What is an American?

The following is an excerpt from Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur's Letters from an American Farmer. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur came to America from France right around the time when our country was emerging. This selection is where we get the idea of America being a melting pot. Right before this selection, he is pointing out that Americans do not have an ethnic bond like other countries have. He explains what does constitute a true American, and he celebrates the American dream that immigrants were able to enjoy when they came here. I think that this will warm your heart about what America is all about:

What then is the American, this new man? . . . He is an American, who, leaving behind him all his ancient prejudices and manners, receives new ones from the new mode of life he has embraced, the new government he obeys, and the new rank he holds. He becomes an American by being received in the broad lap of our great Alma Mater.

Here individuals of all nations are melted into a new race of men, whose labours and posterity will one day cause great changes in the world. . . . The Americans were once scattered all over Europe; here they are incorporated into one of the finest systems of population which has ever appeared, and which will hereafter become distinct by the power of the different climates they inhabit.

The American ought therefore to love this country much better than that wherein either he or his forefathers were born. Here the rewards of his industry follow with equal steps the progress of his labour; his labour is founded on the basis of nature. Self-interest: can it want a stronger allurement? Wives and children, who before in vain demanded of him a morsel of bread, now, fat and frolicsome, gladly help their father to clear those fields whence exuberant crops are to arise to feed and to clothe them all; without any part being claimed, either by a despotic prince, a rich abbot, or a mighty lord. Here religion demands but little of him; a small voluntary salary to the minister, and gratitude to God; can he refuse these?

The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas, and form new opinions. From involuntary idleness, servile dependence, penury, and useless labour, he has passed to toils of a very different nature, rewarded by ample subsistence.--This is an American.

The modesty survey is available

The modesty survey results are in. Let's go see what the men have to say! I haven't looked at it yet, but I'm about to. Let me know what you think.

How depressing!

Ha ha! Listen to what my fortune cookie said:

"Your One True Love will knock on your door in precisely 2 months, 8 days, and 14 hours; unfortunately, you will be out."

Isn't it lovely to know that God, not luck, is in control!

(still, it's pretty funny!) :)

Using the best words for His glory 2

Okay, I realize that you have probably assumed (or maybe hoped!) that I had forgotten all about my acclaimed grammar/usage series, which I started in this previous post.

But alas, I have not forgotten! Here is the second installment of the series. Aren't you excited? Aren't you? anybody?? Well, either way, I am an English teacher, and this is what English teachers do. :) Get ready to learn something. ;-D

Today's lesson is about the difference between compare to and compare with. The following quoted paragraph is taken directly from Theodore Bernstein's book The Careful Writer.

"The choice of to or with to follow compare is not a matter of indifference. When the purpose is to liken two things or to put them in the same category, use to. When the purpose is to place one thing side by side with another, to examine their differences or their similarities, use with. The choice of the preposition was erroneous in each of the following examples: 'The economy can be compared with [to] a runner who is coasting to get his second wind for another sprint'; 'Compared to [with] the $4,900,000,000 the Administration has proposed for foreign aid, the cost of the overseas reactor program will be small.' Since compare to is most often involved in figurative constructions, whereas compare with is the more literal, everyday phrase, the uses calling for with far outnumber those calling for to."

I had to look this up this evening while I was writing comments on papers I was grading. On one paper, I was trying to tell a student that he had not followed the example given on the assignment sheet, and I was trying to tell him to compare them. I thought, I'm the English teacher. Is it compare to or compare with? Hmm. I'd better look that one up, lest I be embarrassed.

I was happy to learn the difference, but I would be even happier if the majority of the students' papers could be compared to the assignment sheet instead of compared with it! :-D LOL

Here's the bottom line: if you saying that the two compared items are similar, use compare to. But usually, when we are comparing in order to point out differences, we should say compare with.

Super Bowl Sunday (and dip)

Some of our friends are coming over to see the game, and it should be a fun time. We got a football cake, and I also thought I would share the recipe for my favorite dip that I made for our game-watching enjoyment. It is so incredibly easy:

Ingredients:

~1 jar salsa con queso (we use Tostitos brand)
~1 can chili (we prefer the mild kind, because the dip ends up spicy anyway)
~If you prefer it less spicy and more cheesy, you can also mix in some Velveeta or some Cheez Whiz.

(Whenever guys are around, they tend to like the heat kicked way up. I don't mind if they add a bunch of jalapeno sauce to their own individual bowls, but keep it out of mine! I am not in a macho contest! Personally, I like it best just with the chili and the salsa con queso.)

Mix it all up and heat. Serve with chips. We like Tostitos Scoops.

The dip ends up kind of funny looking, but believe me you won't care because it is really good! I have made this super-simple dip for years, (basically any time we have a large group of people over) and we always run out. It just couldn't be better or easier, in my opinion. It is hard to stop eating it!

Scary article about Pelosi

Read this article about what Nancy Pelosi wants to do in our churches. This is not what our founding fathers would have intended!! She must not be permitted to do this!

Homemaking Meme

Here is a meme (what does that stand for, and how do you pronounce it??) that I got from Emma's blog.

Aprons – Yes or No? If Yes, what does your favorite look like?
Yes! I have two that I like to wear. I used to wear the one that I made in high school home ec, but now I wear the one that I wore when I was a server at a restaurant. It is really durable and has great pockets.

Baking – Favorite thing to bake
Cookies or turtle brownies.


Clothesline – Yes or No?
No; we use a dryer.


Doughnuts – Have you ever made them?
No, but I sure could go for a fresh, hot Krispy Kreme right now!

Every day – One homemaking thing you do every day
I try to keep my desk at work neat.


Freezer – Do you have a separate deep freezer?
No; that is a dream of mine. Someday I would love to have one.


Garbage Disposal – Yes or No?
Yes

Handbook – What is your favorite homemaking resource?
the Betty Crocker cookbook


Ironing – Love it or hate it? Or hate it but love the results?
I don't mind it. I like making everything look crisp and fresh. I wish things would stay that way!

Junk drawer – Yes or No? Where is it?
Yes: one in the kitchen, a couple in my bedroom filled with memorabilia that I just can't get rid of yet.

Love – What is your favorite part of homemaking?
I'll let you know when I get to do it consistently. :) I really love cooking, though.

Mop – Yes or No?
Yes

Oven – Do you use the window or open the oven to check?
Well, we have a cheap oven with no window. So I must peek. :)


Pizza – What do you put on yours?
At a normal pizza place, cheese and pepperoni. I also like spinach.


Quiet – What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?
I never get a quiet moment during the day because I am at work! :) But aside from that, I like to read or just space out :) If I get a quiet moment at work, I get ready for my next responsibility. That way I don't have to do that on the weekend or in the evenings.


Recipe card box – Yes or No? What does it look like?
I type them up in a document on the computer. It is incredibly convenient b/c I can easily make copies or print out a recipe when I want to use it. Then I put it in a sheet protector on the counter. If it's one I use a lot, I keep it in a notebook as well.


Style of house – What style is your house?
Traditional brick. Very traditional inside and out. Pretty!


Tablecloths and napkins – Yes or No?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on the season and what we have that goes with that season. Usually, we just use placemats -- our table is pretty on its own.


Under the kitchen sink – Organized or toxic wasteland?
Pretty good right now.


Vacuum – How many times per week?
Per week, are you serious?


Wash – How many loads of laundry do you do per week?
One or two.


X’s – Do you keep a daily list of things to do that you cross off?
I frequently do.


Zzz’s – What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?
Hang up whatever I was wearing :)

The Rebelution Modesty Survey

This is really neat -- you should check this out!

Alex and Brett Harris (little brothers of Joshua Harris who wrote I Kissed Dating Goodbye) have a web site, the Rebelution. On their web site, they have made the best modesty survey that I have ever seen. They are trying to get 1,000 Christian guys to answer this survey so that we ladies can know how guys really feel about the way that we dress and present ourselves. Only guys can answer the survey, but girls can read the questions. Now that I have read the questions, I am extremely curious to find out what the answers are!

They will post the results of the survey when 1,000 men take the survey. So far, it is going really well for them; but if any of you know men who would like to help their Christian sisters out, send them to this link.

I was amazed to see some of the questions that are being asked. I have always considered myself an extremely modest dresser, but I have never even thought of some of the things that the survey is asking about! It will be very valuable to see what the answers turn out to be.

Just like in the books we love

Some time ago, I came across the neatest catalog, the Victorian Trading Company. It is full of beautiful things that look just like they came out of a Jane Austen novel or from the turn of the century. (The time period is a little broader than just the Victorian era.) The catalog will make you feel like you are in a different century -- they sell clothes, cookbooks, home decorations, toys, whatever you can think of from those times gone by.

It is so much fun to look through! I love the visual reminder of all the elegance that used to be expected. Back then, women were LADIES and were proud to be feminine. Looking through this catalog inspires me to try recapturing some of that refinement in my own life.

The one problem is that a great deal of these items are quite expensive. I have never actually bought anything from this catalog (I just dream about it) because I don't feel that I can afford it. But sometime, I think it would be fun to buy a few select items and use them to dress everything else up.

They do have some exquisite clothing. Most of it would probably look a little unusual if you just wore it around like normal clothes, (they would make great costumes, though, if you could afford it) but some of their things would be a really neat addition to the wardrobe. Although I'm not sure why, but some of their dresses do not seem to abide by the Victorian standards of modesty. I wish that that part were a little more authentic. But much of their clothing really is beautiful.

I can only imagine how much a little girl would love growing up with some of these things around the house! What a dream! I see these items as a lesson in the true history of women -- women who were not oppressed or stifled by their femininity, but rather women who gloried in it.

You can request a free catalog on their web site (which also has some other fun activities such as some charming Victorian e-cards). I guarantee that when you look through your catalog, you will be delighted to see things that before you only read about. :)

The Reading, circa 1890-95 by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

from http://www.allposters.com

Take Time to be Holy

As we go throughout our busy day, why don't we reflect on the truths of one of my favorite hymns. If you would like to hear the tune, click here.

Take time to be holy,
speak oft with thy Lord;
abide in him always,
and feed on his word.
Make friends of God's children,
help those who are weak,
forgetting in nothing
his blessing to seek.

Take time to be holy,
the world rushes on;
spend much time in secret
with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus,
like him thou shalt be;
thy friends in thy conduct
his likeness shall see.

Take time to be holy,
let him be thy guide,
and run not before him,
whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow,
still follow the Lord,
and, looking to Jesus,
still trust in his word.

Take time to be holy,
be calm in thy soul,
each thought and each motive
beneath his control.
Thus led by his spirit
to fountains of love,
thou soon shalt be fitted
for service above.

This year, I resolve

Happy new year! I am not one that makes a big deal of new year's resolutions, but a commitment that I would like to make just happened to occur to me on New Year's Eve. So now, I get to join the crowds of resolvers. :)

I have decided to make a specific point to let the Lord strengthen my faith by seeing Him work. I tend to try to be self-sufficient much of the time, but that robs God of the opportunity to show Himself strong on my behalf and robs me of the joy of seeing Him work. I think that my problem is that I simply am not conscious enough of His active presence in my daily activities. Many times, it does not even occur to me to ask God to meet a need Himself before I go out on my own and finagle some inferior way to work out what I think needs to happen. What might I be missing out on?

I know that I am missing out on the sweetness that we could have in our relationship if I were thinking about His power and love and learning what He can do.

Jeremiah 9:23,24 says, "Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD."

By leaving things in God's hands, I can fully give Him the glory for anything that happens: I am not the one who did it; instead, I will learn about what God can do.

The next time I am trying to figure out how to achieve something, whether it be solving a problem, acquiring something, or whatever, I commit to stop and pray about it for a while and see whether God would like to take care of it without my "brilliant" plans. Like the above verses say, I need to have a lower opinion of my own wisdom, might, and riches and instead glory in God's lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness.

By the end of the year, I would like to have a list of testimonies of how God has clearly worked; and along with that list, I would like to have a more mature faith. Since my father died when I was young, Mom and I have seen countless examples of how God can work miracles on a daily basis. I would love to see even more! I can't wait to see what my mighty God is going to do.

I would love to hear testimonies any time of what God has been doing for you, too. Let us praise Him together!