Margin for overloaded lives

"Margin" by Dr. Richard A. Swenson

Life today is hectic – ask anyone. There is hardly enough time to catch our breath before having to move to the next thing. Even though we live in Red Bluff, which is described by some as a “nice little town,” everyone is busy. There is no time to step back and think. Many feel overloaded.

To help remedy that, we read a book called “Margin,” by Dr. Richard A. Swenson. Swenson is an internationally known lecturer and author of six books. He is a medical doctor, practicing and teaching in Illinois and Wisconsin.

Pick up any printed book or newspaper and notice the white area around the edge of the pages. That is the margin. The reason the publishers do not print on the page edge to edge and top to bottom is that it makes it very difficult to read. They could get a lot more in, but nobody would want to read it. A certain amount of unused space is necessary. Life is like that too. We cannot live our lives successfully if there is no buffer, no gap or a place to recharge. The space between what we must do and all we possibly could do is our margin. The idea behind this book is to understand why margin is important, how we lost it and how to get it back.

The book is divided into three parts, the first of which discusses the problem of pain. Swenson is not talking about physical pain, although that may be present. He is primarily focusing on the pain of life – such as the pain of progress, of stress, of problems. Who is not “stressed out” these days? Who does not sometimes wish that the progress made in the last 25 years or so could be rolled back? As useful as some of the new electronic gadgets and other things can be, everything has a down side and that is what causes us the pain.

The second part of the book is titled “The Prescription: Margin.” In this section margin is discussed and applied to various life situations. According to Swenson, margin is what we have left over after we take care of all of our obligations and commitments. It is what we have in reserve. It is what we can draw on to deal with the things life throws at us.

We need margin in all areas of life in order to live without pressure. There is of course a need for margin in our time. We cannot schedule every minute of the day and still feel focused and productive. But we also need some margin in our finances, our physical and emotional energy.

Finances are a major contributor to pressure and stress for individuals and families. It is well known that most marriage problems are at some point related to finances. Not everyone can be “financially independent,” but we can all reduce our debt, put off purchases until we can pay cash, save and give some.

The third part of the book talks about what the future will look like if we make and keep some margin in our lives. Various areas of health are pointed out; health through contentment, simplicity, balance and rest. Who does not want that?

The point the author makes is that we cannot have these things if we keep living our lives the way we always have, or the way our society tells us to live. We have to make some changes. And for most of us, that usually means getting rid of something.

Maybe we should work less hours, be involved in one less social activity so we can spend more time at home loving our children. It may require moving to a less expensive home, driving a cheaper car or even turning down a promotion at work that requires a lot of overtime. But as difficult as those choices may be, not making them may in fact be even more harmful.

This book is a great read. But for those who are not readers just applying the principles outlined above is a good start on a more satisfying life.

Walnut-oatmeal burgers

Easy to make walnut oatmeal burgers make a great tasting meal.

Walnuts and oatmeal are two main ingredients used to make meatless burgers in a new recipe we tried recently. Many readers are now rolling their eyes and moving on to another article but we say these burgers are worth trying. They taste very good and are easy to make.

We came across the recipe for these burgers in the “Southern Living 1996 Annual Recipes” book. The first time we tried it we stuck to the ingredients as listed. It was good but we decided to customize it with a few more seasonings. They remind us of meatloaf.

Here is our version of the recipe.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

3 tablespoons water

1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal, uncooked

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper

1/2 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 clove garlic, pressed

2 tablespoons grape seed oil

1/2 cup water

Combine the eggs and three tablespoons water in a large bowl and beat with a fork. Add oats and next seven ingredients. Shape mixture into four patties. Note: the salt can be reduced or left out for those on restricted diets.

Pour oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high until hot. Add patties and cook three minutes on each side, or until lightly browned. Add half cup water and cover. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until water evaporates.

Burgers can be served on buns with all the regular fixings one would use for regular burgers. Another option is to serve them `with noodles or mashed potatoes and a favorite vegetable or salad.

Our suggestion for desert is a peach-blackberry crisp. These are two fruits that are in season now and make a good combination. Below is one recipe we use.

In a 13 by 9-inch baking dish layer the peaches and blackberries with about three tablespoons of minute tapioca and two teaspoons of cinnamon mixed in. Use enough fruit to fill the dish about two-thirds full.

For the topping mix the following ingredients:

1 cup granola

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup margarine

Spread topping mixture over the fruit layer. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes.

We shared our recipe for homemade granola in our June 29, 2007 blog. Also a two-serving fruit crisp recipe we use was in our July 20, 2007 blog. Both are posted on this site.

Making healthy food choices does not have to be difficult or lack taste. The above recipes are not only healthy choices but are easy to make and taste great also. It does take a little planning to purpose to eat healthy but once the habit is formed it is easy to stick with the change. We encourage everyone to give it a try one recipe at a time.

Taking digital photos

A close up of a wild iris on the Northern California coast.

About a year and a half ago we got a digital camera to use for taking pictures for this column. It has worked out great, but we found that it did take some planning and a little information for us to get good pictures. A lot of the general picture-taking concepts are similar to a regular film camera, but there are some advantages to using a digital camera that film does not have.

Now before anyone wants to make the point that the pictures that appear in the Daily News are fuzzy and hard to make out we want to point out that the pictures themselves did not start out that way. The quality of photographs goes down in the process of printing these days. For those who want to see a more accurate view of our pictures they are posted on the blog site listed below.

Picture taking is usually broken down into several subgroups, depending on the type of pictures being taken. Landscape photos are probably the most common type. These are usually taken on vacations and trips to other areas. A little composition of the picture goes a long way. It’s best to try to frame the picture at least partially with a tree or building on one side. Also, positioning the main subject of the picture off center a little is a nice effect.

The camera will usually not be able to set itself correctly on automatic for nighttime shots. Most digital cameras allow manual adjustments for shutter speed and aperture. For instance, we recently took some pictures of the moon using manual settings. Because the moon is fairly bright, we used 1/100 second shutter speed, f 8.8 for the aperture and zoomed in as much as possible. Most night pictures require long shutter speeds, so a tripod is a must.

Another type of picture often taken are portrait pictures, whether it is one person or of a group. First, it’s important to get in close. It may be helpful to turn the camera vertical in order to zoom in more and still get a full-length picture of a person. If a full-length photo is not necessary take the shot from the waist up. One thing that we always try to avoid, however, is the dreaded cut-off-head effect.

The advantage of digital cameras is the screen on the back. Using the screen it is easy to review how the pictures look. That way one can tell if another shot should be taken before the subject takes off.

Another important thing is to use a flash, even outdoors. A flash will illuminate the dark shadows on the faces.

For this column we often take still life photos. Such pictures are also taken in museums or art galleries. It’s important when taking close shots to use the “macro” settings on the camera. That will allow the camera to be positioned closer to the objects.

Also good lighting is a must. Since most of these pictures are taken indoors, try to get as much light as possible on the subject. Arrange it to be somewhat indirect so as not to cast shadows and also use the flash.

Digital cameras are easy to practice with as there is no film to buy or wait for to be developed. All the unwanted pictures can be eliminated on the spot and the good pictures are ready immediately. There is the option to hook up the camera directly to a printer and print out the pictures. The pictures can also be downloaded to a computer, put on a disk or sent by email to friends and family. The options are almost endless.

Library source of ideas

A sample of library books available with activities and information to peak the interest those looking for new things to do.

Between the heat and the smoke this summer has been one for spending a lot of time indoors. Some think that limits activities down to only boring ones. Children tend to get bored real fast if there is not a variety of activities to do.

First the card models we suggested are a great indoor activity. However several of the websites we suggested may have been hard to find. Here is a more detailed list that might help.

The web sites are: www.fiddlersgreen.net, www.digitalnavy.com, http://www.paperparadise.com/ and http://bellsouthpwp.net/n/8/n8hfi/card-faq/.

Another place to find all sorts of interesting activities is the local library. We visited the one here in Red Bluff and found many interesting books with varying craft ideas to books with many pictures and information on a variety of subjects.

While we were at the library there were many children taking advantage of the children’s reading books. But there is much more in the library that could be interesting to children. Parents or even the library workers can help children find other types of books that might interest them.

For those interested in origami there are many to choose from. Three by John Montrol include: “Bringing Origami to Life,” “Bugs and Birds in Origami” and “Dollar Bill Animals in Origami.” These have projects suitable for all ages.

Paper airplanes are fun to fly indoors. At the library is a book by Richard Kline titled “The Ultimate Paper Airplane.” After making the models hold a contest to see whose model flies the farthest.

Another book about something to fly is “Kiteworks” by Maxwell Eden. It is about the explorations in kite building and flying. Now is a good time to build a kite so it will be ready to fly on a nice clear windy day.

Those who want to see some great pictures of real airplanes and their cockpits there is a book for you. “At the Controls” the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum book of cockpits by Alison and Dana Bell is the one to check out.

For those who like staying on the ground but going fast race cars might be just the thing. The “History of The Racing Car: Man and Machine” by Giovanni Lurani is a good read.

Maybe something bigger might fit the bill. How about “Big Rigs” by Stan Holtzman? This is a complete history of the American semi truck. Lots of pictures are in this book also.

Want more history on vehicles. Try “Powered Vehicles” by Reginald Carpenter, Peter Kalla-Bishop, Kenneth Munson and Robert Wyatt. They give a historical review of many vehicles.

Then there are tractors. “The Big Book of John Deere Tractors” by Don Macmillan is a complete model-by-model encyclopedia.

For those in junior high and up who want more crafting choices there is “It’s all about the beads!” by Barbara Case. There are many suggesting for making jewelry from beads in this book. Another craft book is “Wirework” by Ellen Wieske. This book shows how to shape wire into all sorts of great looking projects.

If none of the above have peaked an interest there are many more at the library. Just browsing through the stacks of books should turn up something of interest for everyone. No more excuses for being bored.

Card models

The card models pictured are from top left: English style stone house, Gee Bee racer; bottom left: MiG 15 and Piper Cub.

One of the activities we like to do is to construct models. Our favorites are airplanes. In the past, that usually meant building models from plastic kits, but recently we have began to build some from paper kits. These are usually called card models.

Recently we did a Google Internet search for a card model of the Wall.e robot and sure enough, there was one out there and for free. This goes with the current Disney movie that is out in the theaters now. It is one that will catch the interest of many children, young and old.

There are card model kits to suit every skill level and every imaginable subject. Various kits are available for any number of famous buildings, ships, castles, monuments, robots – you name it. We even saw the web page of an artist that is making full size, 3-D paper likenesses of famous people!

Ships are a popular subject for card modeling. Often they are some of the more difficult kits because of the large number of small parts that require cutting out and assembling. A big advantage card model kits have over other types of model kits, such as plastic, is that a card model can be designed and printed for a fraction of the cost of a similar plastic kit. Therefore, less common and more unusual subjects can be published in a card model kit than can be found in other media.

There are a huge number of card model kits available on the Internet, many of them free. Most Internet sites that have card models offer kits for sale, usually fairly inexpensively. Many of the larger kits are the ships, which are usually offered on a CD. They cost a little more, but a large ship would keep a person busy quite awhile.

Card models can also be purchased from some larger hobby and craft stores, catalogues or online as preprinted kits, ready to be cut out and assembled. We have seen some of the preprinted card model kits that also come pre-cut. That could be a huge time saver if a person wanted to get right to the assembly stage.

To make the kit, all we have to do is to download the files, usually several pages of Adobe or other graphics files. Then we print them out on 110 pound card stock. After that we cut the parts out, fold and glue them to make the model. Kits with more details require the use of various compound curves to make a convincing replica. But there are techniques to accomplish that and we find it’s mostly a matter of practice.

The great part about making these kinds of kits is that if something does not turn out right, it is very easy to print out another one and redo it. Since color and detail are already on the paper, painting is not required. Edges can be touched up with markers for professional looking results.

Compared to plastic models or even wood kits, only very basic tools are needed for card models. They are things that nearly everyone probably already has, such as white glue, scissors and a craft knife.

Here are some Internet sites that have paper models. All of these sites offer items for sale but also have some free downloads as well. The web sites are: www.fiddlersgreen.net, www.digitalnavy.com, http://www.paperparadise.com/ and http://bellsouthpwp.net/n/8/n8hfi/card-faq/.

If your children are bored and say they have nothing to do, go online and download a simple model. They can choose from things like dinosaurs, cars, trucks, robots and more. Get out the scissors and glue and let them have fun. Then choose one of your own and have fun with them. We have spent many enjoyable hours crafting paper models.

Crafting with recyclables

Old plastic bags, video and audio cassettes can all be recycled into new useful items.

Audio cassettes and video tapes have seen their day. The tapes are stretched and today there are CDs and DVDs to take their place. While we do have some cassette and video tapes that are still usable most of ours are boxed up and stored in the garage. They were destined for the dump but then we discovered they could be recycled into other useful items.

We recently came across a blog site that was created by a lady who loves to do crafts. She has created many patterns to crochet with the tape from old cassettes and videos. Other crafts she has created are from recycled fabric as well as from plastic grocery bags.

The crochet patterns include many styles of purses, tote bags, gift bags, lunch sack bag, as well as doll clothes, Easter basket, water bottle holder, baby bib, coasters, covered hangers, clothes pin bag, rugs and pot scrubbers. Most of the patterns use “plarn,” a yarn made from plastic grocery bags. After cutting the handles off the bags they are cut in one inch strips and then looped together to make a long chain. The chain is then rolled into a ball just like yarn. It can then be used to crochet with.

One crochet pattern using “plarn” is for a handbag designed after a knockoff pattern of a hobo handbag that was sold by Nordstrom. Other purse patterns are simpler but nice looking as well as useful.

Patterns using the cassette tape to crochet with include doll clothes and purses. Recycled fabric from old denim jeans are used to crochet and sew purses, Christmas stockings and potholders. Another purse pattern uses recycled sheets and curtains. Bread bags are used to crochet a cosmetic bag as well as a handbag.

Some of the items made are embellished with ribbon. Others include cotton yarn, fury yarn and ribbon crocheted right along with the plastic bag “plarn.”

This website is at myrecycledbags.com. The lady who created this site in January 2007 is named Cindy. Most of the site is about patterns and ideas for recycling. All the patterns on the site are free. She also has instructions on making “plarn.” There is also a small section where she offers for sale some of the handbags she has made.

A new section of the site is dedicated to her “pink journey.” She was diagnosed with breast cancer in March of this year. She has described the different steps of her experience from the time of her diagnosis to the present. Those who have experienced cancer can relate to her experiences and send encouragement.

We like using recycled materials whenever we can. Other articles we have written about using recycled materials include: using denim jeans to make gift bags, using junk paper and scrap fabric to make recycled paper, quart size milk cartons to make decorative birdhouses, old lace arm chair and couch arm and head covers to make vests, denim from jeans for a dog bed, old socks to make a dog blanket and beads from old necklaces along with seed beads to make new necklaces. They are all on this blog site.

We are always interested in finding new ideas for recycling old unusable items into new useful ones. Readers who have more ideas on recycling are welcome to list them in the comments.

Marriage maintenance

Books share information on maintenance for marriage. Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs and The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman are two good ones. They are also available as audio books.

To prevent a breakdown regular maintenance is required. No maintenance could result in a blowout, meltdown, slow leak, collapse or a total structural failure. The same is true for marriage.

While dating most couples are generous with complements and kind words. They spend lots of time together. Gifts are given for no reason at all. Plenty of physical affection is shown. Acts of service are done without a request.

Then along comes marriage. Focus shifts to jobs, personal interests, children and the needs of others. All the faults of one’s spouse are suddenly very annoying. Negative traits seem greater than the positive.

It may have started like a slow leak but all of a sudden there was a blowout. The creaks and squeaks were ignored until things suddenly ground to a halt. Then the big “D” word was mentioned.

Even if a marriage has come to a total collapse there can still be hope. Many couples have rebuilt their marriages better and stronger than their first try. But it does require work. The more damage there is the more work it will take to fix.

The first thing that has to happen is for the most mature spouse to make the first move. They need to start acting loving or respectful to their spouse. Women need to be shown love. Men need to be shown respect. This is regardless of whether or not they deserve it. But it must be genuine.

How is love and respect shown some might ask? Think back to what you did for your spouse before you were married. Have you done anything like that lately?

What things did you appreciate about them then? Do they know what you appreciate about them? How was physical affection shown then compared to now?

Now is the time to make improvements. A 90 day trial period can be set. Then at the end of the 90 days look back and see the improvement.

If your spouse likes words of encouragement point out their strengths. Send a card, email or make a phone call in the middle of the day. Let them know what it is you appreciate about them.

When time spent together is what matters most to your spouse go for a walk together. Working in the garden or even doing the grocery shopping together will be appreciated.

If gifts are what your spouse likes look for little things with big meaning. A bookmark or paper weight with an endearing statement would be cherished. Flowers picked from the yard and arranged in a colorful container could brighten their day.

A quick hug and kiss goodbye before you leave for work means a lot to those who like physical touch. Foot massages or shoulder rubs, even quick ones, says they matter to you.

Doing the dishes or taking out the trash without being asked speak volumes to those who like acts of service. Mowing the lawn, sweeping off the sidewalk or washing the car are other ways of showing you care.

When was the last time you went on a date with your spouse? We made suggestion in our March 28 blog for date activities. Ideas to put romance back into marriage are listed in our July 13, 2007 blog.

Marriage maintenance is a lifetime activity. There is never a time to slack off. The more maintenance done the stronger the marriage will be.

The thing to remember is the most mature spouse will do the maintenance work whether their spouse does any or not. Most of the time a spouse will start working on what they should do too. But even if they do not there is no excuse to stop doing your part.