The Accidental Pastor's Wife

Nope. Nope. I didn't like this one. Not at all. Don't bother reading it. I finished it in a day, but it contains everything I don't like about Southern church culture. Hypocrisy, moralism, ignorance, immorality, easy believeism, all covered by a veneer of "good" Southern Baptist spirituality. It described everything I don't ever want to be as a Christian and made me cringe when it occurred to me that that's how the world often sees us. I think the author is intending the story, which has little point and is more of a collection of character studies, in my opinion, as something funny, but it truly just disgusted me to read it. I'm planning on selling back at www.paperbackswap.com Seems I have problems with books that boast that they are New York Times Bestsellers...hmmmm.

So I've met my two book goal, but now I'm thinking I should tackle some closets with my spare time until March when I think I'll pick up Tales From Shakespeare by Charles and Mary Lamb...

As you may recall, I have a new year's resolution that requires I read two quality books a month. I just finished The Heaven Tree this morning. I LOVED it. I plan on reading the next two books in the trilogy eventually, but for now I'm ready to switch genres and read something that's a little less intellectually demanding (since I've been continually losing brain cells with each child I bear, it appears). So my choice is now Where Trouble Sleeps by Clyde Edgerton. It's set in the fictional town of Listre, North Carolina in 1950 and so far, as I was reading on the treadmill today, it's full of colorful Southern characters I'm anxious to get to know. I love most of the Southern culture and it should be fun to see how this born and bred Southern author satirizes his own folk. It's pretty short and I have almost all my chores done for today, so happy reading for mom tonight!

I've been reading Elaine's blog (http://homebutnotalone.wordpress.com) for a while now, and she is one cool gal. She's hosting a breakfast recipe round-up so here's my contribution! Definitely, NOT a healthy breakfast...

Caramel Nut French Toast

1 c butter
2 c packed brown sugar
4 T corn syrup
3/4 c pecans, chopped
4 1/2 baguettes, sliced to 3/4" thickness
12 eggs
3 c half and half
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar and corn syrup, stirring until melted. Add nuts.

Slice baguettes. Put syrup mixture in the bottom of a greased 9x13 inch pan. Layer bread over the syrup.

Combine eggs, half and half, vanilla, and salt. Pour over sliced bread. Cover with foil and let set in fridge overnight.

The next morning, heat the oven to 375.

Keeping the pan covered in foil, bake for 25 minutes or until the eggs are set and cooked through. Serve pieces "upside down" on plates!

Have you ever fallen off the wagon? Ever since the birthday parties last weekend I've been eating junk food like never before. I've still been exercising, but it seem as though once you get a taste for it again, you're SUNK.

How do you get back on track? Before last week, I thought (deceived myself) into thinking I was really changing my eating habits.

So let me confess what I've eaten today:

3 hershey's kisses
1 handful of Valentine's m & ms
2 chocolate desserts that the church folk left us in the downstairs fridge from last night (I walked all the way over there just to get them)
1 piece of Little Caesar's Deep Dish pizza
4 chicken nuggets

oh, and i licked both the beater and the bowl when I made Sunday morning's apple kuchen.

Is it possible for your stomach to instantly expand as soon as you fill it with junk?

Tomorrow will be better. I hope.

What do you do for Valentine's Day?

We don't do much of anything, of course, with my hubby EVERY DAY is like Valentine's...

Tonight our church is having a catered couples dinner so I'm helping to decorate for it. Maybe it will help me get in the spirit of things?

My best Valentine's gift, of course, was my sweet baby girl last year on the 13th...

Is it obvious I'm not terribly motivated to write today?

In addition to my parents being here to visit (as one reason I haven't been blogging), I've also been reading this book by Edith Pargeter. It is EXCELLENT. It's a large undertaking and if I don't get some more time, I won't finish it before it's due back at the library (it's an interlibrary loan).

The book is part of a trilogy and considered by the author to be her favorite work. It follows the story of Harry, a Lord's son in 12th century England, near the tense Welsh border, who is falsely accused of a crime with his foster brother, Adam. Illustrating the barbaric nature of the middle ages, Harry's punishment is mild, but the villein's son, Adam, a boy of lower status, must lose his hand. Harry and Adam run away and seek employment as stone masons and wood carvers. They find work all over France, and their talents, particularly Harry's, astonish all. Harry's passion is to create his own cathedral and when he is commissioned to build one for a wealthy Lord, he jumps at the chance. He and Adam make their way back to their homeland.

And that's all I've read so far! :) I'm about halfway through, but I thought a quick review was in order. I'm fascinated by medieval times, and when I've traveled to Europe, the cathedrals have been my favorite part. I've seen the Notre Dame and Chartres and was simply amazed at the amount of detail carved into doors and columns, the exquisite strained glass windows. And all without any modern tools or machines.

Remember my utter disappointment and disgust with Ken Follet's PIllars of the Earth (which was basically a Danielle Steel novel wrapped up in the middle ages)? Well, I've found my antidote in Edith Pargeter. As one reviewer says on the back of the book, "If you do not appreciate this superb novel, I despair of you."

We have big birthday parties for our kids on significant birthdays. The other years we just have a small together, maybe with a friend or two. Well, this year my sweet baby girl turns 1 and my middle sweetie pie turns 5. Their birthdays are 6 days apart, so we're having one birthday party tonight, and one tomorrow since my folks are here. My 5 year old's party is a swimming party at our recreation center's indoor pool, and I've invited the entire church and a few community friends over to our house for my 1 year old's party.

What was I thinking????

So, I'm tired.

And can't wait for Monday. :)

YOU can do it!

I"m officially down to 157 lbs, from 180 back in the fall. It's been slooooooow, but I am fully convinced that there is no other way to do it but to exercise (and break a sweat!) 4-5 times a week and watch what you eat. I don't do well with full-blown diets, I just limit my junk and I've tried to eat 5 servings of fruits and veggies a day.

Fitness is contagious!

I won't write much because I still need to read my Bible today, but I've found a way that has worked well for me these past few years. I've read through the entire Bible twice, so I'm on my third time. One of those times I used an actual plan from Discipleship Journal, which was fine. But the first time I read through it I did it like this (and this is what I'm doing again this year):

Pick a book, any book, especially one that's difficult or not familiar to me and read it. Put a little check mark in my table contents next to the book.

Pick another, read it. Check it.

I have no daily quota to meet, and if it takes me longer or shorter than a year, that's OK. This time the only difference is that I'm looking at the outline in my Reformation Study Bible and breaking up my reading of that book in a logical fashion. So far I've read Leviticus, John, Ecclesiastes, and 1 Corinthians. I'm starting Proverbs tonight. I also read the notes, since this is the first time I've had a study Bible during my daily reading. I really, really like my Reformation Study Bible.

This plan gives me some direction, but it doesn't tie me down. If I get behind, it's not like I've got lots of days unchecked off on my Bible plan sheet so that I get discouraged and give up.

So I'd better get reading. It's late!