From a Cluttered Desk

I am Tammy Cardwell, she of the cluttered desk. (Hey, you think I'm kidding?!) I'm having a blast here in Blogland and invite to you to peruse my ramblings. Like a buffet, they offer variety - essentially whatever makes it to the top of the piles that sometimes clutter my brain. We'll eventually cover it all - homeschooling, God, our church, the Eclectic Homeschool Online, books I'm writing and publishing, conferences I speak at, the joys of grandmotherhood, and hopefully chocolate. Of course, this is only what's near the top now. Who knows what's in those piles?

Well, it’s raining in the house, but at least it’s the new house that’s being rained in and not the one I’m sitting in right now. We woke up to pouring rain yesterday and it pretty much never stopped. Oh, it teased periodically by slowing to a drizzle, but it was always out there, threatening. Needless to say, not one bit of work got done on the house yesterday and there were no pictures taken. This morning, the weather let us get to church before it started again, for which I am genuinely grateful. It’s just…. loverly.

What was also loverly was our car, the one we only recently had a "new" (used, since that’s all that was in the budget) engine put in, giving out on us last night. Jack picked me up from work at the mall, we stopped at the post office so I could check the boxes, and when I came back out it wouldn’t start. We had to have my sister come jump it off and then she followed us to the mechanic’s shop. We had extremely dim headlights and brake lights, no running lights, no turn signals, no dash lights, no speedometer, no diddlydoodah. No alternator, we’re sure. Frankly, I think it only ran long enough to get where it did because I was sitting there praying, "God, keep it running. God, keeping it running. God, keep it running."

The Cardwells seriously need a new car, folks! As usual, all prayers greatly appreciated.

Susan commented on yesterday’s post and asked about the sleeping loft I mentioned. This is one of a few changes we’ve made since we came up with the original floor plan. (Another is that I’m losing 2′ of my office so that we can have a more reasonably-sized living room.) The sleeping loft will be above my office. It was my oldest son who suggested it. We’d decided to go all the way to the roof with the addition, instead of enlarging the attic, and he pointed out that this would leave plenty of room for a small loft. When it dawned on us that we could also take in the "attic" space over the porch and entry, the small loft became big enough that we’ll be able to put a futon or something up there and actually have a place for guests to sleep. This is very exciting for me. I’ve wanted to be able to have guests for years, but our house has never been good enough that I even wanted people to come in the front door, much less stay here.

Adding the two feet to the living room made some definite changes in the layout. Because we were losing so much of that entry area, my office door had to either move outside onto the porch or into the living. I chose to take it inside since the living room will be enough larger that I don’t feel like it’s putting a major cramp in traffic flow. This saved us the cost of one exterior door, which is awesome. I may or may not have mentioned that for most of our interior doors we’re refinishing and using doors that are in the house we’re living in now - those cool old 6-panel doors from the 20s. We were able to ax another exterior door because we’re being given a beautiful front door. Well, I’ve only seen a tiny photograph, but I’m told it’s beautiful and I know it has a large oval of cut glass in it.

That’s not all we’re being given either. I tell ya, God totally rocks! Every time I’ve gotten concerned about finances due to the fact  that if you look strictly at the numbers there’s not enough in the budget to finish this project, God has had someone give us something. It’s been a fantastic thing to experience. We’ve been given, essentially, a whole kitchen less the refrigerator. It’s all white and none of it is too very old: a built in oven, a cooktop, and a dishwasher. We’ve also been given a black (Well…that doesn’t match, but..) microwave and vent as well as a sink. (It’s amazing how much sinks can cost, isn’t it?) The matching refrigerator is available, but the man wants $600 for it, so that’s not in the plans right this second.

Oh, but that’s still not all. We’ve also been given…three?…I think three ceiling fans, two of which have light kits on them, and a chandelier that I’ll probably end up using in my office instead of the pots I bought to turn upside down for lighting. (Uh…that’s old news; if you’re interested in the pots, go back through the posts under "560 Square Feet") We’ve been told all of this stuff is ours, but for now it’s being stored elsewhere because we’ve no place to put it. I’m not sure how soon it’ll be on site.

We’ve done some purchasing too. One thing I’ve really wanted from the beginning is to use tile in the bath instead of sheet vinyl, which seemed our only option. Home Depot put several of their tiles on sale, though, and when I went to check it out my favorite tile was only $1.10 a square foot, so we got enough to do the bath. Then, when discussing it with the contractor, we realized we would have enough thinset and grout that we might as well go ahead and tile the entry too, so we went back and found a tile we liked (only 89 cents a square foot!) for the entry. Those of you who are tile experts may well tell me this isn’t great quality stuff, but…well…I’m walking around on plywood in the kitchen and "dining" of the house I’m living in right now, so the thought of even cheap tile and wood laminate flooring in the new house is seriously exciting for me.

I’m also excited about the bathroom. For some reason, my husband had planned on just putting in a shower. It was partially a space issue, but more because he was tired of messing with tubs…or so he said. Well, there is a lot I don’t like about the house we’re living in now. I mean… well, we’re talking things beyond the mold (I’ve wondered if I should take more up-to-date photos of those closed rooms. Ew… gross….) . It’s just a very old house that hasn’t been taken care of. But since it is a very old house, its tiny bathroom contains a very old clawfoot tub that I used to love taking baths in. (Not since we lost the hot water, of course) I was seriously disappointed when he decided not to use it, but now, for budgetary reasons, he’s decided we’ll make it work after all and plan on getting one of those kits that lets you put a shower and shower enclosure on it. Talk about a shrimpy budget working for you! LOL! ::::singing::: I get to keep my clawfoot tub! I get to keep my clawfoot tub!

Ehem… It sounds like I’m getting delerious, huh? Sleep deprivation, I think; I’ve not had much lately. So I suppose it’s time to shut it down and get a nap before heading to church for choir rehearsal.

Have a blessed day!

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

I did Black Friday yesterday, from the other side. While last year I was the one waiting in line at Toys R Us at 5 something in the morning, this year I was the one asking, "Can I help you find something special?" at 6:15. And you know what? I loved every minute of it!

Honestly, I was raised in retail and spent I don’t know  how many hours working various trade shows through the years. It’s in my blood, in a sense, and I love love love the hustle and bustle of dealing with a lot of cheerful shoppers. And yes, I mean cheerful shoppers. The same held true when I did Black Friday as a customer last year and when I did Black Friday as a sales associate this year - the people were great. Maybe it’s because we live in Texas and for the most part we’re extra friendly people? I don’t know, but it’s true.

While I was having a blast in retail land, my husband was having fun here, working on the house. They got the walls of the addition up yesterday. We’re talking framing, of course. The plan for today was to make some minor changes to one wall, based on a late-evening change of plans, get the sleeping loft framed and decked (I’m not sure I ever mentioned that we’ve added a sleeping loft to the plan.) and then get the roof on and decked. Jack assured me that he would pull the camera out today so that I can update my blog with current pictures tonight. Of course…

Yep. You guessed it.

It’s pouring down rain and has been for hours.

Well… at least I don’t have rain drops falling on my head.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

I have a lot to be thankful for this year, as those who read this blog know well. One of the things I am grateful for is the large group of men and women who have dedicated themselves to fight for this country. Because of this, I have decided to make AnySoldier.com a piece of my life for the next year.

For those who don’t know about it. AnySoldier.com (There are also AnyMarine.com, AnySailor.com, AnyAirman.com, and AnyCoastGuard.com) was begun by a soldier and his family. This organization helps Americans get messages and packages filled with hope and encouragement to those soldiers who otherwise don’t get much mail.

The focus here is support. While the site does let the contact soldiers post about their groups’ greatest material needs, everyone agrees that the biggest need of all is for contact - letters. So whether you and your family can put together a package that would be a special blessing at this time of year, or you can "only" mail some lonely soldier a letter, you will be greatly boosting morale.

And for the benefit of those who want to send goodies to soldiers, but don’t have the time or ability to go shopping and shipping yourself, there is TreatAnySoldier.com. If you have a soldier in mind, you can place your order for one of their gift packages and have it sent directly to that soldier, or you can order packages and let them pull the addresses from AnySoldier.com. Either way, you know you are sending what the soldiers will need and want, and not sending anything that would have to be thrown out or would be damaged in shipping.

Whether you support the war or not, please support our soldiers who are in harm’s way. They are men and women who are full of heart and courage and, frankly, are willing to give a lot more than I think I’d ever dare.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Here’s a passing thought for you. (Yep. I mean that literally. I was about ready to shut the computer down when I thought about it and decided to post.)

You should google yourself at least twice a year.

Yes, I’m serious. As a security precaution, I suggest that you google your own name at least twice a year. It really is a good idea to see what other people are saying about you - good and bad. You may think you’re a nobody and there’s nothing at all out there on the ‘net that could have your name on it, but can you be sure? When you try it, you might be surprised; I just hope it’s in a good way.

So I’ve passed the thought along to you and you can do with it what you will.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

I have a friend who is in the midst of making a very important, possibly life-and-death decision, and I shared my top decision-making tip with her. It seemed only fair to come here and share it with you as well.

Put simply, it’s this: Follow Peace

The bottom line is that Jesus promised to give us peace and the devil can’t do it. The devil can lead us into complacency, which some accept instead of peace, but peace is anathema to him; he can’t stand it.

You’ll find my full explanation right here at TammyCardwell.net in my meditation on Isaiah 55:12a.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

I’ve been saying for years that No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is one of the worst things that has been done to this country in a while. I appreciate it when I see others saying the same thing and yesterday Paul Weyrich, of Newsmax.com, came close.

The article is "No Child Left Behind" Should be Left Behind. It presents some interesting data, as well as a fact that not everyone knows, that NCLB is up for reauthorization this year. Yes, there is a chance, if enough people were to stand up and speak up, that we could be done with this atrocity that hasn’t done diddly to help education in America.

Weyrich addresses that point, of course. Check it out.

Similarly, as noted in the CATO Institute’s "End It, Don’t Mend It: What To Do With No Child Left Behind" report, while both fourth- and eighth-grade math scores rose between 2003 and 2005 (the only period during which score changes could be attributed to NCLB), the rate of improvement actually slowed from that achieved between 2000 and 2003, a period before NCLB was enacted and implemented in schools.

 

“In reading,” CATO’s report notes, “the results were worse, with the period covered by NCLB seeing a score decline for eighth graders and stagnation for foruth graders, following improvement between 2000 and 2002.”

So while some improvement was being made in these areas before NCLB, that improvement slowed or stopped after it was implemented. Surprised? I’m not. He mentions another thing that concerns me as well.

Another problem with the law, and there are many, is that it has marginalized other important subjects like history, geography, civics, and science. The effect upon history has been especially pernicious, as many schools have reduced classroom instruction time by up to 75 percent in order to teach more reading and math, the only two subjects NCLB tests.

Life is much more than reading and math, people. Of course, you know this; apparently it’s only those who benefit from programs like NCLB that don’t…or choose to ignore the fact.

As Weyrich points out, NCLB is up for reauthorization this year. Not surprisingly, Bush has spoken in favor of reauthorization more than once and the Democrats are pushing for even more funding for it. The question is, what are we going to say and are we going to do some pushing of our own?

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

In a recent list discussion, I received a link to the transcript/article and video for The "Millennials" are Coming, a segment by CBS correspondent Morley Safer. If, like me, you missed this, I strongly suggest you go read and/or watch the video. Oh. My.

Having watched this, I now understand several things a lot better.

I can easily see why my sons’ employers appreciate them so much, because if this show is right they have a work ethic that is rare for their generation.

This also explains comments both of my sons have made about having to "babysit" employees they were responsible for - employees who, as it happened, were in this very generation.

Too, my recent experiences with the holiday job make a lot more sense. Truly, this news report verifies everything my manager and assistant manager have said about the hiring process and dealing with new hires, the vast majority of which are from this generation.

Here’s a taste of the opening remarks.

(CBS) Stand back all bosses! A new breed of American worker is about to attack everything you hold sacred: from giving orders, to your starched white shirt and tie. They are called, among other things, "millennials." There are about 80 million of them, born between 1980 and 1995, and they’re rapidly taking over from the baby boomers who are now pushing 60.

They were raised by doting parents who told them they are special, played in little leagues with no winners or losers, or all winners. They are laden with trophies just for participating and they think your business-as-usual ethic is for the birds. And if you persist in the belief you can, take your job and shove it.

As correspondent Morley Safer reports, corporate America is so unnerved by all this that companies like Merrill Lynch, Ernst & Young, Disney and scores of others are hiring consultants to teach them how to deal with this generation that only takes "yes" for an answer.

---

The workplace has become a psychological battlefield and the millennials have the upper hand, because they are tech savvy, with every gadget imaginable almost becoming an extension of their bodies. They multitask, talk, walk, listen and type, and text. And their priorities are simple: they come first.

Check it out. It’s an eye-opener, no matter what generation you’re from.

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

I just responded to a comment on my last blog entry and thought that it might be wise to speak further on the topic today.

The poster’s concern is with my choosing a paraphrase, specifically The Message, for my daily Bible reading. If my read-through-the-year plan were my only plan for experiencing the Bible, she should be concerned, because The Message is a paraphrase and I would never rely on a paraphrase as my only study Bible. From school, you will remember that a paraphrase is "a restatement of a text or passage giving the meaning in another form, as for clearness; rewording." (Thank you Dictionary.com) While I definitely want at least one formal equivalence translation, or at least a functional equivalence translation, for serious study, I appreciate paraphrases when reading the Bible through in a year because they present the Word in a format that is more readily attainable - "story like," if you will.

I think I mentioned in my previous blog post that my failed attempts at reading through the Bible in a year had been based on more traditional translations. Believe me, when it comes to reading straight through, a paraphrase can make a major difference. At least it does for me. It prompts me to think about verses entirely differently and can make passages leap out like never before. One example of this is Proverbs 26:18-19. In the New Living Translation it reads…

Just as damaging as a mad man shooting a lethal weapon is someone who lies to a friend and then says, "I was only joking."

This hit home much harder than the King James Translation, which reads…

As a mad [man] who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, So [is] the man [that] deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?

It impressed me so much, in fact, that I wrote a whole meditation on it.

Which brings me to my next point.

Reading through the Bible is fantastic and offers great rewards; if it didn’t, I wouldn’t invest my time in it. However, just reading through the Bible will never substitute for actually getting into the Bible. Whether it’s as a result of reading through your daily selections or from actively choosing a topic or passage, you should definitely move into actual, regular, Bible study. (In case I’m making anyone uncomfortable with my use of "you," let me say that I’m talking to myself here too. We all need these reminders.)

I said in my previous post that knowing the Bible is essential to knowing God. Think about how you get to know people. Do you get to know a man by sitting at his feet and listening to him talk? Well…yes, somewhat. But you really get to know him when you interact with him. The same holds true for the Word.

Truly writing about Bible study could take all day, but in case anyone is interested…

First, I rely heavily on the Holy Spirit. He was given to us in part to be our teacher, and when I come to the Word I ask Him to teach me. I learn much more when I take time to do this than I do when I strike out on my own.

Second, I come with tools in hand. I don’t know about you, but when in school, any time I was studying I was prepared to take notes, so I always come with pen and paper. I also come with my Hebrew-Greek Keyword Study Bible, which gives me the King James Translation as well as access to a great many of the words I would usually have to go to my Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance to find. (And since that concordance got ruined in the mold-filled office, I now rely even more heavily on this Bible) If I’m ready for some serious study, I will also have on hand my Amplified Bible and the Hendrickson Parallel Bible, which offers four different translations side-by-side. Before it was damaged (also in that mold-filled office), you could often find my Cruden’s Compact Concordance beside me as well; it makes finding that elusive passage a whole lot easier.

In earlier years, I never had more than one Bible, but now that I study actively, I use several different Bibles because each one has something to offer. Choosing a new Bible can be a big challenge. If you are facing that challenge, you may want to take a few minutes and read Selecting a Bible: How to Choose the Best Bible for Your Needs, by Beverly S. Krueger.

Get into the Word. You’ll be blessed!

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

I recently got a new Bible. It’s The Message, which is a new translation for me but one I’ve wanted to study for a while. With this in mind, I spent the last howeverlong laying out a plan to read this Bible through in 2008.

I’m sure I’ve said it before, but reading your Bible daily is one of the most important things you can do if you truly want to grow as a Christian. Think about it. Jhn 1:1 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." if you want to truly know God, if you want to truly know Jesus, you cannot - simply CANNOT - ignore the Word. You can’t; that’s all there is to it.

And why would you? If you have a genuine desire to be all that God wants you to be and you understand the importance of His Word, then you want to get into His Word and learn to apply it to your life. If you’ve no desire to read the Word, then there’s something wrong. Either you don’t understand its vital importance or it’s time to judge yourself and find our where you really stand with God.

Okay, enough preaching.

All of this is not to say that every Christian should read through the Bible in a year, or even two years, but it is something I highly recommend. I remember trying to read through the Bible many times, but the first time I actually accomplished it was when I discovered The One Year Chronological Bible in the New Living Translation. (This link is to the first page of my amazon store; you’ll find this particular Bible on the second row.) This Bible made all the difference in two ways.

First, it is in chronological order, meaning the way the events happened. Reading the Bible in this order made a great many things much more clear. Truly, I cannot emphasize enough the difference it made to read the Bible in this order, to see how one event led to the next and how certain people and developments affected those that followed.

Second, it is written in the common vernacular, which makes some things a lot more easily understood. Now, I know many people prefer the King James Version and I understand this. I would like to point out, though, that when the King James was written its purpose was to make the Bible, which until then had been in a language few people knew, available to the common man; it was written in the common vernacular. Don’t write off other translations; they can be quite helpful!

You may wonder, if I like this Bible so much, why I’ve decided to read a different one next year. Well, like I said, this new Bible is in a translation that is new to me, and I want to experience it. Since I have read the Bible chronologically multiple times now, I think I’ll be fine reading this one from front to back.

Of course, I could read it any way I want to. I have the schedule from the One-year Bible and so could read this one through in a year as well. I know me, though, and I’m just lazy enough that it wouldn’t be too many months before I got tired of flipping to all of those different parts of the Bible just to read it chronologically. I could also get on the ‘net and download one of the many one-year plans that are out there, but again most of them require reading a little here and a little there and the fact is I’m pretty doggone lazy, especially when dealing with hardcovers, which this one is. So I sat down, looked at the pages, and broke it down into a schedule that is uniquely mine, even to the fact that the month of December, which is notoriously busy for me, requires less reading.

But enough about me and my habits. If you would like to read through the Bible in a year yourself, now would be a good time to start thinking about next year. In truth, you could even start now and be that much ahead in the game come January 1. If you would like to buy The One Year Chronological Bible, I would appreciate your buying it through my store. I’d only make a few cents off it, but eventually those cents add up and one day they’ll actually send me a check. [grin]

If you are interested in using your existing Bible and need a plan, the resource is right here at your fingertips. I did already do a bit of searching tonight, though, so here are a few links to get you started. Mind, I’ve not really studied these sites, but at first glance they all look like good resources.

Bible Reading Plan

BiblePlan.org

The One Year Bible Online - here you can actually read online if you like

Heartlight

About.com: Bible reading plans

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C

Doesn’t that entry title sound official? LOL!

We’ve had some encouragement in the past week. It looks like (crossing fingers) we’re going to be given some slightly used kitchen appliances - oven, range, microwave, venthood, dishwasher (makes two; I guess we’ll be selling one) and possibly a refrigerator. I almost didn’t share this because we don’t have them in hand yet and until we do I’m always cautious, but it does look like we’ll get them.

It also looks like we might be about to get our contractor for at least a few weeks. I’m hoping and I’m praying anyway. You are welcome to hope and pray with me.

In the meantime, all the delays (most of which were weather related) have really stuck it to us financially and at this point our son/project manager says we don’t have enough money left to finish the project. It’s time to start selling things around here, obviously, but we need to figure out how to best go about doing that. Wisdom is something we need.

So…does anyone in the Baytown/Houston, TX area want to buy an antique clawfoot tub, an overhead door, used washer and dryer that haven’t BEEN used in years (Gas, which we’ve not had in years)… Eeek, but the list is intimidating. I know that in theory I need to have a garage sale, but I’m not sure when/how to pull that off either, especially now that I have yet another part time job. Garage sales are WAY outside my comfort zone…well, except when I’m shopping at them.

Anyway, I really am encouraged and hope to see some serious progress in the very near future. YAY!

Celebrating Jesus!
Tammy C