Writing Prompts August 1-5

Will you be joining me to write more in  August?  Read my original post here.

August 1 - Origin story

Why did you start your blog? Is that still why you blog, or has your site gone in a different direction than you’d planned?

August 2 - A house divided

Pick a divisive issue currently in the news. Write a two-part post in which you take on two personas and approach the topic from both sides. Bonus points for a creative format (roundtable discussion, debate transcript, etc.).

August 3 -Green-eyed monster

Write an anonymous letter to someone you’re jealous of.

August 4 -Back to the future

Anachronism (noun): an error in chronology; a person or thing that’s chronologically out of place. Write a story in which a person or thing is out of place, or recount a time when you felt out of place.

August 5 -Ballerina, fireman, astronaut, moviestar

When you were 10, what did you want to be when you grew up? What are you now? Are the two connected?

Friday Foodie Repost

While we were in Hawaii earlier this month we ate at Auntie Pasto's.  This is a great restaurant in Honolulu, away from the busy Waikiki strip.  They have fabulous homemade pasta and that put me in the mood to make my own.  I had posted the recipe for Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil in 2010.  I made my own pasta this time and this meal was delicious!

Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

Pasta recipe from Bob's Red Mill:

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Water
1 Egg
3/4 cups Semolina Pasta Flour
1 tsp salt

1.  Combine semolina and salt, add beaten eggs, water and oil. Mix to make a stiff dough.
2.  Knead 10 minutes or until dough is elastic. Wrap dough in towel or place in plastic bag and let rest for 20 minutes.
3.   Pass the dough through the flat rollers of the pasta machine until you reach 5 on the regulating knob.  The dough should be flexible, not stiff.

4.  Place the Fettuccine attachment on the pasta machine.  Roll pasta through, cutting strips.
5. Boil pasta in an 4-quart pot of boiling water with 1/2 tablespoon of salt added. Using spaghetti spoon, remove pasta right out of water into pasta bowl with tomato mixture.

2 large tomatoes, cored and chopped, about 2 cups
1/4 cup olive oil
1 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, tightly packed and shredded
1 tsp. salt, or more for taste
1/4 tsp. pepper, or more for taste

freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish
crushed red pepper flakes for garnish (optional)

1. Cut tomatoes in small chunks and place with juice in large pasta bowl. Add the olive oil, minced garlic, fresh basil leaves, and salt and pepper. Mix together lightly.
2. Toss together, adding reserved pasta water if pasta gets too dry. Serve immediately garnished with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes, if desired. Serves 4.

This was really good - light with lots of flavor. The original recipe called for one pound of pasta - I knew we'd never eat that much, so I reduced it but left all other ingredients the same. I'm glad I did - it would have been too dry for my taste otherwise.

Nutritional info: 183.5 calories / 4 g fiber / 6.25 g fat / 3.4 WW points per serving

That same post contained another recipe I planned for this week - Lemonade Pie!  I guess they are my last week of July favorites. This recipe came from Grandma Luella and I have made it many times through this years. It is my absolute favorite summer dessert.

6 oz. frozen Lemonade (bring to room temperature)
4 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened
7 oz. fat free sweet condensed milk
8 oz. lite Cool Whip
1 graham cracker crust

Mix lemonade and cream cheese well
Add sweet condensed milk, whip until foamy
Fold in Cool Whip until smooth - do not over-stir or your pie will be runny and not set
Add to pie crust and freeze for 1 hour or until set.

This is a favorite summer dessert! It's tart and sweet, but not too heavy. You can also top this with fresh berries.

Nutritional info: 317.5 calories / 9.6 g fat / 0 g fiber / 7 WW points per slice, makes 8 slices. Not as low as I hoped, but not too bad for a yummy dessert!

August Writing Prompts

I found these writing prompts from the editors of WordPress.com.  The complete 365 day list is here. 

August 1 - Origin story

Why did you start your blog? Is that still why you blog, or has your site gone in a different direction than you’d planned?

August 2 - A house divided

Pick a divisive issue currently in the news. Write a two-part post in which you take on two personas and approach the topic from both sides. Bonus points for a creative format (roundtable discussion, debate transcript, etc.).

August 3 -Green-eyed monster

Write an anonymous letter to someone you’re jealous of.

August 4 -Back to the future

Anachronism (noun): an error in chronology; a person or thing that’s chronologically out of place. Write a story in which a person or thing is out of place, or recount a time when you felt out of place.

August 5 -Ballerina, fireman, astronaut, moviestar

When you were 10, what did you want to be when you grew up? What are you now? Are the two connected?

August 6 -Everything changes

Walking down the street, you encounter a folded piece of paper on the sidewalk. You pick it up and read it and immediately, your life has changed. Describe this experience.

August 7 -Never again

Have you ever gone to a new place or tried a new experience and thought to yourself, “I’m never doing that again!” Tell us about it.

August 8 -(YAWN)

What bores you?

August 9 -Smell you later

Humans have very strong scent memory. Tell us about a smell that transports you.

August 10 -Moved to tears

Describe the last time you were moved to tears by something beautiful.

August 11 -P.C.

Is political correctness a useful concept, or does it stifle honest discussion?

August 12 -Life line

You’re on a long flight, and a palm reader sitting next to you insists she reads your palm. You hesitate, but agree. What does she tell you?

August 13  -Drawing the line

Can anything be funny, or are some things off limits?

August 14 -Mirror, mirror, on the wall…

Think of your blog as a mirror: what does it reveal? Consider your blog name, theme choice, design, bio, posts… what does every element tell you about yourself?

August 15 -Freaky Friday

You experience your own Freaky Friday, and switch bodies with someone you love/hate. Tell us what happens.

August 16 -Standout

When was the last time you really stood out in a crowd? Are you comfortable in that position, or do you wish you could fade into the woodwork?

August 17 -Three-tenths

Scribble down the first ten words that come to mind. Pick three of them. There’s your post title. Now write!

August 18 -Procrastination

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

August 19 -On the edge

We all have things as need to do to keep an even keel —blogging, exercising, reading, cooking. What’s yours?

August 20 -The full moon

When the full moon happens, you turn into a person who’s the opposite of who you normally are. Describe this new you.

August 21 -Fifteen credits

Another school semester will soon begin. If you’re in school, are you looking forward to starting classes? If you’re out of school, what do you miss about it — or are you glad those days are over?

August 22 -Viral

The New York Times is going to feature your blog on its home page, and you’ve been asked to publish a new post — it’ll be the first thing tens of thousands of new readers see. Write it.

August 23 -Pants on fire

What was the last lie you told? Why did you tell it?

August 24 -These boots were made for walkin’

Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.

August 25 -Secret of success

What would it take for you to consider yourself a “successful blogger”? Is that something you strive for?

August 26 -Funny ha-ha

Do you consider yourself funny? What role does humor play in your life? Who’s the funniest person you know?

August 27 -I’d like to thank my cats

You are receiving an award –- either one that already exists, or a new one created just for you. What would the award be, why are you being honored, and what would you say in your acceptance speech?

August 28  -Ready for your close-up

Cast the movie of your life.

August 29 -I can’t drive 55

Take the third line of the last song you heard, make it your post title, and write for a maximum of 15 minutes. GO!

August 30  -A little sneaky

Are writing prompts a useful exercise, or do you find them to be too limiting and/or hokey?

August 31 -I pledge allegiance

Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?

Blog Revival

McMoments and Memories, the blog you are reading right now, was launched on July 22, 2008.  Nine years ago I began this journey.  I've shared a lot, renewed old friendships, met new friends, and had a good time.  Hopefully I've shared something that has brightened your day or encouraged you along the way.

Lately, this blog has been sorely neglected.  I've only posted 38 times so far this year. In comparison, I posted over 300 times in 2009, 2010, and 2011.  McMoments and Memories is in need of a revival.

re·viv·al
rəˈvīvəl/
noun

noun: revival; plural noun: revivals
an improvement in the condition or strength of something.
"a revival in the fortunes of the party"
synonyms:  improvement, recovery, rallying, picking up, amelioration, turn for the better, upturn, upswing, resurgence

an instance of something becoming popular, active, or important again.
"cross-country skiing is enjoying a revival"
synonyms:  comeback, reestablishment, reintroduction, restoration, reappearance, resurrection, regeneration, renaissance, rejuvenation

I've wanted to write more, but I just haven't been motivated.  I thought about doing a Photo a Day challenge, but that seemed like taking the easy way out.  So for the month of August I am committing to write a minimum of three times a week, with a goal of five times.  I found a writing prompt that I'll be sharing tomorrow.  I'll share the list for the upcoming week each Saturday.

I'd love to have company on this adventure!  If you're a blogger, please feel free to join me.  If you don't have a blog, maybe now is the time to start one.  I would especially love to read your comments.

Wordless Wednesday ~ 4th of July Hawaiian Style

Maui R & R & R

A few weeks ago we flew to Hawaii.  Instead of our usual Hawaiian Airlines flight #1 to Honolulu, we flew to Maui.  It's been a while since we went to one of the other islands and had some down time.  Of course for us it's never just Rest and Relaxation, there's always some Recreation involved, too.

Our first stop on our way from the airport was Maui Cyclery in the town of Paia.  The store is the sponsor for Cycle to the Sun - a bike race UP Haleakala Crater.  If you've ever been to Maui you've seen lots of ads for riding down the crater, but there are some who ride up it, and others who even race up.  The ride climbs 10,000 feet over 36 miles and reaches gradients up to 18%.  We stopped at the store so Les could pick up his race packet - yes, Les would be racing up the crater on Saturday, but I'll get back to that...

By the time we left Paia, we were ready for some food.  Leoda's Kitchen and Pie Shop has become our favorite stop on our way from the airport to Ka'anapali.  I had their amazing Avocado and Cucumber Sandwich.  I can't remember what Les had, but I do remember we both had pie.  Our vacation was off to a great start!

This is not Leoda's, but it does describe what happens when you eat too much pie...

We checked in to our favorite Maui condo - The Aston Mahana at Ka'anapali.  There was a slight glitch in our reservation, but we were finally in our room and ready to relax for a while.  The views from our ocean front room just can't be beat!

Molokai island

We arrived on Wednesday and took Thursday and Friday as full on R & R.  Les got his bike ready and went for a short ride and I went for a short run, but there was a lot of napping involved, too.

Lanai island

We had an early start on Saturday morning to get to the race on time.  We both knew quite a few of the riders (the race is capped at 200.)

After an Hawaiian blessing, they were off!

I knew I would have plenty of time to wait, so I headed to the nearest coffee shop.  I ended up spending two hours with a lady whose husband was also in the race.  We shared stories about family and adventures.  My plan was to drive to the summit and hopefully see Les a few times along the way.

I stopped at the Visitor Center and watched Les go through.  Then I drove a few more miles to see him again.  I cheered for every rider who came by.  It's a grueling race and I know even a few words of encouragement can mean a lot.  I was at the summit when Les came across the finish line!

He had been sick for about 3 weeks leading up to the race.  This is no easy ride at 100%, so I was happy to see him finish with a smile!  This was Les' fourth attempt and fourth successful finish on this ride.

It was a very clear day at the top.  In the distance are Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii...

We had all day Sunday to enjoy ourselves before heading to Oahu on Monday.  I went for another run, while my cyclist got some much needed rest!

We found a fun new breakfast place - Slappy Cakes.  This is one of the rare times when neither of us had a phone with us and we wanted to take a food picture!  We got to make our own pancakes right at our table.  We chose our batter and our toppings, then had fun cooking and eating.

That's our vacation in a nutshell!  What are your summer vacation plans?

Repost: The Shunammite Woman

On Sunday night Pastor McGriffin preached about the Shunammite woman found in 2 Kings chapter 4.  Her story is only found in part of one chapter of the Bible.  I went back and reread what I wrote about her when I studied her story in 2015 (you can see my complete study of Women of the Bible here.)  Her post is one of the longer ones, but I want to repost it today.  What a great woman!  I want to be able to say, "it is well," no matter the circumstance.

 I find the nameless people in the Bible are often so interesting!  This Shunammite woman is no exception.  The first mention of this woman calls her a "great woman."  No other woman in the Bible receives this distinction.  According to John Gill's commentary, she was "of great wealth and riches, of great benevolence and hospitality, and of great grace and piety; that feared sin, as the Targum paraphrases it; a woman of great credit and reputation on all accounts."  Wow!  She definitely needs to be studied.

Background – parents, husband, children, siblings

We only know this woman was married and had one son, the names of her husband and son are not given either.

What is she most known for? Victories? Defeats? How can I be like her? How can I avoid being like her?

There are three events that occur in this chapter regarding the Shunammite woman.  Each begins with the phrase "it fell on a day."  There is no time given, just "it fell on a day."

The first time we read about the Shunammite woman was when Elisha passed by and "she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread."  She was mindful of the man of the God.  "She had observed him at all times pass that way, and guessed by his habit and deportment that he was a religious man, and therefore took an opportunity to invite him into her house, and take a dinner with her." (John Gill)

She wasn't content with giving the man of God food, "she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.  Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither."  

Matthew Henry's Commentary said, "So well pleased was she with her guest, and so desirous of his company, that she would not only bid him welcome to her table, but provide a lodging-room for him in her house, that he might make the longer stay, not doubting but her house would be blessed for his sake, and all under her roof edified by his pious instructions and example - a good design, yet she would not do it without acquainting her husband, would neither lay out his money nor invite strangers to his house without his consent.  She suggests to him, 1. That the stranger she would invite was a holy man of God, who therefore would do good to their family, and God would recompense the kindness done to him; perhaps she had heard how well paid the widow of Sarepta was for entertaining Elijah. 2. That the kindness she intended him would be no great charge to them; she would build him only a little chamber. Perhaps she had no spare room in the house, or none private and retired enough for him, who spent much of his time in contemplation, and cared not for being disturbed with the noise of the family. The furniture shall be very plain; no costly hangings, no stands, no couches, no looking-glasses, but a bed, and a table, a stool, and a candlestick, all that was needful for his convenience, not only for his repose, but for his study, his reading and writing."

Verse 11 also begins with "it fell on a day."  Elisha had returned and he wanted to do something good for this kind woman.  He was willing to speak to the king on her behalf, but she replied, "I dwell among mine own people."  "She was content and satisfied with her present state of life, and the situation she was in, and with her friends and neighbours she lived among, and did not care to remove, though it was to a higher rank of life, and to greater dignity and honour; and she had no suit to make to the king or general, nothing to complain of; and she had friends enough to speak for her, should she want any assistance."  (John Gill)

 Elisha did not speak directly to the woman, but through his servant Gehazi.  When she did not ask for anything Elisha said, "What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old." 

Elisha then spoke directly to her, "About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid."  "The expression, “do not lie,” which is harsh to us, accords with the plain, straightforward simplicity of ancient speech. It would not mean more than “deceive.”  (Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible)

Verse 17 says, "And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life."  Just as Elisha had told her, a son was born.  The shame of her barrenness was gone.

Did she reach a place when she needed to reset?  If so, did she?  For good or evil?
Finally, verse 18 says again "it fell on a day."  Her son was now old enough to work in the field with his father, John Gill said he could have been as young as six or seven.   He quickly became ill and by noon had died.  How she responded to this great sorrow shows how great she truly was.  She didn't sit and mourn but "laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out.  And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again."  "Here is the sudden death of the child. All the mother's tenderness cannot keep alive a child of promise, a child of prayer, one given in love. But how admirably does the prudent, pious mother, guard her lips under this sudden affliction! Not one peevish word escapes from her."  (Matthew Henry)

She showed great faith when telling her husband that she needed to get to the man of God.  She said, "It shall be well." She did not waste one second but told her servant, "Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee."  She had one focus - get to the man of God.  Elisha saw her coming and sent Gehazi to find out what was going on.  "Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well."

When she finally reached Elisha she fell at his feet.  Gehazi tried to stop her, but Elisha quickly recognized her grief.  "Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?"  "Great grief shrinks from putting itself into words. The Shunammite cannot bring herself to say, “My son is dead;” but by reproaching the prophet with having “deceived” her, she sufficiently indicates her loss." (Albert Barnes)

Elisha sent Gehazi ahead, but "the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her."  A beautiful miracle took place when Elisha arrived.  Elisha, "went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.  Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes."  "Not from any virtue imparted to it by these motions and actions of the prophet, but from life being infused into it by the Lord, which caused an heat in the several parts of the body." (John Gill)

Her response to the miracle?  "Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out."  "In reverence of him, and with the most profound gratitude and thankfulness for the mercy received: she went out with great joy and gladness."  (John Gill)

That is the last that we read of this great woman, but I think Elisha must have continued coming to their home.  She must have shared the story of her son's birth and resurrection over and over!  Her faith-filled "it is well," became reality.

Happy Independence Day, America!

It's been a long time since I was in school, a really long time!  So I thought I'd look up some facts about July 4th and its true meaning.   From ConstitutionFacts.com:

The Declaration of Independence

We celebrate American Independence Day on the Fourth of July every year. We think of July 4, 1776, as a day that represents the Declaration of Independence and the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.

But July 4, 1776 wasn't the day that the Continental Congress decided to declare independence (they did that on July 2, 1776).

It wasn’t the day we started the American Revolution either (that had happened back in April 1775).

And it wasn't the day Thomas Jefferson wrote the first draft of the Declaration of Independence (that was in June 1776). Or the date on which the Declaration was delivered to Great Britain (that didn't happen until November 1776). Or the date it was signed (that was August 2, 1776).

So what did happen on July 4, 1776?

The Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. They'd been working on it for a couple of days after the draft was submitted on July 2nd and finally agreed on all of the edits and changes.

July 4, 1776, became the date that was included on the Declaration of Independence, and the fancy handwritten copy that was signed in August (the copy now displayed at the National Archives in Washington, D.C.) It’s also the date that was printed on the Dunlap Broadsides, the original printed copies of the Declaration that were circulated throughout the new nation. So when people thought of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 was the date they remembered.

In contrast, we celebrate Constitution Day on September 17th of each year, the anniversary of the date the Constitution was signed, not the anniversary of the date it was approved. If we’d followed this same approach for the Declaration of Independence we’d being celebrating Independence Day on August 2nd of each year, the day the Declaration of Independence was signed!

How did the Fourth of July become a national holiday?

For the first 15 or 20 years after the Declaration was written, people didn’t celebrate it much on any date. It was too new and too much else was happening in the young nation. By the 1790s, a time of bitter partisan conflicts, the Declaration had become controversial. One party, the Democratic-Republicans, admired Jefferson and the Declaration. But the other party, the Federalists, thought the Declaration was too French and too anti-British, which went against their current policies.

By 1817, John Adams complained in a letter that America seemed uninterested in its past. But that would soon change.

After the War of 1812, the Federalist party began to come apart and the new parties of the 1820s and 1830s all considered themselves inheritors of Jefferson and the Democratic-Republicans. Printed copies of the Declaration began to circulate again, all with the date July 4, 1776, listed at the top. The deaths of Thomas Jefferson and John Adams on July 4, 1826, may even have helped to promote the idea of July 4 as an important date to be celebrated.

Celebrations of the Fourth of July became more common as the years went on and in 1870, almost a hundred years after the Declaration was written, Congress first declared July 4 to be a national holiday as part of a bill to officially recognize several holidays, including Christmas. Further legislation about national holidays, including July 4, was passed in 1939 and 1941.

Have a wonderful and safe holiday!