I was not even sort of kind of ready, lol. Luckily, I was young enough that it was a little like playing house, and that was something I was good at. I still look around and feel completely overwhelmed. There've been times when I begged dh to just let me go back to work, I can't do this stay at home thing, I'm just not capable. If you find a class or something for your girls, could you pass it on? I could definitely use some lessons.

I like people I can trust, people that are honest, open, kind and interesting. Some people like me, some don't, but then I don't like everyone I meet. I guess it depends on the person :)

OP - big hug. Thank you. Thank you for letting her visit and not sending her away. Thank you for being your dd's friend now that she's an adult. Perhaps you could reach an understanding? Don't come till 2, so we can get our work done? Or you could put her to work teaching, lol, while you play with grand babies :) :( Or trying to convince ourselves of that, anyway. Ever feel like it would be easier if you were schizophrenic and at least had someone to talk to :lol:

Right, and if you allow the OT or the parts of it you can't understand, to keep you from believing the NT, then (imo) you would not be a Christian. I think what's lost between the two camps (yes you can, no you can't) is the distinction between believing in Christ and believing in the law that preceded Him. I do believe that the difference spoken of by Paul and Peter, between the Gentile and the Jewish Christians (circumcision/uncircumsized), allows the Gentiles to go forward, without having to look back and start at the beginning. LOL, I don't even know if that makes sense to anyone besides myself. I do think, having read the pp from 1Peter, that you should not claim the OT is false. I don't think you have to study it or proclaim it, but you should (imo) keep mum if you think it might be bunk. Also, the translation of a translation post set me thinking about all the apparent discrepancies. Nuance is lost in translation, and I think the confusion comes (as the pp said) from the translations of translations... An easy way to see how this works is to read Twain's Jumping Frog, then read it in French, then retranslate it from French back into English. You aren't even talking about the leap of language to second language to third language, but so much of the story is lost just translating it back into English that what remains is really, hardly readable.

Shucks, thanks :) It feels good to actually know the answer to a question :w00t:

You are just chock full of information aren't you ;)

Congrats, Hornblower, you've actually given me pause... sheesh, and I was all ready to blow this off. You and your numbers and articles. I'm going off to find a rock my family can live under, see you next summer :(

Carmen, I went and looked and I think she was answering the OPs question... which leads me to believe I was wrong. I'm going to narrow this down to (what I think) is the most pertinent part... 1 Peter 2:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of god spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Hmmmm, part of me wonders if this includes all of the OT, calling it all prophecy, or if it leaves room for wiggling where creation etc are concerned... Another pertinent (imo) section: 1 Peter 2:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. That part speaking more to people that are unsure whether or not Jesus did all the miracles that are recorded in the NT.

King M, I think poor (and possibly low class) had more to do with it. After all, if they could afford a good lawyer, we probably wouldn't have even read about the incident.

Mercola.com (877-985-2695) had an article on cacao powder and dosages, but I couldn't open it without a (free) subscription... if nothing else, you could look there :)

I know, and for those people the law would apply. I'm actually writing down the prophecies as I go, so I can backtrack and read them in the OT, because I'm curious to hear what they specifically say and the context. All I meant was, Gentiles were not expected to follow the old laws, they had to follow the new laws put forth by Christ. Thus, imo, a 'new' Christian does not HAVE to go by the OT, but can spend their time studying the new. Really, for me, I read 'More than a Carpenter.' The logic in that book turned me completely, from luekwarm to hungering.

They're atracted to that stuff, so I would guess it sought out the poo and climbed in. No worries, they only feed off rotting stuff, that's why they're sometimes used by doctors to fend off infection. The maggots will only eat the rotting meat, so the patient is left with only healthy tissue.

http://www.ask.com/bar?q=Are+there+locusts+in+Alberta+Canada%3F&page=1&qsrc=168&ab=0&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.innovationalberta.com%2Farticle.php%3Farticleid%3D627 Interesting article on locusts in Alberta, lol....... I'll stop searching now :)

Dh said, rhinoceros beetle... http://www.ask.com/pictures?qsrc=167&o=0&l=dir&q=rhinoceros+beetle or a locust....... it does look like a locust, but awfully huge http://www.ask.com/pictures?q=Cicada+Looks&qsrc=6&o=0&l=dir&ni=

Yes. I left my dc there under the care of the parents, not their older child.

I agree with the pp that said maggots. Look under your fridge, in and around your trash can, around your base boards and under your cabinets. Megagross, but at least you know in a little while it will be house full of flies, that's a bright side and a half, isn't it ;)

Expected and forced are still two different things. The gov. and different bodies can recommend whatever they want, as long as it isn't forced.

That's what I thought. If it's only a recommendation, then what does it matter? Again, people have no problem ignoring recommendations.

I already said this, but I'll say it again. I don't believe a follower of Christ has to take the whole OT and believe it. I mean, you have to believe in God, but as for the rest of it... I think you can let it rest. Logically, Christ being the son of God, is easy. I can't speak for the OT, because I haven't studied, haven't really concerned myself with much of it. I was taught much of it as a child, but as an adult, I focus on Christ. Again, believing in Christ as the son of God, logically, is easy. If you're trying to convince yourself that God does not exist, or that it's all hogwash, then I don't know what to tell you. All the pat answers, God works in mysterious ways, for everything there is a reason, etc. are there, for what it's worth. I've had some low lows, but I can see (now) how much I got from them, I can see that (as much as I disagreed at the time) it was not more than I could handle. I can see that I grew because of those times. I'm not all sunshine lollipops and rainbows, but I do try to hand things over to God. I'm stiff necked by nature and it's HARD to give it up, it's hard not to cling onto the things I disagree with or want to change. All I can do is try, pray, read, trust. It's a shaky limb, putting all those eggs in one basket, but... I mean, it's God's basket, His limb, and if I can't trust Him, well that means I really am all alone. God won't FORCE me to trust Him. If I choose to be alone, then there's no one to blame, but myself.

French braids, corn rows, those are your best best. Used with a head band it could work. I'm not sure they would allow bandanas (they don't here) for fear of sending the wrong (gang) signals.

Paula, I was under the impression that the CDC was just going to recommend it. Forcing it would be wrong, I totally agree. If they're just endorsing it, though, eh, they endorse all kinds of things that people ignore.

One thing I've noticed is that, many parents that just do what their doctor tells them to are not the most hands-on parents. I've babysat for a little boy that was uncirced (3yo). His mother did whatever the doctor said and beyond that... well, if the doc hadn't recommended it, she didn't do it. That poor kid was so dirty, dirty hair, dirty nails, but the doc said, 'kids at that age get dirty, so don't worry about it, he should have a bath if he smells, if he's obviously dirty, or every three days. He should wash his hands and face often.' So, the kid had infections pretty often, the doctor said it was from OVER washing :( He obviously assumed she was being straight up, but I knew she was only washing him, once he got the infection. Parents like that, their kids might be better off.