:. like a child .:

"When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."

~ 1 Corinthians 13:11

When I was a child:

• I thought trees created the wind with their swaying. I still really like this theory; it's very lovely to think of trees that way. (I'm not completely convinced scientists and/or meteorologists have it right.)



• I thought people in "the olden days" lived in a black and white world, since all photographic evidence pointed to that. I always felt very sorry for people who lived before "color".



• I was very confused about "which side of the family" I was on: my mom's side, or my dad's. I heard my mom use that expression once, and I was pretty worried I wouldn't be on my mom's side. (sorry, dad.)



• I thought grown-ups knew everything.



• I thought the world was a safe and happy place.



• I always hoped if I was really, really good, an angel would appear to me and tell me some big news. (Yes, just like Mary . . . only not that news.)

Now that I've 'put away childish things', I wonder how silly my thinking still looks to the One "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge"?

Yes, I'm just smart enough to know I still have a lot to learn.

:. lavish love .:

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given."

~ Isaiah 9:2,6

"He will save his people from their sins."

~ Matthew 1:21

May you receive with joy the Gift the Father has given.

O come let us adore Him!

*painting: "Nativity" by Brian Kershisnik

:. a word from ben stein* .:

"My confession: I am a Jew, and every single one of my ancestors was Jewish. And it does not bother me even a little bit when people call those beautiful lit up, bejeweled trees Christmas trees. I don't feel threatened. I don't feel discriminated against. That's what they are: Christmas trees.

It doesn't bother me a bit when people say, 'Merry Christmas' to me. I don't think they are slighting me or getting ready to put me in a ghetto. In fact, I kind of like it. It shows that we are all brothers and sisters celebrating this happy time of year. It doesn't bother me at all that there is a manger scene on display at a key intersection near my beach house in Malibu . If people want a crèche, it's just as fine with me as is the Menorah a few hundred yards away.

I don't like getting pushed around for being a Jew, and I don't think Christians like getting pushed around for being Christians. I think people who believe in God are sick and tired of getting pushed around, period. I have no idea where the concept came from that America is an explicitly atheist country. I can't find it in the Constitution and I don't like it being shoved down my throat.

Or maybe I can put it another way: where did the idea come from that we should worship Nick and Jessica and we aren't allowed to worship God as we understand Him? I guess that's a sign that I'm getting old, too. But there are a lot of us who are wondering where Nick and Jessica came from and where the America we knew went to.

In light of the many jokes we send to one another for a laugh, this is a little different: This is not intended to be a joke; it's not funny, it's intended to get you thinking.

Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on the Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?' (regarding Katrina) Anne Graham gave an extremely profound and insightful response. She said, 'I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives. And being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?'

In light of recent events...terrorists attack, school shootings, etc. I think it started when Madeleine Murray O'Hare (she was murdered, her body found recently) complained she didn't want prayer in our schools, and we said OK.

Then someone said you better not read the Bible in school. The Bible says thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal, and love your neighbor as yourself. And we said OK.

Then Dr. Benjamin Spock said we shouldn't spank our children when they misbehave because their little personalities would be warped and we might damage their self-esteem (Dr. Spock's son committed suicide). We said an expert should know what he's talking about. And we said OK.

Now we're asking ourselves why our children have no conscience, why they don't know right from wrong, and why it doesn't bother them to kill strangers, their classmates, and themselves.

Probably, if we think about it long and hard enough, we can figure it out. I think it has a great deal to do with 'WE REAP WHAT WE SOW.'

Funny how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world's going to hell. Funny how we believe what the newspapers say, but question what the Bible says . Funny how you can send 'jokes' through e-mail and they spread like wildfire but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing. Funny how lewd, crude, vulgar and obscene articles pass freely through cyberspace, but public discussion of God is suppressed in the school and workplace.

Are you laughing?

Funny how when you forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you're not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it.

Funny how we can be more worried about what other people think of us than what God thinks of us.

Pass it on if you think it has merit. If not then just discard it... no one will know you did. But, if you discard this thought process, don't sit back and complain about what bad shape the world is in.

My Best Regards.

Honestly and respectfully,

Ben Stein"

*this email has been forwarded many times over the past several years. Right on, Mr. Stein.

:. i'm just mad about saffron .:

So the other day I was going to make a yummy dinner using basmati rice. The recipe called for a smidgen of saffron, of which I had none. Normally I substitute like mad when a recipe calls for an ingredient I don't have, but this time I decided saffron sounded too lovely to use a stand-in.

(Say it: 'saffron'. Something that melodic is bound to make a tasty dish.)

Not so fast!
Saffron happens to run $17.75 for a small jar at my local grocers. That's a fortune to someone used to paying 79 cents for all their spice needs.

Turns out, saffron is the world's most expensive spice, and with good reason! And I quote:

"Saffron is harvested from the fall-flowering plant Crocus sativus. Each purple crocus flower produces three stigmas, which are hand-picked from the blossom, dried, and permitted to ferment slightly to produce saffron. It is estimated that it takes some 14,000 stigmas to produce only one ounce of saffron threads. The labor-intensive process makes the cost of these bright red threads soar upwards of $50 per quarter-ounce."

So no, I didn't buy saffron.

I used cinnamon instead.

And yes, it was quite tasty.

:. gentlemen rules .:

For quite some time now, etiquette-minded Katie has been taking it upon herself to teach our little guys all the "Gentlemen Rules". Look out, ladies! Not only will the Brothers Hulling bowl you over with their dashing good looks, but their impeccable manners will make you positively swoon!
The best part? Now that they understand some of the basic rules, they are very adept at adding their own to the list. They are always popping out with a new Gentlemen Rule.

Here's just a sampling (some originated with Katie, others are pure Gavin or Liam):

• Gentlemen always say 'please' and 'thank you'.
• Gentlemen always say 'excuse me' when they toot.
• Gentlemen never push their brothers.
• Gentlemen always cuddle their grandma.
• Gentlemen always tell mommy if they have to go potty.
• Gentlemen never touch their poopy bottom.
• Gentlemen don't whine.
• Gentlemen always give their mommy kisses.
• Gentlemen never play with their Elmo underwear.
• Gentlemen always buy flowers for ladies they love.
• Gentlemen can cry.

And so it goes. There are many, many more Gentleman Rules, of course. And the older they get, some rules won't apply, and new rules will be added.

There's a lot to learn in life, isn't there?