My Ukrainian friend and I were talking the other night over mint tea and Dove chocolates. Her husband works night shift and she gets lonely so sometimes I drop in to say hi and we both swear we'll only talk an hour to one another but it always ends up being two or three.
We've been friends pretty much since I came here to go to school, and have been around for a couple different dramas in each others lives. We've seen each other cry, laugh, go through life-changing events, etc. I'll admit she drives me crazy sometimes and I also know the same can be said of me from her perspective. However, when we worked in the Cafeteria we were often mistaken for the other, as we're both about the same height, have the same hair color, both have an Eastern-European look, temper, and have strong opinions that we voice more than we probably should.
She's far more girly than I am, though, and currently owns more pink things than I probably ever will in my entire life.
And I can be a little more earthy than her, and will borrow and watch her husbands war movies and discuss disguisting missiological dietary experiences with him while she turns green and tells us we are nasty people ;-)
I've already told you about my Didi.
And then there's my Cameroonian friend I've written of before, who pushes me beyond what I think I can do when we exercise together and constantly exhorts me to grow more godly than I currently am, to guard my reputation in an appropriate manner and laughs louder and more exuberantly than I can. I've received more beauty products from her than I ever thought I would own and learned more about self care than I thought possible and overall have learned how to be far more feminine than my farm-girl self would have allowed for. I would never, though, describe her as girly. Her femininity has a distinct flavor to it that I guess comes from her heritage of African nobility. Its that grace that leopards have; smooth, subtle, and while beautiful has a strong undercurrent that can become dangerous when needed as soft when allowable.
My most favorite memories of praying, bar none, are with her. I am convicted, encouraged, and awed every time, be it in a group setting or one-on-one. She's gotten me through some of the toughest times I've been through and somehow loved me the more because of it.
Then there's my two room mates, from the same people group in India but different tribes, and as different as night and day but still so similar sometimes. Both fashionably astute and deft in the kitchen, we've learned with and from each other. They've helped me overcome my phobia of Curry and chili powder, and encourage me to hone in my skills of subtlety.
And it struck me the other day that these awesome people and I are in a transitory place in life; college and seminary isn't someplace you settle. At least, not long-term. And one day we'll all go our separate directions, and while we may visit the various locations on planet Earth God has called us, we won't be all gathered together again until we meet again in Heaven.
Which is a bitter sweet thought.
But its interesting how old friendships have also changed and deepend with time, even though we are far apart. My friends from Hungary and Romania and I still keep in touch, and with all the new technological developments its been fun. Not the same of course, but we are still able to update one another on important life events and join in prayer together.
And family is always there. Despite chaos, life changes, tragedy, joy, pain, love, loss, abundant grace, family is still there. Which is awesome how God has orchestrated familial ties to work like that.
Living day to day trying to keep Christ as the focus
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
1759 Personal ad
My sister bought one of those quote-calendar thingys for one of my Christmas presents. Here's what yesterday's said:
"On this date in 1759, the Boston Evening Post ran the following: "To the Ladies: Any young lady between the age of eighteen and twenty three of a midling stature; brown hair, regular features and a lively brisk eye; of good morals and not tinctured with anything that may sully so distinguishable a form possessed of 3 or 400 pounds entirely her own disposal and where there will be no necessity of going through the tiresome talk of addressing parents or guardians for their consent. Such a one by leaving a line directed for A. W. at the British Coffee House in King Street appointing where an interview may be had will meet with a person who flatters himself he shall not be thought disagreeable by any lady answering the above description. Profound secrecy will be observ'd. No trifling answers will be regarded."
1. I wonder if Mr. A. W. had someone in mind, 'cause this seems pretty dang specific or just plain ridiculous
2. I would REALLY like to know if anybody answered this!!!
For copyright reasons, the calendar is Jeffrey Kacirk's "Forgotten English" calendar.
"On this date in 1759, the Boston Evening Post ran the following: "To the Ladies: Any young lady between the age of eighteen and twenty three of a midling stature; brown hair, regular features and a lively brisk eye; of good morals and not tinctured with anything that may sully so distinguishable a form possessed of 3 or 400 pounds entirely her own disposal and where there will be no necessity of going through the tiresome talk of addressing parents or guardians for their consent. Such a one by leaving a line directed for A. W. at the British Coffee House in King Street appointing where an interview may be had will meet with a person who flatters himself he shall not be thought disagreeable by any lady answering the above description. Profound secrecy will be observ'd. No trifling answers will be regarded."
1. I wonder if Mr. A. W. had someone in mind, 'cause this seems pretty dang specific or just plain ridiculous
2. I would REALLY like to know if anybody answered this!!!
For copyright reasons, the calendar is Jeffrey Kacirk's "Forgotten English" calendar.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
So Madam. You want to go to the hospital?
Its not fair.
I've revolutionized my diet, am taking vitamins regularly, work out on a consistent basis, avoid junk food and drinks like the plague, and get seven hours of sleep regularly.
And I still have gotten sick TWICE this semester!
Last semester I did good, only was down with a cold one day. But this semester... blech!
So yesterday I got up for our 8:30 Pancakes and Bible study three hallways over and one floor up. It consists of two Ukrainians and a Cameroonian and then me. Oh, and Sam the Texan, husband to one of the Ukrainians, who shows up for the pancakes and then does his devotions in the bedroom while we do a Bible study. As I was getting ready I was hit with some nausea, but shook it off. But I wasn't really hungry at breakfast.
Finished Bible study and got ready to go to an outreach with a couple buddies from school. While we were driving I was hit with more intense nausea and then when we got out of the car had to take a minute getting out when my stomach cramped up.
But we filled the campus of the local secular university full of posters and sidewalk-chalk announcements for an upcoming event. "Silent no more," women who've had abortions give their testimonies and then information is shared about the local crisis pregnancy center. I wish I could go this Tuesday, but I have to work :-(
So we finished up and drove back to campus and I went back to my apartment. I was trying to gear up for some homework and realized that I needed to take a nap; NOW.
I'm not really a nap person, but I figured that staying up till o'dark:thirty every thursday night the last few weeks for J-term stuff, taking five classes and working 15 hours a week might have something to do with it, and might as well nap rather than get sick later.
I was out cold for two hours. When I got up... kaboom! lost lunch.
Now I've had the flu before, but I don't remember being that violently sick that close together in a two-hour time period, at least not for a loooong time. My room mate found me laying on the floor of the bathroom (was a little more comfortable than my bed at that point) and called our Didi.
'Didi' means 'elder sister' in Hindi, and is what we call our neighbor who lives directly upstairs. She is Tamil from India married to a Bengali, and is the mother hen of whatever single ladies come into her circle of influence. She also happens to work at the same coffee shop as my room mates and I, and its looking like she and her husband will be my supervisors for my internship this summer as well.
SO down stairs Didi came, and her entering words as she walked into my bedroom were, "So Madam. What are you doing? You want to go to the hospital?"
NO I do not want to go to the hospital!
"Oh hey Didi. I don't think I am that sick yet..."
"Ok then you want me to call security?"
I gave her a funny look. "Didi, security doesn't have medical training."
"No but they will call ambulance."
"An ambulance? I don't think that is necessary..."
Now i have pale skin but apparently the frequency of my getting sick was turning me from pale to pasty and it was concerning, as was the frequency and intensity of my getting sick. However. The last time I had gone in to an ER I was there for about twelve hours and there had been nothing close to an accurate diagnosis from that particular medical institution. And it was expensive. So I really didn't want to repeat the incident, but both Didi and my room mate were sure I had food poisoning or something terrible like that. I didn't know what I had. SO I called my old R.A. who is a nurse and had had food poisoning at one point when I was still living on her hall.
She informed me that I probably had the latest bug that has been going around. The main thing was to make sure that my temperature didn't get too high and to make sure that I stayed hydrated.
Now I had already asked my friend from the Bible study if she could pick up some 7-up while she was out and about that night, but I didn't know when she would arrive. So Didi sent her husband to run get me some, and returned from her apartment with a little orange measuring spoon with Tamil script on it to whip up some kind of 'electrolyte' drink.
She and my room mate explained it to me before they mixed it up. You mix about 1/2 tsp salt with 1 tsp sugar in a glass about 12 ounces and chug it down, then lay on your side.
I was sipping it, because my R.A. had told me to not take any large amounts of fluids in for a while as my stomach probably couldn't handle it.
"What is this, Madam? You don't like our Indian drink?" Didi asked in mock-crossness when she saw me simply sipping. "Here, let me put some cheese on it. Americans will eat anything with cheese. I'll put cheese on coffee-grounds and they will eat it."
"But I'm just supposed to sip liquids -" I protested
"No, you drink it fast. I want whole glass done immediately."
Now, she may be only 5 ft 1 inch in height if that, but it was five feet of determination and I wasn't in any kind of mood to disagree with her.
"Even if you throw half of glass out, half will still be there and you will not get dehydrated." she continued. SO I chugged. It was cold, but good. And to be honest, I'd actually prefer that treatment to the 7-up and crackers, and then the Campbell canned chicken noodle soup I remember from growing up.
She had a thermometer and took my temperature which came out normal. "I think fever is afraid of you." she said smiling as she returned the thermometer to its case.
Bhaiya, Didi's husband (Bhaiya means older brother in Hindi) arrived with the 7-up and they poured me a glass of that as well which I took a sip of then lay down. Didi prayed over me and then left with multiple orders that if I were to get sick again to simply give her a missed call and she would be down in a minute. As she left, she noticed my down comforter.
"What! Don't put that on her, she will surely get fever with that. How are you sleeping with such heavy quilt, madam?" She shook her head indignantly.
"Ok now you have two liters of your 7-up from my husband, and I want them both gone when I check on you tomorrow."
Apparently Indian home remedies are the way to go, because I was out cold until 3:30 AM. Didi came back to check on me but I was asleep. "With your mouth open sleeping so peacefully." Ha. Great.
She came over this afternoon and said several times she was very relieved to see me smiling and feeling better. However:
"You Americans... only two colors: pasty white, or red like lobster. You don't keep any sun in your skin."
Well, its true; I am very fair in complexion and I'm either a smidgen darker than as pale as you can get or sun burnt.
She also was not too pleased with the fact that I had only drank 2/3 of one liter of 7-up. "Yes its very nice that you have them, but what good will they do you if you are not drinking them?"
Good point.
They also prescribed black tea - no milk or sugar, just straight black. It actually tasted good that way in my present health condition.
Didi stopped by later with some soup she had made after checking with her friend who is a nurse from India about what I can and cannot eat.
"I made just with salt. You are not to take any pepper, otherwise will be too much. And if this is too heavy than you are just to take cracker."
So I have my own personal Indian medical crew. As humbling as it is to have Didi walk in and see my messy room with me looking and feeling like crap, its been a huge blessing to have her stop in and cluck and fuss and bustle and comment.
~Princess Ouch~
I've revolutionized my diet, am taking vitamins regularly, work out on a consistent basis, avoid junk food and drinks like the plague, and get seven hours of sleep regularly.
And I still have gotten sick TWICE this semester!
Last semester I did good, only was down with a cold one day. But this semester... blech!
So yesterday I got up for our 8:30 Pancakes and Bible study three hallways over and one floor up. It consists of two Ukrainians and a Cameroonian and then me. Oh, and Sam the Texan, husband to one of the Ukrainians, who shows up for the pancakes and then does his devotions in the bedroom while we do a Bible study. As I was getting ready I was hit with some nausea, but shook it off. But I wasn't really hungry at breakfast.
Finished Bible study and got ready to go to an outreach with a couple buddies from school. While we were driving I was hit with more intense nausea and then when we got out of the car had to take a minute getting out when my stomach cramped up.
But we filled the campus of the local secular university full of posters and sidewalk-chalk announcements for an upcoming event. "Silent no more," women who've had abortions give their testimonies and then information is shared about the local crisis pregnancy center. I wish I could go this Tuesday, but I have to work :-(
So we finished up and drove back to campus and I went back to my apartment. I was trying to gear up for some homework and realized that I needed to take a nap; NOW.
I'm not really a nap person, but I figured that staying up till o'dark:thirty every thursday night the last few weeks for J-term stuff, taking five classes and working 15 hours a week might have something to do with it, and might as well nap rather than get sick later.
I was out cold for two hours. When I got up... kaboom! lost lunch.
Now I've had the flu before, but I don't remember being that violently sick that close together in a two-hour time period, at least not for a loooong time. My room mate found me laying on the floor of the bathroom (was a little more comfortable than my bed at that point) and called our Didi.
'Didi' means 'elder sister' in Hindi, and is what we call our neighbor who lives directly upstairs. She is Tamil from India married to a Bengali, and is the mother hen of whatever single ladies come into her circle of influence. She also happens to work at the same coffee shop as my room mates and I, and its looking like she and her husband will be my supervisors for my internship this summer as well.
SO down stairs Didi came, and her entering words as she walked into my bedroom were, "So Madam. What are you doing? You want to go to the hospital?"
NO I do not want to go to the hospital!
"Oh hey Didi. I don't think I am that sick yet..."
"Ok then you want me to call security?"
I gave her a funny look. "Didi, security doesn't have medical training."
"No but they will call ambulance."
"An ambulance? I don't think that is necessary..."
Now i have pale skin but apparently the frequency of my getting sick was turning me from pale to pasty and it was concerning, as was the frequency and intensity of my getting sick. However. The last time I had gone in to an ER I was there for about twelve hours and there had been nothing close to an accurate diagnosis from that particular medical institution. And it was expensive. So I really didn't want to repeat the incident, but both Didi and my room mate were sure I had food poisoning or something terrible like that. I didn't know what I had. SO I called my old R.A. who is a nurse and had had food poisoning at one point when I was still living on her hall.
She informed me that I probably had the latest bug that has been going around. The main thing was to make sure that my temperature didn't get too high and to make sure that I stayed hydrated.
Now I had already asked my friend from the Bible study if she could pick up some 7-up while she was out and about that night, but I didn't know when she would arrive. So Didi sent her husband to run get me some, and returned from her apartment with a little orange measuring spoon with Tamil script on it to whip up some kind of 'electrolyte' drink.
She and my room mate explained it to me before they mixed it up. You mix about 1/2 tsp salt with 1 tsp sugar in a glass about 12 ounces and chug it down, then lay on your side.
I was sipping it, because my R.A. had told me to not take any large amounts of fluids in for a while as my stomach probably couldn't handle it.
"What is this, Madam? You don't like our Indian drink?" Didi asked in mock-crossness when she saw me simply sipping. "Here, let me put some cheese on it. Americans will eat anything with cheese. I'll put cheese on coffee-grounds and they will eat it."
"But I'm just supposed to sip liquids -" I protested
"No, you drink it fast. I want whole glass done immediately."
Now, she may be only 5 ft 1 inch in height if that, but it was five feet of determination and I wasn't in any kind of mood to disagree with her.
"Even if you throw half of glass out, half will still be there and you will not get dehydrated." she continued. SO I chugged. It was cold, but good. And to be honest, I'd actually prefer that treatment to the 7-up and crackers, and then the Campbell canned chicken noodle soup I remember from growing up.
She had a thermometer and took my temperature which came out normal. "I think fever is afraid of you." she said smiling as she returned the thermometer to its case.
Bhaiya, Didi's husband (Bhaiya means older brother in Hindi) arrived with the 7-up and they poured me a glass of that as well which I took a sip of then lay down. Didi prayed over me and then left with multiple orders that if I were to get sick again to simply give her a missed call and she would be down in a minute. As she left, she noticed my down comforter.
"What! Don't put that on her, she will surely get fever with that. How are you sleeping with such heavy quilt, madam?" She shook her head indignantly.
"Ok now you have two liters of your 7-up from my husband, and I want them both gone when I check on you tomorrow."
Apparently Indian home remedies are the way to go, because I was out cold until 3:30 AM. Didi came back to check on me but I was asleep. "With your mouth open sleeping so peacefully." Ha. Great.
She came over this afternoon and said several times she was very relieved to see me smiling and feeling better. However:
"You Americans... only two colors: pasty white, or red like lobster. You don't keep any sun in your skin."
Well, its true; I am very fair in complexion and I'm either a smidgen darker than as pale as you can get or sun burnt.
She also was not too pleased with the fact that I had only drank 2/3 of one liter of 7-up. "Yes its very nice that you have them, but what good will they do you if you are not drinking them?"
Good point.
They also prescribed black tea - no milk or sugar, just straight black. It actually tasted good that way in my present health condition.
Didi stopped by later with some soup she had made after checking with her friend who is a nurse from India about what I can and cannot eat.
"I made just with salt. You are not to take any pepper, otherwise will be too much. And if this is too heavy than you are just to take cracker."
So I have my own personal Indian medical crew. As humbling as it is to have Didi walk in and see my messy room with me looking and feeling like crap, its been a huge blessing to have her stop in and cluck and fuss and bustle and comment.
~Princess Ouch~
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