by Kimberly | Feb 16, 2012 | Uncategorized
I’ve been wondering what all of this Downton Abbey hype was all about. Seems like lately many friends on facebook, male and female, have been hooked on this show set in England in the time period during or after WWI. So, being on vacation this week, I found the DVDs and just decided to pick random episodes and watch them, so I could be “educated”. Here are my thoughts.
1. The architecture and clothing is tremendous. They have done an excellent job – as many Masterpiece Theatre productions to.
2. There are many stellar actors and actresses, so they have cast the roles well. The acting and the writing is decent and at some points, exceptional.
3. There is a theme of improving one’s standing in society – especially for the service staff. I love this idea. I love how you can do some thing more than your ancestors have done before – and that no one can stop you but yourself . Isn’t this what America was based on?
4. That’s where my postives end.
The storylines that I have seen on the episodes I have watched are these: backstabbing, gossip, revenge, adultery, fornication, lying, elitism, favoritism, family strife, ego, etc. These are not beneficial. They aren’t beneficial to our viewing as believers.
So, I’m not saying, don’t watch this show. I’m more concerned with the viewing with a biblical worldview. If the only reasons you are watching this show is because of the costumes and architecture – there are other shows you can be watching. You don’t have to also watch two adults making love in their bed and then one dying, or sisters backstabbing each other and conniving to win the affections of men they don’t even care about.
I have to admit I grew up on a lot of television and movies. I still watch a lot of movies. But I am very thankful for marrying someone who doesn’t even watch television, we don’t have cable. It takes the pressure and desire away to watch shows: even like Mentalist, CSI, NCIS, etc. Shows that I’ve loved. But, they aren’t necessarily good for my spiritual well-being.
Watch with caution if you decide to watch at all.
by Kimberly | Jan 31, 2012 | photo shoot, Uncategorized
I remember the day I got engaged…a dear friend called and told me that she was dating this guy…and she was excited about it! Well, this past weekend my husband and I got to hang out with this fun couple and take their engagement shots. It was a lot of fun: a lake, a guitar, coffee, nutella, and waffles. Makes for a great day: and hopefully a start to a wonderful marriage! May God bless yall. I look forward to the wedding next month!
by Kimberly | Jan 23, 2012 | Uncategorized
I think 90% of all the posts I read today or over the weekend was about Joe Paterno, abortion, or the election. Sometimes, I’d like to read something different – that’s what I often turn to Abraham Piper for something out of the ordinary.
Our friends got engaged yesterday. Sweet time.
I have had really nothing to blog about – that’s why its been quiet. If you want to know what’s been on my mind: here you go:
Comfort
My husband – we spent a great weekend in the mountains only to have to return on Saturday night. Why do vacations have to end?
Community
Obeying Scripture even when its hard
Burdens
My Mom
The future
And God has all of that taken care of. I don’t need to stress about it.
I finished a couple of library books this weekend, so thankful for the library for those books I want to speed read. This week is full of meetings, group meetings, cooking, and hanging out with folks. Sometimes though I just want to stay home and be comfortable!
These looked yummy for breakfast – and they are healthy. Will maybe try them out.
by Kimberly | Jan 18, 2012 | Uncategorized
When I was in seminary at Southeastern, there were three things I knew about Dr. Kostenberger: accent (he’s from Austria), Marni (his wife), and brilliant (he just is)! So, when I saw this book come across the Crossway publishing desk, I picked it up solely based on a blog review I read of it. I wanted to apply this topic of excellence to every aspect of my life.
This book greatly surprised me. Not many books do that. I either expect them to be great and they are, or I expect them to be dull and boring (so, I don’t pick them up). This book surprised me on its applicability and its readability.
The first part of the introduction is worth price of the book. Dr. Kostenberger gives his life’s story of how he came to faith and where he is now. But, don’t stop there. The rest of the introduction proves helpful if you just want to pick up the book and read a chapter or two. He gives a brief synopsis on each chapter.
Dr. K doesn’t start with excellence because he is brilliant. He starts with excellence because that is how God does all things. He communicates the centrality of God’s excellence in all He does and expresses to us the need for us to do that also, to rightly bear the image of God. Of course, we can only do this by grace and through the Holy Spirit living in us.
This book is mostly geared toward seminary students and other educators, but I think its lessons can be applied to everyone. Whether you are a homemaker, a writer, a banker, or nanny…whatever your job or call in life – do it with excellence. Pick this book up, at least the first half (but I challenge you to read the entire book) and read a chapter at a time (they are short, most around 10-12 pages). And ask the Spirit to help you apply what Kostenberger wrote.
by Kimberly | Jan 16, 2012 | Uncategorized
Half way through the month of the first of 12 for 2012. How are you doing so far on those New Years Resolutions? I know the above picture makes you long for spring (or at least it makes me want to)!
I’ve been thinking about a TON recently, some of which I’ve made known some of which I haven’t.
I really like this blog, it allows me to connect with people with thoughts in my head, photos out of my camera, and food that gets cooked in my kitchen. But, honestly, I’m a little TIRED of other forms of social media (true social media). The one I leave out right now is Pinterest, because it works as a creative google reader for me. I’m speaking mainly of two: Facebook and Twitter . FB: I’ve used it rather well – to stay connected with people, to know what they are doing, to build relationships that I would not have otherwise built, etc. That has been good. Twitter got opened later to basically be a voice for the blog and for companies and the curriculum I am writing. one of those has got to go. I think I know which one. Here is why
FB: voyerism is becoming an American lifestyle. I wake up and look at my phone. We don’t have internet at the house, so I want to know whats going on in the world and I look at FB while I am still under the covers. Why? Is anything really that important? Do I nreally need to consume my life with things that shouldn’t? I want to be authentic at authentic community and FB walls and status updated don’t allow the freedom to do that without everyone stating their own opinion (which isn’t that the real reason you make your status that anyway? – Be honest!
I love email and text messages. I love books. I love blogs and face to face communication times. I want to be known for ME, to be REALLY known, not just known by why I put on FB or twitter.
So, I think that is going to go. Soon.
In other news:
Finishing Quarter 4 this week
Trying to be more intentional with my reading, setting timers: things like that.
Going to the mountains this weekend, very excited about that.
Did you know that you could get “shorts” at Starbucks – meaning a size smaller than the tall. I love it! Less calories, less full, less money!
I want authentic community.
What are you reading right now: Lit!, Walking in the Spirit, The Meaning of Marriage, Psalms, James, Glenn Miller & His Orchestra, Pure Style, Excellence – definitely a varied little stack right now.
What does it take to be a true trend setter? Not to be someone who just follows up and has opinions about what everyone else is talking about – but true ideas for themselves? I’m not trying to ignore or think that it is not true that “there is nothing new under the sun” – but really, I think I had about 50 friends post a Jesus>Religion video and think that it was the greatest thing since sliced bread, then come back the next day and had about half as many friends post the links from Kevin DeYoung and others that talked about how that video wasn’t actually the right way to think (and they thought that video was great). Where do true trendsetters come from? How do we think creatively with the brains and hearts and passions that God has given EACH of us?
Here are some links:
Juicing benefits
Whole Grains – and I’m not talking about making lucky charms with the white check on the box meaning that its whole grain. HA! I would love to have the full health benefits from what I eat.
by Kimberly | Jan 10, 2012 | Uncategorized
I’ll maybe get back to really posting on Mondays – but not this week. I thought better late than never.
This month is a little crazy (but so good, can’t wait), so I thought I’d give you a preview: engagement shoot with fun couple in Raleigh, husband getaway to Black Mountain, worship conference with said husband in Charlotte, finish quarter 4 of Treasuring Christ, prepare for a conference I’m speaking at the first wknd of February, write a journal article due the middle of February (must get it to my editor), starting eating and cooking with meat again (PTL – more on that later), have a birthday, date night with friends, start a book small group with others on Keller’s The Meaning of Marriage, um…then normal life stuff!
My year of vegetarianism is over officially today! With few exceptions (honeymoon, hospitality passes, special holidays) I did stick with it. I think I learned more about self-control then I thought I would. Toward the end it was hard, a few times I snuck some bites of keilbasa (new years black eyed peas). I can honestly tell you I can’t wait to be able to cook some of my fave dishes for my husband that he hasn’t been able to eat so far! White chicken chili, chicken korma, meatball subs, sweet and spicy cashew chicken, kung pao chicken, roasted chicken, chicken salad – can you tell I’ve missed chicken! I wont’ go back to eating all meat – but I’ll eat it more than I did last year!
The cookbook I’ve decided on for this year – is Whole Grain Baking by King Author Flour. Hubs and I do well with whole grains – as we all should – so I look forward to trying new techniques and recipes. I’ll also be working my way through the recipes I’ve torn out of mags over the recent years. See if there are any keepers or not.
The college football season didn’t end too excitingly last night – from what I hear – I mean it was a repeat game with similar playing. Oh, well. Didn’t have too much time to watch football this past fall anyway.
Are you a clutter bug? I can be, so I’m taking her on – I did one earlier.
That’s really all I got this week. Have a great one!
