Secular Confessions

[missychrissy]

I'm so happy for you both. I'm glad the weight is gone.

[daylilies]

I'm so happy for you guys!

[girlwonder]

Mandy I'm glad you are together again.

[daylilies]

Is anyone here very knowledgeable about Judaism? I'm teaching that religions class at church again and next week we're discussing Passover and the Seder. We want to learn more about the significance of the story and the meaning behind the food. (it's 8th and 9th graders)

[Gwenn]

One of my good friends is Jewish and very observant. If you can't find anyone else to answer your questions I can see if she can help you out but she doesn't spend a lot of time online so she might not be able to get back to you in time.

I'm sure there are some great websites for resources, though...

[daylilies]

I'm sure there are, I'm going to check out websites too.

[AbbeysMom]

Mandy!

[missychrissy]

Sorry Kate. I'm religion challenged. I really only know the Christian faith, and even that is sketchy.

[daylilies]

I am too We discussed general Judaism today and I didn't even really know the basic stories. I was thrown for a loop because I thought the other teacher was going to talk about Wicca (she is a pagan).

[3andMe]

Mandy, I'm so happy for you. I figure those blurry pictures were you just keeping everything on the down-low.

[missychrissy]

I keep thinking of him feeling a little overwhelmed about the stuff on the shelves. It pangs my heart but I have no words. I hope those things get easier and easier, and that it doesn't take long.

Kate, why did she not talk about the Wicca/Pagan stuff as planned?

[daylilies]

I don't know, maybe I misunderstood. I thought that's what we were doing last week, but she had to do coffee hour (set up the food and drink during the service), so I assumed it would be moved to this week, but I guess since we skipped a week we moved on to something else.
It makes me sad that the youth classes seem to be so poorly planned, at least this one is. None of the kids show up consistently and it bothers me because I remember my years as a UU teen/preteen were so valuable to me and it seems like the adults don't care so much and in turn the kids don't care. These kids are so bright and talented I think they'd show up more and get into it if they saw the adult leaders getting into it. I am definitely in the wrong class because it's hard for me to get enthusiastic about religion when I don't believe in much of it, if any. I should try teaching a class I know more about (like preschool, LOL)

[Gwenn]

I keep thinking of him feeling a little overwhelmed about the stuff on the shelves. It pangs my heart but I have no words. I hope those things get easier and easier, and that it doesn't take long.

I actually think it's a form of culture shock for him. It's just so different he's a little lost.

[AmeriBrit]

Aw, Mandy, I'm glad your DH is home!!! I hope he adjusts at his own pace.

It's weird for me when I go back to the US; I've only been here 8 years and yet when I go "home" to the US, everything seems so foreign now, starting with the big vehicles that we see as soon as we get out of the airport.

[missychrissy]

I don't know, maybe I misunderstood. I thought that's what we were doing last week, but she had to do coffee hour (set up the food and drink during the service), so I assumed it would be moved to this week, but I guess since we skipped a week we moved on to something else.
It makes me sad that the youth classes seem to be so poorly planned, at least this one is. None of the kids show up consistently and it bothers me because I remember my years as a UU teen/preteen were so valuable to me and it seems like the adults don't care so much and in turn the kids don't care. These kids are so bright and talented I think they'd show up more and get into it if they saw the adult leaders getting into it. I am definitely in the wrong class because it's hard for me to get enthusiastic about religion when I don't believe in much of it, if any. I should try teaching a class I know more about (like preschool, LOL)

I think it's wonderful that you care so much about those kids. Do you talk with the other instructor during the week? It seems crazy to me that she'd just skip her lesson like that.

I actually think it's a form of culture shock for him. It's just so different he's a little lost.

I hope the new normal doesn't take long to adjust to for him. Are you taking any time off from work this week to be with him?

It's weird for me when I go back to the US; I've only been here 8 years and yet when I go "home" to the US, everything seems so foreign now, starting with the big vehicles that we see as soon as we get out of the airport.

I can't even fathom. What do they think of the US's attitude that they 'need' bigger cars for safety?

I can't remember if I posted or not, but I'll take a risk in repeating myself 'cause I'm too lazy to scroll back and look. WF called Friday evening and asked about our old house, which we relinquished through bankruptcy. I guess on the county tax roll we're still listed as owners, but when I said it was part of the BK that's all they seemed to need. I did ask when she thought they might have an answer and she said, "hopefully some time next week."

I had a dream WF wrote and said we could get that house but we'd have to bring them 10 bushels of apples first, by the end of the day. I'm officially obsessed and have a touch of lunatic.

[Cosmosmom]

Oh Mandy....that is such great news that your DH is home and with you again! I cannot even imagine how relieved you must feel.

And um wow, I am not on for the weekend since my sister was visiting and we were crazy busy trying to take pictures for our portfolio and getting paperwork together and even got some shopping in.....and yeah I saw the post in random and am pretty shocked. I had no clue.....

[Gwenn]

Are you taking any time off from work this week to be with him?

I took today and tomorrow off. Everybody at work is really excited about him coming home and they would have given me as much time as I asked for, I'm sure. It's nice they're so supportive.

And that's funny about your dream.

[Ky'sMom]

So happy your DH is home Mandy!!!

And Jennifer, I missed all that too even though I came on here a couple times, I just skipped over that thread and was pretty shocked too.

Erin

[AmeriBrit]

I can't even fathom. What do they think of the US's attitude that they 'need' bigger cars for safety? P

Yeah, that kind of thing kinda irritates people here. I was just on the phone with my mama and she was telling me it takes 100 dollars to fill up her truck. She doesn't need a truck at all so I told her she can't really complain until she gets a more reasonable vehicle. My car gets at least 40 miles per gallon. And it costs nearly as much to fill up if you convert pounds to dollars due to the taxes they put on fuel here.

[missychrissy]

I get annoyed whenever I hear people say it too. I have mostly driven small cars, even having a large family. I don't feel the need for anything bigger. I did have a minivan, and my dh owns a truck, but we both know they're not necessary.

In fact, we've been seriously talking about selling his truck because it's getting to be too much for him to drive it every week. We were going to have him just use a car, but his truck needs some work so he's thinking of letting it go for now.

[Cosmosmom]

We actually have two small cars and never felt the need for anything else. Until this winter. There were a couple of days of work we both missed because our cars couldn't make it past our driveway. We ended up having several snows of over a foot each time and of course our subdivision is one of the last plowed and we are the last house on the last street.
And than there are the snow banks. Back in the southern part of the state, it would snow, warm up enough to melt some and snow again. Here we are COLD and still have a little snow on the ground. The two feet we got very early in the season stuck around and basically we spent 4 months not being able to see to turn a corner. I would have loved something that sat up higher so I wouldn't have to inch out trying to get a glimpse before pulling out.

And we don't know anyone locally with a truck or SUV or van.....so if we buy something, it's sometimes iffy if it will fit in the car. Back when dad was only an hour away, we would just wait until he could come up with his truck.

It's going to be interesting when we start traveling back home (5-6 hour drive) with us, our stuff, the dog and her stuff, and a baby and all the baby stuff!

All that said, it's definitely not necessary BUT I do suspect that we will be seriously looking at getting a Jeep or something when it comes time to buy a new car. I just hope that by that point that they have figured out better fuel economy in them....I currently have two cars that are fully paid and neither have more than 50K miles on them so I have a while before a new car!

[demigraf]

All I have the time to type right now is ...

and whoopee!! (and hopefully lots of it ) for Mandy!!!



Even through the blur, you look happy and lovely.

[daylilies]

I think it's wonderful that you care so much about those kids. Do you talk with the other instructor during the week? It seems crazy to me that she'd just skip her lesson like that.

Oh no, I knew ahead of time that she was doing coffee hour. So since she wasn't going to be there, the religious education decided to have them make their plates (every year all the kids draw on a paper plate and they send them off to be made into real plates) I sat and watched the kids make their plates, which was a total waste. I really wanted to go to the service because a transgendered man was going to be speaking. I'm mad that I didn't stand up and say I wanted to attend the service.

I gave our other instructor my e mail address. She seems enthusiastic about the course, and she's an expert in comparative religions.

I will be going to the Easter service, because I don't think I went last year and I want to see how this church approaches it.

[missychrissy]

Does she have any plans for your Judaism lesson? I'm really fascinated with the concept of UU church. I think if I were to ever go to church, that would be the kind I'd attend. But I'm not giving up my Sunday mornings any time soon. Maybe when I'm older.

[daylilies]

Well we did basic Judaism last week. This week we're focusing on Passover and the Seder, which is coming up. In the church where I grew up, they actually used to do a Seder (which is the Passover meal) but my church now doesn't do it. We may look into going to one though.
I was just going to make a couple printouts about Passover and the significance of the foods served at the Seder and also try to find out more about Kosher food, because we were kind of fuzzy on the requirements of keeping Kosher.

[Gwenn]

All I have the time to type right now is ...

and whoopee!! (and hopefully lots of it ) for Mandy!!!



Even through the blur, you look happy and lovely.

Thanks!

Well we did basic Judaism last week. This week we're focusing on Passover and the Seder, which is coming up. In the church where I grew up, they actually used to do a Seder (which is the Passover meal) but my church now doesn't do it. We may look into going to one though.
I was just going to make a couple printouts about Passover and the significance of the foods served at the Seder and also try to find out more about Kosher food, because we were kind of fuzzy on the requirements of keeping Kosher.

I am pretty good with the requirements of eating kosher because my friend keeps kosher so I need to know what she can/can't eat. I can take a stab at questions if you have some.

[daylilies]

I was just wondering how things are prepared Kosher (like grape juice, how is Kosher grape juice different from regular) and what are the requirements for preparing your food--I know you have to separate dairy and meat, right? And what can't they eat at all?

[Cosmosmom]

Does she have any plans for your Judaism lesson? I'm really fascinated with the concept of UU church. I think if I were to ever go to church, that would be the kind I'd attend. But I'm not giving up my Sunday mornings any time soon. Maybe when I'm older.

Word! I love going to the UU church....but oh man it's hard and I only get there 1-2 times a month because service is at 10am and I just usually sleep too long.

I went this week and it was about preserving wild places.

[Gwenn]

For food to be truly kosher it has to be blessed (and inspected) by a Rabbi - so kosher grape juice is mostly only different because it's been inspected/blessed, not because of the recipe. I believe meat animals have to be butchered humanely to meet kosher standards and there are other cleanliness requirements but I'm not sure on the details.

Pork/pig products (bacon, ham, anything from a pig) are never okay (I think the Torah says cloven hoofed animals but I don't know what else that would be). Shellfish (lobster, crab, clam, mussels, etc) is also never okay but fish like salmon, tuna, etc is okay.

Dairy and meat (meaning beef/chicken) can't mix. Fish is not considered meat so can be served with dairy. My friend keeps two completely separate sets of dishes, cooking pans, etc and uses one set of plates when she is serving a "dairy" meal and the other when she is serving a "meat" meal. I have heard that some people (if they can afford it) have two stoves or even two kitchens if they are very observant so nothing ever mixes, but my friend doesn't have a house large enough for that. I think there is a time limit between eating the two - for example some people wait after a steak dinner to eat ice cream but not everybody waits or waits the same amount of time, they just make sure it isn't on the table at the same time.

We live in a city where there aren't a ton of kosher restaurants to eat out. My friend keeps her home very strictly kosher but will eat out in non-kosher restaurants, but she still follows the kosher guidelines. Does that make any sense? She feeds her kids kosher and expects them to follow it but her DH wasn't raised in a kosher home (he is Jewish) so he doesn't eat kosher when he's out of the house. That's what works for them.

ETA: She also uses margarine when serving a "meat" meal instead of butter, no cheese, etc. so it's not always the things you think about immediately. She serves butter on "dairy" nights.

[daylilies]

Yeah...there's no sleeping that late with Josh around. I think the latest I have slept since he was a newborn is 8:45, and it was heavenly. (that was the night he threw up, and he slept past 9)