Must be something in the air... or just a long time since I've exerted some goofiness. And for anyone who doesn't know the REAL me, I can be REAL goofy. So here are some ways I got my goofy on just in the last few minutes.
* I did a George Jefferson walk and then pulled a seriously shocked look when Dylan asked about it and demonstrated what I was doing.
* I replied to a friend on Facebook (FACEBOOK! I must be a little bored.) with some wacky TV suggestions: Little House on the Prairie and Golden Girls.
* I stuck my tongue out at another friend... also via Facebook.
* I laughed so hard at my Facebook antics, I literally had tears in my eyes.
* I came in the office and acted like an idiot for no reason, then laughed about it while my husband looked at me as though I need medication. He did laugh, though.
One thing I know is that this is MUCH better than those blah days I've been feeling every now and then. Maybe I DO need medication!
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
live. and let live.
I think I've been pressured to be more than I am. Not as far as what I do for my family or how I contribute to society or even the ways in which I serve at church. Being in the middle, trying to be fair and practicing tolerance has -- on both sides of any given issue -- taken on a negative feel. My Christian faith is still alive and kicking, but I know that many a fellow Christian would deem my stand on many things as "lukewarm." And any Christian knows that the term "lukewarm" is as damning as any other anti-God term. I'm serious. The Bible teaches that to be lukewarm is to be detestable in the mouth of God.
Is my middle-ground lukewarm? Who is to say this? God assigned who exactly to be my judge and jury?
At the other spectrum, I'd be labeled fanatical, holy-rolling and "Jesus freak" if I were to tell others about my faith. God forbid I offer a blessing and/or prayer to those around me who don't share my faith. But then, why is this wrong? Aren't these open-minded types the very people I should feel 100 percent comfortable around? Isn't that the true meaning of liberalism?
And yet, I think my comfy little middle-ground is not supposed to be a good place to reside. Or at least not good enough. I care about the hungry, the environment and my children. Chances are, however, if I'm not in missions or if I don't keep my non-plastic grocery bags on hand all the time or if I don't have THE perfect balance of mother-wife-woman, I'm deemed a failure.
Still, why do I (we) care about the opinion of others so much? Just about the time we are taught as Christians to shrug what the "world" thinks, we are told to "guard our testimony." It's about as easy to maneuver as a minefield. Thirty years after the first time I gave a damn, I find I still do. And I work not to! How do I work, though?
So I'll take my seat there in the middle row, toward the middle of the isle during a nice, somewhat adventurous indie comedy with just enough romance and suspense to keep the crowd happy. Yeah, that's me. I'm the one holding the popcorn and sneaking in Skittles because while I'm all for abiding by the rules, I'm also keenly aware that all that candy from Easter is going to go to waste if we don't find a reason to eat it some time or another!
An editor I like called himself "tolerant" when it came to religious identity. And really, the Jesus I learned about and claim to follow was AT LEAST this. He TOLERATED the sin, the short-comings and the hiccups of others. Considering that I don't claim holiness, and I wasn't born of immaculate conception... why the heck shouldn't I be tolerant, too? Call me whatever. They don't call it a comfort zone for nothing. And what the heck is wrong with a little inner peace after all? Someone pass my comfy blanket... AND the popcorn tub.
Is my middle-ground lukewarm? Who is to say this? God assigned who exactly to be my judge and jury?
At the other spectrum, I'd be labeled fanatical, holy-rolling and "Jesus freak" if I were to tell others about my faith. God forbid I offer a blessing and/or prayer to those around me who don't share my faith. But then, why is this wrong? Aren't these open-minded types the very people I should feel 100 percent comfortable around? Isn't that the true meaning of liberalism?
And yet, I think my comfy little middle-ground is not supposed to be a good place to reside. Or at least not good enough. I care about the hungry, the environment and my children. Chances are, however, if I'm not in missions or if I don't keep my non-plastic grocery bags on hand all the time or if I don't have THE perfect balance of mother-wife-woman, I'm deemed a failure.
Still, why do I (we) care about the opinion of others so much? Just about the time we are taught as Christians to shrug what the "world" thinks, we are told to "guard our testimony." It's about as easy to maneuver as a minefield. Thirty years after the first time I gave a damn, I find I still do. And I work not to! How do I work, though?
So I'll take my seat there in the middle row, toward the middle of the isle during a nice, somewhat adventurous indie comedy with just enough romance and suspense to keep the crowd happy. Yeah, that's me. I'm the one holding the popcorn and sneaking in Skittles because while I'm all for abiding by the rules, I'm also keenly aware that all that candy from Easter is going to go to waste if we don't find a reason to eat it some time or another!
An editor I like called himself "tolerant" when it came to religious identity. And really, the Jesus I learned about and claim to follow was AT LEAST this. He TOLERATED the sin, the short-comings and the hiccups of others. Considering that I don't claim holiness, and I wasn't born of immaculate conception... why the heck shouldn't I be tolerant, too? Call me whatever. They don't call it a comfort zone for nothing. And what the heck is wrong with a little inner peace after all? Someone pass my comfy blanket... AND the popcorn tub.
Friday, May 22, 2009
random ramblings
I have a friend who pokes fun at my emailing prowess... well, I call it prowess. He, and others, might call it over-the-top-ness, or something like that. But baseball season has gotten the best of me. My emails have actually been just what's needed and to whom, and I failed on my promise to copy him to each and every email I send out that has anything to do with anything on our kids' baseball team.
After talking with his wife, I realized he'd been spared a lot of details in recent weeks. I felt an urgency to remedy this. I wrote an email saying just this and his response is reprinted here without his permission and therefore without his name:
"Yeah. I have really been missing those rambling non-sensical emails of yours. There is a void."
The sarcasm wasn't lost on me, but neither was the opportunity... glorious, gratuitous opportunity! That's all I needed. So, I sent him the following, copied here as it was sent (names have been omitted or changed; no, they've just been changed for grins... that's way more fun):
"yeah so, anastasia gave us the invite for burgers and swimming saturday. didn't even realize you guys had a pool... lotsa fun. but we're taking a boat out that day... our last hoorah with the boat club because we think we won't do it this year... will have to see how our summers play out as the boys get bigger. so i requested a rain check... please! she was like, of course. ok, so after throwing around the 28th, 29th and 30th, the powers that be have decided on the 30th for the final (team name here) soiree, an email about which should be going out as i type but i'm presently busy with more important matters... but mark my word, an email WILL be forthcoming i can promise you this. i've got sign-up sheets ready to go and you don't want to know about the... well, i can't quite tell you that part, but... all in good time. so the 30th it is. i guess the darrens will play it by ear for tomorrow's practice... we KINDA had plans tomorrow night (maybe a movie) but nothing too solid. baby darren's in a bit of a hitting slump for sure. what else... oh, i might start freelancing some for this lady in need of a writer/editor for her business's website. that's off the subject. but there ya go... consider the void nice and filled... your cup runneth over. good night!!!"
The point of this blog is that life is filled with opportunities to waste your time, and others', with nonsense in a way that hopefully brings an unexpected smile on another's face. Then again, even if he found it only slightly annoying, I still got a big smile out of it. Glorious opportunity indeed!
After talking with his wife, I realized he'd been spared a lot of details in recent weeks. I felt an urgency to remedy this. I wrote an email saying just this and his response is reprinted here without his permission and therefore without his name:
"Yeah. I have really been missing those rambling non-sensical emails of yours. There is a void."
The sarcasm wasn't lost on me, but neither was the opportunity... glorious, gratuitous opportunity! That's all I needed. So, I sent him the following, copied here as it was sent (names have been omitted or changed; no, they've just been changed for grins... that's way more fun):
"yeah so, anastasia gave us the invite for burgers and swimming saturday. didn't even realize you guys had a pool... lotsa fun. but we're taking a boat out that day... our last hoorah with the boat club because we think we won't do it this year... will have to see how our summers play out as the boys get bigger. so i requested a rain check... please! she was like, of course. ok, so after throwing around the 28th, 29th and 30th, the powers that be have decided on the 30th for the final (team name here) soiree, an email about which should be going out as i type but i'm presently busy with more important matters... but mark my word, an email WILL be forthcoming i can promise you this. i've got sign-up sheets ready to go and you don't want to know about the... well, i can't quite tell you that part, but... all in good time. so the 30th it is. i guess the darrens will play it by ear for tomorrow's practice... we KINDA had plans tomorrow night (maybe a movie) but nothing too solid. baby darren's in a bit of a hitting slump for sure. what else... oh, i might start freelancing some for this lady in need of a writer/editor for her business's website. that's off the subject. but there ya go... consider the void nice and filled... your cup runneth over. good night!!!"
The point of this blog is that life is filled with opportunities to waste your time, and others', with nonsense in a way that hopefully brings an unexpected smile on another's face. Then again, even if he found it only slightly annoying, I still got a big smile out of it. Glorious opportunity indeed!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
conversation
Last night, I watched and listened as my husband spoke into the ear of his 97-year-old grandmother. In his limited -- and yet, perfect -- Spanish, he told her some of the sweetest words I've ever heard. That life was beautiful for him here in Austin; that he had time and made time to laugh and play with his sons, his rambunctious and inquisitive boys; that his house was nice and filled with love; that life was beautiful... and he thanked her for these gifts.
Her small body had assumed a fetal position and we were convinced she was in pain. Our small amount of time to stay with her... just to be with her, had finally come. Gone were the more familiar faces of those who live in Waco. Gone were the energetic voices of the children in our family. Just me and David, standing vigil with Granny as she lay in her hospital bed, all of us uncertain of the future.
This woman had helped in the raising (yes, raising) of David and his siblings. A maternal grandmother in the truest sense of the term, Granny was always nurturing and strong, feisty and sometimes mean in years gone by. These are his words, though he says these things with love and respect. He looks back and realizes he needed someone strong to stand up to him. He was as tall at 15 as he is now. Granny, though small in stature, was not so in will or personality. And she made no bones about any of it!
So last night, as we sat with her in the hospital and the TV played Spanish novelas, he thought it wise to convey to her his undying love, devotion and gratitude. For whatever tomorrow might bring, he was certain of what yesterday carried. I'll never forget the kindness that filled his words, the way she seemed to listen as he held her hands, and she held his. The way his love moved through words past time and space and memories to the present moment. A moment he knew he might never have again.
Her small body had assumed a fetal position and we were convinced she was in pain. Our small amount of time to stay with her... just to be with her, had finally come. Gone were the more familiar faces of those who live in Waco. Gone were the energetic voices of the children in our family. Just me and David, standing vigil with Granny as she lay in her hospital bed, all of us uncertain of the future.
This woman had helped in the raising (yes, raising) of David and his siblings. A maternal grandmother in the truest sense of the term, Granny was always nurturing and strong, feisty and sometimes mean in years gone by. These are his words, though he says these things with love and respect. He looks back and realizes he needed someone strong to stand up to him. He was as tall at 15 as he is now. Granny, though small in stature, was not so in will or personality. And she made no bones about any of it!
So last night, as we sat with her in the hospital and the TV played Spanish novelas, he thought it wise to convey to her his undying love, devotion and gratitude. For whatever tomorrow might bring, he was certain of what yesterday carried. I'll never forget the kindness that filled his words, the way she seemed to listen as he held her hands, and she held his. The way his love moved through words past time and space and memories to the present moment. A moment he knew he might never have again.
Friday, May 1, 2009
green tip #2
PAPER. Any and every time I see paper that is about to be discarded, I check for one blank side. If there's a blank side, I will fold and cut this paper into fourths and these sheets become my notepad. The paper is going to be thrown out at some point, yes, but how much better to have gotten more use out of it than was originally intended?
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