L.Y. Levand's Blog, page 45
September 11, 2012
September 11th, 2012
I remember the day the planes crashed into the twin towers.
I was eating breakfast before going to school. My family never watched the news; my mother thought it was too depressing. But when the phone rang, she went searching for the remote, and flipped through channels looking for one that played the news. It took her a while to find one, since we'd never used them before.
But when she did, we all saw the planes crash, with plumes of smoke, into the towers.
I was young enough, and far away enough, for me to not realize how truly horrible it was, and how many people had already died - how many were hurt.
My prayers and thought go out to those who lost loved ones on that day. Whether it was an unsuspecting person who just went to work that day to do their job, or one of the brave souls that rushed inside to help.
I was eating breakfast before going to school. My family never watched the news; my mother thought it was too depressing. But when the phone rang, she went searching for the remote, and flipped through channels looking for one that played the news. It took her a while to find one, since we'd never used them before.
But when she did, we all saw the planes crash, with plumes of smoke, into the towers.
I was young enough, and far away enough, for me to not realize how truly horrible it was, and how many people had already died - how many were hurt.
My prayers and thought go out to those who lost loved ones on that day. Whether it was an unsuspecting person who just went to work that day to do their job, or one of the brave souls that rushed inside to help.
September 10, 2012
September 10th, 2012
Are you sitting in front of a computer?
I thought so. How long have you been sitting there? A long time, maybe?
In America today, many people spend way too much time either on their computers or watching television. I don't think that's healthy. Entertainment has gone from playing board games and basketball in the driveway to competing for high scores on the internet and catching your shows each week.
I challenge you to change one of your sedentary entertainment activities to an active one. Instead of playing your computer game for half an hour, go outside and play with your family. You'll like it!
I thought so. How long have you been sitting there? A long time, maybe?
In America today, many people spend way too much time either on their computers or watching television. I don't think that's healthy. Entertainment has gone from playing board games and basketball in the driveway to competing for high scores on the internet and catching your shows each week.
I challenge you to change one of your sedentary entertainment activities to an active one. Instead of playing your computer game for half an hour, go outside and play with your family. You'll like it!
September 9, 2012
September 09th, 2012
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son..."
Do any of us truly understand what this means? Imagine your own child. Imagine the thought that this child would stay wth you always, in a perfect place without sickness or pain. Now imagine another place, full of sickness, evil, and hatred. Would you want to send that precious child there? No, probably not. But what if there were millions of people down there, people who would never know the perfect place you lived in? What if you loved them? Would you send that child to help them, even if you knew this child would suffer the greatest pain, and those people you loved would hate this child? Could you do that?
I don't think I could. But God did that for us. I don't know how accurate the above paragraph is, where God is concerned. But that's how we'd view it, yes? What an amazing love He has.
Do any of us truly understand what this means? Imagine your own child. Imagine the thought that this child would stay wth you always, in a perfect place without sickness or pain. Now imagine another place, full of sickness, evil, and hatred. Would you want to send that precious child there? No, probably not. But what if there were millions of people down there, people who would never know the perfect place you lived in? What if you loved them? Would you send that child to help them, even if you knew this child would suffer the greatest pain, and those people you loved would hate this child? Could you do that?
I don't think I could. But God did that for us. I don't know how accurate the above paragraph is, where God is concerned. But that's how we'd view it, yes? What an amazing love He has.
September 8, 2012
September 08th, 2012
"The honey cakes sound good," Beenie said with a smile.
"I want acorn muffins!" Troy blurted, without looking at his menu.
When the chipmunk waitress came to take their order, they all knew what they wanted and were able to order without incident. While they waited for their food, Beenie looked around her. The woods were very different from her home in the field. She would come back to visit Troy - a lot!
Then she saw something strange. There was a hedgehog, waddling through the forest on the other side of the stream. It was holding a package in its mouth, and looking around nervously, as though making sure it wasn't being watched.
Beenie watched it, wondering why it was so nervous. Then it went behind a tree. Beenie waited for it to appear on the other side, but it was a long time before it came. And when it did, the package was gone.
"I want acorn muffins!" Troy blurted, without looking at his menu.
When the chipmunk waitress came to take their order, they all knew what they wanted and were able to order without incident. While they waited for their food, Beenie looked around her. The woods were very different from her home in the field. She would come back to visit Troy - a lot!
Then she saw something strange. There was a hedgehog, waddling through the forest on the other side of the stream. It was holding a package in its mouth, and looking around nervously, as though making sure it wasn't being watched.
Beenie watched it, wondering why it was so nervous. Then it went behind a tree. Beenie waited for it to appear on the other side, but it was a long time before it came. And when it did, the package was gone.
September 7, 2012
September 07th, 2012
I finally braved the bee's nest in the car, having at last decided that I needed to find my old drawings and art supplies. (I watched Lord of the Rings over the weekend, and found myself inspired.) In the box that contained my drawing binders, I found an embarrassment of riches.
Who would have thought I'd find notes on, not one, not two, but four different languages? I also located the first attempts I made at maps of my various worlds (they look silly now). Eureka! I found them!
Now I feel a lot like a little girl, re-drawing my maps to include new names in forgotten languages, and letting my 'I-like-weird-shapes' artistic sense loose as I design new alphabets. I'm also gritting my teeth as I rediscover the drawings certain little sisters discovered. With black ink pen.
Who would have thought I'd find notes on, not one, not two, but four different languages? I also located the first attempts I made at maps of my various worlds (they look silly now). Eureka! I found them!
Now I feel a lot like a little girl, re-drawing my maps to include new names in forgotten languages, and letting my 'I-like-weird-shapes' artistic sense loose as I design new alphabets. I'm also gritting my teeth as I rediscover the drawings certain little sisters discovered. With black ink pen.
September 6, 2012
September 06th, 2012
A few years ago, I got a huge Littlest Petshop play set from my dad for Christmas.
At the time, I called it wishful thinking, and an unspoken desire for me to stay a little girl forever. That, however, wasn't entirely true.
My inner child (Kym) loved it. I haven't actually played with toys like that for years and years. But those itty-bitty animals were just so cute I couldn't stand it! At one point we had them all lined up in front of a row of books (getting to the books was an interesting process).
To this day, she still squeals with delight when presented with a Littlest Petshop toy. Who says we have to grow up?
At the time, I called it wishful thinking, and an unspoken desire for me to stay a little girl forever. That, however, wasn't entirely true.
My inner child (Kym) loved it. I haven't actually played with toys like that for years and years. But those itty-bitty animals were just so cute I couldn't stand it! At one point we had them all lined up in front of a row of books (getting to the books was an interesting process).
To this day, she still squeals with delight when presented with a Littlest Petshop toy. Who says we have to grow up?
September 5, 2012
September 05th, 2012
I know this boy. This boy is an athletic boy. When it comes to jumping, he makes me look like a pathetic jumping bean. He just skips across the floor like some sort of jackrabbit, almost without touching the carpet.
Trying to keep up with this kid is like trying to race a cheetah. He leaves you, feeling half-dead, less than two-thirds of the way through it. And then KEEPS GOING.
Get somebody like this as an exercise buddy. Try to keep up, and I guarantee you will get a workout. Do it a few times a week, and you'll be on your way. If nothing else, your abs will get a workout from laughing at lame attempts to keep up. I'm good at that bit!
Trying to keep up with this kid is like trying to race a cheetah. He leaves you, feeling half-dead, less than two-thirds of the way through it. And then KEEPS GOING.
Get somebody like this as an exercise buddy. Try to keep up, and I guarantee you will get a workout. Do it a few times a week, and you'll be on your way. If nothing else, your abs will get a workout from laughing at lame attempts to keep up. I'm good at that bit!
September 4, 2012
September 04th, 2012
I'll be eating homegrown cantaloupe soon!
I've been parting the leaves to watch them grow for weeks. They went from cute little fuzzies the size of the end of my pinky finger to actual melons the size of my fist.
This is going to sound really weird, but baby melons are so cute. They're so small, and fuzzy (I didn't know they'd be fuzzy). I'm not sure yet whether they stop being cute once they reach eating size, since none of mine are that big. But I can't wait!
Anybody know if theres a difference in taste when they're homegrown?
I've been parting the leaves to watch them grow for weeks. They went from cute little fuzzies the size of the end of my pinky finger to actual melons the size of my fist.
This is going to sound really weird, but baby melons are so cute. They're so small, and fuzzy (I didn't know they'd be fuzzy). I'm not sure yet whether they stop being cute once they reach eating size, since none of mine are that big. But I can't wait!
Anybody know if theres a difference in taste when they're homegrown?
September 3, 2012
September 03rd, 2012
It's been pretty hot out there, so let's everyone remember to drink their water!
Your body needs plenty of fluids to function. I know if I don't drink enough water, I get headaches. And soda doesn't count! Try it for a week; drink water instead of soda and see what happens. Soda contains lots of sugar. If it's the fizz you crave, I've found that adding fizzy water to regular orange, grape, or apple juice is quite yummy.
Drink that water before a meal, too, to make you feel fuller before you eat. Cutting calories and portion sizes? You bet!
Your body needs plenty of fluids to function. I know if I don't drink enough water, I get headaches. And soda doesn't count! Try it for a week; drink water instead of soda and see what happens. Soda contains lots of sugar. If it's the fizz you crave, I've found that adding fizzy water to regular orange, grape, or apple juice is quite yummy.
Drink that water before a meal, too, to make you feel fuller before you eat. Cutting calories and portion sizes? You bet!
September 2, 2012
September 02nd, 2012
A lot of people disagree on religion. A lot of people fight over religion. People have even killed others for disagreeing with them.
Is this the right way? Are we fighting people, or ideas and beliefs?
I think we're fighting ideas and beliefs. And if this is so, harming or killing people will not help us. On the contrary, it gives the 'other side' more weapons to use against us.
Those who profess and practice Christianity know full well that we must live down the mistakes, the murders, and the hatred of our predecessors. And who will stop long enough to see if those acts are truly what the religion teaches, if it's practitioners are causing so much harm?
Stop and think. If what we're fighting against isn't the physical, then fighting with physical weapons will not bring you a victory.
Is this the right way? Are we fighting people, or ideas and beliefs?
I think we're fighting ideas and beliefs. And if this is so, harming or killing people will not help us. On the contrary, it gives the 'other side' more weapons to use against us.
Those who profess and practice Christianity know full well that we must live down the mistakes, the murders, and the hatred of our predecessors. And who will stop long enough to see if those acts are truly what the religion teaches, if it's practitioners are causing so much harm?
Stop and think. If what we're fighting against isn't the physical, then fighting with physical weapons will not bring you a victory.
