For Those Who Live With Depression

Just wanted to say, as we roll over into 2008, that I've gained a greater respect this year for those who live with depression each day of their lives and "keep on keeping on."

For insights from Jon, who lives with his wife Heather's chronic depression, visit Blurbomat.

Milton says, "My depression has beaten me like a rented mule this past week," writing with his usual straightforwardness -- even as he reminds himself and all of us -- "I am not alone."

For any of you out there who fight the beast named depression, know that I admire your guts and perseverance. And your honesty.

On a slightly different topic -- Cynthia recently wrote a very personal post about rape and its aftermath -- required reading for anyone who wants to understand how a victim feels and offer them help. Hint: First, practice saying "it's not your fault. No one deserves to be raped."

Have a Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all of you!

See if you can read the sign on the wall next to Anna (click on photo for a closer view). We took a trip to Tunisia over Christmas.
David flies back to Grand Rapids on January 2nd. It's been fun rubbing elbows and getting chummy as a family again.

Oh, in other breaking news--Danielle's appointed to a Peace Corps position in Romania, teaching English to middle and secondary-schoolers. If the rest of her papers go through fine, she departs mid-May for training in the States, and then to somewhere in Romania. Have any of you visited or lived there?

Here's a family picture, now that we're all five together. It's taken in Carthage, which I never realized belonged to Tunisia. Piles and piles of Roman ruins all around the country.

A Christmas Poem

"In the Bleak Midwinter" is a poem I've always liked, and this seems an appropriate time of year to post it.

In the Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak mid-winter
Frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron,
Water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow,
Snow on snow,
In the bleak mid-winter
Long ago.

Our God, Heaven cannot hold Him
Nor earth sustain;
Heaven and earth shall flee away
When He comes to reign:
In the bleak mid-winter
A stable-place sufficed
The Lord God Almighty,
Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, whom cherubim
Worship night and day,
A breastful of milk
And a mangerful of hay;
Enough for Him, whom angels
Fall down before,
The ox and ass and camel
Which adore.

Angels and archangels
May have gathered there,
Cherubim and seraphim
Thronged the air,
But only His mother
In her maiden bliss,
Worshipped the Beloved
With a kiss.

What can I give Him,
Poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd
I would bring a lamb,
If I were a wise man
I would do my part,
Yet what I can I give Him,
Give my heart.

--Christina Rossetti (1872)

Little People Art

For your enjoyment, two different links I've come across with miniature people posed in artful ways...

Little People--A Tiny Street Art Project (little handpainted people, left in London to fend for themselves)
and
another group of photos, with little people and food (can you really mow a kiwi?).

Better Than Crack (Ha Ha, Mom)

A great cookie recipe. My oldest daughter baked two separate batches this week and they both disappeared within 24 hours.

Raspberry Chocolate Triangles

Oven -- 350 degrees.

1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter (soft)
1-10 oz. package frozen sweetened raspberries (or add sugar to unsweetened berries)
1/4 cup orange juice (or I've substituted lemon juice)
1 T. cornstarch
1 cup chocolate chips
Melted vanilla chips

Mix flour, sugar and butter.
Press flour mixture in 9 x 13 inch pan & bake 15 minutes.
Mix raspberries, orange juice and cornstarch.
Heat to boil, stirring.
Boil and stir 1 minute, cool 10 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate chips over crust.
Spread carefully.
Spoon raspberry mix over chocolate.
Bake 20 minutes or until mix is set.
Refrigerate until firm.
You may drizzle melted vanilla chips over the top.
Cut into 3 inch squares.
Cut each square into 4 triangles. Voila!

Weihnachtsmarkt Time

Once again, it's Christmas market time in Germany. Heidelberg has a few different markets along the Hauptstrasse, all offering Glühwein (hot spiced wine), waffles dusted with powdered sugar, pork steak and onion sandwiches, deep fried potato pancakes topped with berries and cream, crepes, and many other food offerings. As you can see, most of them won't improve your chloresterol count...except for the Kräuter Bonbons (herb candy), that is.
Anna said that when we move back to the States (whenever that is...) she's going to miss these Christmas markets. So will I--they're better than glitzy malls and flashing lights everywhere. Portland's Saturday Market is the closest I've seen in the U.S.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

I got Barbara Kingsolver's book--Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life--and am in the middle of reading it. Then this morning, I discovered that Milton (of Don't Eat Alone)just reviewed her book on another site. Check it out.

Happy Birthday to My Baby Brother

Happy Birthday to my brother, Dan--as proof of his craziness, he ran the Death Valley Marathon last weekend. Will the Antarctic Marathon be next??

Love you, Dan.

Free Rice

Free Rice is a fun place to learn new words and help donate rice at the same time. Innovative idea. And Snopes confirms the claim--the rice is truly being donated, it's no urban legend.