Birchsong Studios

Posted on February 28th, 2005 by hanfaith.
Categories: General.

Mt. Kineo

I’m back in business in 2005. I took a short break after Christmas because I was simply exhausted getting all of my mosaics done for the Thanksgiving show and then Christmas presents.

In the meantime, I’ve been researching and studying… and now I’m ready to get back into mosaic action! I have eight mosaic orders that just came in the past week - so time to get busy.

I also have been working on the taxes from last year. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that I need to keep better records of my business. I tried last year, but I didn’t really know what I was doing. I’m now set up much better for this year. I made and printed out forms, schedules, and other business records that I need to keep and now I feel a lot more organized. I like to keep a hard copy of everything as well as a digital (I’ve had so many computer crashes this past year that I don’t trust leaving anything on my computer anymore).

We’re all finally feeling a little better (we’ve been battling the flu for a week - and we all stayed home from church last Sunday - I don’t think that’s ever happened before) so this afternoon I think I’ll tack finishing my smalti pieces. I’d like to have those done and out of the way before my glass order comes in so I can start the new pieces.

My creative juices are reared up ready to go!

2 comments.

English Majors

Posted on February 25th, 2005 by hanfaith.
Categories: General.

I love Prairie Home Companion!

English Majors script
Saturday, February 19, 2005

Garrison Keillor: …after a word from the Partnership of English Majors…

(AMBIENCE, INTERIOR, STORE)

Tim Russell: Can I help the next person in line?

GK: I don’t know-CAN you?

TR: What are you talking about, sir?

GK: Just that “can” means “able to” — Are you ABLE to help the next person in line? Only you would know. What you meant to say was, “MAY I help you” — may I be permitted to help you?

TR: Whatever. Anyway, this is the 10 items or less line.

GK: Actually, it’s the 10 items or FEWER line. “Fewer” refers to number and “less” refers to amount. You’d say, “I ate less spaghetti than she did,” but you’d say “I have fewer than ten items in my grocery cart.”

TR: I don’t know what you’re talking about. I don’t even like spaghetti. — hopefully you have less than ten items in your cart, or otherwise MAY I tell you to get your ass over to the other line—

Sue Scott: I wish people wouldn’t misuse the word “hopefully,” —

GK: Oh, hi.

SS: Hi. You must be an English major too.

GK:: You?

SS: Yes, of course.

TR: Look— I’ve got people waiting in line—

SS: Are you a writer too?

GK: I try.

SS: (GASP) Be still, my beating heart. I write memoirs.

GK: I do, too.

SS: How fortuitous. What a small wonderful world.

TR: Cash or charge, sir?

GK: I admire you sticking up for correct usage, especially of the adverb “hopefully” — it’s a battle I gave up long ago—

SS: You did?

GK: Sadly, yes. The language evolves and I’m afraid we must accept it.

SS: Frankly, I wish I could, but something bridles within me at the sound of it.

TR: Folks — could we move it or park it?

GK: I admire you purists but I’m afraid I’ve moved on.

SS: Perhaps we ought to talk — you and I —

GK: I’d love that—

TR: Paper or plastic?

SS: Might you have time now?

GK: Of course. Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in.

SS: Thoreau. Walden.

GK: Very good.

TR: People? Please—

SS: One of my favorite books when I was growing up.

GK: One of mine too. What are you reading now?

SS: Now?

GK: I mean, what are you reading these days?

SS: I’ve gone back to Dickens. “Little Dorrit”.

GK: Lovely. I never read that—

SS: Everything Dickens wrote is so rich, so utterly teeming with life— populated by feeling and color and tension—

TR (ON P.A.): Security to Cash Register 4, please. Security—

GK: In a world of casual violence to our language, when you do meet a fellow lover of English, why not take time to get acquainted? The Partnership of English Majors.

SS: We’re different from others, so it behooves us to stick together.

7 comments.

Ballykissangel

Posted on February 24th, 2005 by hanfaith.
Categories: General.

I’ve always wanted to watch this from the beginning… but I’ve only caught episodes here and there on our local PBS station. They aren’t played regularly anymore.

So I rented the first season on Netflix and it came yesterday. I thought it would be perfect to watch since we’re all feeling sick.

But alas, the disc was scratched so I had to send for a replacement.

Hopefully it will come soon!

10 comments.

If Books Could Speak

Posted on February 22nd, 2005 by hanfaith.
Categories: Deep Thoughts, General.

I used to joke with my parents about their bookshelf. If books could speak, there would be an all-out war in the Traphagen living room. I, myself, wouldn’t consider it wise to place Walvoord next to certain reformed authors.

My parents bookshelf tells the story of their Christian journey… one through many different schools of thought.

So today, I was thinking about my bookshelf. What story does it tell about our family?

Well firstly, there are the books that my husband has kept from his Word of Life college days. We got rid of most of those, honestly, but he did keep a few. I wouldn’t have felt it necessary to keep any of Charles Ryrie’s books, but Phil sat under his teaching and thought he was a funny old guy.

Then there are our pre-marriage books. This was when we were introduced to Piper. Two copies of “Desiring God” grace our shelf.

And then we entered into the theological book collection days. So now we have quite a few:
Pipers:
- When I don’t desire God
- The Passion of Jesus Christ
- Counted Righteous in Christ
- The Dangerous Duty of Delight
- A Godward Life (I & II)
- Don’t Waste Your Life
- Let the Nations Be Glad
Mike Yaconelli:
- Dangerous Wonder
- Messy Spirituality
- Core Realities of Youth Ministry
John Stott:
- The Contemporary Christian
Gary Thomas:
- Sacred Marriage
- Sacred Parenting
Poythress:
- Understand Dispensationalism
Dillard & Longman:
- Introduction to the Old Testament
Paul Tripp:
- Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands
- Age of Opportunity
William Edgar:
- Truth in All Its Glory
Cowan & Gundry:
- Five Views on Apologetics
Gundry:
- Five Views on Sanctification
Cornelius VanTil:
- Christian Apologetics
Jacob Neusner:
- A Rabbi Talks with Jesus
Geerhardus Vos:
- Biblical Theology: Old and New Testaments
James C. VanderKam:
- The Dead Sea Scrolls Today
Cornelius Plantinga Jr.:
- Engaging God’s World
Gundry, Carson, McCormack, Seifrid, Lane, Molnar Wainwright:
- Justification: What’s at Stake in the Current Debates
Sinclair B. Ferguson:
- The Christian Life: A Doctrinal Introduction
Tom Holland:
- Contours of Pauline Theology

Many of these books are hand-me-downs from my parent’s classes at Westminster. We couldn’t be more grateful! (and big props to the Westminster Bookstore who carries most of these books)

What books do you think we are missing from our collection?

9 comments.

Wood Foundations

Posted on February 18th, 2005 by hanfaith.
Categories: General.

Yes, I’m serious.

Check it out.

We’re thinking about it and researching it.

It would definitely be something different.. and worth looking into for this area of the country. (and significantly cheaper than a poured foundation - though we would definitely not be considering it if it was of marked inferior quality)

Maybe we could fandangle a grant or something to try it out up here.

23 comments.

Older »