Links: Mars, screen-time, writing, and more!

I always like (or at least find interesting) all the links I post, but for my money, the best one of this batch is #3 by Shannon Hale. Writing and mothering - she's speaking my language!

"Our Guts May Hate Mars":

Martian colonists could probably live for years on food grown without soil. The question is, could they live on it for decades? Could their children grow up on it? Are there hidden hazards that would not become apparent until much later? To put these questions another way: Can we identify and reproduce the ecosystem services of Earth for a lifetime?

"How to Semi-Unplug":

I'm not going to "kill my TV," as the bumper sticker suggests, and I'm not going to quit screen time cold turkey. I don't even think that would even automatically solve the problem: I recently heard about a fellow who gave up the internet for a year, and he reports that his bad habits were very adaptable. When he stopped wasting time online, he just started wasting it other ways.

But I also know that something has to be done! We can fool ourselves that lots of screen time is no big deal, but we all know that it is.

"Writing and mother: how I (sort of) do both":

One of the most common questions I get: How do you find time to write and be a mother? I've written twice about this, when I had one kid and again when I had two. I reread what I wrote there and find everything is still relevant. But I want to add, because now I have four small children, ages 2 1/2 - 9, and life is very tricky. Even if I wasn't a writer and didn't work outside the home, having two school-aged kids and two toddlers makes for a tricky, tricky day. So how do I manage to do both?

"This summer, exult in monotony":

Perhaps summer is the perfect time to bring life back into a rhythm where we hear the cadence of His voice. Children do thrive in a home where rhythms are strong and consistent. They really love repetition. I think it is the grown-ups who mess it all up.

Links!

"Meaning":

Rogation days are set aside for special intercession for the harvest, and they pop up periodically throughout the church year, mostly during times of planting and times of harvest. They’re funny artifacts of an older age, noted in history as days in which congregations prayed over seed that had been sown, urging God to bring it to fruition to feed the community. Traditional ceremonies included having the parish priest and congregation process through the fields with incense, praying aloud for God’s blessing on the crops. In some parts of England, churches maintain that medieval tradition today, and it’s a funny thing to picture, figures in 21st century garb, probably most of them elderly, traipsing through the fields while a priest intones ancient prayers, then stopping by Marks and Spencer for the evening’s groceries on the way home.

"Prevailing Over Depression":

No Christian, no human being, can know evil exists and be totally cheerful. The only way we survive is the hope grounded in knowledge, faith, that God will rectify all pain and suffering. Part of being a child of God is resting in His care, but part of being a man or woman of God is knowing everything will not be alright this side of death.

"Self Care":

Yesterday, right after the daylilies, I had a conversation with Sarah. I needed to spill how overwhelmed I'm feeling and she was the safe place. We didn't get far into the conversation before she said, "That's just not gonna work. You need to figure out how to feed yourself or you won't be of any use to anyone.There's gotta be a way." 

"Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning":

So if a crew member falls overboard and everything looks OK—don’t be too sure. Sometimes the most common indication that someone is drowning is that they don’t look like they’re drowning. They may just look like they are treading water and looking up at the deck. One way to be sure? Ask them, “Are you all right?” If they can answer at all—they probably are. If they return a blank stare, you may have less than 30 seconds to get to them. And parents—children playing in the water make noise. When they get quiet, you get to them and find out why.

Tandem Nursing Preemie Twins

Today I'm happy to be blogging over at Baby Bellies! If you remember, my youngest two daughters are twins who were born at 33 weeks gestation. After a rocky start, I successfully nursed them till they were almost two years old. So, head on over here, and read my top five tips for nursing preemie twins! (and please do feel free to pass on the link to new twin moms who might need it. Thanks!)

-Jessica Snell