Little Women

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Last night, Moma and I watched Little Women. This is one of my favorite movies! On my top 10 list :-)

It's funny how a movie can evoke such rich memories and feelings. Little Women is the first movie I saw in theaters! I was 3 and a half. I actually have a few memories from that first movie theater visit. I remember having my "Moma Baby" with me. (I don't know why I named her Moma Baby, but that was her name. She went everywhere with me!) I remember being so small that when I sat in the theater seat it folded up with me still in it! The one scene I remember the most is the Christmas morning scene. My little 3 year old mind couldn't grasp why they were so excited to have sausage and butter. I didn't completely understand why it was such a sacrifice to give up their Christmas breakfast to a family who didn't have any breakfast at all. And I didn't understand why Amy was holding the orange the way she was :-)

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Over the years, the characters in this book/movie have become more and more real to me. They don't really seem fictional. I feel like I can relate to all 4 sisters. Meg, the oldest and most "proper" one out of the bunch is almost like a second mother to her younger sisters. Jo, the adventurous one. Not afraid to do things differently and not looking for the approval of her culture. Think unconventional :-) Out of all the sisters, I feel like I can relate to her the most (if any of the local community theaters put on a production of Little Women, I think I'd have to audition for Jo. She's one of my dream roles!). No, I'm not a tomboy, not anywhere close. But, still, there's something about her. I feel like we're kindred spirits. She wears her heart on her sleeve. She's not afraid to be different. And as long as she's doing what is right, she doesn't feel like she has to fit into a certain mold. At the same time, she isn't rebellious. She loves a good story and loves to write. She loves her family with all her heart. The night she cut her hair, Beth wakes up to her crying. A few years ago, when I cut about 10 inches of my hair off, I did the very same thing. I cried the rest of that day!

Then we have Beth, the quite one. She loves being at home and helping others. She loves her piano. She is closest to Jo. They would be lost without each other. The youngest is Amy. She's the bubbly one. Very concerned, almost paranoid, about her looks, especially her nose. She's most frivolous out of the bunch. She also matures greatly as she gets older. A wonderful artist and the most beautiful out of all the sisters.

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This scene of the movie is the most touching to me:

When all those memories come rushing back at Jo and she starts writing her story. Jo finally reaches the turning point and allows herself to put her heart on the page. *sighs* I takes my breath away and makes me cry. I love it.

This isn't the only story/movie that evokes. I love a good story. I love having characters that I can relate to. I love having characters that seem more like friends than words on a page. Just another part of my somewhat quirky personality I guess :-)

What stories, songs, etc evoke memories or emotions in you? Please share :-)

Goals: For the Next 2 Weeks (Feb 21- March 7, 2011)

Honestly, I didn't do nearly as well on my goals as I wanted. After starting my new job (which I LOVE), my day to day life has changed a lot! I don't work everyday, but the days I do, I come home totally exhausted, mentally and physically. I know that it won't be like this always, but it is taking some time to adjust.

I've decided to revisit these goals before adding more. I'm going to make a few changes, though.

My Bible reading goal hasn't really changed. Try to have my Bible reading done before I get so sleepy that I can't hold my eyes open :-)

I will be making a bit of change to my exercise goal. On my off days, walk 30 minutes, whether on the treadmill or outside (the weather is warming up and it is so pretty outside!). On the days I work, I'm not going to walk, unless I just really want to. I'm on my feet pretty much all day long! So there isn't really as much of a need to walk on work days.

These goals may sound simple, but sometimes life, and quite frankly, the devil, likes to try to make Christians stumble, even in simple things. But with God's help, I'll stick to these faithfully for the next two weeks, and the weeks after that!

I'm Still Alive! :-)

Just as an FYI. I am still breathing. My heart is still beating. And my head is still thinking! Most of ya'll know I recently got a new part-time job. I LOVE it! It's keeping me busier that I thought for though. So between new job and life in general, blogging hasn't been at the top of my priority list. I still am going to blog, because I love it! I just need to learn how to better manage having a job and doing things that I need/want to do.

While I'm here; I want to say thank you to all of ya'll who are "regulars" here! Seeing the stats, reading the comments, and seeing who is following LurlynnCrochet is so encouraging! Thank you so much!

RevampThat!

My friend, Rebekah, has a new and totally awsome blog called RevampThat! In her latest post, she has posted about yours truely :-) Rebekah has a really great and unique taste in fashion. She's a girl after my own heart :-) If you like fashion, you'll like her blog! Check it out!

Crochet Pattern Central

Have ya'll heard of Crochet Pattern Central? This website is a directory of links to FREE crochet patterns! Instead of doing a web search, I start at Crochet Pattern Central first. I can usually find what I need there. I love it! You can browse by category or use the search feature to find just what you're looking for. Most times, I've found just what I needed.

I just found out that CPC is run by ONE WOMAN! And she does this as a labor of love! Seriously, if you've seen the site you'll know why this is so surprising to me. There's a little bit of everything on CPC. Check it out :-)

New Job!!!

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Yes, I have a new job :-) I'm going to be a barista! If you're scratching your head, not knowing what I'm talking about, it's ok :-) That's just a fancy word for someone who works in a coffe shop. My brother works at our local coffee shop and cafe that opened recently (turns out that we know the owner:-). He told me that they are really busy and could use some more help. My first day is tomorrow :-) I am so thankful for this opportunity!

February Is The Month Of Love (and Other Sage Words From a Seven and Eight Year Old)

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My little cousin, Gavin (age 7) loves to talk about when he's grown up and has a family. I love listening to him talk about it, it's so cute and funny! He talks about it like it's happening tomorrow!

Today, Moma and I had an errand to run after we picked them up from school. While I went in the store, Moma stayed in the car with Grayson (age 8) and Gavin. I was only in the store about 5 minutes, walked out, and saw Moma laughing so hard she was crying in the driver's seat! I got to the car as fast as I safely could. I got in the car and asked, "What is so funny?" As she was wiping the tears from her eyes, Moma answered, "Gavin is talking about when he grows up." I look in the back seat and Grayson has his ears covered, because he doesn't want to talk about growing up. Apparently it grosses him out. Since I didn't hear the orginal conversation, I'll just share a few snippets with ya'll :-)

~ Gavin's wife is going to go to the hospital 9 times (to have a baby). The ninth time is going to be on a Monday.

~Moma asked Gavin if he wants his wife to love God. He answered, "I want my wife to like me!"

~I asked what kind of girl he wants to marry. His answer: 1) A woman who likes him, 2) A woman who goes to church, 3) A woman who loves God.

~If a woman doesn't like Gavin, but he likes her, here is the progression of how he will try to win her heart. 1) Give her a flower, 2) Give her a rose, 3) Give her a cake, 4) Give her a cupcake, 5) If all that doesn't work, he'll walk away.

~According to Gavin, February is the Loving month, because of Valentine's Day. That is why February is his favorite month :-)

~Gavin was reading the nutrion facts from his Happy Meal to us. He's very concerned about "sugars," "stodium," and calories. It's sooo funny to hear him talk about this!

These are just a few of the things that these boys say that makes me laugh :-)

Goals: For the Next 2 Weeks (Jan 31- Feb 14, 2011)

We all need goals. If we don't, we really don't get that much accomplished. I have quite a few goals that have been sitting around in my mind for a while, but that's just it. They've been sitting and not going anywhere! I've decided to take action, in bite-sized pieces! For the next two weeks, I'm limiting myself to two goals. That doesn't mean that I'm not going to accomplish anything else, but it does mean that these two things are going to be accomplished. Putting myself out here on the blog is a good accountability (especially since my Moma reads it) :-)

Goal #1: Read the Bible daily, and don't put it off to right before bed time. I like to stay up late, therefore I'm really tired when I go to bed! I used to get in bed around 9, read my Bible, and then crochet or read until I turned my light out. It worked for me then because I keep my Bible on my bed side table. I've now gotten into the habit of reading/crocheting/watching TV/computer/etc. in the living room with the rest of my family. So I see the Bible right before I go to sleep, and I'm too sleepy to read! (When I get sleepy, it's really hard for me to read. It's like the moment I start reading my eyelids think they have to be closed that very second!) So, I might read a few verses and then go to sleep. I haven't really decided a set time yet. It might be first thing, might be in the middle of the day, might be in the evening. I just need to have it done before 9 pm, that way I'll know that it will be done before I get too sleepy :-)

Goal #2: Exercise! I'm going to preface this before I go on. I'm not trying to lose weight. I am at a healthy weight and am content in the body God gave me.

I just want to start taking better care of my body. I'm not really that active. I do house work and take a walk sometimes, but that's about it. We all need some amount of exercise. Osteoporosis runs in my family. I have a pretty good chance of getting it when I'm older. It is recommended to teen and young adult girls to exercise and have plenty of calcium and vitamin D in their diet (food and supplements) in order to prevent Osteoporosis, and if not prevent, at least have your body healthy so that maybe it won't be as severe of a case. Also, it's just a good thing to exercise. It's good for our bodies to have some physical activity. There's a treadmill in our garage that someone gave us. I'm going to start there, 30 minutes, 5 days a week. I'm going to start at a slow, comfortable pace and work up gradually. That way it won't be too much, too fast and in the process burn myself out on this.

So, these are my goals for the next two weeks. Care to share some of your goals?

Sunday Sermons: "Glimpses of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament" and "Love"

The other day I was thinking how I could use this blog as an outreach to others. Then I realized, our congregation puts recordings of the Sunday morning and evening sermons on the church website! If you are interested in listening to any of our archived sermons click here. There are sermons from September 2006 to the present.

The topic of this morning's sermon was "Glimpses of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament." Unfortunately, it didn't record properly, so I've decided to share my notes. They're a bit scattered since I'm the only one that uses them, but at least the scripture references will be there :-)

Glimpses of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament

Genesis 1:1, 26
Genesis 11:7

There is one God, but 3 parts: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit

Jesus is distinct from the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 12:31, 32
John 5:22

There are some things God just can't do
~Sin  ~Be tempted with evil

The Father in Heaven is God
Ephesians 1:3
John 1:1, 14

Jesus is God

The Holy Spirit is God
Acts 5:4, 9
Genesis 1: 1, 2
John 1:3-5

What does it mean that "the Spirit of God Hovered over the waters" ?
~Some say the Spirit "finished" the creation.

Ephesians 3:10-13 God's eternal purpose of Salvation
Philippians

We read of people, in the Old Testament, being filled with the Holy Spirit
~Joel: in the latter days, the Spirit will be poured over all mankind
Exodus 31 : Craftsman of the tabernacles
Micah 3:8
Luke 1:15 Elizabeth pregnant with John
~Samson

Isaiah 11:1-9, 10-11
Isaiah 10:5
Romans 15: 7-13
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Since it's the fifth Sunday, we have a fellowship meal and a devotional afterwards, in place of our evening worship. The devotional is usually lead by a guest speaker or one of the men of the congregation. Today my brother delivered it :-) He's leaving in August for preaching school, so the practice is good for him :-) He did a great job!

Unfortunately, I'm having problems pulling it up right now :-( But thankfully, I have my notes :-)

Who are we supposed to be?

Acts 11

What does it mean to be a Christian?

James 2:19-20
John 14:15
Matthew 22:36-40

Who is my neighbor? Anyone we come in contact with.

What does it mean to love?

1 Corinthians 13:2-13

Spanish-Style Everything Rice

Last night we had Spanish-Style Everything Rice and a green salad. This is another great recipe from Rachel Ray! We loved it!

Spanish-Style Everything Rice

Ingredients

• 1 large red bell pepper
• 2 1/2 cups chicken stock
• A generous pinch saffron threads, about 24 (saffron was too expensive at our grocery store, so we didn't use it!)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup orzo pasta or broken pieces of thin spaghetti (we used broken pieces of gluten free spaghetti since my mom, brother and I all have Celiac disease)
• 1 cup long-grain rice
• A small handful golden raisins (we didn't do the raisins)
• 1 tablespoon EVOO – Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 pound Spanish chorizo, diced (couldn't find it at our Walmart, we used mild Cajun sausage)
• 1 large Spanish onion, peeled and chopped
• 1 fresh chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped
• 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/4 cup large Spanish, pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped (don't like olives, didn't use them)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon sweet or smoked sweet paprika, a palmful
• 2 pinches cinnamon
• 1/2 cup green peas
• About 1/2 cup dry sherry (didn't use this either)
• 1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup dry-roasted Marcona almonds or toasted sliced almonds

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Yields: Serves 4-6

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Preparation

Char pepper over an open flame burner or under the broiler on high with oven door cracked to allow steam to escape. Once pepper is blackened all over, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let cool to handle, then seed and chop.

Heat stock and add saffron to allow saffron to steep. Do not reduce.

In a saucepot, melt butter over medium heat. Add pasta and toast until deep golden brown and very nutty in aroma. Add rice, stir, add saffron stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook rice 16-18 minutes, until tender.

Meanwhile, place raisins in a small dish and cover with very hot water to reconstitute – use just enough water to cover raisins.

Heat a tablespoon EVOO over medium-high heat in a large skillet. To hot oil, add chorizo and brown at edges. Once rendered, remove to a plate to keep the chorizo from drying out.

Return pan to heat and to the hot drippings add onions, chili pepper, celery, garlic, olives, chopped roasted red pepper and season with salt, pepper, paprika and cinnamon, toss and cook to tender crisp, 5 minutes.

Add chorizo back to pan with peas and heat through. Stir in raisins and deglaze the pan with sherry.

Fluff rice and fold into chorizo, peppers and onions. Top with parsley and almonds and serve straight from skillet at table into shallow bowls