futile and so the retired to Josh's room to watch a movie as well. After they left we were finally able to enjoy a wonderful re-telling of a classic romantic tale of two sisters who, in their own ways, want nothing more than to be loved and to find a husband. What's to like about it you ask? Well of course I'm going to tell you.

First of all I think the casting was much more age appropriate than Emma Thompson's version. Of course she told a beautiful story, but because she wanted to play the part of Elinor Dashwood, the casting of the mother and sister had to altered in order to fit the age requirements. In actuality the mother in the book was only in her 40's, and in the big screen rendition they had her in her 60's. The casting I thought was excellent. In the previous version, you know that Whilloughby is a scoundrel, but he's so good looking that sometimes I almost want the story to change and have Marrianne end up with him, but in this version he still plays a cad, and you can understand why Marrianne likes him so much, but you also get to see how despicable he really is, and so I'm happy that Marrianne didn't end up with him. Edward Farrows is also, much better looking in this adaptation. The actor still maintains the quiet charm of the character, but without half of the bumbling that Hugh Grant brought to the role (which quite frankly I've had enough of). The Colonel (Brandon) as well was excellently cast. He's got much more of the brooding sense of charm than the other version, and unlike the big screen adaptation he never lets you pity him, or the state of his loneliness. He just does the right thing. Don't get me wrong I love Alan Rickman's interpretation of the character, but I liked this Colonel even more (plus I think he's just hands down my favorite Jane Austen character period, so I'm not an impartial judge). I also liked the fact that we got to know more about and see more of the Farrows family, as well as the fact that the characters, especially the more ostentatious ones were not quite as comical, even though they did add comedy to the story, they didn't steal the scenes. Fanny, the Dashwood's sister in law, is deliciously spiteful, and we love to hate her.

Secondly, I liked the setting. The lighting and scenery were all set up to look more realistic than the big screen version. The lighting set a tone that was much more moody than then the other version as well, it helped to add to the sadness of the family and the precarious existence that they lived in. I always find that it including the scenery and atmosphere as a character in any movie adds to the depth of a story.

Once again it was another wonderful night with the girls. I'm so blessed to have their friendship!

#7 on my list, Have 30 girls nights (#3)

Yesterday was April 1, and there was an impromptu girls night at Kali's!!! I had told her sister Maggie that I would probably be over since it was my first night of school, hence my last night of freedom for the next 90 days. Anyway, I got over there just in time to watch her mom make cupcakes:(, but it was a fun impromptu night anyway. Kali's mom Sharon shared this extremely moving web video with me. I'm placing a link to it on my blog. It's titled "99 balloons". If you enjoy moving stories about children, the obstacles that they over come, and how merciful God truly is, then this should be up your ally. I issue this disclaimer though, it will make you cry. If you don't cry watching this you seriously need to grow a heart. Anyway, after that was all done Kali got back home and me , her, and Maggie watched this show on the food network. I guess it's about a bakery and all of the cakes that they make, which from what I saw were fantastic. However, the best part of the show was when they were making a cake in the shape of an ear, for an ear Dr. I was joking when I said it, but I looked at the girls and I said "How funny would that be when they cut it open if there was a yellow cake for the ear. You'd be eating 'ear wax'". Well we watched it until the end and sure enough they cut it open and there was yellow cake inside! It was hilarious!!! I left soon after that, but I just had to share that. Mmm, I'm sure the cake was moist! Ha Ha Ha!!!

P.S. I'm totally trying to find a pic so you all can see. It was really something

#7 on my list, Have 30 girls nights (#2)

So yeah it's really soon since my last post, but last night was another girls night, and it was so much fun.

Once again Kali, Nicki, Maggie, Christin, and I found ourselves watching a movie, Enchanted. For those of you that haven't seen it yet let me just tell you it is so good! It's got everything that a good chick flick should have, including Patrick Dempsey. YAY, for him!!!. Anyway, the musical numbers in it are fabulous I can't wait to learn all the songs so I can sing them as I'm cleaning, along with my other musicals. The premise of the movie has a fictional cartoon princess that is sent into the real world, circa NYC 2008. In it she thinks she has all of lifes answers wrapped up in her one "true love", that she's known for a day (hey things happen fast in fairy tales), and has her waiting for her true loves kiss. However, because the sweethearts have been torn apart by the princes wicked step mother, she is forced to find a way to adapt to her new surroundings, while she waits for her true love to rescue her. However, throughout her adventures and with the help of her new friend (Patrick, sigh), she learns that there is more to love than she thought and that even though she envisioned things for her life in a certain way, just because they don't happen "the way they should" doesn't make that life any less special, or magical, and, the thing that I think makes the movie even more fun is that she does this, and comes to these conclusions, all without loosing her sweetness and innocent outlook on life and her ideals. She still believes in her one true love, and that love conquers all.

It really is a great movie, I'm totally gonna buy it, but I can't help but think that her story is not unlike most girls stories, at least the ones who want to get married. Traditionally we grow up knowing all the fairy tales and waiting for our true love to come into our lives. Then we grow up and realize that "real life" is far different than a fairy tale. However, that being said, it doesn't mean that the lives that we now lead, albeit still waiting for our true love (or twu wuv, as the Princess Bride would have it), are no less special, or magical, just because things haven't happened the way that we planned them to.

This thought, spurned by me, was thrown out last night as well. Wouldn't it be great if life were just one big musical?! There would definitely have to be rules involved though, because in today's day and age we'd probably end up with some horrible music if people were allowed to create their own tunes (sorry people death metal and gangsta rap don't belong in musicals). I suppose the rules would include:
1. No cursing
2. The songs must have a melody
3. The songs must be uplifting and have a positive/moral message to them
(if you're reading this and can think of any other rules you want to come up with please feel free to leave to leave a comment)

Anyway, it was just a silly thought that I had, and thought I'd throw out there, as I have always been a big, BIG fan of musicals and am usually given over to breaking out into song while I'm cleaning or working on something (it drives my coworkers nuts, LOL). But those of you that know me know that I love to sing. The girls got a kick out of it for sure and played right along with me (thanks Kali)! It was hilarious!

Of course we had to see Christins wedding pictures, as she and her husband has been married for a year, they are such a cute couple, which only egged me and Kali on with our own future wedding plans. The only part of the evening that wasn't fun was when I got stabbed in the leg by the claws of Christins cat. I'm allergic to cats, so when she wanted to try and jump on me I sat up to move, but before I could her cat let it's claws out as to have something to grip onto. OUCH! Anyway, that was at the beginning ofthe evening. Everything got better from there. Weddings, and Musicals, and Friends! Oh, my! It was a fun evening for sure.

#7 on my list, Have 30 girls nights (#1)

So this item on my list is always gonna be really fun! The girls that I'm friends with are a great bunch of people, anyone would be so lucky to call them their friends and the fact that the Lord put them in my life just adds to the enjoyment in my life. Anyway, there are only a coule things that qualify our get togethers as a girls night: 1) It must be all girls 2) Though it doesn't have to be any one set of girls, in order for it to count on my list, I definitely have to be there. Most of them will probably be an impromtu venture, as the funnest, and funniest, things happen without pretense (and trust me we're funny).

So the one that I will count as my #1 actually happend on Sunday nigt after church. Nicki, Kali, Maggie, Christin, and I all ended up over at the Waldron's house after evening service to watch "Becoming Jane", which I had already seen but the girls hadn't. Nicki ordered pizza (which unfortunately I was not able to eat because of my Celiacs disease, that's info for another post), but that didn't stop me from ordering hot wings! The girls were sweet though because they were afraid of hurting my feelings, by ordering the pizza, thinking that I would feel left out. But I told them that they were ebing silly. I've accepted my condition and those that can eat one of the greatest foods invented should not feel the need to deprive themselves on my account. That's the last reason I would want to be a "Captain Killjoy".

So we didn't end up starting the movie until almost 9 and so it didn't get over until almost 11, which is way to late for a school night (I can tell I'm showing my age when those things start popping out of me, but I come from a long line of night owls so who knows what's going on). The movie is OK, but I think that there was way to much content as far as inuedo was concerned. The writers could have written the character of John as a cad without trying to push the sex envelope. There is definitely a scene that should be fast forwarded through as the men decide to go swimming in the buff, having already seen it I was able to FF for my friends sake, even though I did miss a couple others, much to my shagrin.

Jane Austen was a woman ahead of her time and aquainted with the ways or the world in her day and time (if she wern't she would never have been able to write the Wickham and Willoughby characters so well) however, even with that fact, I'm hardly sure that the real Jane would approve of the screen writers interpreatation of her life. But it was interesting to she learn about a little known part of the writers life, especially since she's had no real documentatin of her life outside of her novels. Oh there are things and facts that are documented about her, but she was intensely private and to see another part of her girlhood, prior to her becoming an author, was interesting. I completely have my step mom to thank for exposing me to Jane Austen, I love her writing and as "antiquated" as some of the habits and customs are her documentation on her obervations of human behavior is still just as relevant as ever, for human behavior is the one thing that doesn't change.

OK, getting back to girls night, after the movie Christin left, but I stayed and we stayed up laughing and talking about the movie until almost midnight. It was fun to compare the times we live in now, to the times back then and the choices that Jane made in order to seek her own happiness outside of the confines, and limitations, that life outside of marriage offered to women at that time. I forget what it was that I said exactly or if I was immitating a character, but I had the girls in stitches, to which we had to break up the fun due to the fact that we were getting a little loud and there were people in the house that needed to work in the morning, and so did I so when I did get home to hit the hay I conked right out.

So there it is girls night #1. No. 2 is happening tomorrow. We're going over to Chrisitns to watch Enchanted, YAY!!!! Finally!!! I wanted to see at Thanksgiving when it came out, but couldn't talk my Dad into it. Nor could he talk me into seeing No Country For Old men, so we're even there. Although I still think we owe each other a movie date when I get home for Christmas. Anyway, stay tuned.