Sheep

This may be the most controversial post I've ever considered making. I haven't exactly decided which direction to take it, so we'll just see where it goes.

I'm sure you're all well aware of the Chic-fil-a scandal that has filled the news and social media airways for weeks. There are so many things to say about that situation, all of which have already been said by others, probably better than I could have said them.

I'll make my view succinct and move on. I don't disagree that banning a business based on the personal beliefs of the leadership seems unconstitutional and discriminatory. I do disagree that the “christian” response should be a nationwide battle cry rallying every mainstream christian against said discrimination and, therefore, the gay-marriage issue at hand; thereby adding further layers of division (and hatred) between the two groups. In my little mind and world, the appropriate response is using the publicity to engage with those around you, to communicate love and move towards better understanding among people. Unfortunately, I think the world saw a bunch of sheep lined up under the banner of Christ, perpetuating stereotypes in a laughable display of team spirit. I could say more, but I won't.

What I really want to say is this: When did we start believing that the Christian's duty is to preserve and advance Christian agendas in politics?

I think I'm about to get really unpopular, so let me add a disclaimer. I really know nothing about politics. Also, I don't care. I couldn't be more apathetic and uninformed if I tried. This is the way I choose to handle the issue. I'm not saying it's doctrine. But consider my logic before you tune out.

So. When did it become a Christians duty to engage and promote Christian agendas in politics? I've heard the argument, “Our country was FOUNDED on Christian principles.” “We are a Christian nation.” Really? Again, I'm not a history buff, but my understanding is that our country was founded on the right to be free, and that freedom involved keeping government and religious institutions from overlapping.

Can anyone really look at me with a straight face and say that we are a christian nation (today)? Not the world I live in. Don't get me wrong. I see a lot of beauty in our world, and certainly a more main-stream christian voice than any other country in the world. But I also see pain, poverty, crime and brokenness. Sheep without a Sheperd. Maybe we are a nation with a lot of churches, but that's not what comes to mind when I imagine what God's true Christian nation, His Kingdom, will be when it reigns.

And what did Jesus say about governments?

He said to obey them, I know that. In Romans 13, Christians are admonished, 'Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.' If you look in Mark 12:13-17, you'll find the religious leaders of His time trying to trap Jesus with a question about morality. They asked Him whether or not they should pay taxes to the government of their time. Jesus asked them to bring Him a coin, and tell Him whose picture was on the coin. It was Ceasar. Ours would be Lincoln or Washington, etc. He said, give Ceasar the things that are Ceasar's, and give God the things that are God's. This speaks to the duty of Christians to be subject to and obey its leadership, knowing that God is in dominion OVER the governments over us.

What else?

He said they can't separate us from Him. In Romans 8, verse 35, the question is raised, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Even as His followers we're persecuted, 'as sheep to be slaughtered' (vs36), he gives a long list of things that can't separate us from Christ. Governments/Rulers are included among distress, famine, danger, death, life, angels, present, past, height, depth or ANYTHING else (vs 35,38,39). Nothing can separate us from Him (except, maybe, ourselves. And that is a whole nother topic).

And?

And He said that's not what His Kingdom is about (see The (entire) Bible). When I read the Bible, I see example after example of lovers and followers of God, who misunderstood the purpose and calling of His Kingdom. The Israelites (God's chosen Jewish followers, from thousands of years ago), waited for a Messiah who would come and give them political freedom from their oppressors. Unfortunately, many Jews are still waiting for this political overthrow today.

The apostles, Jesus' first followers who lived with and ministered with Him for 3 years before His crucifixion, also awaited a governmental overthrow. They saw Jesus' power as the opportunity they had been waiting for to throw off bondage and set up a new government, with Christ (and His principles) as head. Even after His resurrection, the book of Acts (1:6-11), records the disciples asking Jesus, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” They just didn't get it, that the kingdom of God is not one waged on a political level.

So my question remains. When did we start believing that it's a Christians duty to advocate Christian principles in government?

For me, I choose political apathy, trusting God isn't blind to or powerless against political institutions. He simply doesn't need (or ask) me to be distracted from His kingdom work, to engage in the seemingly pointless rhetoric of politics.

My stance.

I will say. If you are a follower of Christ, He has given you His Spirit to help guide you. If that Spirit has impassioned you for political issues, by all means, be faithful to the call you feel on your life. There are surely many valuable moral/ethical issues to advocate for.

But I challenge you to consider what exactly the goal is for your passion for politics, and what fruit do you see coming from it? Is it love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control? Or is it bitterness, envy, hatred, anger and the like?

Is the whole point of our faith protecting our right to say “One nation, under God” at school? To keep anyone other than man/woman from having the governmental benefits of marriage? To keep Focus on the Family and Joel Osteen on the TV and radio waves?

I could be way off, but I tend to think there's something much deeper and more profound that we're called to. Maybe you have enough energy and discipline to go around, but I certainly don't. I have too much fatigue, distraction and disobedience to spend my limited time, energy and spiritual ambition on things of that sort (although, there are certainly WORSE things to spend them on).

Just some more of Bria's thoughts to ponder. Again, I love talking about this stuff and am certainly open to rebuke. Bring it!

Toys-R-Us

Earlier this week, while Amaya was visiting her grandparents, Josh and I took a stroll through Toys-R-Us. We love toy stores. Especially without our kids!

I believe that God uses the family as a beautiful representation of the mysteries of how He works. The union of a husband and wife gives insight into God's beautiful plan to redeem His bride, the Church. Parents loving their children glimpse the love of our Father for His children.

Our time in the toy store brought me several thoughts to reflect on. I've been thinking both about what these things mean for my family, and what it means about God. Here are some thoughts.

We LOVE buying gifts for our kids. I consider myself a normal person; kind and good-intentioned, but primarily selfish. But since having kids, I would spend every penny we have on stuff for them. Honestly, it's not even difficult for me to sacrifice for them, because buying for them feels like buying for me, and brings me more joy.

This might come as a surprise to some of you who know us, but we're RICH. I mean, we have literally HUNDREDS of dollars! :) It seems like a lot, I know. But you'd be surprised how much it costs to live these days. Even though we have a very modest income, it is difficult for us to NOT want to buy stuff for our kids. And we're not talking the essentials. We're talking, toys. Games. Junk they don't need. We become foolish for our kids. And we kinda like it.

I like to think that God is a little bit like that. Wait. I know God is like that. Infinitely more “like that” than I am. Consider this. God spent “every penny” on His children. He sacrificed His most valuable possession to buy our redemption. Did it bring Him joy to do so? Surely not in the moment. But now? I think so.

And doesn't God delight in the things our world finds “foolish”? So much of really knowing and living for God is a paradox. You find strength in weakness. The one who wants to lead will serve. The first will become last, and the last will be first. I think God “kinda likes” what we consider foolishness.

But here's the thing that really struck me at the toy store last weekend. Kids don't care about toys. They can't tell the difference between something that costs $1 and something that costs a hundred.  Need proof?  Here are my kids playing in a box.

What they care about is playing with their parents. Our kids would be happy playing with a box of rocks, if we were doing it with them, joyfully.

The saddest part of our trip was realizing that the reason parents spend all that money on buying stuff for their kids, often times, is so that they DON'T have to play with them. Too often parents buy things for their kids, hoping that if they have this or that, then I won't have to play with them. Just keep them busy.

Don't get me wrong. Parents need breaks. I NEED “quiet room time” everyday. But if I use my kids toys as an excuse not to engage with them, I rob them of the one thing they really want. ME.

And sadly, I wonder if we teach them something even more detrimental. Is it possible that they learn, early on, to replace the desire for connection with entertainment? We do that ALL THE TIME! It's a sad thing, that it takes discipline to turn off the TV and have a meaningful conversation with those I love. If we placate our children with gifts, is it possible that contributes to adults who are eager to receive gifts from God, but incapable of engaging with Him?

Just like children, isn't that still what we desire most? To hear and feel God intimately. It's great to receive blessings from the Lord. To be in good seasons of life. But I find myself craving the difficulties, because it's in THOSE times that I feel God most acutely. I don't need all the frills in life. What I need is to spend time with my Lord, knowing that He's engaged with me. And He loves me.

I pray everyday that my children get a little glimpse of how God feels about them through the time and effort I put into raising them. And I pray for strength to not ignore them, seeking only to gratify my needs. I make a ton of mistakes. But I love. And love covers a multitude of sins. Happy parenting!

Anxiety

This has been a rough week for me.

In general, life lately has been calm. It's been better than it's been for a long time. My relationships are healthier. My attitude is healthier. I have the capacity to give my time, energy and love to others, where I was once too consumed with surviving my own life to be able to invest in others.

Then this week hit. And something silly happened. It's name is Aslan. Here is a picture of him.

Some of you might be thinking, “Wait, didn't you just get rid of a cat?”. The answer is yes. Yet, we still felt inclined to bring another furry friend into our home. We were all super excited.

Then we brought Aslan home.....and I freaked out! Internally. And somewhat, externally.

I had anxiety equivalent to the feeling of coming home from the hospital with our first child. If you have a kid, you know what I'm talking about. The what-have-we-done-my-life-is-over kind of anxiety.

The anxiety I was feeling was completely disproportionate to the circumstance, and I knew it. Yet I still felt it. After some brief reflection, I determined it wasn't the cat. It was CHANGE. I had finally gotten to a place where life felt manageable and even enjoyable. I was handling marriage and two kids with relative ease. And now something was changing.

Then I realized a lot of other things were changing too. Not necessarily TO me, but around me. Ball State is out of session. All my beautiful student friends are leaving. Joshs' job description and schedule dramatically changes in the summer. Several of my friends are getting married. Even the streets look different around here in the summer. We'll be leaving to live in Virginia for a month soon.

I was not handling the changes well. Maybe I'm still not. But at least I have a little awareness of what's going on with me now.

I'll probably never be a person who loves change. Josh is. But I've come to accept that to live is to change. And whatever is different today, will be normal tomorrow....or maybe next week. I don't have to look for change, but I won't fully live if I fear it. Here's to having the courage and faith to face each day trusting the Lord to sustain me.   

I AM

Tonight I'm thinking about the different roles that God plays in my life.  It's crazy to look back on life (and attempt to look forward) and think of the different ways God has been at work.  I want to share the lyrics to a song I love.  This was the song playing in the background of a picture slide show at Josh and my wedding.  It means even more to me today, than it did then.



Pencil marks on a wall.  I wasn't always this tall.  You scattered some monsters from beneath my bed.  You watched my team win.  You watched my team lose.  You watched when my bicycle went down again.  But when I was weak.  Unable to speak.  Still I could call you by name.  Elbow-healer.  Superhero.  Come if you can.  And you said "I AM"


Only 16, life is so mean. What kind of curfew is at 10pm?  You saw my mistakes.  You watched my heart break.  Heard when I swore I'd never love again.  But when I was weak.  Unable to speak.  Still I could call you by name.  And I said: Heart-ache Healer.  Secret Keeper.  Be my Best Friend.  And you said, "I AM".


You saw me wear white, by pale candlelight.  I said forever to what lies ahead.  Two kids and a dream.  With kids that can scream, too much it might seem when it's 2am.  When I am weak.  Unable to speak.  Still I will call you by name.  Shepard. Savior.  Pasture-maker.  Hold onto my hand.  And you said, "I AM"


The winds of change and circumstance blow in and all around us.  So we find a foothold that's familiar.  And bless the moments that we feel You nearer.


Life had begun, I was woven and spun.  You let the angels dance around the throne.  And who can say when?  But they'll dance again, when I am free and finally headed home.  I will be weak.  Unable to speak.  Still I will call You by name.  Creator.  Maker.  Life-Sustainer.  Comforter.  Healer.  My Redeemer.  Lord and King.  Beginning and the End.  I AM, yes, I AM.




"I Am" by Nichole Nordeman



Right now for me, I feel God as a Sustainer.  Depending on when you ask me, life is more or less difficult.  My sanity and survival depends on knowing, feeling and experiencing the sustaining presence of the Lord.

A few years back I got a tattoo.  I never thought I'd get a tattoo, because I'm not one drawn to self-inflicting pain.  Plus I have a strong aversion to needles.  Nonetheless, I got the name "Yahweh" tattooed on my left ring finger.  Yahweh is the Hebrew name describing God as "I AM".

For me it means so much.  Having it right there on my ring finger, just above my wedding ring, reminds me that, in addition to being Josh's bride, I am the bride of Christ (along with the collective Church).  Yahweh can also be translated "I Am who I said I Am."  That's what my faith rests on, that God is who He said He is.  He can be trusted for that.  For me my tattoo is a symbol and remembrance that I am the bride of Christ, and He has promised to redeem His bride.

This post feels disjointed to me, but somehow it's all flowing from the same place in my heart.  Tonight I'm appreciating the way God is never-changing, yet so diverse that He can meet a lifetime of needs and be trusted to do so!  AMEN.

The Gospel

This blog post will be my best attempt at summarizing the gospel, as I understand it today. I say that, because I think when it comes to matters of faith (or matters, in general) it's good to come at them from the perspective that your thoughts and understanding may change. I try to be open to that, while still holding fast to Truth.

So. The Gospel. The Good News. Here it is.

Jesus Christ, who was God born in flesh, lived a sinless life but was hated by many. In their hatred and according to Gods' plan, Jesus was sentenced to death by being nailed to a cross. Jesus suffered, died and was buried in a tomb. After three days, Jesus was resurrected from the dead. Over the course of 40 days, Jesus appeared before crowds of people, before being raised into the sky.

There's so much there, even in that brief description. At any point, I recognize, I may lose some of you, hopefully not on account of my failure to adequately explain my thoughts.

There is a God (who takes various forms, including that of a man, namely Jesus). Jesus was sinless, meaning he was perfectly holy. No evil existed in Him or by His hand. Jesus was murdered, by men under a hateful and barbaric government. All that seems reasonably plausible. But here's where it gets crazy. Now we have a man, who comes back to life, after being murdered. Zombie apocalypse? No. He just appears to talk with many who would choose to listen, and instructs them in how to live. Then he floats into the sky, never to be seen again.

And this is the foundation of my faith. I believe this really happened. I recognize that sounds crazy. What's crazier, maybe, are the implications of what happened.

I believe God created us as eternal beings. That means although our lifetime on Earth will invariably end in death, our souls will exist for eternity. The standard for a soul to exist in the presence of God, is perfection. All others exist separate from God. Our culture calls that existence Hell. The definition of Hell is existence absent of and separate from God.

At birth, we each inherited a knowledge of both good and evil. We needed no instruction in right and wrong. I look around at our broken world and see the evil (and good) that exists in man-kind. I look in the mirror and see the evil (and good) that exists in my own heart. Aside from Jesus, no one has lived a sinless life. All have sinned and fallen short of the perfect standard required to exist in the presence of God.

But Jesus' death was not just a heinous murder. It was a strategic plan by God, to make a way for a sinful world to again have the opportunity to exist in His presence for eternity. Gods' plan allows for any person, who would admit his failure to be perfect, and accept through belief, that Jesus is who He said He is (God) and did what He said He did (died and raised), could be eternally forgiven and accepted into right standing with a Holy God to exist in His presence for eternity. Good News!

I asked Josh and few years ago how he thought the death of one man, was sufficient to provide adequate payment for the collective sins of all man-kind. It didn't seem fair to me. Some of the horrible things that happen in our world, seemed too much to be so easily erased by one act of sacrifice. This is what Josh told me. The important part wasn't the act that happened, but WHO it happened to. Jesus was GOD. It's a really tough thing to wrap your mind around, who God is. I'll throw out some words to try to paint a picture. All-mighty. Holy. All-powerful. Righteous. All-knowing. Just. There are hundreds of other words to describe who God is, but even if I listed all of them, I'm not sure any of us can fully understand Him, because we have no frame of reference for what a being of that nature would look like. Certainly not like any of us. But I'm gonna try. I have the image in my head. ok.

GOD. He made a choice to lay aside His standing, to become one of us. We can't fully know what attributes of “Godness” Jesus maintained on Earth (was He still all powerful and all knowing, etc.?). But we do know that He was fully human. Confined in flesh. Subject to human bodily functions and emotions. Living in a world far removed in culture, but not unlike our own. Gosh, I'm trying but I still can't do it. I can't imagine what it meant or looked like for Him to give up His standing as GOD to take on the state of humanity. But He did it. And I believe that sacrifice, and His subsequent death/resurrection are what makes one death sufficient for all.

Of course you're left with the question, what about those who don't believe? I've heard it put this way. They are given that which they desired all along. To exist in separation from God.

This concludes my interpretation of the gospel, as I understand it. This is my favorite thing to talk about. Let me know if you want to talk!  

Isolated

I've been thinking a lot about the concept of isolation. A feeling of Aloneness. Segregation. Solitude. In considering isolation, I can't think of one positive outcome achieved by it.*(see note) We may turn toward an inner-self reliance, convinced that no one can help or relate to us. But even the strength found there, is one of prideful necessity, not courage.

I just finished reading the first book in the Hunger Games series. I won't spoil anything for you, but the premise of the book involves a society governed by a cruel yet majestic Capitol, which has isolated the population into districts. The Capitol demands worship-like obedience and adoration. Each district is severely oppressed and is forbidden from interacting with other districts. This isolation breeds fear of and impotence against the Capitol. They are powerless against the system which dually persecutes and sustains them.

We may not live in a society where the government restricts our basic freedoms, but we do live in a culture widely dominated by the safety of secrecy. We fear having our private lives exposed. We don't want other people to know how we really feel or think or act. We feel ashamed, and we expect rejection (or worse) at the prospect of having “those things” made known. This line of thinking is the definition of isolation. We create our own private system just like the Capitol, which is to be worshiped and obeyed. This same System of Secrecy both binds us and preserves us.

I believe that life is most fully lived within the context of a community. In an honest and vulnerable sharing of and knitting together of lives. When we commit to living life in such a way, laying aside our tendency towards hiding, we free ourselves from the bondage of isolation. (Of course, one must choose wisely when deciding a community worthy of investing in. It's my belief that God has called His Church to be that vessel to His followers.)

I can't express the joy I feel when I can help eliminate the burden of shame and isolation in someones life by vulnerably sharing my own hardships and failings. The relief shown on their face when they're told, 'there's no need for embarrassment or shame'. You're not the first person to lose it. You're not the only person who's marriage is difficult (or barely surviving). You're not the only person who feels hopeless and helpless. You're not alone in your guilt for your anger, hate, lust or pride.

And here's the even more beautiful part. My experience has been one in that, when I've exposed the deepest, ugliest parts of my heart and life, those around me have embraced me with even more love and support than I could have hoped. Fear is defeated. Shame holds no power. I am loved, in spite of the mess I've made of my life. You should try it.

Don't believe the hype that isolation breeds protection or strength. It takes far more strength to lose the safety of your secrets, than it does to keep them. Real strength is gained through the community of support you've invested in. There's so much freedom to be found when you take the initiative to engage in the ugly parts of life, admitting they're real, and uniting to fight them.

There's so much more to say about the role of God, faith and the Church in that....but I'll leave it at that, for now.

Note:

*I consider the spiritual discipline of solitude to be vastly different than isolation. Maybe a topic for another day.   

Am I an adult? (cause I sure don't feel like one)

For some time now, life has been so difficult, I've barely been able to focus on more than emotionally handling my roles as a wife and mother. Lately as I look at other areas of my life, I can't help but feel discouraged. I look at my house. It's perpetually a mess, and not just the “you've got two kids” kind of mess. I look at my kitchen. Dishes aren't washed, fridge is full of gross molding food and dinner is far too often pulled out of a bag or the hand of the delivery boy. I resorted to wearing a bikini bottom a couple weeks ago, because of a laundry shortage. Clothes cover the floor in my room. In fact, there isn't a single room in my house, that looks the way I want it to. I guess I'm just talking “domestic” areas here. I'll take it as a good sign in my relationships, that I have the capacity to look at other parts of life now. Granted, these are largely areas I consider far less important (than my relationship with the Lord and others), but they matter none-the-less.

So. I've been asking myself. Why can't I, a reasonably mature, organized, and responsible human, get a grasp on this area of my life. I think I've found an answer. Here it is:

1. I don't want to do those things.
2. I don't think I should have to.

When did I become an adult? Was it when I got married (age 20)? Was it when I graduated college (age 21)? Was it when we bought a house (age 23)? Was it when I had my first kid (age 25)? How about my second kid (age 27)? All of these milestones have come and gone for me. By all practical, legal and any other purposes, I am an adult. Why don't I feel like one?

Growing up, I was spoiled rotten. I didn't feel an obligation to be a productive part of the household. I felt like a child, who should be served. And I got most things I wanted. I do remember efforts to get me to do chores. I don't remember those efforts being successful. By the time I was in high school, my life revolved around friends and sports, leaving very little time for household responsibilities. My father, a college athlete himself, advocated my irresponsibility for athletic gains.

My mom cooked 4 different meals every night. My sister is a vegetarian, my dad didn't eat wheat, I ate essentially only meat and breads/pastas, and then there was what she wanted. My dad drove me to school, because I didn't want to ride the bus. Or ride with my sister (god forbid). Or ride with my mom, who taught at the school. Three different vehicles going to the same place. And I got McDonald's on my way to school every morning.

I had a credit card in my parents name until the day I got married. I didn't have to pay for any of my college (although I did earn a full-tuition scholarship). You get the idea. I was spoiled.

Here I am, a 28 year old, married, mother of two. I still feel like a 17 year old kid. I'm still waiting for someone to come cook me dinner, buy my groceries, do my laundry and clean my house. I don't blame my parents. They gave me the best environment they knew how. In fact, I'd say they did each of those things out of love. But now I'm on a quest for adulthood. For the first time, I'm trying to embrace it, both as an idea and way of life. I want to feel like I'm in charge of my life, not being dominated by it.

This isn't a commentary on roles within the home. It isn't a quest for cooking and cleaning strategies (although I'm open to, and appreciate those). It's a prayer and a choice to feel and believe that I'm one of two adults in our little family, and that means certain responsibilities fall to me. I'm hoping that inviting these thoughts to my repertoire of reflections, will bring needed change to my heart, mind and household! Ask me how I'm doing with this later.  

Personal Reflections

One of my more recent interactions gave me a chance to reflect on my high school days.  Here are some thoughts, and snipets of that interaction.   

you knew me in high school.  having moved on (and grown up, a little), i really hate the person i was in high school.  and i hate the person I felt like, then.   i accepted the Lord my sophomore year of hs, but really was building from ground zero.  i describe my faith journey in hs, as catch up.  i was learning what the bible says, and most of the things you probably learned in sunday school when you were five.  every single thing i learned about God was a whole new way of thinking.  my family life was so dysfunctional, that i had completely detached myself from my family and relied solely on peer relationships for my value, significance and love.  God was changing that, but my whole world was built around the security i could find in building a social status.  it's not uncommon for hs, i know.  but i've learned that my biggest struggle, to this day, is feeling confident in my worth and value to people (not to God).

with that said, when i look back on hs, even with all of my mistakes, immaturity and obsession with social acceptance, i feel at peace with my friendships and relationships.  i feel proud of the woman i'm becoming, and the sanctifying work Christ continues to do in my life and heart.  i even feel occasionally encouraged about my family relationships, the healing and self-understanding i've experienced, and the way God is using me there.  but for whatever reason, and i really can't tell you why...i feel sad, or hurt, or confused as it relates to you.  i don't understand it, but i'm hoping that humbling myself to share my heart with you, will bring about needed change there.

I feel like a much different person than I was in high school.  I'm sure we all do, or I hope we all do.  In my case, I feel like I totally remade myself in college.  When I left high school, I also left the preconceived notions that others had about me.  People treated me different in college, and I think for the first time, I felt the freedom to be who I really was, with out having to be who everyone thought I was.  


I had always thought of myself as an extroverted socialite.  Ditsy, flirty and honestly, dumb.  Although I got good grades, I felt like people expected me to be stupid.  They expected me to look pretty and sound dumb.  I fit that part well.  


My new friends in college weren't waiting for me to say something stupid.  And surprise, surprise....I stopped saying stupid things.  I started realizing that though I enjoy people, I actually thrive in one-on-one situations, not large groups.  Inside I'm reserved.  I'm sorta boring.  I'm definitely nerdy.  I spend most of my nights doing Sudoku puzzles on my Kindle.  :)   And I'm okay with that.  (I have Josh to keep me interesting)


I do still feel like I'm on a journey to "find out" who I really am.  I've felt largely misunderstood by the people closest to me, most of my life.  But I like who I am now.  I know God loves me and has created me as a reflection of a part of himself.  


It's still a battle for me to not feel undervalued, like people think I'm stupid and I don't have worthwhile things to say.  But I'm also learning how to take that need to the Lord and allow Him to speak into it.


I'm thankful for opportunities to delve into my past.   What changes have you made in yourself since high school?

My Sanity: A Reason to Blog

This is my second attempt at starting a blog (*third if you count Xanga).  Still no guarantees, but this time I have a purpose in blogging.  I'll explain.


My life, as a stay at home mom, is full of monotony.  I do a lot of playing. A lot of singing and dancing.  All good things.  But I also have a brain inside my head that needs exercised and writing has always been a favorite past-time of mine.  


In the last couple weeks, I have had a few difficult situations come my way, which required me to reflect and analyze my thoughts, in order to respond appropriately.  This was seriously good for my life.  In fact, I enjoyed it (although not the situations themselves).  It made me think, "It would be good for me to have to thoroughly reflect more often."   


My purpose for this blog is to put together thoughtful reflections on life.  I'm not really sure if a theme will reveal itself.  I'm hoping this will serve as a healthy outlet to THINK and maybe keep a little bit of my sanity.  You'll be the judge of that! :)  Thanks for reading.