President Bush and Vice President Cheney testify today...together because, well, let's be totally honest: they need to tell the same story.....before the 9/11 Commisson. Their testimony has been long awaited and will be breathlessly covered by the media. They are not under oath. No video or audio recordings of any kind are permitted. These two political leaders are more prone than the average, it appears, to stretch the truth. Some allege they fabricate their own truth. Perhaps they just see and remember what they choose to see and remember. You know, selective memory and truth.
Here's my question.....why care about today's testimony?
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com.
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Java Spice Bundt Cake
Made this last week for our Friday Family group, and it was a crowd-pleasing hit. Apparently, my cakes were missed during our Easter sabbatical.
Mix together in one big bowl....1 Betty Crocker French Vanilla Super Moist cake mix, 4 eggs, 1 small package instant butterscotch pudding, 1 cup strong black coffee, 1/2 cup canola oil, and spices to taste. I recommend 2 tspns cinnamon, 1 tspn nutmeg, 1/2 tspn pumpkin pie spice and a heavy sprinkle of ground cloves. Once thoroughy blended together, stir in 1 cup raisins. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. While cake is cooling, mix a glaze of 1 cup powdered cugar, 1 tbsp milk, 1/2 tspn pure vanilla and 1 tbspn light corn syrup. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.
Superb with a freshly made cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com.
Mix together in one big bowl....1 Betty Crocker French Vanilla Super Moist cake mix, 4 eggs, 1 small package instant butterscotch pudding, 1 cup strong black coffee, 1/2 cup canola oil, and spices to taste. I recommend 2 tspns cinnamon, 1 tspn nutmeg, 1/2 tspn pumpkin pie spice and a heavy sprinkle of ground cloves. Once thoroughy blended together, stir in 1 cup raisins. Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. While cake is cooling, mix a glaze of 1 cup powdered cugar, 1 tbsp milk, 1/2 tspn pure vanilla and 1 tbspn light corn syrup. Drizzle glaze over cooled cake.
Superb with a freshly made cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk.
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com.
Friday, April 23, 2004
The God of Sunday Softball
The following is from an article in a recent special issue of "Sports Illustrated," entitled "Let Us Pray/Play" by columnist Rick Reilly,:
"Don't bet on coaches doing the right thing. If they could, they'd have your kids running stairs on Christmas morning. What has to happen is the parents have to start saying no. Not to their kids--to their kids' coaches. "I told my boy's coach he wouldn't be playing on Sundays," says Rich Cizik, "and he looked shocked. I said 'You act like nobody's ever said that to you before.' And he said, 'Honestly? They haven't.' "
We've said "No Thanks" to girls' softball on Sunday, most recently for a tournament last weekend. The first 2 games were scheduled for 8:45 AM and 11 AM last Sunday. We calmly said that we could be there (15 miles from home) after first service, about noon, at best. The team didn't progress to the 3rd game. Next time we saw the coach and parent crowd, we were treated as a cross between eccentrics and pariahs.
But privately, several parents asked more about us, about our faith and church. :)
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com
"Don't bet on coaches doing the right thing. If they could, they'd have your kids running stairs on Christmas morning. What has to happen is the parents have to start saying no. Not to their kids--to their kids' coaches. "I told my boy's coach he wouldn't be playing on Sundays," says Rich Cizik, "and he looked shocked. I said 'You act like nobody's ever said that to you before.' And he said, 'Honestly? They haven't.' "
We've said "No Thanks" to girls' softball on Sunday, most recently for a tournament last weekend. The first 2 games were scheduled for 8:45 AM and 11 AM last Sunday. We calmly said that we could be there (15 miles from home) after first service, about noon, at best. The team didn't progress to the 3rd game. Next time we saw the coach and parent crowd, we were treated as a cross between eccentrics and pariahs.
But privately, several parents asked more about us, about our faith and church. :)
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
The Dangerous Military Mentality
"Today, the existence of the military mentality is more dangerous than ever; for the weapons which are available to aggressor nations have become much more powerful than weapons of defense. This fact will inevitably produce the kind of thinking which leads to preventive wars. Because of the general insecurity resulting from these developments, the civil rights of citizens are being sacrificed to the alleged cause of national interest. Political witch-hunting and governmental interference in many forms, such as official control over teaching, research and the press, appear inevitable and, consequently, do not encounter the kind of popular resistance that might otherwise serve to protect the population.
All traditional values are changing, and anything which does not clearly serve the utopian goal of militarism is considered inferior."
Sound familiar? A quote from the John Kerry camp? Carping from another liberal-leaning newspaper?
Nope.
Albert Einstein, in 1947, in a piece he wrote entitled "The Military Mentality." Taken from my newly found treasure, a 1960 704-page book "Einstein on Peace" that compiles his prolific writings and speeches on peace and the desperate need for peacemaking.
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com.
All traditional values are changing, and anything which does not clearly serve the utopian goal of militarism is considered inferior."
Sound familiar? A quote from the John Kerry camp? Carping from another liberal-leaning newspaper?
Nope.
Albert Einstein, in 1947, in a piece he wrote entitled "The Military Mentality." Taken from my newly found treasure, a 1960 704-page book "Einstein on Peace" that compiles his prolific writings and speeches on peace and the desperate need for peacemaking.
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com.
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
The Journey, So Far
When Andrea was 4 years old, we had the privilege of visiting a Buddhist monastary while we were vacationing in Hong Kong. We were fascinated by the richly ornate temples, the exotic and peaceful aura, the lush manicured gardens. Young orange-robed monks silently did chores and worshipped en masse in an open-walled temple. A few older monks seemed engrossed in matters of the day.
We broke away from the small group to admire the Temple to the Sky and take a few tourist photos when we noticed a young monk watching us. We smiled, and he respectfully approached us. I'll never forget the look in his eyes...awestruck might be the best word. He knelt in front of our daughter. He looked into her blue-green eyes, and she looked back with quiet trust. He put his hand on her head, and held it there for what felt like several long minutes. It was an odd and awkward moment for Ron and me, but it felt holy....so we said nothing.
He pulled back his hand, stood up and said to me in hushed broken English, "She very special. She touched by the spirit." "We know" I said, and we did know by then. He impulsively removed a string of amber prayer beads from his wrist, knelt again in front of her, and put it into her little hands. He looked again into her eyes, and then rushed away.
Our Chinese tour guide raced up to us and gasped "That was very rare. I've never seen a monk talk to a tourist. Never. What did he want? What did he say?" I remember her shaking her head in silent amazement.
At our former church, she earned her Bible in third grade, as all Presbyterian third graders do. We were out of town, though, when the pastor presented the Bibles during a service, so we thought we'd just pick hers up later. "No" said the pastor. "She's special." So the next week, he presented it to only her during the morning service. To this day, it's still the Bible she reads and carries to church.
When we were shopping for a new church, we plotted out a calendar of Sunday visits to various local congregations. The first church visit was a disaster....we were uncomfortable and frankly a bit horrified. Ron and I were much happier with the second church we visited...the sermon was interesting and on-target, the pastor was likeable and positive, the people were friendly to new faces. It was when we got into the car that we knew. "How was Sunday School?" we asked 9 year old, almost 5th grader Andrea. In a startling voice that I still remember....it sounded firmer and deeper, more mature than normal, she announced, "This is where I want to go to church."
So we do.
She got involved in a Bible study program that we knew nothing about, and she came home with a medal from what was apparently her first competition. (We didn't even attend...we had no idea.) She spent two years in that program, and demonstrated an extraordinarily deep, almost intuitive grasp of the Bible. We were shocked. She won accolades at every meet she attended, and grew in her knowledge of the Word in a way that still defies our imaginations.
She's 12 now and a 7th grader. She has many gifts and talents....she's considered a math prodigy and gets perfect report cards. She's won truly surprising awards we can't even tell others about because they get jealous, and I guess no one needs to know, anyway. In high school. she'll be at the top. She'll be recruited by top universities, and have her choice of paths.
I can't even recall all those who've commented to us over the years,"She's so different" and "She's so special." They sense her stillness,her deep faith, her servant's heart, but they can't put their finger on it. Teachers look at us with odd stares, and most have little to say. (This year, one simply asked if she was bored.)
Yesterday before school, like a responsibly curious mom, I noticed something in her front pocket. "Taking your allowance?" I inquired.
"No" she said a tad sheepishly. "It's a Bible. I take it everyday now."
I've never wanted her to be a pastor. It's a hard life, and even harder for women. She's a first class talent, and women pastors are accorded second-class treatment, at best. Her peaceful insightfullness....her sweet soul....her incredible grasp of God's word will be buried beneath a pile of politics, egos and budgets. Her gifts will be wasted. I couldn't stand to see her message lost amid the rubble of others' ambitions and prejudices. I will not stand for it.
But she now takes her Bible everywhere with her, including middle school. She relies on it every hour of her life. I know that her faith and her church are at the core of her being. At 12, she's maturing, and I see where her heart and soul are held captive.
So yesterday, I conceded in an email to a pastor that someday, perhaps later in life, she will inevitably attend seminary. It was a VERY hard note for me to write....but I did. When I told her about the email, she cheered with joy.
The day the monk put his amber prayer beads into her hands, I took them from my 4 year old and tucked them into a hidden, safe compartment in my purse. I've carried them in my purse everyday since then. I took them out today, and they're sitting here in front of me right now. I have tears in my eyes.
Someday soon, I'll give her the beads.
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com.
We broke away from the small group to admire the Temple to the Sky and take a few tourist photos when we noticed a young monk watching us. We smiled, and he respectfully approached us. I'll never forget the look in his eyes...awestruck might be the best word. He knelt in front of our daughter. He looked into her blue-green eyes, and she looked back with quiet trust. He put his hand on her head, and held it there for what felt like several long minutes. It was an odd and awkward moment for Ron and me, but it felt holy....so we said nothing.
He pulled back his hand, stood up and said to me in hushed broken English, "She very special. She touched by the spirit." "We know" I said, and we did know by then. He impulsively removed a string of amber prayer beads from his wrist, knelt again in front of her, and put it into her little hands. He looked again into her eyes, and then rushed away.
Our Chinese tour guide raced up to us and gasped "That was very rare. I've never seen a monk talk to a tourist. Never. What did he want? What did he say?" I remember her shaking her head in silent amazement.
At our former church, she earned her Bible in third grade, as all Presbyterian third graders do. We were out of town, though, when the pastor presented the Bibles during a service, so we thought we'd just pick hers up later. "No" said the pastor. "She's special." So the next week, he presented it to only her during the morning service. To this day, it's still the Bible she reads and carries to church.
When we were shopping for a new church, we plotted out a calendar of Sunday visits to various local congregations. The first church visit was a disaster....we were uncomfortable and frankly a bit horrified. Ron and I were much happier with the second church we visited...the sermon was interesting and on-target, the pastor was likeable and positive, the people were friendly to new faces. It was when we got into the car that we knew. "How was Sunday School?" we asked 9 year old, almost 5th grader Andrea. In a startling voice that I still remember....it sounded firmer and deeper, more mature than normal, she announced, "This is where I want to go to church."
So we do.
She got involved in a Bible study program that we knew nothing about, and she came home with a medal from what was apparently her first competition. (We didn't even attend...we had no idea.) She spent two years in that program, and demonstrated an extraordinarily deep, almost intuitive grasp of the Bible. We were shocked. She won accolades at every meet she attended, and grew in her knowledge of the Word in a way that still defies our imaginations.
She's 12 now and a 7th grader. She has many gifts and talents....she's considered a math prodigy and gets perfect report cards. She's won truly surprising awards we can't even tell others about because they get jealous, and I guess no one needs to know, anyway. In high school. she'll be at the top. She'll be recruited by top universities, and have her choice of paths.
I can't even recall all those who've commented to us over the years,"She's so different" and "She's so special." They sense her stillness,her deep faith, her servant's heart, but they can't put their finger on it. Teachers look at us with odd stares, and most have little to say. (This year, one simply asked if she was bored.)
Yesterday before school, like a responsibly curious mom, I noticed something in her front pocket. "Taking your allowance?" I inquired.
"No" she said a tad sheepishly. "It's a Bible. I take it everyday now."
I've never wanted her to be a pastor. It's a hard life, and even harder for women. She's a first class talent, and women pastors are accorded second-class treatment, at best. Her peaceful insightfullness....her sweet soul....her incredible grasp of God's word will be buried beneath a pile of politics, egos and budgets. Her gifts will be wasted. I couldn't stand to see her message lost amid the rubble of others' ambitions and prejudices. I will not stand for it.
But she now takes her Bible everywhere with her, including middle school. She relies on it every hour of her life. I know that her faith and her church are at the core of her being. At 12, she's maturing, and I see where her heart and soul are held captive.
So yesterday, I conceded in an email to a pastor that someday, perhaps later in life, she will inevitably attend seminary. It was a VERY hard note for me to write....but I did. When I told her about the email, she cheered with joy.
The day the monk put his amber prayer beads into her hands, I took them from my 4 year old and tucked them into a hidden, safe compartment in my purse. I've carried them in my purse everyday since then. I took them out today, and they're sitting here in front of me right now. I have tears in my eyes.
Someday soon, I'll give her the beads.
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com.
Saturday, April 17, 2004
Perfect Description of the Cheney War Strategy
"Dick Cheney's nutty utopian dream of bombing the world into freedom...." Maureen Dowd, New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, described the Cheney war strategy for Iraq and the Middle East in her column today.
Absolutely dead-on perfect description and characterization.
Absolutely dead-on perfect description and characterization.
Wednesday, April 14, 2004
Another Reason to buy Starbucks Stock....Addicted Customers
Turns out that a cup of Starbucks joe really does have more bang for the cup.
In recent laboratory tests conducted by the Wall St Journal, a 16 oz cup (grande, in Starbucks lingo) of the Seattle-based chain's house blend had 223 milligrams of caffeine, which is 29% more than Dunkin' Donuts coffee, 56% more than 7-Eleven java, and 88% more than a cup of home-brewed Folgers.
I knew I liked Starbucks for a good reason. :)
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com.
In recent laboratory tests conducted by the Wall St Journal, a 16 oz cup (grande, in Starbucks lingo) of the Seattle-based chain's house blend had 223 milligrams of caffeine, which is 29% more than Dunkin' Donuts coffee, 56% more than 7-Eleven java, and 88% more than a cup of home-brewed Folgers.
I knew I liked Starbucks for a good reason. :)
Send emails to DeborahWhite@UniqueRecipes.com.
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