Why Evangelicals Disagree on the President
And pumpkin bread! Wait, no, no one disagrees on pumpkin bread.
UP: …
Since the article below is a bit long, I thought I’d skip this one and encourage you to click the link and read that one.
OUT: Why Evangelicals Disagree on the President
These are not my words, but they distill things that I have been observing and trying to make sense of. Post-election, they remain pertinent. The challenges continue, and they will whether it’s tomorrow or four years from now. I think they should.
What do you think? Please post your comments for the community!
IN: Here’s the link to last week’s issue What’s your style?
EXTRA: Against the winter blues
OK, the winter blues are a thing. Your doctor may tell you it’s all in your head, but I’m here to validate your sense of sadness, depression, lethargy, lack of concentration, and the like when the time changes and the sun moves south and disappears in shorter winter days.
The good news is that there is something you can do about it other than forcing yourself to be outdoors November through March or trying to talk yourself into feeling cheerful and productive. In the first case, it’s cold out there (where I’m from anyway). In the second, it just doesn’t work.
The pep talk just won’t sustain. I won’t tell you it does.
Try one of these options instead:
Use full spectrum lightbulbs in the places where you spend the most time, like kitchen, dining table, work desk, or reading chair. Full spectrum light bulbs emit a spectrum of light that mimics sunlight. Hence, staying close to such light sources in the darker winter months is equivalent to staying in the sunshine and getting the good rays our bodies need to keep things ticking along at optimum.
When you look online, you can find a lot of full spectrum light bulbs advertised. Look for something offered by a reputable vendor that can guarantee that you’ve got the real deal. I personally prefer a Chromalux incandescent, which you’ll most likely have to order from a third party bulb vendor. Worth the fuss, I assure you.
A light therapy box can be purchased for a 30-minute soaking early in your day, as opposed to general household lighting purposes. This light therapy has the same effect, or so I’m told by a faithful practitioner. Again, look for a product from a reputable vendor to be sure you’re not just lining the pockets of a bulb seller who has jumped on the Seasonal Affective Disorder bandwagon to make a buck.
Finally, John and I have supplemented our light supply with cheer around the calendar. We made the kid at Menards climb a high ladder to take down the remaining display unit for us a couple years ago. It’s in the doorway to the bedroom and it comes on when the weather is depressing and rainy. Our Christmas disco ball may look a little weird, but we don’t mind.
This, and being aware of and constructively responsive to personal cycles (by which I mean discouragement for other reasons around the holiday season), helps keep away the winter blues.
Toward the promise,
Lana
BONUS EXTRA! The Busy Writer’s Lazy Cookbook
Pumpkin bread, because it’s time
If you’re tired of dry, light pumpkin bread and want something heavy and sticky, this is it. With respect to everyone’s aunties and grandmas, there is no other pumpkin bread worth making or consuming. This is what Mom brought to every holiday gathering, and my sister and I have carried on in her stead.
You want a really big bowl, trust me on this.
For starters, combine
3 C sugar
1 C oil
4 eggs
[Did I say heavy? Yes, I did. You pick your meaning. I picked mine.]
Mix in
1 ½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp soda
Now add
2/3 C water
2 C (one 15 oz. can) pumpkin
3 ½ C flour
Pro tip: It helps to count the flour out loud as you add it, so you can say “What number did you last hear me call?” when you forget where you are. Someone in proximity will be anxiously keeping track in anticipation of baked rewards later, and save the day for you.
Grease the pans. Two large loaf or three small loaf. Yes, grease them. Mom cut waxed paper to line the bottoms, which I never understood, and I’ve been squeamish about baked paper, and greasing the pans works just fine.
Preheat to 350 degrees. Bake 75 minutes or longer. The top should look crusty, maybe split.
Let cool until you can handle the pans, then turn out on to racks until completely cooled.
Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze indefinitely. Or just go ahead and eat.
Lazy tip: I pour all of my batter into one 9x13 pan instead of multiple pans. Unless you’re giving it away and it needs to look like a proper loaf, why fuss with all those pans?
Pretty tip: Sprinkle coarse sugar crystals on top. The crunch is fun. (Thanks for this one, Michelle!)
Totally unnecessary tip: Toast it and slather the butter on.
Yummy tip: Stir mini chocolate chips into the batter. Yes, really. Also probably unnecessary.
Pro tip: Have a copy of the recipe handy when you take it somewhere. Someone will want it. Here’s your downloadable copy.
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Go ahead and share this post with someone who needs light, pumpkin bread, or a different way to think about presidential candidates.