Quick Takes

Seven Quick Takes is the brain child of the brilliant Jen Fulwiler. Find more Quick Takes here, and while you're there, subscribe to her blog, because she's a great writer.

And onto the list!

1. Is it impious to call Ezekiel "the Flannery O'Conner of the Bible"? They really do seem to have a lot in common: crudity, vivid imagery and a terrifying sense of the holiness of God.

2.There are a couple of magazine subscriptions we receive every couple of months even though we never signed up for them. One is a men's magazine that's less scandalous than some (everyone's clothed, but barely). Happily there's a trash can right next to our mail box. In it goes!

But this week, also without us ever asking for it, we got a rosary in the mail. With Pope John Paul on it. That is not scandalous, but it will probably also never find use inside this house, given that we're Anglican.

Still . . . a publication full of scantily clad women vs. a Catholic rosary? The variety present amongst our unsolicited mail astonishes me.

3. I worry about the state of grammar in our household. On the one hand, my eldest daughter spontaneously rattled off a list of pronouns ("him, her, their, theirs, it, its . . .") when the word "pronoun" was mentioned in conversation at my parent's house the other day. On the other hand, I overheard this argument between my three-year-old twins recently, as they fought over seating space:

"There no plenty room!"

"Yes there ARE!"

3. Have you ever bought a big bottle of Pedialyte when your kids were sick, only to find that it was a 24-hour bug, and they were well before half of that bottle was used? Breaks my frugal little heart. BUT, I discovered that there is such a thing as Pedialyte pops. They come in plastic, freezable tubes, sort of like Otter Pops, but filled with Pedialyte instead. (They even come in store brands.)

The wonderful thing about them is that you only use the amount you need, and the rest of it can stay, unfrozen, in the cabinet until you're ready to use it. You don't even have to freeze them - you can just open a pop and pour it into a cup for the poor, pukey darling.

I just pass it on in case anyone else might find it useful. Though I hope no one actually needs the knowledge, as pukey kids do not equal the awesome.

4. My husband pointed out that referring to myself as a "fiber artist" in my one of my posts was kind of geeky. (At least I didn't say "fibre artist".) I said, well, "crocheter" sounds funny. And "hooker" is even worse.

He replied that I could pronounce the first one "croshitter."

I married such a helpful guy.

6. I read a blog comment today that stated that abortion rights shouldn't be thought of as a "women's issue" because stating it that way inadvertently confirmed the "gender binary" as a norm (i.e., that there are only two sexes and only one of them needs abortions). I'm just boggling at that a bit, and sharing my bogglement with you. You're welcome.

No, seriously, I think it's sort of horrifying that the conversation has gone that far in some quarters. Or at least, that it's gone that far in a non-theoretical sense.

7. I think I figured out why three-year-old twins are such trouble. When my oldest was that age, and wanted to do something, she'd ask me. When my son was that age, he'd ask my eldest, and my eldest would say, "Let's ask Mom."

But my twins? They ask each other. And they always think it's a good idea. And I don't find out about it until they are miles into their new creative endeavour.

Have a great weekend, folks!

Peace of Christ to you,

Jessica Snell