Family

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90 years of adventure

Today I went to a surprise party for my friend’s husband. He and his twin sister are 90!
It’s hard for me to think about where I’ll be in 65 years….

Me at 90?

Wow. All I see is gray hair and cardigan sweaters. 

  • I want to be surrounded by a passel of kids and grand kids–and even great grandkids!
  • I want to still be working at something. 

But it’s still hard to picture…

That’s probably why 5 and 10 year plans are next to impossible for me to write out. 

I believe that life is much to fluid to be that scripted. 

The birthday party was fun because I looked around and saw a man surrounded by love. 

He and my friend have walked through tough times but they’ve made it through them together. 

And you can’t ask for more than that. 

I’m sure my next 65 years will be filled with many adventures.

Hopefully you’re still kicking to here about them at my birthday party. 

(I can’t wait to hear more about your adventures either!)

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Things left unsaid

Many times I’ve felt bad because I needed to shut up and I didn’t.

Why did I say that?

Why can’t I keep my big mouth shut?

If you want to meet a connoisseur of crow, look no further. It goes great with a big slice of humble pie.

But, more often than not, my regret comes from a different place:

Why didn’t I say anything?

When I look back, there’s a lot of things I wanted to say. The words died on my tongue.

I wish now that I still had my childhood journals because I wrote down all of my rebuttals–after the fact.On paper, I was the most self-confident, well spoken person.

My battle with rejection kept me from saying much. It was easier, I believed, to not say anything at all than to lose a relationship–even if the relationship was unhealthy.

This obsession with not being rejected didn’t lead to greater acceptance. It only led to more loneliness.

I honestly believed that being a doormat was my best choice.

Each time a muddy boot plowed over me, I took that pain and buried it deep, but you can only bury things for so long.

Stuffing emotions is a lot like taking trash to a landfill. The hole is deep but it fills up to overflowing fast. No matter how much you pack the trash down, there comes a time when full is full.

I encourage you to not remain silent. I understand that confrontation is not easy. Not standing up for yourself, though, only leads to frustration and regret.

What you have to say is important.

You are important.

It’s time to take off your “Wipe Your Paws” t-shirt.

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Mr. Corn Face and I

It doesn’t take much to tickle my funny bone. 

Most every day is filled with sprinkles of humor that make me smile. 
Today was no exception. 

The thrift store had several corny items…and I couldn’t help but snap a few pictures. 

  My friend, Mr Corn Face, would’ve been mine IF he hadn’t cost $20. 

(He’s one special guy, I’m sure, but I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much money.)

  I was reminded today that random, funny moments make for the best memories. 

Take some time over the weekend to look for the silly side of things. 

And if you bump into my friend Mr. Corn Face say hello for me. 

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A clean perspective 

Today’s post will be short and sweet because I’m tired. 

I spent the day cleaning house with my family. We wanted the house to look nice when my stepmom and sisters arrive home this Tuesday. 

We had a lot to do but my battle plan worked! 

Okay, it wasn’t really a battle plan…it was only a list. The list, though, held me accountable. 

The little people were a great help too!

Caleb and Selah put all their toys away. 

Courage did a great job of unfolding clothes and taking toys back out of the toy box. His cuteness was a nice distraction from the tediousness, so we forgave him each time. 

Cleaning house isn’t glamorous but I was reminded today of my family’s many, many blessings. 

We have nothing to complain about and God has given us more than we need. 

(I spent all day cleaning up that more, which is how I know.)

So, yeah, cleaning house isn’t always fun, but it’s good to keep things in perspective: I have a house to clean. I have food to eat. 

I’d say I have it made….

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The confusion of neutrality

I was asked to share my thoughts on gender neutrality, so here I go.

If Bob identifies as Sally, it’s wrong to not allow Sally into the ladies room. It’s also wrong to not call him a her.

The confusion and tension around these issues is palpable.

Universities now have whole departments dedicated to educating students on gender diversity. The University of Tennessee’s department made headlines for encouraging the use of gender neutral pronouns.

This year at registration, Harvard asked students to give their names and the pronouns they want to be identified by. This is to aid professors and create inclusivity in the classroom. Students at the University of Vermont have the same options.

You can even be considered “genderqueer” which is a term that indicates you fluctuate between masculinity and femininity.

Online dating sites and Facebook allows users to customize their genders. There are over 50 options to choose from.

Yes, many feel that gender is not limited or confined to sex. Gender is a continuum and each individual falls somewhere within the spectrum.

Parents are joining the war for gender neutrality by asking Target to remove gender signage. Little Jimmy wants to play with Barbies and Little Susie wants to play with Nerf guns.

I did a lot of reading for today’s post. My brain is about to explode….

I find it hard enough to be a heterosexual female in today’s world and if you read yesterday’s post, you know that it’s an even bigger challenge to still be a virgin.

Now I have to ask my friends for their name and preferred pronoun.

I could think John Doe is a cute guy one day and the next day he’s wearing a skirt.

There are no absolutes anymore.

All of these changes are supposed to make life easier for everyone, so why does it get more confusing by the day?

Gender is a subject that can never be made neutral–no matter how many pronouns we add.

For your consideration:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/gender-neutral-pronouns-when-they-doesnt-identify-as-either-male-or-female/2014/10/27/41965f5e-5ac0-11e4-b812-38518ae74c67_story.html

http://wjhl.com/2015/09/02/ramsey-threatens-action-after-ut-post-on-gender-neutral-pronouns/

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/education/2015/09/01/lawmaker-senate-should-investigate-ut-pronouns-post/71529306/

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2015/09/03/harvard-allows-students-register-with-gender-neutral-pronouns/IM40t3nOzXT8kcvN40RHeO/story.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/08/education/edlife/a-university-recognizes-a-third-gender-neutral.html?_r=1

https://corporate.target.com/article/2015/08/gender-based-signs-corporate

http://time.com/3990442/target-gender-based-signs/

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Don’t fall in the muck hole

IMG_1566When did being raunchy become the new standard?

The filth that spews out of music and television….

Trying to find a decent comedian to listen to or a movie to watch is nearly impossible.

And then I read up on the Miley Cyrus incident. (Need I say more?)

Sometimes I think we’re living in the time of the cavemen. People behave like they have to respond to their every feeling and impulse.

“I’m an animal with no self-control!” is the new mantra.

For a culture that’s supposedly “civilized” we enjoy muck a bit too much.

Our obsession with sex is out of control.

What I find ironic is that no one wants to get married but everyone wants to hop into bed.

This craziness has seeped it’s way into Christian circles too. (Though no one is willing to talk about it.)

Today, it’s almost like you have to make a choice:

A) Be as crude and vulgar as you possibly can.

B) Be a Puritan.

I’m neither brazen nor puritanical in nature.

I just don’t want to abuse a gift from God.

I’ve had more single friends tell me, “Oh! It’s so cute you’re still a virgin.” or “Loosen up. You’ll never find a guy who’s a virgin anymore.”

Since when did the concepts of virginity and purity become “cute”?

It’s time we stop believing the cultural lies about sex because these lies are leading us to a dangerous place where even the most “civilized” and “evolved” among us can’t reason their way out.

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Rose Sunday Adventures

Selah and I had a great time at Rose Sunday! What a privilege to be a part of the 100th celebration of such a special tradition. 

Selah added an extra element of joy because I experienced one of my favorite traditions through her eyes. 

 

Selah standing outside Jewett Hall

 I want to share my top 5 highlights of the day with Selah:

  1. “This place is as pretty as a church, but it’s really a school.” (Comment as we walked around campus.)
  2. “I’m glad the ivy is good ivy because all the girls would be itchy right now if it was poison ivy.” (Comment upon seeing the girls hold up the ivy chain.)
  3. “Is this where all the girls in beautiful dresses live?” (Asked as we stood outside the freshman dorm.)
  4. I enjoyed racing Selah around the hockey field. 
  5. Selah and I playing “car-nado” on the ride home. (Rolling all the windows down as we drove down Highway 5.)

Selah loved the butterfly garden

Our sister day was a huge success. It was fun showing her around my old stomping grounds. 

Tomorrow I’ll share about Dr. Hokanson’s memorial service. 

Now, to crash after this long day…

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Saturday Shenanigans

I hope your Saturday was awesome!

My dad and I took the kiddos to the Rick and Bubba Outdoor Expo. 

It was our first time going to the event and I give it two thumbs up! 

Here are some pictures from our day: 

 

I met Pumba’s great grandpa.

  
 

In honor of Canada we kissed a Canadian moose.

 

The kiddos wanted a picture in front of the “birthday party car.”

 
 

I won a prize (a nice bottle of wine) ! Now, to grill some steaks…

 
Be on the lookout for more pictures tomorrow. 

Selah and I are headed down to Judson for Rose Sunday. Our beautiful dresses (Selah’s words) are all picked out and ready to go!

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The order of things

It’s disturbing to me the hills people are willing to die on.

A few weeks a go a lion was killed and everyone was outraged.

Killing an innocent lion? How cruel!

Around the same time, Planned Parenthood was exposed for chopping up fetuses and selling them to the highest bidder.

Crickets. It wasn’t even a trending topic on social media…

Our ideas about what’s right and what’s wrong are so convoluted. Endangered species are protected; people get so excited when their young are born. The definition of when a baby becomes a person, however, is always up for debate.

How long does it take for a person to become so calloused toward human life that they forget we all start out as babies?

We pass countless laws to protect animals, but the laws that protect unborn children are vague.

I’ll be the first to admit that I am not an animal person. Some would say that makes me biased.

This discussion, though, has nothing to do with my like or dislike of animals.

We shouldn’t mistreat animals, killing them at will, and stop caring about the ecosystem.

But I’m a little tired of the animal shelter commercials that say, “They have no voice. They don’t understand. They are hurting. Please consider adoption.”

And yet we hear about children who are abused and neglected and think, “I don’t have the resources to adopt or help children, but I have ten dogs.”

The lives of babies, of children, are much more important.

I’ve heard many stories about parents who will give up all parental rights during a divorce if they can keep the pets.

I can’t even imagine how those children felt. My parents left me for selfish reasons, yes, but to know they chose Fido over you?

Wow.

We need to get our priorities straight as a nation. Animals are never more important than people.

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Defining Moments

Here’s the dream that inspired my logo.


My parents and I were struggling to navigate the sea of changes. We all hopped into the journey feet first but we continued asking the Lord for direction.

And then my stepmom had a dream…

My parents were explorers on a hunt for treasure. An older explorer journeyed with them but could only take them so far.

Out in the bush, a lot of obstacles stood in their way. They continued searching, knowing the treasure was worth it.

The treasure turned out to be a jewel covered shovel. It was indeed a valuable–yet useful–tool that required protection and skillful handling.

The older explorer then gave the shovel to my parents, explaining that they were now  its guardians.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I am the shovel. 

The Lord gave the dream to my family because it painted a clear picture of how He viewed our situation.

The dream has been an anchor for us as He continues to reveal the plans and purposes He has for our family. 

Next week, I will share more on how this dream continues to shape my thinking.