Eating Responsibly

I lovingly encourage (and exhort) all you ladies to watch the following video, produced by the Humane Society of America, on a Christ-centered approach to caring for the animals God has given us to Steward and to consider your participation in factory farming. I ask you to watch it, knowing it will be difficult, and to not turn away but allow yourself to be challenged.

A Sunny Saturday at Home (and the Antique Store)

Hey Ladies, I hope your corner of the world was as lovely as ours was today. It was bright and sunny this morning and though we had a bit of rain in the afternoon it got sunny again and I LOVE how late the sun is setting these days. No more winter, yay!! Caleb and I went for a walk and had brunch together and I spent most of the rest of the day doing housewifery (with the important interuption of a trip to our towns newest antique store!!).

You all know I am NOT Martha Stewart and not much of an interior decorator, but I just couldn't look at my winter decorations anymore. You might remember them below:



So I got to putting the red and white stuff away:

Winter decor debris. If you look closely you will see 1) a decaf grande one pump vanilla nonfat latte from mmmmmmmmStarbucks, and 2) Mark Driscoll preaching the word on my laptop- two important accessories for a day of housework. I started playing around with what I had and tried to figure something out, and this was midway through:

Yeeeee-ikes. So, I realized I didn't really have anything, or any ideas, so I headed out to the new Antique Market in town (yay!).

I found this cool retro fan (which still works by the way) for a good deal.

I found these three lanters, also for a good deal.

So this is what I came up with for the piano top, simple but I like old stuff. :)

I also took this antique photo album out of storage and am using it in the livingroom now for decoration; I think it looks nice.

So it was a full day and it's church tomorrow so I am cozying up here in the couch with Stuart. And by the way, here is a recent, incredibly cute photo I took of Stuey:

I'm going to finish the evening by enjoying the following treasures I found at the antique store for five dollars each!! I can't WAIT to get all the great retro art out of these gems.

Thanks for stopping by, ladies! Hope you all have a great day of worship and fellowship at your churches tomorrow. More posts soon!

Update on Bob- Praise and Prayer

another photo of Bob with his beloved Romanian kids

Hi Friends!

Thank you all so so much for your prayers for Bob. They mean the world to me and his family. I received the following update fron his wife Jan. He is doing better, but still needs lots of prayer as this is a long road to recovery. I am truly humbled by all who have said they are praying. Thank you again, and I'll be back soon with more housewifery. :)

April 2nd Bob donated a kidney in Ottawa to his nephew
Two weeks of great recovery for them both and then Bob began to feel a bit unwell.
Things turned serious last Thursday when Bob and Jan went to emergency to see about what was going on. What followed was an emergency surgery on Saturday morning to remove Bob's colon. Today, Wednesday almost a week later and he is beginning to improve. Today was a good day and it seems possible yet unbelievable that he will be able to come home from the hospital in possibly 3-4 days if he continues to progress. He got to begin to "drink" fluids today and I've never seen someone so excited about apple juice.

Friends, family, neighbours, colleagues...everyone has been amazing. It has been quite a week for our whole extended family and we continue to journey it together.

Please continue to remember us in your thoughts and prayers, and our nephew Bryan as he continues his journey to full recovery as well.

Bob's humor is back....lots of comments that I could insert here due to my sleep depraved mood, but I know I would regret it. I guess this is a good sign, that his humor is back I mean.

I am very thankful and humbled by this situation. Each day brings something new into our lives, this past week has brought unexpected challenges and unexpected encouragements.
Thank you for your friendship and love.

Jan

Prayer Request

bob with some Romanian orphans

Greetings friends, just a quick but important prayer request. A dear friend and co-worker of mine, Bob Fukumoto, is in hospital due to severe complications from a kidney donation he recently made. Bob is a Canadian missionary to Romania, and makes multiple trips a year to work with the orphans in that nation. he has a huge heart, especially for kids, and he's just one of the funnest, funniest guys you'd ever know.

Bob recently gave a kidney to his nephew who was in great need of one. His nephew has had an awesome recovery and it appears his body is accepting the kidney just fine. Bob was doing well for a couple of weeks post-surgery but then started to have pain, and it was found that due to the surgery there was a blockage in blood flow to his large intestine. Bob had surgery over the weekend and has his *entire* large intestine removed. He is a great deal of pain and the doctors are still waitng for his intestines to start working properly post-surgery. I would greatly appreciate you prayer warriors out there to take a moment and intercede for my dear brother.

Thank you, ladies and sisters in Christ.

The Armchair Housewife Returns

Hello ladies and dear online friends! I want to say thank you all so much for your kind commetns and emails to me over the past month or more. 2009 really had a rough start for me, it has been a tough season, but God is very good and I have learned a lot and see the Lord move in this time. And I am getting back into the swing of things and getting more exciting about homemaking again.

I was in spring cleaning mode today and did something that I have been both dying to and dreading to do all winter: clean my deck! We live in a second story apartment (upstairs of a house) and have a nice upstairs deck off our kitchen. Because it's of little practical use during the late fall and winter (we do live in Canada), it ends up becoming a bad garage-like "catch all" for stuff I don't want to take care of and have no place to put in our house. Also, as you will see in a moment, becuase I was without a recycling blue box for many months, recycling was collecting outside. Eeegads... it's embarassing.

So my first post back into blogging is a confession and a before/after. Behold the nasty mess:

Angle One

Angle Two

Yikes- Angle Three

It was a gorgeous day to be cleaning, here is a shot mid-way through the shovel-out:

The deck is far from "finished". I have a number of furniture items at the back of the deck that need to be put out on our next large item garbage pick-up day. But it's a heck of a lot better, behold:

Unfortunately the deck is old and there is wood rotting at the endges from water damage, and there's nothing I can really do about that. Last year we couldn't afford deck furniture but I am really hoping this year we can. I did sit out there this evening and enjoy the fruit of my labor while journaling and praying.

More photos to come once I can get that furniture out and new cute deck furniture in.

Thanks again, ladies, and God bless you all for your prayers. Be back soon!

Hard Times for this Housewife

Hi friends,

I wanted to say thank you all for your sweet comments, stopping by and saying hi and letting me know you're thinking of me. It means a lot, so thank you.

I experienced a miscarriage in March and as such have not been blogging. Caleb and I found out in mid- February that we were going to be expecting our first child, and while that was very exciting news, it wasn't too long after we found out I was pregnant that I started having concerning signs. I experienced what is referred to as a "threatened miscarriage" for two weeks until the miscarriage proper started and lasted for about five days. It was a long, hard, painful, emotionally and physically draining experience. I then had about two weeks of lightheadedness and neausea as the hormones left my body, soI am just now finally starting to feel totally normal physically. Of course emotionally there are still days when I struggle, and I know the heartache won't just disappear overnight.

So, as such I have really been just doing the bare-bones housekeeping, making sure things are cleaned up and clean clothes for our backs, but I've not had the energy, mental or physical, for much beyond that. In addition, and I share all of this as I would ask your prayers, I am having a hard time finding any joy in my homemaking post this experience. I've wanted children for many years now, and have longed to be a stay at home mom and homemaker, and I think losing this child has drained a lot of the joy I was building in my heart about being a keeper at home. I am totally at peace with knowing that my little one is in heaven with the Lord, but as for me, and the life I am still leading here, I sometmes feel a bit lost and confused through all of this.

Thank you, dear online sisters for always being an encouragement and inspiration for me about being the best homemaker I can be. I know in time I will return to my excitement about this God-ordained role, but for now I covet your prayers, and apologize for my absense on your blogs and my own.

God bless you all and I'll be back sooner rather than later, I do hope. :)

Blogging? Who, Me?

In case any of you were wondering, I wanted to let you know that I am still alive, and am checking in to your blogs when i have the time, but obviously i haven't had much time for blogging as of late. And in truth,that is reflective of the fact that I've not had much time for housewifery as of late, other than the bare minimum basics. Work has been very busy, and I've been in the office extra hours, and on top of that last weekend and into last week I had some health concerns that has me at the ER and the doctor's office and in bed. They are still ongoing but not nearly as scary as before, but I would appreciate your prayers for wellness for me. It's been a perfect storm it seems this past week or two, as just at the moment when I really can't afford to miss one minute of work, I missed two days. But I'm just praying the Lord will cover it, and give me the focus and the energy i need to make up what I missed.

I am hoping later in the week to have the time to take photos of some gorgeous new retro illustrations that I have aquired through some lovely old magazines I found a while back at the antique store, as well as a lovely issue of Ideals my friend mary (who reads this blog- hi Mary!) gave me out of her generosity. I look forward to having mor elovely images for the blog, and one of these days I want to make one of those schnazzy buttons that so many of you ladies have, and which I enjoy having in my sidebars. Coming soon, hopefully!

Blessings on your week, ladies. I hope to be back before too long with proper housewifery blogging!

Some Clarification on my Health Care Post

Friends,

Let me apologize if the use of the word spoiled offended any of you. That was not the right word to use. Let me be more clear. I do not believe that the US will move to a universal health care system anytime soon because many people are use to a level of care by their physicians that simply would not exist under a universal health care system. Canada created their universal health care system in the 20s or 30s, well before people have the kind of medical systems we have in place today, and so Canadians grew as a society with a certain expectation about health care. Because they continue to value basic health care coverage for all citizens, they keep this system in place.

In the US, however, those who can afford private health insurance have been used to, for years, a different system, where things go faster and you have more options at hand. That's not a wrong thing, and I apologize if I used the wrong words or offended anyone. But it DOES mean that not everyone can have that level of care, it's simply not possible, because when your health care is based on what people can afford to pay, then those who cannot afford it will either get no care, or the very poor will have some basic coverage (which I am glad for, as many of my relatives fall into this category), and the middle and lower middle class will go without, or go into serious debt if they face illness or injury. There is no disputing this fact, it is the truth in the US today.

In the end, it comes down to how we view health care as a commodity. If we view healthcare as just another good or service that we purchase based on what we can afford, like the kind of car we drive, or the kind of TV set we own, or what kind of vacation we go on, then it's going to remain that those who have can afford health care, and good health care, and those who do not have will have to do without, or go into debt in order to have. And some would say that, under a capatilist society, that's just the way it is.

But I have grown, personally, to see health care as something more akin to roads, or infrastructure, or fire services, or schools. Something that, as a society, we've agreed are a neccessary component of a well-functioning, and yes just and democratic society. I know that those who worked hard, and put themselves through school, and have good professional jobs probably feel like they deserve better health care than those who didn't go to school, and just work at a fast food joint. And maybe there is something to that under a capitalist mindset. But to me, just like I don't think the kid of a guy who works at Wendy's should not have a basic education, or if the lady who works as a receptionist shouldn't have her house burn down, neither do i think someone should go bankrupt if they are sick but can't afford the cost of private insurance in the US. Do you see what I'm saying? Just as road and fire services and schooling aren't an inalielable right, I still think they are something that as a society we should strive to provide for all of our citizens, on at least a basic level, and similarly I believe health care, basic healthcare at least, should fall into this category.

And I admit I am biased, because I have spent most of my life in the lower-middle class rung, and I am not being threatened with losing a system that I am used to and enjoy. That being said ,however, as Caleb's business expands and we have more income, I am still glad that we have the public health care system, and would not want to have more services if it meant that the homeless guy on the street couldn't have his basic needs met at an ER. Caleb was just saying today that they ought to be taking momre of our taxes and putting it to healthcare, and I agree with him (assuming they would actually use it for the right reason). I agree with you, Terry, that the US governemtn is wasteful and corrupt. But I also know that if it weren't for the US goverment stepping in and creating medicare, and running that system, my adorable nephew that you saw a few posts back would absolutely no way still be alive. he would have been long-deceased. So if they can get it together enough to help out the least of these in our country, maybe there's hope they could manage a complete system, as they do in Canada.

And one final note. I know that folks like the healthcare they are used to, but I also know that companies, even big companies, are cutting back their benefits big and little chunks at a time all the time. Folks are losing their benefits left and right. So while I say I can't see the US changing, if the vast majority of Americans end up with no coverage, even folks who have worked hard and are professionals but simply can't get coverage anymore, maybe things will have to change.

Thanks for weighing in, ladies, and do continue to leave comments. It's an important discussion.

My Thoughts on the Canadian Healthcare System

My good friend Terry over at Breathing Grace was wanting Canadians and Brits to weigh in on the universal/socialized medicine issue for her, and as I've been right in the middle of my Canadian health care system as of late, I have a few observations and opinions to share with Americans who are curious how it works up here. I'm sure you've heard all kinds of things, good and bad, but here goes with my experience.

First of all, I should start by saying that growing up, I was a military kid, and thus always has basic health and dental insurance. If there were military medical facilities available we would use those, and they were always fine, but if we lived in an area where they were not available, the military insurance also covered civilian treatment. So I never had to worry about seeing a doctor. We didn't usually have a "family doctor" as such, because we moved every 2-3 years, and we didn't really feel the need because we could always go to the base clinic and be seen if we needed something (if I remember correctly: mom, weigh in here if I forget).

Then, after college, I was without health insurance for a number of years. I worked in the service industry,in restaurants and low-level clerical positions, so there was no insurance to be had unless I wanted to pay more than half of my income (which was very small as it was) into an insurance plan. I believe that NY State, where I was living, has changed now and I might have been able to get some basic care under one of their programs, but at the time a few years ago, I had no options. I was able to get free gynological care from Planned Parenthood, but now as I understand how that organization works I would never step my foot in their doors again. I was ignorant at the time.

So, when Caleb and I got married, we definitely wanted to live in Canada, in large part because of the socialized health care. We lived in the States for about 9 months when we were first married, and when we got sick... we just stayed sick. We had no money for the outrageous bills that would come should we go see a doctor, so short of an emergency we were not going to a doctor. I have had chronic sinus infections for years, so there were some long, hard bouts of sickness I struggled through, but we just didn't have the money.

So, now I am here in Canada, and am I believe very blessed to have access to the Canadian health care system. But I will admit that it is different from the US health care system. I guess what I would say is here in Canada, you get the care you need, and you never have to worry about if being sick, pregnant, or injured, is going to bankrupt you, but you may have to be patient and wait your turn. I think my American friends can be surprised sometimes at when I have to wait for things, like a family doctor, or to get an appointment, or whatever, but I have never not received the care I needed, I just might not have gotten it as quickly as some of my American friends.

As a couple of examples:
1.) I was on a waiting list for about 2 1/2 years for a family doctor. Let me say here that this never felt like a big deal, however, becuase 1) as I said growing up I never really had a family doctor and 2)there are numerous walk-in clinics in the area that anytime I had a concern I was welcome to go in and be seen, and never had to wait much more than 45 minutes or so to be seen at any time. In fact, sometimes I wish I had stayed in that system, because now I have a doctor but sometimes have to wait days to see him, which brings me to

2.) I called this morning to see the doctor and can't see him until Friday morning. Now, some of you Americans might have the same kinds of waits. And usually I can see him much quicker than this, sometimes the very same day, but I think it just happens to be a busy week.

3.) It is generally understood that when you see the doctor you will only mention the one item you called about. At the walk in clinics they even have this as sign on the wall in the examination rooms. It's not as strict with your family doctor, but it's still understood you need to keep your visit to the item you called about, and not bring a bunch of other stuff up. Now, in some way that's just common sense, but I must say I found that a bit abrasive when I first moved here.

4.) I was in the ER on Saturday and, start to finish, it was an 8 hour ordeal. Now, what I went for was nothing life threatening, so of course I was triaged right away and was sent to the back of the line, and thus I was there 8 hours. And I know folks can wait just as long in US ERs, but maybe not as frequently. But, I will say that the ER I was in was incredibly clean, quiet, well-ordered, and the staff was thorough and kind. I have been in some US ERs where things were a little more hectic and nutty, and added to the stress you were under for being there.

Other differences include how quickly you get referred to a specialist for things. For instance, comparing my sister and cousins in the states who have children, and some of my Canadian friends' experiences, there are differences. Here in Canada, you stay with your General Practitioner until about 25-30 weeks, when you get switched to an OB. Of course if there are complications before that, you will get switched earlier, but generally speaking for a healthy pregnancy, you see your GP for the first 25-30 weeks of pregnancy. Also, you can chose to have a midwife instead of an OB if you wish, whom you would see well before 25 weeks of coarse, and she is also covered under the health care plan, but you get one or the other, you can't have both (not that most people would want both, but if you did you can't). So again, getting all the care you need, when you need, but just not exactly the same. it's health care needs versus perks: I know a cousin of mine had a vaginal ultrasound just about as soon as she thought she was pregnant, and then another a few weeks later, and a we more after that. Which is great for her, because she was able to track the baby's well-being. But here, you have a standard first time ultrasound scheduled for 20 weeks, but again of course if there are any concerns you would have one earlier (a friend of mine, for instance, wasn't sure of when she conceived so they ordered one right away to determine how far along she was).

And now let me say some really great things about the Canadian health care system. You never have to worry about paying anything, or a deductable, or any kind of paperwork nonsense. You just walk in, show your health card, get your treatment or care, and you're done. Even the homeless can walk into a clinic and get care if they have been injured or sick, and this gives me a real sense of pride about the country I live in. I do not believe that health care should be an inaliable right (as some do) like freedom of speech or worship, but I do believe, if a nation is wealthy enough to provide it, that if the citizenry should choose it, that a universal healthcare system should be in place. With all of the lay-offs going on with this financial crisis, and I have many folks in my church who have been affected, these folks at least don't have to worry about, if they or their families get sick while they are out of work, how they will pay for this. It's such a comfort to know.

Also, our medications are FAR cheaper than they are in the US. I will pay on average about 17-25 dollars for a full round of antibiotics. I don't know what you've experienced, but I remember paying upwards of 70-80 dollars or more for a full round of antibiotics when I lived in the US and had no insurance. And we don't have endless drug commercials up here in Canada, either, they are much more limited in the ways they are able to solicit the public, which I for one am glad about.

We have public health nurses that are a very important part of our health care system. They do home-visits for shut-ins and people recovering from surgeries, etc, who can't get to the hospital easily. Also, they visit new mothers at home to check up on their recovery and to help with breastfeeding, etc. I'm not sure if some of you have this kind of thing in your insurance plan, but I know growing up we NEVER had any kind of health care professional that came to your home.

We have a telehealth line. At any time, day or night, you can call a 1800 number and speak to a registered nurse if you have a health care concern. He or she can tell you if this concern is big enough to take the the ER or a doctor. It is done in part to keep the waits down at ERs, etc, ut I know many people, especially moms of littles, have loved having this service becuase they can call and have some quick reassurance everything is ok, or quick advice as to when to see a doctor.

There is private insurance in Canada. We do not hae a two-tier system like in the UK, where there are private doctors and hospitals. All the doctors and facilities are public. However, your employer can provide extra insurance for things like eye care, dental, chiropractic, prescription coverage, and extra things like private room coverage (I think), and overseas travel coverage, etc. So ther are ways to add more perk to your insurance, and many companies do provide this.

Overall, I am very glad about our single-payer universal health care system. I think it could be better, I know there are wait times in ERS and to see doctors, and I know if you want an MRI for instance, you are going to wait a good long while (the MRI thing is probably the biggest problem we have in Canada, and I know many Canadians will go across the border to pay to have MRIs done, it's probably the number one things Canadians will leave the country for) and there is a lot of criticism that enough of the government's budget has not been going to health care. But overall, I am pleased and thankful to have the care I have. My husband is self-employed and I am part-time employed for a small non-profit org, and in the states there's no way we'd have insurance. We'd have to buy some, and it would be outrageously priced (I know self-employed folks in the US and what they pay and it sickens me). Here, we can pay our taxes (which admittedly are a bit higher than yours) and know that at any time we can get the health care we need. Maybe not all the extra perks we want, but all the stuff we need.

I will say here that I do not believe that the US will be moving to socialized health care anytime soon, however. At least not the single payer version we have here in Canada. There is no way the insurance companies in the US, which are so entrenched and powerful, are just going to give up their entire industry and step aside and allow the government to take over. Not unless this financial crisis is so extreme that they all go completely bankrupt and have no more buying power at the government table. The health care system in Canada was put in place decades ago, before insurance companies had the kind of power they do now, so I just don't see it happening. And if yo have really great private insurance in the states and you are used to being pampered and psoiled by your doctors and have whatever you want, when ever you want it, then no, you wouldn't like switching to the Canadian version of healthcare. If, however, you find yourself struggling to pay the healt hcare bills, or you have insurance but you face the same kinds of waits I do and you're still paying deductibles and you might lose it if you lose your job, or you just don't have any insurance at all like SO many don't, then you probably would welcome gladly a system where you might wait a bit, but you get the care you need.

I'd love to hear your thoughts, ladies. I know I have both Americans and Canadians reading this blog, so let me know what you think about the whole issue.

One of My Favorite Songs of All Time

I know this is totally random, but I had this KD Lang song in my head tonight, and I found this amazing clip of her singing it live in 1990 on the Arsenio Hall show (I know... I told you it was random).




If you are someone who appreciates a beautiful voice, or good country music, or just music in general, please do yourself a favor and listen to this song, called Pulling Back the Reigns. There is a second song after it which is nice, too, but just sit back and enjoy the artistry of KD's voice in this song. It has always been one of my favorite tunes.