Weekend Links - October 19, 2013

It's a rainy, cool Saturday here. Perfect weather for curling up in a blanket with a hot drink and reading through the links that catch your eye. (Except I can't curl up at my computer. I unlike many - most? - folks do not use a laptop or handheld device for surfing the web. Curling up at a desktop is harder to do. I like to think I've perfected the art. But I digress.)

Spiritual / Inner Life

• The Bravery of Imperfect Pastors by Barbara Challies. Yes.
• The Before You're 40 Bucket List by Jesse Carey at Relevant. I was pleased to see how many of these I could mark off. (And there were a few that don't interest me at all.)
• There's More to the Gospel than the ABCs from Lifeway Kids. I've heard the ABCs of the gospel presentation many times. I've probably used it myself. But is it the best tool? Probably not.
• What the Rich Young Ruler and I Have in Common by Lindsay Swartz.
• Rescuing Beauty from an Ugly Culture by Rachel Karman at Relevant.
• Getting Bored with the Right Things by Jared Wilson.
• God Does Not Post to YouTube from Second Nature. Long post but so worth the time.
• On Happily Ever Afters by Ashleigh Baker. (In related news: no, we don't have any house news. We are here in rental house still. Life is still up in the air, and as a person who likes her feet firmly planted on the ground I do not like it.)
• Does "Bad Company" Actually Corrupt Us? By Karen Yates at Relevant. Convicting and good reminder that bad company might not mean what we think it means.
• What Martha Stewart and Mr. Rogers Can Teach Us About Art by Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky.

Marriage / Parenting

• Irregular Bedtimes Tied to Kids' Behavioral Problems from Psych Central. The post doesn't really get into this  but I've also read that kids' sleep problems are the real contributing factor to the childhood obesity epidemic, more than what kids eat. Bedtime matters. (Sometimes it matters more for mom than the kids!)
• Hospitality Tips for the Introvert Wife with an Extrovert Husband by Sandra Peoples. (Side note: while I am an introvert, so is my husband. But he's less introverted, or more extroverted, however you want to think about it, than I am so I found this advice helpful.)
• A Dozen Little Ways to Connect With Your Teens by Daniele at The Better Mom.
• On Receiving Advice Graciously from Smockity Frocks. Good reminder.
• Love in a Season of Want by Hallie at Moxie Wife.

Homeschooling / Education

• Positive Feedback by Nadene at Practical Pages. Most of us have heard by now that we shouldn't say, "You're so smart." This is great list of things we could say instead.
• How to Train a Discerning Reader: 7 Quick Takes by Anna Ilona Mussman. 
• Pot Stew with Arts and Crafts Thrown In from The Common Room. Helpful post and the reminder that "arts and crafts" doesn't have to be synonymous with Pinterest worthy projects is fantastic.

Homekeeping

• Funny Real Estate: "This Seems Like a Bad Idea" Edition from Hooked on Houses. This makes me wish we had taken pictures of some of the places we've looked at. Bad ideas abound.
• Design Ideas and Tip for Renters from Remodelaholic. Great advice but what can you do when you CAN'T HANG ANYTHING ON THE WALLS? Sorry for yelling. That has been one of the most frustrating things about living in this rental. Kids need hooks for jackets and boards where they can hang their art. We haven't had those for 6 months.
• Coconut Oil: What it Is and How to Use It from Mel's Kitchen Cafe. Our Kroger had a bunch of oils on clearance this week so I bought several I've never used before, coconut oil being one of them.

In the News

• Wal-Mart Shelves Cleared in EBT Glitch. 
• EBT Recipients Stole Food This Weekend - Matt Walsh's take on the above news story. Controversial but this is a conversation we need to have. They're called "entitlements" for a reason, folks. [stepping off soap box now]
• Skull of Homo Erectus Throws Story of Human Evolution Into Disarray. But I thought the science was settled. (She said sarcastically)

Everything Else

• Rise and Shine: The Daily Routines of History's Most Creative Minds by Oliver Burkeman, a review of a book by Mason Currey. Well, I won't be utilizing any mind altering substances any time soon, but it's still interesting.
• Mental Floss managed to interview the reclusive Bill Watterson, creator of the best comic strip in the history of comic strips.
• What Should You Really Be Afraid Of? A helpful infographic.
• The Lost Art of the Cutaway. I could look at images like this for hours when I was a kid. Great imagination fuel there.
• Pride and Prudence. The Janetility blog authors examine whether Mr. Bennet could have made more prudent financial decisions for his family.
• And, speaking of Jane Austen (and frankly, when am I not speaking of Jane Austen?), have you seen this handbag by Kate Spade? One would think that with a price tag of $298.00 (available for purchase here - not an affiliate link!) someone would have been employed to proof read it before production.

Well, that's all for this week. What caught your eye?

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