Bye-bye Hanukkah

Okay i failed miserably.  I had planned to write all the entries ahead of time and schedule them to post at sundown each day.  I got behind in writing and then all of a sudden i missed a day.  At that point, i didn't care because it was Christmas Eve, and i had a sick husband and full schedule.  We didn't go to his family function that night, so we had to squeeze in a short visit in between Christmas morning at home and Christmas afternoon at my mom's.  We were going to get there at 1, but then i changed it to three so we could have lunch, but i forgot Nathaniel parents were going to my mom's for dessert.  So we skipped lunch (just stopped by and said hi at his uncle's house), but still ended up getting to my mom's at three because of traffic and leaving our house late.  I got Nathaniel Halo 3 laser tag, and of course we had to try it out. 

Friday we went to my grandma's and saw my aunts, uncles, and

 cousins.  There were latkes there, so i still had some, but i never got around to making them. I bought the mix that same day. Not sure how i thought i would make some before Hanukkah ended anyway. Oh, and let me see if i remember this all: has anyone seen a camera?  It was last seen at uncle Kevin's, but maybe uncle Joe's.  It could be in the parking lot, but it's NOT in the car.  Dang it, i think i got the uncle's names wrong, but let me know if you find it, okay?  There is a picture of Lizzie before her winter formal on there.

This weekend we went to San Diego because Nathaniel won a hotel stay at a banquet last year (didn't think he'd be using it). It expired today so we had to use it.  It was for Ayres, most of which are in our area.  The only one any significant drive away was in Alpine, 30 minutes outside of  SD.  So we stayed there and went to the Rueben H. Fleet and Aerospace museums.  That was a lot of fun, except at the end of the second one, because there was a Star Trek exhibit (costs extra, and we aren't fans) next to the Great War exhibit, so there was this annoying tinkling sound while i was trying to read about the Red Baron.  Didn't quite fit the mood.

Yesterday i had to work, and didn't leave until 6:15p, at which point Hanukkah was over.   So there are my excuses.  Right now Nathaniel is at a test for a job.  Hopefully he gets it because then not only will we have a 2nd steady income, but also health insurance!  Yeah, we have some now, but each through our parents, so it could be taken away anytime.  That reminds me, i need to work on adding him to my auto insurance.  The people are slow to respond to email, and this is the only day i have to call during business hours.  I always forget/don't have time during lunch.

In addition to laser tag, we also got a couple party games and a PS2 for Christmas, so i think we need to have a gamenight soon.

The Gospel Call

The Gospel, or Outward, Call is the outward proclamation of the Gospel. It is for all, regardless of nationality, gender, class, etc. It is not to be confused with the Effectual, or Inward, Call, which we will talk about on Day 4. A person can hear the gospel call, yet never hear the effectual call. A person cannot hear the inward call without first hearing the outward call.

Essentially, the goesepl call consists of establishing the truth of man's fallen nature, of telling the existence of a savior in Jesus's perfect life, death on a cross, and resurrection, and a request to repent. God uses men to carry forth the gospel call, but that doesn't mean man has any hand in salvation, since a person can hear the Gospel (many times, even) and never be saved.

Well, i sort of already talked about this in the introduction and i've been really busy, so today's post is going to be really short, but here is a recipe for potato latkes. I never got around to making them the other day.

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)
2 cups peeled and shredded potatoes
1 tablespoon grated onion
3 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup peanut oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Place the potatoes in a cheesecloth and wring, extracting as much moisture as possible.
2. In a medium bowl stir the potatoes, onion, eggs, flour and salt together.
3. In a large heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat, heat the oil until hot. Place large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the hot oil, pressing down on them to form 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick patties. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other. Let drain on paper towels. Serve hot!

For further study, please listen to Our World Fallen and Our World Redeemed by Flame.

(Happy Hanukkah!) Election/Predestination

I'm going to try my hand at potato latkes tonight.  I saw a box mix at the store and might just end up going that route.  I don't really have the time required to make them from scratch.  >.<  Cheaper this way.  Even easier, but definitely not cheaper OR healthier and probably not kosher, would be to go ot Krispy Kreme.  Doughnuts (soufganiot) are another traditional Hanukkah food, believe it or not!  Everything's fried, because it's all about the oil.  Oh, now you're interested.  ;)

I normally find election and predestination separated in Ordo Salutises, but that gives me nine parts, and I only need eight.  They've always seemed like synonyms to me anyway.

God created the universe world and man.  Man sinned.  God sent His Son to live a perfect life and die for those sins, blameless Himself.  By grace, some are awoken from their sin and called to repentence.  They then repent, believe, and are granted eternal life.  This is not the work of the human at all, but completely grace and the work of God.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  No one goes to the Father except through Him.  (John 14:6)  This means understanding man's fallen nature and the need for a savior, what Jesus did, and repenting of one's own sins and following Jesus.  Only then can one have assurance of eternity in Heaven.  The best part?  The assurance.  Since it's all God's work and all grace, you don't need to freak out about how bad your were, thinking you can lose your salvation.  Instead, you repent and ask for grace.  Sin isn't something that is going to go away in this life.

I'm not bunny trailing.  It's great because when God is immutable, or unchanging.  When He decides He wants to do something, He does it.  So He decided He wanted to save some from Hell.  Many people have a problem with this, that God only saves some and not all, even going as far to say it isn't fair.  You want fair?  Try Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  God is just, so fair is to punish sin with its due punishment: death.  Christ paid that debt.  But not for all!  He only elected some.  Why some and not all, we don't know, but we should be thankful that it is ANY.  Some people get sad about this (although I bet the same people wouldn't mind Hitler, Hussein, and their least favorite high school classmate going to Hell), but it would be diminushing God's deity if He let some slip in a "side door" in Heaven because they never heard the gospel even though they have unpunished sins.  When someone is saved, they are covered with the blood of Christ and deemed righteous, worthy of eternal Life, but only because they are in Christ.  It is nothing they themselves did.  So it isn't a pride thing, because if someone is "proud" to be a believer and develops an us vs them mindset, then maybe they aren't really saved, but it's more of a culture thing.

I promise I'm on the same track as the post title tells.  I mentioned election.  Now what about predestination?  Well, God determined all events before the beginning of time.  He doesn't change His mind and He doesn't wait for advice from us, the clay.  This is what i was getting at by saying God is immutable.  He decided He was going to do this, and it was and will be done.  Many people think that Jesus died for ALL and is waiting for them to accept Him.  If this is the case, then salvation is possible for all but definite for none, as oppososed to the fact that it is definite for the elect.  It is only logical that all will be saved or the elect will be saved.  We've already seen that Jesus is the only way to Heaven, so the former is clearly not the case.

You can see shadows of this in the Old Testament.

• Only Noah, his family, and select animals were saved when God flooded the earth.
  
• When the high priest offered the "big sacrifice," it was still only for the 12 tribes of Israel.
• Israel was God's chosen people out of all the world.  This was the physical people group of Israel.  With Christ's Atonement, it has been limited to only the spiritual Israel, but also extended to the entire physical world.
• At Passover, only those with blood on their doors and following the other guidelines were spared the death of their firstborn son.

Here are plenty of examples of limited atonement in the Old Testament that nobody (not literal, because i don't know) is contesting.  Yet when this concept is fulfilled in the New Covenant, all of a sudden everybody has a problem with it.  It doesn't sit right, but at the same time, it's wonderful if you focus on the free gift God gives out of love.  If you are saved, you can understand this.  It...makes you speechless when you stop and really try to comprehend what it means for God to save a wretched sinner.  Sin and depravity must really be understood first before grace can be understood.  Without that, election and predestination does seem like foolishness.  It's not, though, and to say so is just showing the foolishness of your own heart.

Okay, so i did not go in the direction I had intended.  So sue me, it's a blog, i never promised any groundbreaking theological essays.  I'm just finding my own way to celebrate Hanukkah.

For further study, please check out the following resources:

• Mongerism
  
• Studies in the Atonement
• Penelope Judd
• Predestination

Now go be festive and deep fry something, kay?

Hanukkah:Fulfilled! 2008 - Ordo Salutis

Wow, Hanukkah and Christmas are really creeping up on me.  The month has been flying by so fast.  At the same time, it seems like such a long time since Thanksgiving.  Yet, here we are five days away from Hanukkah and nine days away from Christmas.  I decided that each year I am going to do a different series for Hanukkah.  I already have the next few topics picked out.  ^__^  This year I have chosen Sotierology.

Why Soteriology?  Hanukkah is a celebration of Light over Darkness!  Also, as I have stated in my previous post on the subject, it commemorates the rededication of the Temple after desecration.  The temple was shadow of our own bodies, and i'm paralleling rededication to salvation.  The temple was already God's, as we were from eternity, but then sin desecrated our standing.  Then God redeemed us.  That just happened the one time and no rededication of our lives is necessary.  It's an ongoing sanctification and faith.  Just as the Jews don't rededicate the Temple every Hanukkah (that i know of), we can commemorate the atonement.  I figure the most natural way to do this in a blog for Hanukkah would be to go the route of the Ordo Salutis and post one component each day.

So check back on Sunday evening for my post on election & predestination.  Don't be confused if you thought that the first day of Hanukkah is the 22nd, because it is.  By the Hebrew calendar, the days are from sundown to sundown.  So Hanukkah starts at sundown on the 21st (making the first day the 22nd) and ends at sundown on the 29th.  The first day is always 25th Kislev, but the Hebrew calendar doesn't align with the Gregorian (ours) exactly so that's why it's seemingly jumping around from year to year.  Speaking of years, it's 5769 according to the Hebrew calendar.  Didn't your history teacher teach you about all that Y5K hype going on in Israel in 1238?

Acid Reflux

Sorry for the abundance of ad-sy posts recently, folks. I just like to tell people about good deals or causes when I hear about them. I'm working on some more substanstial posts but in the meantime, i've got somewhat of an update.

Last week i woke up feeling sick but i knew i couldn't be pregnant (good thing, we can barely afford ourselves right now!) so i called in to work and went to the doc (on Nathaniel's urging, not my idea). She prescribed me medicine, gave me fact sheets, and told me to go on a acid-reflux diet for two weeks. At first it didn't sound so bad, but MAN i didn't realize how necessary some foods are, and how attached to others i am. Or just how long two weeks really is.

I can't have anything acidic, caffeinated, chocolate, fatty, or greasy. Also not most dairies. That pretty much left me with rice and bread. What made it worse was that we had just done a big grocery shopping two days prior. With coupons in one hand, Target gift cards in the other, and a sharp eye, we packed the cart with great deals. For food that included Candy Cane holiday milk (oh, peppermint is also out), Chocolate Mint Truffle (which i just realized i didn't use a coupon for grrr) creamer, Chocolate Truffle (see a pattern?) Folgers (we're not Folgers fans, but it was on sale, so we'll give this line a try) Gourmet Selections coffee, shredded cheddar cheese, pasta sauce, chocolate (is it real chocolate, though?) cereal, and other stuff i can't (don't want to) remember.

One day last week my coworker brought doughnuts. They were surprised i didn't eat any. Hey, even though i didn't do well in school, i do stick to things. It wasn't easy with them sitting out in the open with that sweet smell wafting up at me when i walk by, but i am rather proud of myself in resisting the temptation. What was even harder was a wedding that i went to Saturday. The pre-dinner snack was coffee, lemonade, chips, and salsa. The last three of which i could tell was homemade. People kept raving about them. I only had one chip but i wonder if i could've had more. I mean, i'm pretty sure they were baked. I hated having to ask the servers what everything was, and then later picking through my food with my husband sitting next to me eating like i wanted to. Then the cake was chocolate and many people at the table got coffee as it started cooling down. ::sigh:: Not as bad was agape feast on Sunday. We had lunch before church and weren't going to go, but i ended up staying. I was still full from lunch so i didn't even have to bother picking out what i can and cannot eat.

Speaking of lunch, i had a soup and salad (and bread-corn, even though the garlic looked soooo good) combo. I thought that would be easy, until the waitress asked me what type of dressing i wanted. Oops, can't have Ranch. I opted for the French. I didn't know what's in it, but figured it to be lower-fat than the others, all of which i know i couldn't have (or want, in the case of honey dijon). It was actually pretty good, and it was at that moment i realized i should look at the bright side of this diet: a chance to try something new. I'm not stubborn or too picky, but if i know what i like, i'm not going to try something else. Same with milk. I am somewhat lactose-intolerant and also vie for the 2%. I swear against whole, 1%, non-fat, and soy. Nathaniel thought it would be a good idea to get me Silk Very Vanilla Soymilk for my cereal, and he was right! She likes it! Hey Becky!

Still, don't think i'm going to give up coffee, salsa, or chocolate anytime soon. Tuesday, i'm having Mint Chocolate Truffle Chocolate Truffle coffee, chocolate cereal, tuna (oh yeah, that's out too) salad, and pasta. I'm starting to grow weary of my consumption of apples, applesauce, and apple juice, the one (three) thing on my safe list that i like-like and not just not dislike. Maybe after that i'll try to keep it easy, because it's not like keeping away from certain foods will make my body like them any better. I'll just stop ignoring it as much from now on.

Mid-Week PSA's

Dear Readers,

I'm writing to let you know about a terrible piece of legislation called "The Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA).

FOCA would establish the right to abortion as a fundamental right (like the right to free speech) and wipe away every restriction on abortion nationwide.

It will eradicate state and federal abortion laws the majority of Americans support and prevent states from enacting protective measures in the future.

• FOCA will do away with state laws on parental involvement, on partial-birth abortion, and on all other protections.


• FOCA will compel taxpayer funding of abortions.


• FOCA will force faith-based hospitals and healthcare facilities to perform abortions.

Please read the expert analysis by Americans United for Life (AUL) and sign the Fight FOCA petition at: http://www.fightfoca.com/

Thank you,
Becky

---------------------
Let's help each other out!

As a DSL Extreme client, I know firsthand they provide the ULTIMATE Internet experience. From their ultra fast and reliable DSL connection to their award winning technical support, DSL Extreme is truly superior. Being a DSL Extreme customer has its rewards – like getting free service just for spreading the savings to my friends and family. In fact, every time I refer a friend who joins the DSL Extreme, well both get up to a $20.00 credit towards our DSL Extreme service.

It is a reliable service for only $24.95/mo. Let me know if you want to sign up and i'll send you an email. Or just go sign up and make sure to put kdforever as your referrer on the order form. Just please don't be like Nathaniel's dad and sign up without mentioning us at all. ::sigh:: If you use cable, make the switch to the faster DSL today! If you still use dial-up...first, sorry. Second, now is the perfect time to awake from the dark ages. Here's to a new age of Youtube and Hulu!

Also let me know if you want to sign up for MyPoints.com (i've gotten $190 in gift cards so far) or ING Direct, who have higher interest rates (the good kind that earn you money) than most banks and NO FEES. Of course, both of these have sign-up bonuses for both you and I, so what are you waiting for!?

HBEF Barnes & Noble Bookfair

I don't know where i'm buying my book (Tales of Beedle the Bard) yet. It's cheaper from Walmart or Target if they have it in stock, but it seems you can only order online from there, which makes BN or Borders the better choice. This isn't just for HP merch though. If you plan on doing any shopping at BN soon, why not take note of this number and help out a non-profit while your at it?

--------------

Make this a Very Harry Holiday by supporting the HPEF (Harry Potter Education Foundation) Beedle Bookfair at Barnes & Noble!

Are you planning to buy a copy or twelve of The Tales of Beedle the Bard this holiday season? Wait! Be sure you get your Beedle from a Barnes & Noble store between Thursday, December 4th (the release day for the new book by JK Rowling!) and Wednesday, December 10th using the HPEF Bookfair voucher. In fact, make all your holiday book, CD, and DVD purchases during the Bookfair dates! Every B&N purchase made then and using the voucher or the HPEF number of 352096 will have a portion of the proceeds donated back to HPEF to continue our literacy endeavors.

So how can you help? Go to any Barnes & Noble from December 4-10, 2008. Shop in the store for anything, that's right, ANYTHING.* Take all your items to the cashier, and give them the voucher or Bookfair number before you pay. After you've made your purchase, take your items home, and know that you just helped HPEF. And if your B&N has a Café, use the voucher for those lattes and scones you get. Every penny helps.

You can double your giving. Every B&N has a Holiday Book Drive. When you come into your store, select a book to purchase and donate to their Book Drive recipient and use the Bookfair voucher. One purchase helps HPEF and a child in your community. See a bookseller in your local store for details.

It's really that easy. Every single purchase you make during our Bookfair helps. It's your gift to us without having to worry about what's on our wish list. Make the gift even better by forwarding this email and information on to everyone you know…family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, other HP fans, and anyone else you can think of. You don't have to be a part of HPEF to make a beneficial Bookfair purchase, and you don't have to buy just HP titles. Anyone can buy anything to help. It's such an easy way to help in these tough economic times.

Want to know more? Need a voucher? Visit our page here for further details and a full FAQ. In advance, thank you for your support, and a very safe and happy holiday season to you and yours.

Heather French
HPEF Bookfair Liaison


*Ok, there's a few exceptions…no gift cards, textbooks, magazine subscriptions, or membership fees will apply to the Bookfair. But, really, anything else helps!

--------------

So what are you waiting for? Get down and buy some books and help people out! It's a win-win situation. I mean dude, it even covers the drinks. That's awesome.