Martin Chuzzlewit

The longest Dickens novel I have read, and the best! The theme is selfishness, and Mr. Dickens describes it thoroughly with many very different obnoxious characters as well as its antonym through some very charming ones. Some characters change, which is all the better. Most don't, which is very realistic. If you don't have time to read a several hundred page book, at least watch the 1994 BBC version on youtube.com. I believe it's 6 hours long. Many scenes had to be cut out, but nothing was altered. They brought the story to life very well.

Mr. Pecksniff and "decrepit" Mr. Chuzzlewit

Merry Pecksniff and her mercenary fiance

Martin and Mary

Challenging Femininity #5

"She Strengtheneth Her Arms"

Deja vu, for sure. Just a year ago, we were moving from the parsonage to a nice apartment on the other side of town. And now, we are prepping a house in Richmond so we can move at the end of the month. I am so excited!!!

The first two days of this week, Mom and Jedidiah and I went to the house early in the morning, worked all day, and came back home for dinner. Mom and Jedidiah, being a little stronger than I, worked downstairs in the previously moldy basement while I busied myself upstairs. All the walls were filthy. Then a floor, all the cabinets, the bathrooms, the front of the house. Do you have any idea how tiring it is to wash walls all day long? Not to mention shampooing carpets, puttying walls, and taking ancient baby locks out of cabinets. If you want arm muscles, try washing all the walls in your house every day. :-)

Mom and Jedidiah have been there again yesterday and today while I am busy with cooking pancakes and biscuits, ironing a huge pile of laundry, publishing, and perhaps a bit of packing.

I can't wait to move into our nice little house with our nice bigger yard! Plenty of room to strengthen my arms and legs. In more natural ways than washing walls.

Strong Man or Strong Woman?

A strong man plus a weak woman

equals a chauvinist and a doormat –
a macho man and a slave girl.

A strong woman and a weak man

equals a feminist and a doormat -

a screaming shrew and a mouse.

A strong man and a strong woman

who wants to take charge

equals a constant fight for control.

A strong man and a strong woman

who gladly follows him

equals a beautiful dance – a real romance.

The Proverbs 31 woman was strong.
She was valiant.
And she gladly supported her husband so much

that his strength increased.
Should that really be surprising?