The Path of the Christian Witch : Review and thoughts about the topic: Book One

Review 
The Path of the Christian Witch

This was a very interesting book. One that I actually wish I would have purchased a hard copy of instead of the kindle version. If I get some extra money I might still do that.  I have found so many aspects of this book to ring close to my thoughts and feelings. So many things I want to discuss with you all. So many things that I have thought for ever and so many more things that I have been brought to my awareness and things that I will forever think of differently. I will have to read this book again and take more notes just to make sure I take in the full lessons that this book can teach if you are willing to listen.
With this being said I wish the book was a little more organized. Sometimes I am not sure if she is a third year or a first year or has not even started that part of her life yet. But you can figure out most of this before the end of her stories it would just be nice to know up front. There are alot of extra stories so you do kinda have to stay focused sometimes to make it through the story to see why it is being told. I would much rather focus on the straight info and the learning parts of some of her stories. But that being said she also really explains in detail her stories so you can visually be there with her. Her thoughts about church and about being a Christian witch are also well put. I did have a problem with her infuses on the Wiccan Rede's most important aspect "An ye harm none do what ye will" she said how important it is to her and how she lives and breaths by it but yet she eats meat...She takes life...
I have learned alot from this book and I am glad that this is the first book I purchased and read to start my year off. It has opened my eyes to some of the ideas I have left in my past and now wish to dive into with open arms and an open heart and with new understanding. Thank You Adelina St. Clair for helping me with untangling some of the issues I have been stuck on for a while and showing me there is a way.
There is also a really nice simple grounding medication that I really like. She discuses other rituals as well as giving 10 for daily life at the end of her book.

Thoughts 

Is it possible to be Christian and Wiccan at the same time? I have been pondering this idea for many years and have never come up with a totally conclusive answer. But this book has helped me bring some of my thoughts to a head. It has taught me many new things about Christianity and some things about "being a witch" which is what she talks bout in the book. She never uses the word Wiccan so I will use it in my own thoughts.
At an early age I had always felt that church was a politically charged, hypocritical place and have never really been interested in actually sitting through many sermons. I feel alot of preachers, priest, ministers, etc, have there own agenda and I don't always feel it is taken straight from their teachings from Christ. But I don't just mean straight from the words in the bible... The bible I feel is man made. It was written by men and though it does have some meaning to me its not the only thing I look to.

I think this book has put exactly how I feel out in words. I am glad to know I am not the only one who feels this way.

From: The path of the Christian Witch

"I had made a clear distinction in my mind between the church as a political institution and the teachings of Christ. Often the two did not match, and I felt no obligation to follow the dictates of a church that did not follow Christ's teachings of love and humility"

"make a split in my head between the political institution and the spiritual heritage that is Christianity. It strengthened my resolve to discard whatever bigotry was diffused by the church and to focus on the core of what it meant to be Christian."

" Politics and social propaganda obscure the spiritual core of Christianity. There are so many denominations and so many beliefs, rules and dictates that divide us as Christians. These rules have very little to do, as far as I am concerned, with the Christian faith itself. Jesus himself rebuked those who followed the law blindly, without consideration for what was right and loving." 

I feel that god is love, compassion, understanding, the teacher of all things, and the ever knowing. But I don't always get that from a church. I have never went into a church and had a peaceful feeling that that is were I am meant to be.  I don't mean that I don't belong in church at all I just mean I haven't found that specific church that gives me peace in my heart yet. But with the run ins with Christian "attitude" that  I have had I don't believe I have been looking for that church either. I do believe many people, and myself, are put off by the over powering since of entitlement Christians seem to carry around with them and the attitudes that they are somehow better than everyone else just because they go to church on Sundays... With of without a church god is always there as long as your heart and mind are open to him.

From: The path of the Christian Witch

" The kingdom of God is inside you, and it is outside of you. Split the wood I am there. Turn the Stone, and you will find me. ~ The Gospel of Thomas~ Part of the Nag Hammadi Library

With that being said about why I don't attend church I will say I pray every day. I speak to my lord  whenever I need him, when ever I want to give thanks, when ever the I need patients, whenever I need strength. I speak with him often.

More Excerpts that spoke to me from The Path of the Christian Witch

"I started to look at my parents through adult eyes. They were wonderful, generous, loving people. But they were human. They were the sum total of their own life experiences- experiences that differed largely form my own."

• This except caught me because sometimes we all argue with our parents, friends, significant others, etc. Sometimes we don't take this simple concept into perspective. I try to. I know I don't always. And I know most people are a product of there environment and that means you must take this concept into perspective and learn from it. But this being said I don't believe you have to be a product of your environment either. 
• Example #1: I grew up eating meat and being taught that that was just a part of life... I am a vegan now... 
• Example #2: John grew up in a very strict Christian church going house hold that also ate meat and had some other issues. But that hasn't stopped him from having his own opinion about church, the bible, God, and spirituality in general and the fact that he doesn't go to church anymore or even really believe everything that was force fed to him while he was in church. As well he is a vegan too. His child hood was very ruff and he didn't let that stop him from becoming an awesome, understanding, loving, caring, responsible, dependable, trusting Man.
• I feel like some people use there environment growing up as an excuse for the way they act. But in all truth they can change that if they really want to. But most people stick with what they know even if it is self harming. Such as anger, drugs, unhealthy life styles, etc.

But I do think it reins in true for alot of people.

"I wanted to feel connected to the universe and worship the sanctity of nature. I wanted to feel the rhythms of the earth and walk the world in pure awareness."

• This to I churn for. The universe, nature, and god are all of one and with out them we are nothing. I feel we should respect all of nature. God made this place for us and we should respect all of his creation. 

"an elderly Jesuit once told us that studying was the greatest act of loving kindness one could ever practice. You never know when something you've read or a skill you've learned may help someone else in their time of trouble."

• I totally agree with the above statement.

" The more we interact with nature, the more we realize that we are not separate from it. We are an integral part of it. We are not a ruler caste put on Earth to control and dominate. Our planet lives according to its own cycles and rhythms"

• Again Totally agree... alot of the time I here people make comments that we are the dominant species and its our right to do this or that... But behind those words I hear no respect for nature, no being a part of it... Only trying to dominate over it. I wonder how long the planet will sustain with such arrogance and disregard.

"Jesus taught us about love and simplicity, about listening within and not following authority blindly."

• Again I feel many people do follow authority blindly or are forced by that same authority to follow it. Just because it is a law or being enforced doesn't make it right. It doesn't mean you should do it... 
• Example #1... BSL Laws... Breed Specific legislative- These laws are going into effect all over our country and they are disgusting. In some towns and citys all Pit Bulls (or other breeds that are listed on the bill, Normally PitBulls, German Shepards, Rotts, Pinchers, etc. But mostly pits.)   are being euthanized just because of their breed. And any dog that looks like a Pit bull even if the dog is or is not will also be euthanized. 
• Plus just because the majority does it... doesn't make it right either and that its trend across our nation..

"Christian Witchcraft is first and foremost a state of mind. It is the acknowledgment that I alone am responsible for my spirituality. It is a way of reclaiming my faith and incorporating it into everything I do."

Although for one reason or another I have always been interested in Wicca but at the same time have never ritualized. But I probably have brought some of the beliefs into my Christian beliefs. I do agree with the above statement. I myself am reclaiming my faith and learning through life what spirituality means to me.

"In Italy, the cross did not stop when you touched your right shoulder. You then brought your hand from your heart to your lips and sent away a kiss, to be lifted on the air all the way to the Lord"

• Although I am not Catholic and was not raised Catholic I have always Crossed myself. I don't know why. I have always done it in privacy and the only person who knows I do it is my husband. I have just always been drawn to it and feel better after I have done it in respect for god. For the last couple of years after my Amen I have also blown a kiss. So When I read this it spoke to my heart and I have since changed to crossing and blowing a kiss and I feel it in my heart and it feels good.

What frustrates me about the book as well as Author..

" During the class, our teacher, who was a vegetarian, mentioned something in passing that really stuck with me. He talked about the food we eat and how that retains the energy of its experiences. This includes the people who have manipulated it, processed it, and prepared it, as well as the actual ingredients we use. It dawned on me how important our food was in sustaining us and that we were ingesting energy."

She speaks of using Reiki to bless the food. Then she goes on to say a little later that:

" This is particularly important for the meat we eat, as it retains a bit of the trauma of its death"

• "A bit" If it is going to retain trauma it is going to retain alot of it!!!! Does she not know what these animals go through to be put on her plate? How their lives are nothing but misery and there deaths horrific? Just to satisfy to selfish urge. 

This is the blessing prayer she says over her meat....
" May your sacrifice be honored through my actions"

• Honored how by her sticking the meat in her mouth and chewing it??? Then swallowing it and going back for another piece of  the beings chard flesh??? 

Further back in her book she speaks of the Wiccan Rede which I have always liked and held close.

"An you harm none, do what you will"

"We breath life into this law with our every thought and action. We are the well-being of all that is.


Really and you still eat meat because you are not harming any one? anything? any being? the environment?

"Our Ten Commandments warn us about concrete things we may do to harm others. They all fall well within the Wiccan Rede. It even extends further in the sense that it does not limit itself to loving your brother and sisters. "Harm  none" also includes yourself, your environment, all aspects of nature, the Web of Life that connects us all. It is simple and non- Negotiable."


(In this paragraph she was also talking about how many rules /laws there are in Christianity and how that one little phase from the Wiccan Rede covers it all. I am just saying this to inform you on the rest of this paragraph.)

• Exactly NON-NEGOTIABLE... 
• Clear through the book she speaks of how Christianity is so hypocritical... But then right before the end of the book she states one of the biggest hypocrisies that I think the Christian society has... Eating Meat... and on top of that she follows the Wiccan Rede as well so Hypocritic on both sides...

"And ye harm none do what ye will"

"Thou Shalt  not kill"

•  With these two simple easy to follow statements it condemns it in both religions. How Christians and or Wiccans are killing and eating animals and ok with it I will never know...

This is the short Wiccan Rede. There is more to it But

 this is the specific part that has been discussed here.

This is the rest of the paragraph form the selection above

Earthday was a bust!

Today was a long day. I wanted it to be good. I wanted to fix all our food at home and have a picnic and plant some plants, make "Earth" cookies and work on cleaning up around our house. But instead my Earth Day didn't go over that well. It started out at 8am when Johns alarm clock went off. He went and opened the chicken coop then climbed in bed and started to go back to sleep. we needed to get up though. I asked several times for him to get up. I even pleaded with him a couple times. By then the dogs were trampling me. Roxie was going back and forth between chewing up hangers that she strategically places around the house, so that I can't find them, then she brings them out when ever I try to sleep, and a giant stuffed squeaky bone. That she likes to bring up and put right in your face and squeak it over and over. Mind you this is a toy she drags around the house and into her kennel. This toy is covered in hair! So hair goes every where. And it the chewing and squeaking isn't bad enough, Sophie, the chubby dog that can stand to lose a few pounds, comes over and lays down with her paws on my chest, and her warm, sticky, stinky breath panting in my face. So no sleep for me!I get up and of course by then I am annoyed, my blood sugar is low, I am hungry, grumpy, and just over all in a bad mood. I normally have oatmeal with peanut butter, flax, and brown sugar. But yesterday I chopped down on a oat hall. My stomach was already sick so I decided sticking that in my month this morning would result in throwing up. So I skipped the oatmeal. Wanted a smoothie. I couldn't find the bullet blinder! It is lost somewhere in the stupid, messy kitchen. So then I think biscuits.. passed on that too. Because the kitchen was a mess. So what did I have half an apple & yogurt. I go to take a shower. Wake John up when I realized it is already 10am. I need to go to the City tax office to get a license sticky for the year. Because mine expired 2 months ago and I am just now noticing... Finally get ready come back out to the computer desk and one of the cats has knocked the yogurt I forgot about onto the key board & mouse... So then I need to clean that up! and you would think it would get better right... Ha..It only keeps going down hill...

I called the DMV at the beginning of the week because I never received my new registration. They tell me to go to the city tax office and they will give me one and I can buy the new sticker. John and I bicker on the way to town (about 30 minutes) not really about anything big. Just knit picky little things which we never see as anything big. We make it there and they tell me that they can't help me. Because I don't have the new registration. I tried to explain that the DMV told me to go there and she got pissed and copped an attitude with me. So I asked if I could use her phone to call the DMV. She states that calling the DMV will not help me over the phone so she doesn't know why I need to use her phone. So I went back out to the car pissed! She was such a B****. I was so mad. She didn't need to get an attitude!

The we need to take some aluminum cans to get recycled. They have been laying in bags, in a pile, for far to long. So we took in I think 57 pds today and they gave us $28.50. Last week we took in 22 pounds and Got $11.00. we still need to take in like 5 bags but we have almost taken them all and I am sure it will look much better. we are working hard to get everything cleaned up outside this year.

Then we drove another 20 minutes to the DMV office and waited for around 30 to 45 minutes. The guy there was really nice and helpful. He answered all my questions. I got our new sticker. $30.00 down. But he was really nice! Then we had to wait another 20 minutes for John to get a new drivers licences photo. His had our old address on it... we moved almost 4 years ago.. oops...

After that everything was on the up and up. I guess. We went to Lowes and got some landscaping posts, flowers, bricks, organic garden soil, and a hanging plant for in the house. I miss having green, living plants around the house. The cats kill all my plants. So John let me get a $10 small hanging basket. It is super cute. We ended up spending about $74.oo after his veterans discount was taken off. The landscaping logs were on sale for $1.98 each and we got 8. The organic garden soil was on sale too. It was $4.98 for 1.5 cu ft. So I got 4 of those for the new flower bed. I got some dark red, pink, and white lily bulbs and some other misc plants to plant around them. So that was a good stop. But none of that money was on budget... Not good.

Went to the store and got Cat, ferret, and chicken feed. Then went to target. Spent some more money thats not in my budget. Bra $10.99, Johns new shoes $29.99, Tracfone $39.99, 4 GB Memory Card, on sale for $12.99, 7th generation dish soap $2.49 & laundry detergent $7.99, some other small stuff. Spent around $125.00. I had forgot to transfer money so the transaction wouldn't go through. So I had to go to the ATM and fix it. But when I went to the ATM to transfer money the bank receipt said I had $7000.00 more than what we did.. Yeah right!!!!! :) No. I went back and the atm had lied.. Stupid ATM! :) I had only went to target to look at the Nikon D3000 which I really have been thinking about picking up. I wish it wasn't so expensive. But the cameras didn't have batteries so I couldn't play with it and check out its features :(

Didn't get to go grocery shopping, get the cypress for the garden, forgot to get my shampoo again, what was I thinking spending all that money.. Now I just look back in regret knowing I should have....

O yeah to beat it all I go online to set up my electric bill payment and instead of the normal $80 or less... It is $243!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Money I don't have!!!! So I guess they have been estimating my bill for the last 3 months. I just seen that on the news the other night that people may have a surprise. But I thought my last bill had been read. It was $55.. What the heck is the power company doing. They will be getting a nasty phone call from me tomorrow!!!

Tonight again we didn't do anything... We have watched Hurt locker, Where the wild things are, and getting ready to watch Brothers.

So crap Earth Day. I am sorry Earth. I had planned more. I wanted to celebrate your gorgeousness. I wanted to do something good for you. But I failed. I hope next year I can make it up to you.

Open mindedness and Religious beliefs

I was raised as a Christian and still have many Christian based beliefs. But if someone would ask what my beliefs are I would probably say I have beliefs from many different religions. I think other various religions can teach us alot. Alot of religions come from the same places around the world. And alot of those same religions have pagan derivatives in them.

Now you may be saying Christianity has no such thing. But that Christmas tree that is probably still standing in your living room right now was first a pagan tradition. It predates Christianity by many centuries. Pagans, Druids, Hebrews, and many others celebrated the Winter solstice on December 21. They would decorate coniferous trees with pieces or metal, fruits, & candles. They were celebrating the change of the sun and a new season for growth in the coming year. The taking down of the tree on January 1st is also another Pagan tradition. They would take the cut evergreen and burn the Yule log for remembrance of the past year.

My only point is some Christians make religion so cut & dry without really thinking about what was truly behind many "Christian" traditions. They care not to learn were traditions stemmed from. They just do it because the rest of the Church does. Their belief systems are based around not only the bible but what is the popular belief. i.e. meat eating... I have been on the retrieving end of alot of grief for my beliefs that are not popular belief or that stem outside of Christianity. Even if in stemming outside of Christianity it is just spoken differently but really has the same meaning. I have literally been verbally attacked and they want to actually argue about why my beliefs are "wrong" and why theirs are "right" and why I am going to hell for having various beliefs outside of what they consider to be "Christianity".

I mean things like.. I don't feel it honors our lord to mass slaughter & eat his creatures...

Take the mass slaughter of animals today. God teaches compassion, love, & respect. Mass slaughtering creatures that were supposed to be made by him probably isn't a thing that is looked very nicely upon. God was said to have made humans in his likeness. Well I think that if that is true he would want us to care for his creations to the best of our ability. All of his creations including people, animals, and our world . Creatures that he has made to have emotion and feel pain, and have lives of their own should be respected right along side humans.

Wiccas have a creed and in this creed it states "Live you must and let to live. Fairly take and fairly give" its also states Eight words the Rede fulfill "An' ye harm none, do what ye wilt". Those are all very important words to me. I think they are all three good values to live by. When I was growing up and people would find out I didn't eat meat the first thing they would say is "Well god put them here for us to eat" and I am sure everyone has heard that. And even though I knew god taught love, compassion, & respect I started reading through other religious materials. I wanted to find more teaching of kindness towards all. Wicca was one I stuck on and to this day still read about.

Another religion that I am sure you have heard of is Buddhism. In Buddhism there is so much respect shown to all. The most foundational teaching is Ahimsa-the prohibition against the bringing of harm and/or death to any living being. Why should one refrain from killing? It is because all beings have lives; they love their lives and do not wish to die. They fear death just as you and I do. The Karma of killing is also seen as the root of all suffering and is the cause of sickness & war. To a Buddhist the purpose of life is to end suffering and become enlighten. They believe that all living creatures are sentient and that they all have a chance to become a Buddha, or perfectly enlighten. But unlike Christians they do not believe a god created the world. They do however look to the Deities for assistance.

Other religions also share kind thoughts about other living creatures besides our selves.

Hindu
"Meat cannot be obtained without injury to animals, and the slaughter of animals obstructs the way to Heaven; let him therefore shun the use of meat." The Laws of Manu V, 45 - 52 (Indian Sacred Book)

Islam
"All creatures on earth are sentient beings. "There is not an animal on earth, nor a bird that flies on its wings - but they are communities like you." The Quran, 6:38

I don't feel that I am going to hell for these beliefs outside of per say "Strict" Christian beliefs. I know that I am in good standing knowing in my heart that I am on the right path and that god is in my heart. So many Christian beliefs stem from outside religions Christians are just afraid to find the original origins. They are stuck inside their box. And I think that is a huge down fall. I think there is a love and calmness you can feel in your heart from being in tuned into nature around you. By not hurting any of it and feeling the love. Empathizing with each other and the animals. I think empathy is a beautiful state of being.

The only reason that religion was brought up was because I was at Borders purchasing a new Calender. I have been thinking about getting one of this type for a while and just so happened to run into it. So I picked up a Witches' calender. When I checked out with it and an art book the cashier was all nice at first and then looked at the calender then me then her happy none caring attitude kinda dried out. I don't know if it was the calender but that was the only thing that she looked at then at me and then... she was different. Who knows. Then thinking back over the holidays at how proud Christians are. They have such pride. And no thats not a bad thing. But when their pride makes them act like they are right about everything & better then everyone else it makes for a not so great holiday, view of the church, and of Christianity all in one. Sometimes it is time to drop the pride and not be so rude to each other. To have a more open mind instead of being on the attack of others beliefs. And to not be so hypocritical about those religious beliefs.

Accidents & Arts Store sales and Coupons + My take on the Cliff Bar & Pizza Sauce Recipe

Went to the art store yet again. Couldn't let my 50% off coupon go to waste could I?

Well John recently ran his work van off the road and into a rock avoiding a head on collision with a vehicle that was on his side of the road. My husbands place of work os being a complete but about this. He was off work till he could do drivers training again. And that was from last Monday till This Monday when he went back. So we have had to worry about many all week. Finally they tell us he was not found at fault. And this morning told us he would have pay for Tues, Wed, and Sun.... So 30 hours.... When he Missed over 40.... So irritating. They are supposed to get back to us soon like 8 other Hours for Monday. But they have really been butts all week with how they have done everything. The his FSM called and said if he has another wreck in the next 3 years he is fired. Even if it is a non preventable! Screw them!!! So annoying. So now I have that to worry about! Stupid beep beep beeeps! Anyways. Monday morning after not sleeping all night I had to take John to work. we never really thought about it in advance or I would have tried to get some sleep. My sleep schedule is forever screwed... anyways. I decided to go to the art store before I came home. Actually I went to quite a few stores but I will get there in a minute. So we leave at 6am to take John to work. Half ways their the Engine light came on. So when we got to his job we hooked it up to the OBD2 reader. Its reading P1899 PD. We have a 99 Dodge Stratus by the way... I had my mom look it up online and it said Park Neutral switch stuck in gear. So got to Walmart to wait for Auto zone to open and look to see if they got any Zhu Zhu pet tunnels in. No luck.... Waited outside Advanced Auto for 10 minutes and they finally opened. The 2 people in their were NO help at all and were completely ignorant. So I go back to look up the trouble code in one of the car manuals found it then looked up what the part does and how to fix it. (We have one of these books but it was at home and lost... :) ) Anyways. I go back up to ask to use their phone because my cell was out of minutes. The guy keeps repeating that I need to go to the dealer he can't help me. Well ok.. but can I use your phone. It took him forever to quite repeating himself and to let me use his phone.... annoyed much?? I sure as hell was. I called John to tell him what it controlled. Then went to the dealer to see how much it would cost to order the part & ask if it would be ok to drive with the problem. Well the dealer was pretty much no help at all either. I asked him a lttle more on how it worked and the only thing he would tell me is that I could have a problem starting my car or it could stop working. Ok... Then he sent me to where they order the parts. Its like $50.91 and is also called a rotary switch.... I didn't order it. Then I decided I was still going to Clarksburg to my art store....


My take on the Cliff Bar...
Go to Clarksburg wait at target for the art stores to open. Because they don't open till 9am. So I waited for an hour at target. Bought a Cliff bar to eat because there is nothing for breakfast for a vegan around there and I was to lazy to drive to walmart to get fruit. This cliff bar had the texture and appearance of a turd... yes a turd and it didn't taste much better... so needless to say I only ate a few bites. lol.. yes more then 1..give me a break I was sleepy & hungry... I never eat "energy.. protein ... (what ever you want to call them) Bars... I don't know why I decided this would be the day to begin....

Jo Anne Fabrics
Finally opened at 9 so I went in thinking it would be an in and out run. But when your tired everything looks so sparkly........lol... no, but I couldn't remember everything I wanted fabric for. The Fusible webbing that was on sale on line wasn't on sale at the store... She did give me a 40% off coupon for it and she did mark down one other one to the sale price online. But it was annoying. Then I couldn't decide which fabrics I wanted.... I shouldn't have been out shopping... lol. Lets just say it took me 2 hours & 10 minutes to spend $24.00. Awful! Then when I was in line the same lady who always screws up checking stuff out for me screw up someone elses by not putting in 50% off competitors coupon in right. So she refunded the WHOLE..... purchase and started all over... after they argued about it for 10 minutes.. And she was the only cashier.... Finally they opened another register but it wouldn't have done me any thing to go to the other so I stayed put. Finally it was my turn. and she had the nerve to bite off my head... For nothing! She really annoyed me... O lord... please give me patients.... So I finally got checked out even though I had to check out two separate purchases because the Manager had given me another coupon....So i used a 10% off my entire purchase coupon & a 40% off coupon. Plus the manager gave me the webbing for the online price which was 40% off I think.
My Total for the JAF was $20.80 w/o tax
Before sales & coupons $30.50 w/o tax

AC Moore
Then I went to AC Moore. I had a 50% off coupon for them. I looked around a couple minutes. Grabbed a 2 pack value pack of canvas that was on sale 40% off. Then I was blank.... It also took me 2 hours at spend $27.43 here. I was sleeping, I couldn't get a hold of John, and I just wasn't sure which things I wanted, and which direction I wanted my next art project to do... So then I looked at a little of everything. They had all kinds of gorgeous beads on sale for 50% off each pack. I looked at those for a long while had a bunch picked out and decided against getting them. Then I was looking at Screen Printing stuff because I have been wanted to do that for over a year not. I will sooner of later! .... Then painting, and baking, stamps, block printing, clay... a little of everything. But I finally got 2 paint brushes that were at 50% off. Actually they were more off but not sure how much. I got 2 plain Hanes T-shirts. And a book called Book Craft that talks about binding your own book. Which I am looking forward to doing and selling later on.
My Total: $25.88 w/o tax
Before sales & coupons Total: $52.06


Total saving between the 2 art stores $35.88 ... go mmeeee... go meeee.... lol :)

I also went to Toys R Us & the gas station. I forgot or maybe was to lazy to stop by Krogers & another store to get my face moisturizer..Plus I stopped at Taco Bell and got a Bean Burrito w/ just beans..

I had a long day. Came home around 3pm and finally went to bed around 11pm.

O' yeah
I made a veggie Pizza last night too... with a little bit of everything. Even Made my own sauce W/ Flax.

Easy Pizza Sauce w/Flax

2 or 3 Stewed Tomatoes
1/4 Cup Tomato Sauce
1 Whole Roasted Red Bell Pepper
1/3 Cup Chickpeas (optional)
2 Tbsp Flax, Ground
1/4 to 1/2 tsp Pizza Spice

Blend all and the put on Pizza.

www.researchsaves.org

Anyone catch this on tv. So annoying... I seen it on the SYFY Channel at like 2:45am. It doesn't mention how many lose their lives not just animals but humans due to animal research... Come on people there are new ways... There are also I think 3 other commercials.... WOW... Knock out Mice Definition. You should search knock out mice and look at some of the websites that sale them... Little boxing mice show up....

Morningstar Crmbles now include Milk & Egg

There is now another product that I will not be purchasing from Morningstar Farms. They have added egg & milk back to their Crumble product. I never liked them before when they had milk and eggs many years ago and I am not sure why they just ruined a perfectly good product but they did. So until they change it back... BYEBYE Crumbles.

Hey everyone write letters to them! When they see how many people want them back maybe they will change them. I hope so. I write them we aill see what they have to say. Probably the same thing that is posted on vegweb.

Boca on the other hand still have their Vegan crumbles. I used to be able to purchase them for $2.80 a box and now when I can find them I have to pay $3.99 a box. But I will pay that if I have too or back to making my own veggies substitutes... or just using TVP crumbles.

They have also been discontinuing some of their products...

Shame on their company for ruining everything!!!!!!!!

Here are some other web posting ....

Quarry Girl
Vegweb- With MS company response.
Crazy Vegan Mom
PPK

Group pushes to legalize cockfighting

Group pushes to legalize cockfighting - News - The Charleston Gazette - West Virginia News and Sports

Can you believe someone would be lobbing to make Cock fight Legal.. That is beyond crazy. People are beyond me at how they reason. Causing other beings pain & death for humans profit and viewing pleasure.... come on.. that is the most shallow thing I have ever heard. Just like horse raising. They have a website as well. It is listed on the story. But I have decided I will not put up the link do to people clicking to look at it. It is only one page and is just a thing trying to get people to sign their petition.

They are trying to get it legalized saying it will bring in huge profits for WV at the horse racing and casino places. All I can say is wow. And if it would ever get put on a ballet it would be beyond belief. I think people should write their representatives and tell them that Cock fighting is not ok, why you feel this way, and any other issues that our area or your area is facing. Don't just set on the side lines. Let your reps know how you feel about the important issues!!! Also try to push animal abuse including cockfighting be held up as a felony. We are one of the only states that have such low animal abuse laws. Most are just misdemeanors.

You this link to find your Represetative for State & location with in your state.

More info on cockfighting can be found on Wikipedia

SAW VI Review & Extended Rant :)

Went and seen it the other night and thought I would leave this.

All the Saw movies of course pretty much have the same premise. He is showing people that they should not take life for granted in anyway. And although I feel a couple of the films including this one doesn't really stay true to John Kramers original motivation and "justice" it was a pretty good movie and of course it stayed true to all the nifty gadgets. Although some have parts that have been used before. I would have liked to have seen some better traps. Like in some of the past movies....

But Saw brings up some weird issues for my husband and I. We were on our way home that evening talking about the traps in the movie and just kinda listing them one by one and discussing weird things like do you actually think that trap will kill him that fast? Do you think it would have punctured his lung and he would have suffocated on his own blood or do you things both lungs would have just exploded or his heart would have exploded or that a rib would picture his heart.. stuff like that. If you haven't seen the movie don't worry I'm not going to say what the trap does that I am talking about but you might get the point. If you have seen the movie you probably already know which one I am talking about. Because if I'm not mistaken it was the first trap in the movie. Anyways.

That went on for a little while. But then I kinda got the idea..

What if someone made a spoof of the Saw movies or Premise of the movie. But made it based around animal agriculture.

Instead of people being taught a lesson for taking their own lives or the lives of just other humans for granted, they could learn what its like to be in all the different animal processing plants, growing, breeding, etc. Learning how the animals they eat daily are being taken for granted. And I am not talking about animals being CG slaughtered. I am speaking of People. In "traps" like per say the chicken kill hangers. And they would have to try to maneuver and fall out before they hit the neck cutters or scold tank...

I know that sounds sick and I am in no way meaning for it to happen in real life. But if people would just put 1 and 2 together maybe they would have more empathy for all these creatures. Being able to see that as an action and not just the food on their plate when its done. And yes it would be very grotesque and traumatizing. But maybe it would open some peoples eyes to what it would actually mean if they themselves were those animals. And in so showing how their lives would be nothing but pain, stress, disrespect, fear. endless torture, and then death.

My idea now that I think about it more kinda runs on the same lines of the some King Rat, by Modest Mouse. The video is about Whaling. And the Whales are on the ship and where do you think that leaves the humans. Check it out if you haven't seen it. It was directed by Heath Ledger ( My Favorite actor ever!). But back on to the subject.....

It also brought up several other topics. Like money, government, religion and how none of them are supposed to be run with the other but they are all intertwined. And how our whole country is just a huge pot ran by conflicting interests... Nothing in this country is ran without conflicting interests because everything is ran by money that our government can't even back up. I think It is very sad. That our moto is we are "Free" and I'm not even going to give you the Tired" But nothings free it all comes at a cost".. But our country is in no way shape or form Free. People are afraid that the government is getting to big and if they dive into health care if will just be one thing after another. And then we will have no freedoms. But hey we don't already. Money is to important in our country for us just to enjoy life. yeah we are ot ran by a dictator... and we can have as many kids as we want. We can purchase and eat anything that our heart desires... And we are deffinalty paying for it with our health. Because Americans top priority is not health or family, or safety... Its money... very sad. Then we are a "Christian based" society. Meaning most people in America are Christians. But being in a "free" country this shouldn't matter. Right and Wrong matters. Not weather your Christian, wiccian, Jewish, Buddist, Athiest, etc... OK. Killling is wrong! Hurting others is wrong! Stealing...wrong! Rape... wrong! You can't go into Government and run our country based around one Religion while getting paid by big corporations to get their stupid ear marks placed in bills and call it FREE. Its BOUGHT! Its wrong on so many levels. Our country is in a horrible state. Its so annoying.

And before people whine to me not to put down our country.. Our Men & Women and giving all they can in the military for it. I know My husband was in the Military and was deployed for 18 months in Iraq.

I don't understand how a country as "rich" as ours... Not only in money ( that we are in debt now) But we are a great nation in so many ways but we are letting it go down the drain because right and wrong is no longer what is important to us. Its money and our wants.

So next time you want a peice of steak think about the grain that it took to grow that animal and think how many starving people that could have fed. It takes over 16 pounds of grain to make one pound of meat on a factory farm. And over 2500 gallons of water... Open your eyes America!

What happens when our population keeps growing and there isn't enough food to support all that factory farming?

I know SAW IV to this.. wow... I can tell I am up to late, slept in to long yesterday, and had to much caffeine.

Quick Rant!- The Grocery Store "Poof"! & I Can't Sleep

I hate it when I am laying i bed at night or doing house work and I get the most awesome ideas for something arts-e or something to cook and I mean great ideas and by the time I go to write them down they have vanished from my brain. Just like a grocery list when you go to the grocery store. Plus I have like a ton of great ideas and then when I sit and really think I can't think of one of them or any new one.... It is just so annoying... Hence the I'm awake! I can't sleep.... Or maybe I just can't sleep because instead of caffeine free pepsi I had to get caffeinated because stupid walmart didn't have any caffeine free left..... :)

Ok Maybe its just the fact that in the last 90 minutes everything in the world has gotten on my nerse (except my babies)...

I shouldn't sleep in then drink caffeine... O ... whos kidding my brain works a million miles a minute no matter what I do.. and its really frustrating!

That "Vegan Thing"

Today I was talking on the phone to a very good friend of mine. We started talking about kids. And I asked him if he thought I should have kids in the near future. He said "No, wait like 10 years" and I said that that would make me 34 and I would not want to wait that long. So I asked him why he thought I should wait... and he said... So that will give you some time to get over this "vegan thing"... and my heart sunk... I asked him if he knew anything about nutrition and he said yes ...so I asked him what nutrient was in meat that I couldn't get from something else? and He didn't know so he just said it wasn't right. So I told him that this conversation probably shouldn't be had. I figured it would just end up in a huge argument. He is the type of person that even if you had prof right in front of his face he would still be in denial and argue... so.. we left it at that. But it really hurt my feelings. And I am sure as a guy he probably didn't realize it.. but it really did. I might not want to have a baby right now.. or maybe I do and just don't want to till we have a bigger house. But I have always looked forward to raising my children as vegans... and I really still do. But at the same time now I can already see eyes looking at me... pointing the finger YOUR VEGAN!!! I can just feel it coming from friends and family... But guess what. I still plan on raising my children vegan.. and I hate to tell everyone who thinks this "vegan thing" will just go away... Guess what ? It won't!!! So Screw Off! :)

Beckley Reunion 09'

This year John, myself, My mom, dad, and sister went to my dads family Reunion in Beckley WV. It went pretty good. It was really nice to see everyone. I really miss our family.

When I was younger like 5 we went down all the time. The family was really close and we did alot together. We spent alot of time at my Uncle Rogers house with bond fires & the horses. Everyone would set around the fire and talk. During the day we would spend time around the barns and horses. Or just set around and talk. We would stay long weekends at my Grandmothers. I can still remember the way her house looked. The order of the rooms. The kitchen appliances and the morning food. The apple tree in her yard which we would collect apples from and make all kinds of apple stuff. The blackberries we would collect and make cobbler. There was a field of tall grass barbed wired off next to her home. And a long front yard with a gas station across the road. Atleast I think so.. It has been so long who knows what that could have been. I had so many great times there and still hold a few awesome memories of my Grandmother. I miss her very much. She past away when I was about 7 or 8.

I so miss the time I had with the family then. My Grandmother was diagnosed with cancer and died a few months later. We was there through alot of it. We traveled back and forth through all her kemo and other treatments. I would spend days in the hospital room. It was a really hard time for everyone. When she passed away the whole family just kind of dispelled. And nothing was the same. Everyone went there own direction and as far as I know not many look back. It is really a sad happening. I can't believe that something like this could happen to our family. So every time we go to the reunion its bitter sweet. I always get back in my car to cry and reminisce. I truly miss the way our family was.
But for the most part. The reunion went well. Alot of people were missing this year. I did get to see most of my uncles and aunts. But one of my uncles & some of my cousins were not there do to their own family issues. Which is a whole other story. But definitely a bitter sweet event. But I hope we go next year. All of them are getting older now and I just wish they would open their eyes to what is right in front of them and how important it is. Family should mean alot. Not bickering behind each others backs. I really wish they would all learn that. It pains me to see them let time and other things get in their way. But then again. That said the bricks keep stacking between them. And life moves on from day to day.

The reunion was held at another park this year. It has become part of the New river gorge viewing places. It had spectacular views of the gorge.

There was also an Avian rehabilitation talk happening. We did go and set through it. It was really informative. About the state raptors and what has happen to their population so to DDT and people interfering with garbage, cars, changing from wood to medal fence post. I had no clue that between the fence post and DDT the post little screech owls were almost wiped out totally. They told us how they are rehabilitating animals and releasing them into the wild. Like the Golden eagle, halks, falcons, and great horned owls. They did a really great job telling us about all of them.

They also had some birds with them that can not be released due to various injuries. They had 2 halks, 2 falcon, 2 owls, and a gold egle that streetched and screamed the entire time they were talking. The picture is of the Gold Eagle. He had a huge wing span! But it was a nice bonus to add to the family reunion.

Then as we were leaving the park we stopped to look at the overview which was gorgeous. We seen a 3 or 4 lizards running around on the rock cliffs.

After the views we went to leave and seen 2 fawns and a mother deer grazing right outside of the trees edge.

Food for that day.. Well what can I say. we took burger roles with us which were really good to snack on. We snacked a little on fruit and stuff while we were there and then ate after we left. Pretty much what we always do. MY Plate ...

County Fairs, FFA, 4-H, & Animal Scince- All disgusting

As a high school student taking agricultural classes it was unheard of to not be in the FFA. I started taking animal science and agricultural classes my 9th grade year because I wanted to be a vet. My class was the first class in WV to start Majoring and Minoring to graduate. So like collage you had to take certain classes to meet the criteria to graduate. This was supposed to carry you into your particular field of study for collage. Kinda like a head start. So anyways. I took Intro to Agriculture my Freshman year. Then animal sciences classes every year after that. The place we took classes is The Marion County Vocational techical center. Our classes for animal science are supposed to be so good that Collage students would come and take them.

My animal science teacher, Dr. Watson, was very much into the FFA. I didn't really see it my freshman year when I told him I had no interest in being in the FFA. But every year after that his attitude got worse and worse with people in his classes that where not in the FFA. I think it was my sophomore year my 5th period class just so happened to fall during the FFA meetings. So I had to sit through them. He also made me be in that years yearbook picture even though I told him that being in the FFA fell way outside my beliefs. I will say even though his attitude wasn't always the best he didn't make me dissect any animals when they would do it. He would give me book work. So that was nice. Even as a freshman when he was playing the videos for proper slaughtering techniques and I did want to finish watching it after the first cow was stunned. He let me do book work. I figure he thought I would grow out of the animal thing since I had to take his classes for the next 4 years. I will say he had us watch a pig dissection in the freezer one day. It was awful. So back to the FFA. 99.9% (thats a guess) of people who went through that class was in the FFA. If you wanted certified on you diploma at graduation for animal science to carry it with you to collage you had to be in the FFA and meet certain criteria. I didn't graduate under a certified FFA program. They made the students feel like if you didn't then you would never get into collage to be a vet. I am sure that is not true though. Anyways.

The FFA.. every year I had to watch and listen to all of the horror stories of the FFA members. From picking the cutest little pig, calves, and chicks.. to how they had them slaughtered or in some cases did it them selves. Two boys in particular were awful. The one brought in the pig for the dssection above. He shot it 3 times and finished it off by beating it to death and making its eye fall out...so.. Dr. Watson told him that it had to be done right next time.. thats all that was said about it... I know getting back to the FFA. I think it is horrible. Most of the people in our classes where in their to go to collage to become veterinarians. Most actually for small animals. But almost all of our classes turned into live stock management, diseases, ect. I do regret not paying more attention during classes. I did do very well. But the teacher was off putting. The people not in the FFA was always doing book work while his FFA pets were always excused from class to do what ever they "needed" to get done... Did I mention the freezer for the FFA was in the back of our class room??? yeah no joke... So it was always something that I had to deal with. I would have taken the classes again though. For the animal info I learned. But I still would not have been in the FFA. So saying that. I am moving now to the county fair.

It has always been a thing we do. Going to the Mannington District Fair. I went every year as a kid and not I take my sister ever year. But I am beginning to re think this. Last year, the first time since I was a child, I walked through the barns. All the FFA & 4-H animal were there. I ended up trying to talk my husband into bringing home a hog! a huge hog that I knew would be turned into bacon & spare ribs in the near future. Probably needless to say, My husband would not let me bring him or her home... We don't have enough room where we live or really enough money to take care of a hog. That hog and those animals that I seen last year gave me a new look at our county fairs. I now dread going to them. I did take my sister this year but I refused to walk through the barns. I did go through a shop right in front of the barns and there was a poor hog that was screaming almost the entire time we was in the shop and I could hear people laughing in the barn. I don't know what was going on. I hope it isn't as horrible as all my thoughts.

So now THE FFA & 4-H have made me dread the fair. I told my husband that I am not sure I will even take my children to see the fair. To have the care free fun that I had when I was little. And that is awful. County fairs should not have anything to do with these programs.

Kids from ages 8 to 20 raise animals that they must have slaughtered at the end. They sale these animals for profit. What is that teaching our children? That slaughtering a living, breathing, feeling being is ok.. as long as you get some cash for it??? That its ok to abuse these animals because they are going to be slaughtered anyway??? How can we teach our children to have so little mercy and compassion for others??? Its very sad. I will put up so more info later when I have my thoughts put together more.


And as for 4-H ...Head, Heart, Hands, Health.... How does raising and saleing livestock have anything to do with that. There website said "Green since 1902".. How is raising livestock green in anyway? How is eating meat healthy? High cholesterol that clogs your arteries and takes out your heart.... How is raising an animal and knowing that it is going to slaughter good for your head, heart, hands, & health??? I just have no understanding of their moto... I have some family in the FFA and the two kids that I am talking about just made 40 dollars each off of their hogs that were sent to slaughter.. Their only worry was what they were going to spend their money on... So what did they learn??? Another things some of the kids in FFA and/or 4-H don't even raise their own animals. I don't get these programs at all. !!!!!

OK again before I just keep gripping I need to rethink my thought and try to put them together better. Sorry for the long rant. I will be back again to maybe make more since out of it...


O yeah.. and before the argument comes to something like it teaches responsibility and give them pride in knowing they have raised a great show animal... There are better ways to learn responsibility and gain pride while actually helping someone... Not growing an animal just for slaughter. Like working in a nursing home, animal shelter, helping with a day care or a soup kitchen... Don't cause more suffering then what already happens in this world!

Fridge to small or eyes to big for my Frdiges tummy?

Well I have come to the conclusion that I must grocery shop way to much or to often. I don't know. I love to grocery shop and try new stuff and new recipes. But my fridge does not have the same idea. It holds alot just not enough...lol... I need a new fridge. I'm not getting one though. I can't afford it right now. I'm just not sure what to do... and I guess I can't just complain about the fridge. It is the whole tiny kitchen!!! I don't have a good pantry. I mean it is big but not well designed. The people who put it in was not thinking clearly...So it is food storage plus a junk pit from hell,that I have to dig through to find anything I want.

I love having a well stocked pantry so I can cook when ever and what ever I want.

Sigh.... I can't wait to one day have a good sized well designed kitchen! So I can find and use everything. I would cook much more often! So here I will leave you pictures of my poor kitchen storage problems...

Subsidies On animal industries- Seeing Red!!!- A RANT

Can you say subsidies? It totally pisses me off that I pay taxes that go towards stuff like milk, egg, and meat industry subsidies! I don't eat or drink it! Why the hell do I have to pay for it??? Then pay full price for my soy milk? and soy ice cream? etc..etc..! Where the hell is the soy milk subsidies??? and boca subsidies??? and soy cheese subsidies.. for god sake you can get a 24 slice pack of dairy ridden crap for 2 something and for 8 slices of Galaxy's Vegan American Cheese its like 4 or 5 bucks! Come on... We need to really get into the political ballgame an do something about this. I am tired of paying for other people to screw over everything I believe in. I mean think of all the health problems associated with eating dairy, egg, and meat products.. I can't even afford health issuance because it keeps going up do to unhealthy people. Then they take out taxes to make the price of this dairy, egg, and meat crap to be lower in price!!! It just really makes me sick!!! It is sad that our country is pretty much ran by the Dairy, Meat, Egg, oil, & insurance industries!!! Our health has been left up to the people who get the money for our addictions to there products and the people who make money off of us being sick??? Where the hell is our country going? Down hill fast...! and no I am not blaming our president... They ok.... I might update this later because it really infuriates me!

Silk Soy Milk- No longer the Silk we once loved!

I have recently realized that Silk is now longer owned by the same company and has also changed from all organic to "Natural". All the Silk you find in the Milk section of the grocery store is now "Natural" the only organic silk I have found comes in the Tetra pack pantry style boxes. Which are very expensive. Now it would be over $8.00 for one gallon of organic silk and that is at Walmart. If you go to other stores and look at their prices it will be around $12 a gallon. That is outrageous. Have I mentioned who Dean foods is? They are a DAIRY company!!!!!!! Yes.. a DAIRY Company!!!! This has me out raged. I have stopped purchasing their product and have moved to a store brand Organic Label. I will not purchase from their company since they are a dairy company and plus it is no longer organic. So write the company. I did. Let them know how you feel about the "Natural" instead of Organic..and Silk used to use small organic farmers and now they are no longer supporting them. They have moved to bigger producers! So let them know that that is not ok. Click a link Below! Below the link is the generic response I received when I wrote asking why their product was not longer organic. I will be sending them a new letter about the price of there so called "available" organic products.. They are not available when they cost out the A$$..!!!

Dean Foods Website
Silk


"Thank you for your recent e-mail to Silk®. We appreciate your interest in our products. Offering a broader range of products to meet consumer demand. We know some consumers are more interested in the health benefits associated with adding soy in their diet (cholesterol-free, lactose-free, and may reduce the risk of heart disease) than with organic certification. Those interested in organic products, we still offer the plain, vanilla, and unsweetened In an organic option.

Thanks again for contacting the Consumer Affairs Department.

Sincerely,
Alberto Vasquez
Consumer Response Representative"

Church -I'm just annoyed!- A RANT

Ok my husband grew up going to a Christian church. A little while before him and I started dated he stopped going to church. I on the other hand was not brought up in the church but still consider myself a Christan but I also have some other beliefs as well. If my Grand Mother F had anything to say about it I would have been in church my whole family would have been. She past away when I was in 3rd or 4th grade from a long battle with cancer. I know she would have really liked us to go to church. Anyways. J and I have been together for a lil over six years now. We have went to church once in that time. His family always asks us to come to church they go all the time and are very into the Church thing. I have issues with the "Church thing" though. And J has some issues as well but they are not all the same as mine. And thats ok. Well yesterday J decide he wants to go to church today and I told him that was fine I would see him afterwards. I feel bad for not wanting to go with him though. But lets outline some of my issues I guess that may help.

1. Should church not teach compassion to all.. not just humans? I mean come on now.. Thou Shalt not kill.... It doesn't say Thou shalt not kill humans.. screw the animals! we have dominion over them anyways!... I just can't see going to a church where it is ok to mass breed, cruelly treat & confine, and slaughter living, breathing, feeling, sentient beings.... That all in its self pisses me off. Churches having chicken & pig roasts ... etc.. come on.... it seriously makes me want to vomit! Ok I could keep going on on this one thing but I will go to my next..

2. I feel like Church puts religion into a crackerjacks box.. I feel that they want you to uphold everything THEY think the bible means... Everything.. even though Thou shalt not kill... they don't uphold.. I feel like every time I turn around a lot of people at church will pass judgment on you.. If u have tattoos, piercings then ur going to hell.. it you believe anything other then what is written directly in the bible then u are going to hell. If you dress in black you must be friends with the devil.. and guess what.. U my friend are going to hell..! . I could sit here all night and complain about that too..

3. Next.. Over the centuries how many times has the Bible been changed and stuff taken out and added.. I mean there are books that are totally left out. The translations are not always right. Things have been put backwards and redone and who knows what the original profits wrote? Who knows if the whole book is just a made up fabrication of what someone decided the world should be? I mean be a decent, caring, compassionate person.. take care of the earth.. the beings on the earth.. the things god gave us . Don't take it for granted. Put a kind hand & heart out to all.. How hard is that? Even if your not a religious person.. Be spiritual...because thats what matters...

I could sit here and keep listing things that bug me about church but I think I will stop at that... Is it wrong that I don't go to church? Is it wrong that I don't go if my husband wants to? Is it wrong that I believe some Christian beliefs along with some earth based beliefs????

O yeah... at the baby shower the Pastor ( who was even the pastor who Married J and I) was raving about pepperoni roles ( I know if you don't live in WV most people don't know what they are. It is just bread with pepperoni sometimes cheese & peppers) any ways. He kept going on and on... about how the grease needs to soak into the bread and it nothing without .... who knows but I bet he was talking about it for like 5 minutes along with some other meats... It was so over whelming to me.. I just wanted to cry... How.. can people not see the suffering in which they cause?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think I am done for now... Who knows I may be back with more later... lol