My Political Rant

I'm pretty selective about what I put into cyberspace via social media like Facebook, Twitter, and this blog. I especially tend to avoid sharing my opinions on social and political topics. It's not that I don't have opinions, it's just that I don't think anyone really wants to hear them. And frankly, I'm usually too preoccupied with the everyday details of my own life that I don't have a lot of leftover mental energy to devote to the controversial topics of our day.

Nonetheless, I am interested in being somewhat informed, and I do read a lot. I have read many very thoughtful and well written articles by people much smarter than me on topics that tend to have a polarizing effect. And I've read a lot of crap written by those who are only interested in hearing themselves talk. I understand why people are drawn to issues that seem to have only two sides - it's much easier to think in terms of black or white, right or wrong, legal or illegal. The grey areas are far more complex and require more thought, listening, and compromise. In graduate school one of my ethics professors used the term "binary trap" for the mental state of either/or. She would say, "If you think there are only two options, you're wrong. Think harder."

This week, in the midst of a great tragedy, I have once again heard some heated debates about how the situation in Boston should or should not have been handled. It seems that high profile news stories like this put a spotlight on every hot controversy, and rattle the ire of every person who has ever had a gripe of any kind. And the really irritating thing is I find myself getting angry at all the anger!

So I'm going to allow myself this one political rant. I apologize in advance if I offend anyone. Unless, of course, you happen to live in the same house as me. In that case, so be it.

I don't in any way mean to suggest that issues like abortion, gay marriage, legalized marijuana, universal health care, or whether to declare marshall law in order to apprehend two bombers in Boston are not important issues. They are. These issues deserve careful and thoughtful dialogue by the best minds. These issues call for passion and courage and grounding. They also require compassion and listening and mercy. And prayer. Lots and lots of prayer. I believe (and this is the rant part) that everyone should hold their tongue and duct tape their lips shut until they have prayed for at least as long as they intend to spend voicing their opinion.

Where do I get such a crazy idea? From scripture. The apostle Paul saw this tendency toward polarization in the first century church. He warned them:

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior,  who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 1Tim 2:1-4,8.

You see, I'm pretty sure that angry controversies are rooted in an inaccurate view of who God is, and who we are in relation to him. The God of the universe is so far bigger and stronger and in control than we give him credit for. Our petty arguments and seemingly important concerns serve to enlarge our view of ourselves and make God seem small and weak. And when that happens, the enemy gloats.

The best illustration of this principle I've seen recently is a talk given by Pastor Louie Giglio. You might recall that Pastor Giglio was invited to deliver the invocation at the presidential inaguration, but was uninvited when a crafty reporter dug up an old interview in which Pastor Giglio had voiced concerns about the gay agenda. So Pastor Giglio is no stranger to controversy. But he has also learned that these "big" issues are small when compared to our BIG God. I promise this 7 minutes will be worth your time.

I hope this has given a little perspective to whatever issue puts a bee in your bonnet.

End of rant.

P.S. If you'd like to see Pastor Giglio's entire 40 minute talk, you can find it here: http://youtu.be/azFFc20_Ub4

The End of an Era

With great anticipation, and with a little sadness, Hannah and I (along with Hannah's friend Greta) stood in line just before midnight on July 15 to see the final installment of the Harry Potter series, The Deathly Hollows - Part II. Even the moon cooperated in the event by being full and bright. Little Harry, whom we first met in ten years ago, is all grown up now. While his friends at Hogwarts have been refining their magical talents and enjoying the frivolity of adolescence, Harry has grown up far too fast. The fate of the magical world rests squarely on his shoulders. The series is really a messiah story, as Harry is faced with a decision to lay down his life for his fellow wizards. With the support of his parents and others who have preceded him in death, Harry does so willingly. Of all the movies, this final chapter was without a doubt my favorite. I may need to see this one again just to relish it fully.

Hannah was only three years old when young Daniel Radcliffe rose to stardom as he portrayed 11-year-old Harry Potter in the very first of the series in 2001. But since then, she has watched every movie, first on VHS tapes and now on DVD. We have all the books (I'm reading them now after the fact.) I can't recall how many birthday parties and sleepovers have involved Harry Potter, or how many times we have re-watched the movies. There is no doubt that the Harry Potter series will be remembered as some of the iconic movies of her childhood, and Harry's story will told and retold for years to come. It will be interesting to see how high school English classes and college literature courses address the Harry Potter books. Will Harry be viewed as a religious metaphor? Will the "Ministry of Magic" become an allegory for modern government? Or will we simply remember this as a fantasy-filled children's story?

And so this tribute seems fitting, as we bid farewell to Harry, Hermoine, Ron, Dumbledore, Snape, Hagrid, and a host of other lovable characters. And, of course, Lord Voldemort. We won't miss him at all.

2001

2002

2004

2005

2007

2010

Me & my iPhone

Now, I'm not usually into techy gizmos the way so many people are. I definitely do not run out to buy the latest new toy to hit the market. I figure it's better to let other people work the bugs out. So when my employer added the iPhone to the list of available phone choices at the same time my phone contract was due for renewal, I wasn't at all sure I wanted to take the leap. After all, I primarily use my phone for the purpose it was intended - calling people. I do keep up with my work email (because otherwise I would be buried in email every day), but I'm not much for the whole text message thing. Why on earth would I need a phone that plays music, tells the weather forecast, takes pictures, surfs the web, and allows me to read books on a screen that is the size of a deck of cards?

I have officially eaten my words.

This little device is amazing. It is so versitile; I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface on its capabilities. My favorite things about it:

• I can get directions and watch as my car moves along the road to see where to turn next
• I can track what I eat on Weight Watchers' mobile app
• I can listen to music; something I haven't done in years
• I can pay for my Starbucks coffee, and can reload my account directly from my work payroll withdrawal
• I can check the weather radar, and track storms
• I can listen to the radio - live
• I can see how far I've walked
• AND I can take some fairly decent photos.

I guess I'm convinced.

The last view of the field behind my house before it is turned into a road.

The last softball tournament of the season - 2nd place.

4th of July at the Sprague's Firworks Extravaganza

Midnight July 15 - in line for the premier of the Harry Potter finale

My grandmother's lawn chair - now a lawn ornament in my yard

Self portrait - the iPhone takes photos backwards too!

A thistle flower

David - being David

David and Lucy

It All Started Here....

This week Al and I took a trip to La Crosse, Wisconsin. Our nephew, Eric Thompson, died very suddenly and unexpectedly last Friday and we travelled to attend a celebration of his life. In the midst of this tragedy, we had a chance to reflect on over 30 years of marriage. La Crosse is where we attended college, met, dated, got married, and lived for the first two years of our life together. This town holds a lot of memories, and we went on a mission to record some of them. You see, I didn't understand the importance of recording memories back then, so there are no photos of our early homes. This is our attempt to recreate what we missed 30 years ago...

Our first home was on Denton St. in La Crosse. In 1979 it was green, and in much better condition. Our entrance was the one on the right, and our apartment was upstairs. The window on the right was in a little alcove that we used as a office/library. It was a perfect place for two college students to store their books and study. We had a little antique desk that held my blue Smith-Corona typewriter. We took turns with the married couple downstairs mowing the lawn using a manual push mower. There was no air conditioning, and definitely no satellite television. It was about a 10 block walk to school. We lived here for one year, from June 1979 to June 1980. We paid $225 per month rent for this two bedroom apartment.

Our second home was on Market St., about 4 blocks from Viterbo College. In 1980, it was dark brown shaker siding, and had a sun porch on the back which has since been torn off. Al and I had a difficult time deciding which house was actually the one we lived in. The house has obviously been remodeled since we lived there 30 years ago. What gave it away was a small window on the left side of the house at the landing of the stairs. I remember Al's brother, Ray, and uncle, Lee, pushing our couch up the stairs on its side to get it into our upstairs apartment. We moved because we were able to reduce our rent to $215 per month. I remember cooking bacon-mushroom cheeseburgers for Al's coworkers on a gas stove that had to be 40 years old at the time. The married couple who lived downstairs were also our landlords, and they got upset with us for making noise by dropping our shoes into our closet.

We also took a quick trip up to Grandad Bluff, overlooking the city of La Crosse and the mighty Mississippi River. We have some good memories of this place, but since this is a family friendly blog, I will omit those details...

And some things never change...The Alpine Inn looks just the same as it did 30 years ago!

Happy 2010!

The New Year is time to take stock of the past year, and look forward to the new year with expectation. Here are my reflections...
I would like to be able to tell you that in the past year I...
• Got back into my size 8 jeans
• Ran a marathon
• Grew three inches
• Read my bible every day
• Memorized a bible verse every week
• Perfected organic gardening
• Published my first book
• Didn’t say a mean word once

Instead, I have to confess that in the past year I...
• Am still working on the jeans issue
• And the tongue issue
• Joined the new Healthy Living Center and have never gone once
• Spent too much time on the internet
• Became the queen of carryout
• Killed most of the plants I touched
• Became addicted to Twilight
• Read my email more than my bible (Ugh!)
• Realized that my memory isn’t what it used to be

However, in the past year I also...
• Put together some pretty cool scrapbook pages that preserve our stories
• Got to know a wonderful young woman who will soon be my daughter-in-law
• Was able to give more than I ever have despite a bad economy
• Learned more than I could have dreamed from eight incredibly talented nursing directors who call me “Boss”
• Improved my photography skills
• And my writing skills

In the next year, I am hoping to...
• Get closer to fitting in those jeans
• Show people I love them more often
• Trust God more
• Sweat the small stuff less
• Cultivate gratitude
• Be more productive at work
• Find joy in every day things

How about you? What are your hopes for the New Year?

H1N1

H1N1 has struck the Miedema household, and I've been getting lots of questions, since I now have first-hand experience. I don't claim to be an expert, but I do sit on the Mercy Medical Center H1N1 Emergency Task Force, so I get pretty up to date information from the Polk Co. Public Health Dept. I also spent time talking with our chair of Infectious Disease, Dr. Dan Gervich, the other day and he is undoubtedly an expert in all things infectious. Here are the most common questions I'm hearing:

What are the symptoms?
Well, for David and I the first symptom was a dry, ticklish cough that got more frequent over a couple of days before a low-grade fever started. For David, he ran a fever between 101 and 103 for about two days. It looks like my fever will be more low-grade - around 100. There are, of course, the general aches and pains; headache; sore throat (from the coughing.) For us, there hasn't been any nausea or vomiting, in fact I'm thirsty all the time which is a good thing.

How do you know it's H1N1?
Good question. At this point the diagnosis is pretty much according to symptoms. The rapid tests you can get at your doctor's office have between 10 and 70% inaccuracy. So some are showing Influenza A, a few are showing Influenza B, and in about 50% of the cases where the rapid test is negative for anything the person actually has H1N1 (assuming they have the symptoms above.) In 99.9% of all cases nationwide, more sofisticated cultures of those that are positive in the clinic are coming up H1N1. So, as Dr. Gervich said, "If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck...."

When is the vaccine going to be available?
A trickle of nasal (live virus) doses came to Polk County this week. Another small shipment will come in next week. Truth is, there will probably not be enough vaccine to ward this off. In other words, the horse is out of the barn, at least in Central Iowa. If you are patient enough to stand in line at the Polk County Health Department, you might be able to get the vaccine. Right now the vaccine is not available anywhere else in Polk County.

Who can get the vaccine?
Right now the vaccine is being offered to:people between the ages of 2 and 24, pregnant women, and healthcare providers 49 years old or less.

Why is it being limited to those groups?
Because those are the groups of people who seem to be hardest hit. 70% of the deaths nationwide are in people under age 24. Pregnant women have had some nasty complications. Healthcare workers have the potential to spread it like wildfire. Interestingly, as of the October 8 public health update, there had been no reported deaths related to H1N1 in people over age 65.

Does the seasonal flu vaccine help at all?
Theoretically, no. But some very early evidence suggests that people who have had the seasonal flu vaccine are getting milder cases of H1N1. This is very early, so the behavior of this virus remains to be seen.

Is the vaccine safe?
I'm biased on this one. I work in a hospital, so I see worst case scenarios. I encourage everyone to take the flu vaccine, but you have to decide for yourself. All I will say is please decide based on science, not fear.

If I get H1N1 will I die?
Gee, I certainly hope not or I wouldn't be spending this precious time blogging! The vast majority of people will be mildly to moderately miserable for about a week and then will be fine. David is on the upswing - after having 103 fever on Wednesday, he is now out mowing the lawn. The reported deaths are in people who have other medical conditions, such as asthma or diabetes. There is some evidence that morbid obesity is correlated with an increased death rate - that is probably because very obese people have a higher incidence complications associated with sleep apnea. This is primarily a virus that moves into your lower respiratory tract, so if you have lung issues, it is a good idea to see your doctor. He or she may prescribe an anti-viral medication that can lessen the duration and severity of H1N1.

Will taking vitamins, echinacea, or Zicam help?
Can't hurt.

If I get the the symptoms, should I see my doctor?
If you are basically healthy, the answer is probably not. Stay home, drink lots of fluid, take ibuprofen or acetaminaphen (you can alternate the two if you have a really high fever) and sleep. I know it's nearly impossible, but try to stay away from others. Cough into your elbow or a tissue, and wash your hands FREQUENTLY. Label a cup as your own, and do not share utensils. You know, the common sense stuff. If you run into trouble breathing, cannot get a child's fever down, are listless or lethargic more than is normal for being crappy sick, or if you have vomiting associated with the fever, we are recommending that you CALL your doctor and ask for instructions. Clinics are trying to minimize the exposure of other patients and staff, so they may take you right in or ask you to come in an alternate entrance. Or maybe not...pretty much everyone there probably has it also. Unless you really get into an emergency situation, please do NOT go to the Emergency Room. Believe me, the ERs are packed and unless it's a true emergency, you will not enjoy the wait!

This one is for you, Dad...

I can count on three fingers the number of times my Dad, Earl Schmitt, has been wrong about anything. But when he told me that deer didn't eat corn leaves because they were too sharp, I was suspicious. So armed with my new super-powerful zoom lens (thanks again, honey!) I set out to see whether he was correct on this point. Looks like he's wrong again. Here's the evidence. Oh well, four times in 75 years ain't bad. I'm wrong more times than that before I get out of bed in the morning!

Don't worry, Dad. You're still my hero!

Old McDonald Had a Wind Farm?

When I was a young child growing up on a farm in northeast Iowa, most farmers had a little of everything - a herd of cattle, a couple of pig barns, some chicken coops, and fields of corn, oats, soybeans, and alfalfa. In the late 70s and 80s, farmers became more specialized. Large hog barns, cattle feeder lots, and huge chicken confinement buildings like my father had became the norm. Farming has always focused on raising either animal or plant products.

Until now. Witness the latest "farming" trend popping up across the plains. Wind farms! These farms harness the power of wind with giant turbines, and convert it to electricity which is sold to energy companies. Last Saturday we saw a couple of these "farms" just south and north of Mason City, Iowa. On our return later that night, red lights atop each turbine dotted the black sky for miles. If we hadn't seen the turbines in the light of day, we would have had no idea what the hundreds of red lights were. It was quite a sight!

If pigs "Oink" and cows "Moo," I wonder what wind turbines say?

I Couldn't Resist!

Lord only knows where all of the photos in this house are located. I've tried over the past 5 years or so to locate them, sort them chronologically, and store them so that they don't turn green and can actually be located when I get the urge (and time) to scrapbook them. But every now and then another "stash" surfaces. Like today. Al was digging around in that disaster we call the basement storage room and found a manila envelope with a half-dozen black & white photos, including these gems.

These are a couple of photos taken when Al participated in a Fantasy Basketball Camp when we lived in Chicago. This camp, which we could never have afforded, was somehow given to him by our friend, Michael Crandal. It was hosted by the Chicago Bulls, coached by actual NBA coaches, and attended by some of the Bulls themselves, including Michael Jordon and Scottie Pippin. I'm pretty sure this experience would rank #1 in Al's most memorable life events. I'm positive it would beat out our wedding, and fairly confident it ranks above the birth of any of our children. And that's not a disparaging statement...it was really that big a deal!!

Anyway, we believe this was either 1989 or 1990 (why didn't they print the date on the back of photos back then??) so that makes Al around 29 or 30 years old. I look at these pictures and remember exactly why I thought he was so dang HOT! Look at those legs!

Al was quick to comment that his physique hasn't changed a bit. When I snickered under my breath, he responded, "Hey, do you want to compare some pictures of you in 1990 and today and see whose body has changed more?"

No, I don't. And I think he might be cooking dinner tonight if he wants to eat.

Get Ready to Laugh!

I stumbled upon a website I've never seen before. It's called Yearbook Yourself. Here's the website: http://yearbookyourself.com/. You can select from all sorts of vintage hairdos and superimpose a photo of yourself (or even your sister!) I hope you laugh as hard as I did, because we all know that laughter is good for the soul. One could probably argue that I obviously have too much time on my hands, except you all know that isn't true. This is therapy, pure and simple. It's either this or a shrink.


Now take a deep breath....

Okay, now. All things considered, this one isn’t that bad. I like the whole Angie Dickinson effect. It looks good on Sharon. The haircut’s cute, the color’s good…

I think this one should be named Mildred, or perhaps Myrtle. She's the spinster librarian.



Oh, Lord. Please help us. This is Miss McGillicutty, and she had one too many Gimlets last night. The school board is writing her up for a standards violation. The lush.

Here we are, ready for a photo shoot at Glamour Shots. She was all set to enter the beauty pagent, until she had to have that emergency oral surgery.

Now, this one is the long lost, never before seen, senior prom picture that Sharon carefully hid. The humidity was so bad that day...It's a shame. But what a great tan!

OK, Sheila, you don't get off the hook so easily....

The really scary thing is Sheila actually looks pretty good in the vintage 1964 glasses. I mean, how photogenic can you be? It's not fair! I'd look worse then McGillicutty (sorry, Sharon!)

But the Angie Dickinson look? Not so good...

Now THIS is a look you should have tried! Karen Carpenter on steroids!

I think I've seen this one before...somewhere around 1990.

Yikes! A couple of bleached stripes and we'd have the Bride of Frankenstein!

All in good fun, my beloved sisters. Right?

Are you paying attention to life?

Yesterday I attended a management retreat. Mercy pulled all 500+ of its managers away for a day of training, introspection, and singing Kumbaya around the campfire. Touchy, feely stuff. Actually, I enjoy these retreats. I am forced to ignore the emails and focus on what is important rather than urgent. Sometimes, in the daily frenzy it's hard to tell the difference. The keynote speaker, a woman from the Baptist Healthcare Leadership Institute in Pensacola, FL, gave some useful food for thought about what it means to be a leader. I came away with a couple new ideas. In the course of her presentation, she used the video clip above to illustrate a point. If you haven't already watched, do so now. Try to get an accurate count of the number of times the people in white pass the ball. (Shhhh! If you've done this already don't spoil it!)

Were you surprised? I was! I was stunned that I could miss something so obvious! What's the lesson in this? Well, the lesson we were to take away from a leadership perspective is that we can get so focused on the tasks of our work that we miss the big picture. But I think there's a bigger life lesson here. Do you ever get so focused on the details of life - the softball practice schedule, the football games, Awana verses, what's for dinner, how will the bills get paid - that we completely miss the big picture? I know I do.

The Male Version of a Crop....

For those of you who don't know what a crop is, it's a gathering of people (usually women) who scrapbook, make cards, talk and eat. There is always chocolate involved. My dear husband, Al, hosts periodic LAN parties, which is a gathering of people (usually men) who spend hours in front of computers playing games with one another over the internet. I personally think the two are very similar. My friend Jessica Sprague over at http://www.jessicasprague.com/ posted this on her blog because it reminded her of what her and her husband do after their kids are in bed (Lord, help them!) Besides being hilarious, it is just a little creepy because it pretty close to what goes on at Al's LAN parties - only he has about ten guys and they are killing one another (virtually, of course) in combat simulation games. The male version does not involve chocolate.