How to Remove Candle Wax [OF DOOM!] from a Table Cloth

Last Thursday night, I had a [small] dinner party?
By the end of the night, my friends were entertaining themselves with my carefully placed no-drip candles, and you can pretty much guess what I did yesterday for an hour.



1. Wait for the wax to cool down, and remove all large solid pieces as much as possible. Ice will help to make the wax brittle.
2. Take out two paper bags and place one on top of the wax area, and one underneath between the table cloth and the ironing board. Iron the top paper bag over the wax area on warm [enough for the wax to melt, but cool enough for the table cloth & paper bag to remain unburnt]. The paper bag will absorb the extra wax. Move both the top and bottom paper bags so that the wax continues to get absorbed onto "clean" surfaces of the bag while ironing. Continue to iron until wax is no longer absorbed.
3. Apply stain remover or straight detergent to the stain and wash at the warmest temperature possible that can be used without harming the fabric. Check to make sure stain and wax are gone before drying, otherwise apply stain remover/detergent again and wash until fully removed.

Happy 2009

Nearly 10 days into the New Year, I find myself in shock and denial. I have no resolutions, no goals, no recap of the things I learned in 2008. Instead, I am passive. Blame it on the never ending cold, I was tired maybe, of setting goals, wanting change. I could name five things I'd accomplished that I wanted to last year, and almost ten I didn't. I'd felt like the world was beating me, and that I'd never grow into the godly person I'd want to be for the rest of my life.

But then, I remember a verse and look it up on bible.com:

Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

It's easy to get bogged down by disappointment in ourselves, in the world. So I would say, that for everyone, a good thing to do at the start of the year, is make a clean slate. Not just in your relationships with people, or even cleaning your house, mind, and body, but refresh your perspective and love of Jesus. Be renewed, not just this once, but daily of who He is. In the end, small things, like time and trials will melt away in view of His infinite glory.

Post Wedding Partem?

So. I'm riding home with one of my favorite married couples, a pair who I've seen as my uncle & aunt for quite sometime. And of course the big question comes up: "niki, when are you going to get married?" By now, of course, I'm a pro at deflecting questions such as these, and I respond with an, "I don't know! Find me someone!"

It's safe to say that since I am
a)only 19 going on 20
b) about to be unemployed and
c) living with my parents
I am not supposed to be thinking about marriage, but the thought has crossed my mind.
why are they asking me these questions? I ask them. "Well, we were just wondering how young people these days get together."
(get together? hmmm... how ELSE are they supposed to get together...)

"Well, I'd want him to ask me out of course! The reason I haven't gone out with anyone on any type of date is because no one's asked!" Very true indeed.

So, I got to thinking, is this really how things are? The following is a couple of scenarios I'd find acceptable starts of a relationship.

♥♥I'd really like all of your input, since I have no experience in this area whatsoever.♥♥

SCENARIO 1: GUY is interested in GIRL, but does not know her that well. GUY asks to take GIRL on casual date. GIRL agrees. GIRL & GUY go on casual date. GUY & GIRL now know each other "better". GUY can either decide to pursue GIRL in a more serious manner by telling her his intentions, or leave their relationship at the one casual date.

SCENARIO 2: GUY is interested in GIRL. GUY and GIRL are already good acquaintances. GUY tells GIRL his interest in her & his intentions [which hopefully includes dating/marriage]. GIRL consents.

I'm sure I'm missing some minor details you know, like praying, counseling, asking fathers for their permission etc. But I think you pretty much get the general idea right?