Bang Bang! Prepare to Die!

CLICK HERE to watch an 8-second video of Miriam impersonating Judah who has frequently impersonated Inigo Montoya from The Princess Bride.

How to get TWO LIVE WORMS from one.

CLICK HERE to watch a short video of Judah explaining how he cut a worm in half (gently) and now he has TWO LIVE WORMS! Miriam chimes in every now in then, too.

Mira Demonstrates How to Go Potty

CLICK HERE to watch a short video of Mira demonstrating the proper way to go potty.

New Recipe--Green Chips!

We tried a new recipe tonight that I just had to share.

If you've read my blog for very long, you know that I'm a big fan of green smoothies (yes, I actually add fresh, raw, organic baby spinach and other greens to my fruit smoothies). Well, I just found another scrumptious way to eat more greens (or at least eat the abundance of greens from our CSA, which, by the way, is still accepting new members):

Make Kale or Spinach Chips!

Roasted Kale with Sea Salt 4 cups firmly-packed kale
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. good-quality sea salt, such as Maldon or Cyprus Flake
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Wash and trim the kale: Peel off the tough stems by folding the kale leaves in half like a book and stripping the stems off. Toss with extra virgin olive oil. Roast for five minutes. Turn kale over. Roast another 7 to 10 minutes until kale turns brown and becomes paper thin and brittle. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Serve immediately.
Makes 2 servings.

Oh, my goodness. These "Kale Chips" were so good that after we devoured them (in a matter of seconds), I did the same thing to the bag of spinach we had in the fridge. Delicious! SO much better than any processed bag of potato chips--and full of nutrition! I couldn't believe it!

I seasoned mine with a little Creole seasoning. James liked them seasoned with salt. Either way, they're worth heating up the house for a few minutes. Amazingly yummy and good for you, too!

If you'd like to try fresh, local, seasonal, organic produce, check out the following links to our CSA. Oh, they now have one in Bowling Green, too!

Letter from Farmer Andrew Habegger
Sign-up form for Eco-Gardens CSA

Rehearsals for Mirror Mirror: The Verdict

Have you heard the news?

CLICK HERE for the cast list of Oracle Productions' next play: Mirror Mirror.

Judah and I auditioned both Tuesday and Wednesday night. I had planned to take him on Wednesday only, but then I realized that having him audition for two consecutive nights would be a relatively good indicator of how well he would handle rehearsals and performing for multiple consecutive nights.

Even though we planned to leave auditions early, he was ready to stay to the end, having napped all afternoon. He begged me to go back into the theater so he could see the other actors "memorize their lines." He found someone to sit next to and stayed put, sitting perfectly still and quiet while each group of actors took the stage.

The first night, he was a little nervous. After all, it was his first time EVER delivering lines from a stage before a live audience. So he held my hand walking up to the stage and didn't let go until we walked off the stage. He forgot his first line (he kept getting stuck on it, trying to correct the grammar), so I whispered it to him. His second line he delivered with gusto. He projected his voice perfectly, used appropriate facial expressions, and even incorporated some body language. As usual, his inflection was perfect. If you've ever had a conversation with Judah, you know that he is one expressive kid who has no problem turning up the volume.

The next night Judah acted like he owned the place. He memorized his lines, walked on stage by himself, sat down right in the middle of the stage (without holding my hand), delivered his lines without prompting, used body language, facial expressions, inflection . . . and in typical Judah fashion, he projected his voice like a pro. He even left the stage heading in the opposite direction from me. I felt like a theater mom whose professional 5-year-old actor was shining at yet another audition. Judah wanted to stay to the end, but he was already exhausted and I wanted to be able to focus on auditioning for the role of Morgana, the beautiful, wicked queen.

During my last scene, I read for Queen Morgana while David Durham (who married my husband and I nearly 10 years ago), read for King Arthur. At the end of the instense-turned-poignant scene, we received an "illegal" applause. I said, "We're not supposed to do that!" Then, I looked up and saw the director and his two assistants clapping. I got so nervous that my arms started itching. I spent the next two hours talking incessantly to my husband about how much I wanted the role and how excited I was at the prospect of doing a show with my son and how I couldn't believe we received an applause.

Turns out . . . Judah landed the role of Brody, the character for whom he "read," and I was cast as Queen Morgana, who is one of the leads. Woo Hoo!!! I'm beside myself with excitement!

Judah asked me after the first night what he would do if he got on stage and forgot his lines because he might get nervous having to say them in front of a bunch of people he doesn't know. I said, "You said your lines last night in front of a bunch of people you don't know," to which he replied, "But they were really nice!" So I reminded him of J.J. the little lamb at storytime (at the downtown main library). She makes her entrance with fearful trembling, but once she realizes all the faces are friendly, she is relieved and greets everyone with cheerfulness. She makes her exit by blowing everyone a huge kiss. I was delighted to be able to encourage him by bringing up J.J.'s experience and saying that once you get to know them, most people are very friendly--just like the ones you met last night.

Judah makes friends pretty quickly. He's turned it into an art form. By the second night of auditions, everyone was calling him by name and asking him questions. Whenever someone would ask Judah if he was reading for Brody, he would say, "No. I don't know HOW to read!"

He occasionally mentions to me that he doesn't know how he will be able to be in the play since he doesn't know how to read, but I continually remind him that he has several of his books, songs, nursery rhymes, and scriptures memorized just by hearing and practicing them over and over again. Even the people who know how to read will have to memorize their lines for the performances, which was a welcome surprise for Judah.

I have to admit that I'm a little nervous about Judah being able to handle night after night of rehearsals and then having to perform for three consecutive nights over two consecutive weekends--I mean, he is only five years old. In fact, he just turned five in March. At the same time, I remember all the times we've walked into a theater when he's asked, "Do I get to be on STAGE?" and how much fun he had with his acting classes at the Nashville Children's Theater (I can't wait to tell Julee, his acting teacher about his new role!) and how often he's asked, "I'm a really good actor, right, Mom?" The kid is always dressing up, getting into character, and roping newly found friends into some imaginary play. He LOVES this stuff.

So I suppose that if he gets enough rest during the day (and plenty of good food), he should be fine. I've been looking forward to doing a show with my son for years--I'm so happy that it's happening in two months!

July 31, August 1-2, and August 7-9 at David Lipscomb's Shamblin Theater

Save the dates! They'll be here before you know it, and you definitely don't want to miss this show!

Mira-Yummy in her "Princess Dresses"

Judah Auditions with Mommy Next Week!

Judah and I will be auditioning for a play together next week! Once I realized Judah might actually be up for it, I tried to make it sound terribly difficult for him, explaining that we're only auditioning, so we may not even land a role, but if he does land one of the roles, he has to memorize lines and deliver the same lines night after night. He would have to spend many nights practicing and many nights on stage acting. He wouldn't get to do what he wanted to do on stage--he would have to listen to the director and obey every command. Even though I went on and an about how he might not be ready for this kind of commitment yet, he responded, "I'm so excited I can hardly stand it!" and he LEAPED out of the van as if we were about to audition right then.

I suppose auditions will give us a good indication of his readiness. I'll keep you posted!

Details for auditions (if you'd like to join us, hint hint):

Oracle Productions will be holding auditions for "Mirror, Mirror," a new play by Scott Crain, on Tuesday and Wednesday evening, May 5th & 6th, from 7-9:30 PM at Lipscomb University's Shamblin Theater, located at 3901 Granny White Pike.

Roles are available for 10 men and 4 women ages 16 and up, and 5 children ages 12 and under. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script. Production dates are July 31 - August 2 & 7-9 at the Shamblin Theater; for more information, call (615) 364-5199, or e-mail the director at scott@oracleproductions.org.

These pictures are a little foreshadowing of what we'll experience if we end up doing this play together! (Hoping to make Daddy feel a little better about it, too.)

This was a difficult one to write.

Last night, I read a few chapters of Treasure Island to Judah, where I came across this quote from Robert Louis Stevenson's famous Long John Silver to young Jim:

"You can't touch pitch and not be mucked, lad."

Judah switched gears on me this morning and changed his reading selection from Treasure Island to his Children's Story Bible by Catherine Vos. What stood out to me from our reading was this:

"Sin is like a wild animal. It is always waiting to jump on you and choke you."

Reading Francis Schaeffer's The God Who Is There, I came across a passage that spoke volumes to me:

The Christian is to resist the spirit of the world. But when we say this, we must understand that the world-spirit does not always take the same form. So the Christian must resist the spirit of the world in the form it takes in his own generation. If he does not do this, he is not resisting the spirit of the world at all. This is especially so for our generation, as the forces at work against us are of such a total nature. It is our generation of Christians more than any other who need to heed these words attributed to Martin Luther:

'If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.'"

A friend's advice to me just days ago was to completely cut off ties with anyone who flirted with me (primarily through Facebook, if the truth be told). She said that she felt as though she was being harsh. She was firm and direct, but we've known each other for almost as long as I've been married (which will be 10 years in October), so I know that she was speaking out of a spirit of love. In fact, she had attended a marriage class the day before which focused on this exact subject. The seasoned women in the room had offered their wisdom. Whether they were successful in their battles or not, the message was the same: cut off all communication and don't look back.

It took me a few days. I sat on the idea for a while. I struggled with letting go of the thrill of being noticed and flattered and complimented. When someone takes an interest in you, and your greatest desire is to know and to be known, then simply "shutting it down" is not as easy as it sounds.

I know she must have been praying for me because everywhere I turned, the Lord was speaking to me, encouraging me to make the right decision. He knows that through every battle, I want to be one of the ones left standing. He knows that I don't want to become a statistic. He knows that I want my children to grow up with a mommy and a daddy who love each other and stay together--no matter what.

Over the course of the week, I thought while putting Miriam to bed one night that sometimes we just have to trust God, do what he says, and believe that we will eventually walk again in peace, joy, and love--even if we're feeling like crap at the moment. As I put her to bed, I began to pray for her. Since Judah and I have been memorizing Proverbs together, I prayed a few Proverbs over her.

Having Judah memorize scriptures has both helped me and haunted me. For example, I now have rattling around in my head: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." and "My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them." and "He who listens to me will live in safety, and be at ease, without fear of harm." and "He holds victory in store for the upright and he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless." and "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will direct your paths."

Once I gathered up enough pluck to either confess my wandering heart to my husband or cut off ties with the flirt, James and I had the biggest fight we've had in a LONG time. On Saturday, we fought. On Sunday, we rode to and from KY together, without saying a word. On Monday night, I spent some time chatting with a former college roommate who encouraged me in my marriage and offered some sound advice. On Tuesday, we went out for dinner. That's when we made some progress and worked through our conflict from Saturday. Of course, on Wednesday, the flirting increased dramatically (it went from "I think he's flirting" to "Oh, he's definitely flirting").

My friend told me that the enemy is poking around, trying to find a weak spot. She and the flirt are both products of failed marriages. Both have said that divorce is painful. Both have said that they'd never want to experience divorce again. The difference is, she's married and he's not.

I listened to a conversation several weeks ago between a woman who is considering divorce and a woman whose parents divorced when she was young. The woman whose parents divorced encouraged the woman whose marriage is rocky that she would do anything in her power to stay together because of the heartache she experienced growing up. The heartache and pain didn't go away just because she grew up. In many ways, it grew up with her.

Last night I read the testimony of a young man whose parents divorced when he was young. He described in detail the painful emotions he experienced as a result of his parent's break-up.

Everywhere I turn, I'm bombarded with messages to "fireproof" my marriage or be a "living warrior." I've been praying almost daily for a friend's marriage, so all of the things I've prayed for her, the Lord has brought to mind for me. I had no idea I was praying for myself. I also remembered today something Brian Smallwood said years ago. He said, "Your own personal victories weaken the stronghold over your region."

So today I did it. I removed the flirt as a friend on Facebook. While my girlfriend told me that I didn't owe him an explanation, I offered one anyway. He completely understood and promised to honor my wishes.

Even though it was really hard, and I'm a little sad that it's all over, I'm also relieved. I write this in hopes that it will encourage someone--anyone--who is in the middle of a raging battle, to prove their loyalty and remain "steady on all the battlefield."

Francis Schaeffer says, "When the apostle warned us to 'keep [ourselves] unspotted from the world,' he was not talking of some abstraction. If the Christian is to apply this injunction to himself he must understand what confronts him antagonistically in his own moment of history. Otherwise, he simply becomes a useless museum piece and not a living warrior for Jesus Christ."

While "you can't touch pitch and not be mucked," it is possible to confess your sins and find mercy, strengthen yourself in the Lord, and overcome the evil one:

He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy. Proverbs 28:13.

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. James 5:16.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9.

The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
Psalm 118:14.

May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. 1 Thessalonians 3:13.

But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3.

O LORD, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress. Isaiah 33:2.

1 John 2--the whole chapter.

If you've read this far, please pray for us and for your friends who are married. It's not an easy ride, but it's well worth it.

Square-foot Gardening with Papa and Nana, part 2

Our new square foot gardens are courtesy of "Papa," my resourceful, ingenious, newly retired Dad. Someone loaned him a book about how to do square foot gardens, and he devoured it. Since we've always wanted to garden but didn't know the first thing about getting started, he set us up right! He used an old, broken trampoline for the trellis. Almost everything he used he already had laying around. We're looking forward to cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots, beans, basil, marjoram, thyme, and a few other things that I can't remember. We also have room for more!

The soil is a mixture of peet moss, vermiculite, and compost. It's supposed to be virtually weed-free because there's a ground cover that helps to prevent weeds from the bottom and there's nothing in the soil except the veggie/herb seeds. We'll see how it goes . . . Dad is pretty excited about it, and so are we!

Thank you Papa and Nana for a fabulous day outside! Miriam points to the garden every day and says, "That's our garden! Nana and Papa did that! We did that!" I love it!

Square-foot Gardening with Papa and Nana

Maximize your spending, Help Orphans, Have fun traveling

A Little History
Many of you know that we've been supporting a young deaf girl in Uganda, East Africa, named Justine. She lived with us for six months while we were there teaching at an orphanage/boarding school in 2003, but I actually met her the year before on a three-week trip led by Tod Bell. I fell in love with Africa and with Justine and part of my heart has been there ever since. That was nearly seven years ago.

What's Happening Today
I'm sensing the Lord leading us to support more children. A friend recently told me that if only 1% of all followers of Christ in America sponsored one orphan, then all the orphans of the world would receive the care they need. My goal is to support at least six children in six different countries by the end of this year by giving away the proceeds from travel booked through my travel center at http://buysavegive.com.

How You Fit In
What does that have to do with you? Well, what if you could help support orphans all over the world without spending any extra money? What if you could actually save some money, reduce the time spent searching the Internet, and support at-risk children around the globe, all at the same time? Would you do it?

How many times a year do you book a flight? A rental car? A hotel? How often do you take a week-end or weekk-long vacation? Do you usually stay in a hotel or a condo? Have you ever taken a cruise? What if a portion of the money you already spend on these things could go toward the work of indigenous organizations in places like Africa, Southeast Asia, Guatemala, Sri Lanka, and even the U.S.A.?

The Big Picture
I have friends who work in all of these areas. I know first-hand that the money we give actually goes to support the children. No one is getting rich on my donations (believe me, we've visited them in their homes and we know!) My husband and I have also personally been to some of these remote areas. I've been to Uganda twice, and he went to Sri Lanka after the hurricane. We have not only seen the great need, but we have also seen how much can be done with so little.

We have now discovered an easy way for friends and family to give without increasing their spending. In fact, you may actually save money! As you may know, most travel is booked online without any brand-loyalty. Most people just search different sites like Expedia or Travelocity or Orbitz looking for the best prices. At the same time, most baby boomers prefer to speak with a real person when booking travel.

With my site (http://buysavegive.com), you have at your fingertips one-stop shopping for all your travel needs. Whether you book online or through a certified travel agent, you can find flights, hotels, rental cars, condos, cruises, and more. You'll find great value, excellent service, and the professionalism that comes from a private-label travel provider that has been specializing in nothing but travel for 25 years. They've partnered with networking businesses like mine to eliminate advertising costs, paying for referrals through commissions instead. The commissions I earn from my travel center will be invested into the Kingdom by supporting orphans around the world.

Testimonials
So far, we've used our travel center to book flights and hotels. For the first flight we booked, we waited until the last minute. Some friends of ours booked their flight weeks ahead of time. They thought they were saving a few dollars by going outside the travel center. However, not only did they have a six-hour layover that we didn't have (ours was just over an hour), but they also spent more money than we did. Our travel center has no hidden fees. What you see is what you spend. There are no pop-ups, no ads, and no clicking from page to page to find out the "real" cost.

When my husband and I went to a Dani Johnson conference in January, we saw on her website that attendees could receive a special promotional rate by calling the hotel directly and saying we were with the conference. We checked my travel center first and saved over $100 for three nights. Not only did we save money, but we also made money (30% of the commission is paid back to us).

We also have stories from friends who found trips to Paris and to Mexico for half of what the major search engines were offering. A couple who wanted to honeymoon in Mexico couldn't afford it, but our travel center helped them book a trip at an all-inclusive resort that cost around $2,000, and that included flights!

A man who needed to attend a funeral in a very small town couldn't find a hotel anywhere on the Internet. He called my travel center and they found a hotel for him in minutes. My travel center has helped countless others save money on fancy hotels and get tickets to major attractions (including Disney) for a fraction of the price.

More Benefits from BuySaveGive.com
The cruise itineraries on my site actually double those found on Expedia (whereas Expedia offers approx. 6,000 cruise itineraries, my travel center offers nearly 13,000 from all 48 cruise lines).

They also have over two-million weeks of condo availability, which you won't find on the aforementioned travel search engines. Condos, if you've never stayed in one, are the best way to vacation. You get separate bedrooms, a living area, and a full kitchen, eliminating the need to eat out every day. You could end up spending the same amount on a condo that you would for a hotel--and save money on food. Just ask me how!

Buy.Save.Give.
If you do any traveling this year, would you consider booking through my site (http://buysavegive.com)? I'd love your help in reaching my goal of supporting six children in six different countries by the end of this year. Your business trips and vacations could actually help feed, clothe, house, and educate children around the world. All you have to do is log on to http://buysavegive.com and book your travel from there. Buy.Save.Give. When you Buy from this site, you'll most likely Save money, and you'll Give to needy children who are hoping someone, somewhere will care in a tangible way.

http://buysavegive.com

Add it to your favorites. Bookmark it. Memorize it.
The children in Africa, Southeast Asia, Guatemala, Sri Lanka, and here in the U.S.A will thank you.

Partnering together to bring social change,
Lori Todd
(615) 496-8079
http://buysavegive.com
http://loritodd.biz

P.S. You may be wondering if I'm still a representative for Cruise to Cash Vacations. I am. I'm also now a representative for Quest Travel Network, a new sister-company founded by Tod Bell and Michael Churchill. Check it out at http://loritodd.biz.

NOTE: The first picture is of me with Justine in 2002. A year later she poses with my mom (on left) and mother-in-law (on right) while my dad takes the picture. The bottom picture was taken by my husband. It features our friend Howard with some kids from Sri Lanka in early 2005.

Mira Hurts Her Bitty Toe

What begins with a scratched toe turns into a broken toe that might cause her to "maybe die--maybe die in the sea." It moves to a conversation with her big brother and ends with her demonstrating how to "run in the leaves." Watch for the subtle "yes": she doesn't shake her head; she moves her chin up and down. I love that little girl.

What we think before we buy

I don't know about you, but when I need a haircut, I go to the same person every time. Jennifer at Le Bon Ton Salon not only does a great job, but she's also CHEAP, and she happens to be a single mom. I love knowing that I can spend a fourth of what I used to spend on my hair, get a professional cut, and invest in someone I care about--all in one appointment. It may not seem like much, but if Jennifer finds enough loyal clientele, she can make a good living doing something she enjoys, take care of herself and her son, and make lots of people like me very happy.

That's just one example of how we like to spend money. When we make purchases, we almost always go with a combination of professionalism and price. We also think in terms of our purchase being an investment into the lives of those we love.

If someone tells me that they're giving a portion of the proceeds to an organization that I believe in, I'm much more likely to spend the money--especially if I was already thinking about that particular purchase.

For example, we love Lucy Rizzo's cheesecakes. This weekend, we can purchase a cheesecake from her that will also benefit Kristi Singleton, who has joined Youth With A Mission (YWAM) and needs to raise funds for her DTS (Discipleship Training School). We love that kind of stuff.

So here's where I ask you to do the same for me . . .

Anytime you book travel, whether it's a rental car or a hotel or a flight, instead of using a major travel search engine, use my travel center, and 30% of the commissions go to me. We already support indigenous organizations in Africa, but we'd really like to increase our support in Southeast Asia with a group called Divine Inheritance. Check out Project AK-47. I love it.

And, now, for the link to . . .

MY TRAVEL CENTER

No pop-ups. No ads. No hidden fees.
Twice the cruise itineraries as Expedia.
Guaranteed lowest prices on hotels (two night min.)
Two-million weeks of condo availability--plus $600 discounts for week-long condo stays.

I'll most likely buy a domain name and forward it, but I need something that's easy to remember. Suggestions?


http://buysavegive.com (add it to your favorites!)

Thanks!!!

"I don't even have a WHALE!"

Today's conversation with Judah went something like this:

Judah: Mommy, I can't do what I want. I don't even have a WHALE!

Me: What are you talking about?

Judah: On this picture. There's a whale. And I want to do this, but I don't have a whale.

Me: Judah, that's called "advertising." That picture is get you thinking about what you don't have instead of what you do have. They want you to go out and buy a whale and then, when you have it, you'll see something else that you want and buy it. That's how they make money.

Judah says something else but I can't remember what it is, then I ask a question.

Me: Judah, you just got a really cool gift from our friends that you didn't have an hour ago, but what are you looking at?

Judah: The picture.

Me: See what I mean? They've got you focused on what you don't have instead of what you do have. It's advertising.

Judah: You mean, it tricks people?

Me: YES. It tricks people.

That little scenario happened hours ago, approximately one hour after he received a birthday gift in the mail from our dear friends in VA. He's still playing with his pirate ship and pirates. I haven't heard another word about the whale.

I guess I am using my communications degree after all. Thanks, Dr. Gotcher, for that class in advertising.

Recent Conversation with Mira

Me: Miriam, do you want to get in the shower?

Miriam: No.

Me: Why not?

Miriam: It's raining in the shower.

(The picture is from Judah's birthday, this time last year.)