Another Monday has arrived. I'm totally enjoying this one, dressed in my comfy pjs and catching up on all of my blogging and e-mails, etc. Much better than my start to the morning. I had to go to the doctor, which I always hate. I've had a head cold for some time now and it sounds like someone is holding a seashell up to my ear all day. Yikes! Driving me crazy! :) After being unable to make an appointment at an actual doctor during a time when I'm not at work, I decided to run to the clinic at Target this morning. The process was very easy and the people were great. But the news was not what I wanted to hear. As odd as it sounds, I wanted to hear that I had an ear infection. Why? Because that is treatable with antibiotics. As it stands, I just have a stuffed up head and fluid in my ears that I will have to deal with until my cold has run it's course. So I'm taking Sudafed and drinking tons of water to hopefully speed up the process. The other bad news was that my insurance card didn't want to work so I had to pay full price. But I'm home now, and life is good, so that is all the complaining I will do. :)
This past Friday, February 17th I started a 60-day challenge of sorts. Sixty days from now will be my 35th birthday, so it seemed fitting to do it now. I'm not going to share a lot of details just yet. It seems that the more I put out there, the more I end up failing. The pressure gets to me or something. So I will just say that during the next 60 days I am going to be making some small changes that will hopefully lead to big ones down the road. Bettering myself in every way. Of course my main goal is to make sure that I'm keeping God involved in my plan from the beginning, because otherwise its' worthless to even try. :)
God has been speaking to me a lot lately about 'walking the walk'. I'm seeing examples everywhere lately of people who are not doing that. Politicians, the hollywood and media elite, even some people in my own life......even me I must admit from time to time. It's so easy to say that we should love one another but to not show that love as we should. It's easy to say that our work ethic should be good since God has given us the opportunity to have a job, but than to let laziness get the best of us and not act that out. And in the political arena, it's easy for a politician to say that they are pro-life, but their voting records often tell a different tale. The list is endless, but since I can't fix anyone else, I'm focusing on me. I want to make sure that every day I am practicing what I preach. It's a cliche, I know, but it turns out it's also very, very true. My words are meaningless if I'm not living them out in my life. It brings to mind one of my favorite quotes about how we should live what we speak from DC Talk:
"The single greatest cause of atheism in the world today is Christians. Who preach Jesus with their lips, walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle. This is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable." Powerful, and very convicting to me today.
That's what's been on my mind lately. I know my Monday posts tend to be a jumble of crazy thoughts, but it helps me get my mind clear for the week to come. It's going to be a great week, I can just feel it. I've been working on strengthening some important relationships in my life, and ridding myself of some that have been dragging me down (while, of course continuing to pray for those people). I've been making some decisions about how to live a healthier life, both physically and spiritually. And most importantly, I'm slowly learning to quiet myself before God and allow Him to speak to me and guide me to the life He wants me to lead. It's a very painful process at times, but the end result will be a life that glorifies Him in every way.
I hope you all have a wonderful week and that God shows His blessings to each of you!
Laura
Monday, February 20, 2012
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Happiness - I Have It!
Happy Valentine's Day All!
It has been a great one for me this year. My husband and I went out for dinner at the Olive Garden last night followed by Star Wars in 3D. We had a great time!! Today I came home to a box of chocolates and the biggest Toblerone bar ever waiting for me on the bed! I think somebody loves me! ;);)
I've been thinking a lot this Valentine's week about happiness. In the last few months, job stress and the rigors of daily life have gotten me down......and Jason too. But lately it seems we have been focusing more on the things that have always made us happy and letting go of the craziness and giving that to God. And it shows! Right now, today, I am happier than I have ever been in my life. And I would love to share some of the things that make me happy. Now.....let's not confuse happiness with joy. My joy comes from the Lord and from Him alone. I can be as unhappy as ever in my earthly life, but I will always be filled with joy in my Savior. What I am talking about today is happiness - the kind we have here on earth.
In honor of cupid's day, here are some of the simple and amazing things that make me happy:
**My husband. The love of my life. My soul mate for 15 years and counting. We have a relationship that many do not understand. We are best friends. There is rarely a time when either of us would rather be doing something or spending time with anyone else. We have carpooled to work together, worked at the same place, and come home everyday to each other. We have had several people tell us that they would have killed each other by now. Not us. He is my safe place, and I love him so much! That makes me SO happy!
**The simple things. My idea of a perfect evening is spending time curled up on the bed in our room catching up on the tv shows we have recorded, watching hockey or a movie or reading our books. Great conversations are always sparked and I feel so at ease. I don't need fancy. Don't even want it. Give me a night at home over a fancy dinner and dancing any day.
**Radcliffe. Yes, I know some think I'm looney for this one, but he's got a special place in my heart. He is such a great listener! ;) And always has a snuggle when I need one. (If you don't know who Radcliffe is, click his link on the right hand side of my blog).
**My Parents. I have great parents who brought me up in a home where Jesus was the center, who would drop everything anytime I was in need and who continue to be there now that I'm an adult. And the best part? Now that I am grown they are not only my parents but my friends. People I genuinely enjoy hanging out with. Not everyone can say that about their folks, huh?! ;)
**My Sister. Honestly, I don't know what I would do without the support and friendship of my little sister. We've been through some crazy rollercoasters together and whenever one of us needs it, they other has their back. Aside from my husband, she is my best friend and my confidant. We tell each other everything! :) And, of course, along with her comes my brother-in-law Peter who I love and respect so much. I love watching what incredible parents they are to their boys.
**The Boys. About the above-mentioned boys...............so precious! Brady (6), Logan (4) and Marshall (2). I can still clearly remember the moment each of them came into this world and feel so honored to be such a big part of their lives. Sometimes when I am having a down day, all I need to do is take a peek at my photo album and see their smiling faces and that does it! :) I love being an auntie!
**Family. I would be remiss not to mention my incredible grandparents, my cousin Katie who is also one of my closest friends and all of my other cousins, aunts and uncles who are such a big part of my life.
**My Church. We have a great church family. A pastor who preaches the truth without fear or compromise and a wonderful group of people praying for each other, serving each other and showing the community what God looks like.
There are so many other things I could mention if I had the time. Do you see a theme here? I do. It's family. I am happiest when I am with my family. Whether it is my family of 3 at home every day (remember Radcliffe?! ;) ) or my extended family, that is when I feel the most content and the most happy. It's not the things I have or the places I've been or will go, it's the people who are there along the way.
What is it that makes you happy today?
Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Laura
It has been a great one for me this year. My husband and I went out for dinner at the Olive Garden last night followed by Star Wars in 3D. We had a great time!! Today I came home to a box of chocolates and the biggest Toblerone bar ever waiting for me on the bed! I think somebody loves me! ;);)
I've been thinking a lot this Valentine's week about happiness. In the last few months, job stress and the rigors of daily life have gotten me down......and Jason too. But lately it seems we have been focusing more on the things that have always made us happy and letting go of the craziness and giving that to God. And it shows! Right now, today, I am happier than I have ever been in my life. And I would love to share some of the things that make me happy. Now.....let's not confuse happiness with joy. My joy comes from the Lord and from Him alone. I can be as unhappy as ever in my earthly life, but I will always be filled with joy in my Savior. What I am talking about today is happiness - the kind we have here on earth.
In honor of cupid's day, here are some of the simple and amazing things that make me happy:
**My husband. The love of my life. My soul mate for 15 years and counting. We have a relationship that many do not understand. We are best friends. There is rarely a time when either of us would rather be doing something or spending time with anyone else. We have carpooled to work together, worked at the same place, and come home everyday to each other. We have had several people tell us that they would have killed each other by now. Not us. He is my safe place, and I love him so much! That makes me SO happy!
**The simple things. My idea of a perfect evening is spending time curled up on the bed in our room catching up on the tv shows we have recorded, watching hockey or a movie or reading our books. Great conversations are always sparked and I feel so at ease. I don't need fancy. Don't even want it. Give me a night at home over a fancy dinner and dancing any day.
**Radcliffe. Yes, I know some think I'm looney for this one, but he's got a special place in my heart. He is such a great listener! ;) And always has a snuggle when I need one. (If you don't know who Radcliffe is, click his link on the right hand side of my blog).
**My Parents. I have great parents who brought me up in a home where Jesus was the center, who would drop everything anytime I was in need and who continue to be there now that I'm an adult. And the best part? Now that I am grown they are not only my parents but my friends. People I genuinely enjoy hanging out with. Not everyone can say that about their folks, huh?! ;)
**My Sister. Honestly, I don't know what I would do without the support and friendship of my little sister. We've been through some crazy rollercoasters together and whenever one of us needs it, they other has their back. Aside from my husband, she is my best friend and my confidant. We tell each other everything! :) And, of course, along with her comes my brother-in-law Peter who I love and respect so much. I love watching what incredible parents they are to their boys.
**The Boys. About the above-mentioned boys...............so precious! Brady (6), Logan (4) and Marshall (2). I can still clearly remember the moment each of them came into this world and feel so honored to be such a big part of their lives. Sometimes when I am having a down day, all I need to do is take a peek at my photo album and see their smiling faces and that does it! :) I love being an auntie!
**Family. I would be remiss not to mention my incredible grandparents, my cousin Katie who is also one of my closest friends and all of my other cousins, aunts and uncles who are such a big part of my life.
**My Church. We have a great church family. A pastor who preaches the truth without fear or compromise and a wonderful group of people praying for each other, serving each other and showing the community what God looks like.
There are so many other things I could mention if I had the time. Do you see a theme here? I do. It's family. I am happiest when I am with my family. Whether it is my family of 3 at home every day (remember Radcliffe?! ;) ) or my extended family, that is when I feel the most content and the most happy. It's not the things I have or the places I've been or will go, it's the people who are there along the way.
What is it that makes you happy today?
Happy Valentine's Day!!!
Laura
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Stand Up!
This week the Susan G. Komen Foundation made a decision to defund Planned Parenthood. Then, less than 24 hours later amid controversy, they reversed that decision. This irked me more than I thought it would and has gotten me to thinking. It's not so much the fact that they gave money to PP that made me angry, although I do not support PP and prefer not to support those who do. What really makes me angry is that they were afraid to take a stand because they got some push back from the public. What does that say about the state of things in our world?! If someone doesn't like what you believe in, then shrink back from the pressure and confrontation and jump on board the "popular" side. Ugh.
I've been taking stock of the way I live my own life, and I realize that sometimes I do the same thing. I find myself backing off of an argument occasionally because I don't want to sound like one of those "ignorant, intolerant" folks everyone is always talking about. And it makes me sick to see that I do that sometimes. No more. I hear people talk about how Jesus was all about love and that we need to show love to the world. You bet! Absolutely we need to show love to the world. But that does NOT mean that we should compromise our beliefs. People mistakenly use words like love, tolerance and ignorance all the time. Sometimes a parent deals harshly with their child because they love them and want to make sure they don't stray down the wrong path. Just because the child might be sad because of what the parent says, it doesn't mean it isn't love. So it is with talking about sin. If I'm telling someone that I believe they are sinning because they are living a homosexual lifestyle or committing adultery or any other number of sins, it doesn't mean I don't love them - it means the opposite. It means that I love them so much that I want to make sure they come to know Jesus and break free of their sin.
Tolerance is a really misused word. A couple of years ago, Jason and I heard a man speaking at the state fair outside a conservative radio station and he said it pretty well. He was talking to a man on the street who had confronted him about Christians being intolerant. What he said was that in order to tolerate someone, you have to disagree with them on something. Otherwise, where would the need for tolerance be? You don't have to "tolerate" something you agree with. So when someone tells you that you are "intolerant" because you believe homosexuality is a sin, they are wrong. When you would become "intolerant" would be if you chose to refuse to speak to that person or if we started rallying for all gay people to be shipped to an island somewhere. That would be intolerance. And...have you noticed that in today's society everyone is to be tolerated EXCEPT Christians?
Jesus told us we would be persecuted for His names sake. If we are not facing any confrontation, then we are probably not being bold enough in living for Him. In today's climate, with all of the political fighting (especially in an election year), all of the call for love and political correctness regardless of your true beliefs and the sin that is becoming rampant and accepted we need to really buckle down and grow our backbones nice and strong.
It's time to take a stand for the things of the Bible. This world is coming rapidly to an end. The time of Christ's return is very, very near. I know for sure that when He comes back I want Him to find me standing on a mountaintop shouting the truth, even if I'm standing on that mountaintop alone.
Stand up for what you believe in. Noone else will do it for you.
Laura
I've been taking stock of the way I live my own life, and I realize that sometimes I do the same thing. I find myself backing off of an argument occasionally because I don't want to sound like one of those "ignorant, intolerant" folks everyone is always talking about. And it makes me sick to see that I do that sometimes. No more. I hear people talk about how Jesus was all about love and that we need to show love to the world. You bet! Absolutely we need to show love to the world. But that does NOT mean that we should compromise our beliefs. People mistakenly use words like love, tolerance and ignorance all the time. Sometimes a parent deals harshly with their child because they love them and want to make sure they don't stray down the wrong path. Just because the child might be sad because of what the parent says, it doesn't mean it isn't love. So it is with talking about sin. If I'm telling someone that I believe they are sinning because they are living a homosexual lifestyle or committing adultery or any other number of sins, it doesn't mean I don't love them - it means the opposite. It means that I love them so much that I want to make sure they come to know Jesus and break free of their sin.
Tolerance is a really misused word. A couple of years ago, Jason and I heard a man speaking at the state fair outside a conservative radio station and he said it pretty well. He was talking to a man on the street who had confronted him about Christians being intolerant. What he said was that in order to tolerate someone, you have to disagree with them on something. Otherwise, where would the need for tolerance be? You don't have to "tolerate" something you agree with. So when someone tells you that you are "intolerant" because you believe homosexuality is a sin, they are wrong. When you would become "intolerant" would be if you chose to refuse to speak to that person or if we started rallying for all gay people to be shipped to an island somewhere. That would be intolerance. And...have you noticed that in today's society everyone is to be tolerated EXCEPT Christians?
Jesus told us we would be persecuted for His names sake. If we are not facing any confrontation, then we are probably not being bold enough in living for Him. In today's climate, with all of the political fighting (especially in an election year), all of the call for love and political correctness regardless of your true beliefs and the sin that is becoming rampant and accepted we need to really buckle down and grow our backbones nice and strong.
It's time to take a stand for the things of the Bible. This world is coming rapidly to an end. The time of Christ's return is very, very near. I know for sure that when He comes back I want Him to find me standing on a mountaintop shouting the truth, even if I'm standing on that mountaintop alone.
Stand up for what you believe in. Noone else will do it for you.
Laura
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Thoughts on a Tuesday
So...I have been an absent blogger this week. Life has been crazy busy and there just aren't enough hours in the day. But tonight I have a quiet evening to myself to get caught up on some things and this was on my list. So to follow in the example of my sister's blog, here are the random things I've been thinking about this past week:
**Water pipes can be very frustrating. Especially in a mobile home where they are so easily exposed to the elements. I'm thankful all is well now after a weekend with no running water.
**This winter has been INSANE! We have had 17 days in the 40s or 50s since December! We should be enjoying this and remembering what it is usually like.
**I'm so angry at the CA supreme court for declaring Prop 8 unconstitutional. This is a ban on gay marriage that was voted by the people ----wait...aren't the people supposed to have a say in this country?------and has now been basically nullified by a court who is seizing power they should not have.
**Super disappointed in the Susan G. Komen Foundation. They finally take a great stand against abortion and Planned Parenthood only to renig at the first sign of controversy. Gutless.
**I am praying for MckMama and her family today (www.mckmama.com). Her husband has walked out on the family recently, they lost their home and yesterday she was in a pretty serious car accident. Please pray for her, her 5 children and everything going on in their lives. Pray for healing for her and for a change of heart for her husband.
**I am thankful today that despite all of the crazy in the world, GOD IS IN CONTROL!!!
**I am obsessed with Lost. Jason and I watched the first season when it was on originally, but then quit. Now we are Netflix-ing (word?) the show and are partway through Season 3.....loving it!
Well that's just a few of the things on my mind this week. I am hoping to get back to normal and slow things down a bit soon. This week is pretty clear. We are going to the Mpls camping show on Friday or Saturday night and I'm trying a new breakfast lasagna recipie. Otherwise, life should be calm and uneventful. Praying it stays that way!
Happy Tuesday!
Laura
**Water pipes can be very frustrating. Especially in a mobile home where they are so easily exposed to the elements. I'm thankful all is well now after a weekend with no running water.
**This winter has been INSANE! We have had 17 days in the 40s or 50s since December! We should be enjoying this and remembering what it is usually like.
**I'm so angry at the CA supreme court for declaring Prop 8 unconstitutional. This is a ban on gay marriage that was voted by the people ----wait...aren't the people supposed to have a say in this country?------and has now been basically nullified by a court who is seizing power they should not have.
**Super disappointed in the Susan G. Komen Foundation. They finally take a great stand against abortion and Planned Parenthood only to renig at the first sign of controversy. Gutless.
**I am praying for MckMama and her family today (www.mckmama.com). Her husband has walked out on the family recently, they lost their home and yesterday she was in a pretty serious car accident. Please pray for her, her 5 children and everything going on in their lives. Pray for healing for her and for a change of heart for her husband.
**I am thankful today that despite all of the crazy in the world, GOD IS IN CONTROL!!!
**I am obsessed with Lost. Jason and I watched the first season when it was on originally, but then quit. Now we are Netflix-ing (word?) the show and are partway through Season 3.....loving it!
Well that's just a few of the things on my mind this week. I am hoping to get back to normal and slow things down a bit soon. This week is pretty clear. We are going to the Mpls camping show on Friday or Saturday night and I'm trying a new breakfast lasagna recipie. Otherwise, life should be calm and uneventful. Praying it stays that way!
Happy Tuesday!
Laura
Monday, January 30, 2012
Monday Confessions - Letting Go
Happy Monday All!
It's been a great one so far for me. I got up early - well, 8:30 is pretty early for me on my day off (heehee) - and got started right away on cleaning my bathroom. Scrubbed everything and cleaned the floors, walls - the whole works! Even got my awesome pumpkin scented plug in going so the room smells great! Then I got my closet organized. It's nowhere near perfect, but at least I can see everything now and get to my clothes. I even managed to get a few things put together for Jason to put out in the shed when he gets home to get them out of the way. I know that doesn't sound like much, but for me it's a huge deal.
This past week I've been suffering from something. I wish I knew what. I've been overly emotional and so easily frustrated and angered that I felt like a totally different person. I was originally thinking it might be some form of seasonal depression, but I believe now that I've figured it out and it's much simpler than that. See, one of my biggest issues is the inability to be content with things not "just so". The particular area that has been nagging at me lately is my home. For those who don't know, we are living in a mobile home with my mother-in-law. It's been great, and we are so blessed to be living here. We right now have the majority of our things in our bedroom and bathroom so the rest of the house can be shared space. Because of this, we have very little space to put a lot of things. We have solved this by putting a lot in storage and in our shed, but it still isn't ideal. I've been letting this really eat at me lately. When I try to get things organized, it always feels cluttered no matter what.
Today I took a different look at things. I realized that we have a roof over our heads and are lucky enough to be close to family, have all that we need to not only survive but to be comfortable, and that should be enough. So today I pulled out the duster, vacuum and other cleaning supplies. I got everything cleaned up, sorted my closet and everything else I mentioned above and guess what? The place looks fine - imperfections and all! So I'm taking a deep breath and asking the Lord to help me be content with what I have. And to LET GO of trying to make things perfect. Sometimes "good enough" is all we need.
I'm feeling great now and getting ready to sit down and catch up on the series Lost. Relax, maybe do some reading and just be happy. It's a new week and I have high hopes for what is in store.
Have a Great Day!
Laura
It's been a great one so far for me. I got up early - well, 8:30 is pretty early for me on my day off (heehee) - and got started right away on cleaning my bathroom. Scrubbed everything and cleaned the floors, walls - the whole works! Even got my awesome pumpkin scented plug in going so the room smells great! Then I got my closet organized. It's nowhere near perfect, but at least I can see everything now and get to my clothes. I even managed to get a few things put together for Jason to put out in the shed when he gets home to get them out of the way. I know that doesn't sound like much, but for me it's a huge deal.
This past week I've been suffering from something. I wish I knew what. I've been overly emotional and so easily frustrated and angered that I felt like a totally different person. I was originally thinking it might be some form of seasonal depression, but I believe now that I've figured it out and it's much simpler than that. See, one of my biggest issues is the inability to be content with things not "just so". The particular area that has been nagging at me lately is my home. For those who don't know, we are living in a mobile home with my mother-in-law. It's been great, and we are so blessed to be living here. We right now have the majority of our things in our bedroom and bathroom so the rest of the house can be shared space. Because of this, we have very little space to put a lot of things. We have solved this by putting a lot in storage and in our shed, but it still isn't ideal. I've been letting this really eat at me lately. When I try to get things organized, it always feels cluttered no matter what.
Today I took a different look at things. I realized that we have a roof over our heads and are lucky enough to be close to family, have all that we need to not only survive but to be comfortable, and that should be enough. So today I pulled out the duster, vacuum and other cleaning supplies. I got everything cleaned up, sorted my closet and everything else I mentioned above and guess what? The place looks fine - imperfections and all! So I'm taking a deep breath and asking the Lord to help me be content with what I have. And to LET GO of trying to make things perfect. Sometimes "good enough" is all we need.
I'm feeling great now and getting ready to sit down and catch up on the series Lost. Relax, maybe do some reading and just be happy. It's a new week and I have high hopes for what is in store.
Have a Great Day!
Laura
Friday, January 27, 2012
Friday Drive-By
This post will be super-quick since I don't have much time, but I wanted to check in quick and had something fun to share.
Every day on my way home, I drive by a printer place (sort of like Kinkos) and they have great sayings on their sign. Last week it was "The second mouse gets the cheese." I had to think about that one for awhile, but laughed out loud when I realized what it meant. Poor first mouse. :(
Today it was changed and now it says "Fewer the facts, stronger the opinion." Isn't that the truth?! Seems like the less people actually know about something, the louder they scream about it. And so often people don't even want to know the facts because it might prove them wrong about something they so want to be right about. :)
The other funny thing from my day today was an odd proposal. I tried a new flavor of SoBe water called strawberry daquiri. It was a different kind of bottle than the ones I normally get and when I opened it up the cap says "Marry Me?" Hmmm...never been proposed to by a bottle of water before. Plus it got me thinking about how awkward that could be. Say a boyfriend buys that bottle and gives it to his girlfriend. She says "Yes!!!" and he says "Huh?!" Crazy.
Anyway, that was my fun for the day. Hoping to have a nice calm weekend after work on Saturday and enjoy the NHL All Star game and skills competition Saturday night and Sunday. Monday will be back to house cleaning, laundry and all that good stuff.
Have a great weekend!
Laura
Every day on my way home, I drive by a printer place (sort of like Kinkos) and they have great sayings on their sign. Last week it was "The second mouse gets the cheese." I had to think about that one for awhile, but laughed out loud when I realized what it meant. Poor first mouse. :(
Today it was changed and now it says "Fewer the facts, stronger the opinion." Isn't that the truth?! Seems like the less people actually know about something, the louder they scream about it. And so often people don't even want to know the facts because it might prove them wrong about something they so want to be right about. :)
The other funny thing from my day today was an odd proposal. I tried a new flavor of SoBe water called strawberry daquiri. It was a different kind of bottle than the ones I normally get and when I opened it up the cap says "Marry Me?" Hmmm...never been proposed to by a bottle of water before. Plus it got me thinking about how awkward that could be. Say a boyfriend buys that bottle and gives it to his girlfriend. She says "Yes!!!" and he says "Huh?!" Crazy.
Anyway, that was my fun for the day. Hoping to have a nice calm weekend after work on Saturday and enjoy the NHL All Star game and skills competition Saturday night and Sunday. Monday will be back to house cleaning, laundry and all that good stuff.
Have a great weekend!
Laura
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Monday Confessions - A Little Late
Well, I'm a little late since it's now Tuesday, but we had a busy weekend! My sister and her hubby moved into a new place so there was a lot of watching munchkins, helping move boxes and helping organize. It was really fun for Jason and I to get to spend time with the nephews and with my folks and on Monday I spent the day with Molly and the family helping to unpack some boxes and that was fun too! So it was a good kind of busy. :)
Today it was back to work and we had a full 8 hour day for the first time in quite awhile. I'm thankful for the money, but it was tough getting used to the full schedule again and this is only day one. Ha! I came home with grandiose plans of doing loads of laundry and deep cleaning the bedroom and bathroom but when I actually started I lost my luster. My wonderful hubby told me to take it easy, so that's the plan! He really is awesome!!!! :D I'm leaving the deep-cleaning until my day off Monday and just doing one light laundry load. Other than that I'm going to spend the evening catching up on some tv and perusing some fun cookbooks I borrowed from Molly for some new recipies to try. Jason has bowling so I'm on my own tonight.
Anyway, now that I've bored you with the details of my life.................my confession this week: Frustration has overtaken me! You may have read my vent on Friday and let me tell ya....I'm still ranting away! For some reason lately things have really been getting on my nerves and the thing that is still sticking with me today is the inability of so many people to simply state things the way they are. To be who they are regardless of who it might offend and to be open and honest about everything. I certainly don't think we should set out to deliberately hurt or offend someone, but if the truth offends then there is nothing you can do about that. It's certainly better to offend than to be wishy-washy....at least in my opinion. My fall-back example for this has always been this: If I ask you if you like my new haircut, I want you to say what you really think. If you don't like it, tell me. Don't worry about hurting my feelings......if I didn't want to know what you thought I wouldn't ask. To me, it is far more hurtful to go home and look in the mirror and see that I look hideous but that my "friend" said I looked great. Does that make any sense? I prefer honestly even when it's uncomfortable. Otherwise I feel like people are fake and that makes it hard to ever hear anything they say as genuine. Why the sudden onset of craziness about this? Well, I think it's partly due to the presidential election season coming up and all of the grand-standing we see associated with that, but yesterday and today two more examples came up. Yesterday we read a story of Tim Thomas, the goaltender for the Boston Bruins who opted not to attend the White House for the celebratory meeting with the president (they won the Stanley Cup). He chose not to attend because, as an American citizen, he feels like the government is not doing their job and did not want to be supportive of them right now. That is the right of every citizen yet he is being criticized. I'm sorry, but is getting a pat on the back from the president for winning a hockey game HONESTLY more important than standing up for your beliefs? Sheesh! And then today an actress who is a homosexual is being chastised because she stated that she believes being gay is a choice that she is making. She says she feels like for some it is not a choice but for her it is. Apparently that opinion is not allowed because the gay community is going nuts! I say a hearty AMEN to both of these people for standing up for what they believe in. I may not agree necessarily with everything they said, but at least I can respect them for making a stand. Which is more than I can say for most people these days.
Okay, off my soap box now. ;) Sorry for being a little nasty and crabby these days.......it's just something that has really been eating at me. I'm trying to spin it for a more positive outcome by applying this principle of open and honest to my life with regards to my faith. I want to tell people about Christ and not worry that they will look at me funny or be offended. Because it is just too important to worry about that. And the Bible tells us that people will be offended by Christ, but that we are to go into the world and tell them about Him just the same.
Today I'm learning to stand for what I believe in. I will speak my mind and if you are offended, I am sorry but I cannot be anything other than who I am. I will not compromise my beliefs for the sake of comfort or convenience.
Hmmmm...............time to think of a fun topic now don't you think?! Maybe puppies or kittens. ;)
Have a great Tuesday!
Laura
Today it was back to work and we had a full 8 hour day for the first time in quite awhile. I'm thankful for the money, but it was tough getting used to the full schedule again and this is only day one. Ha! I came home with grandiose plans of doing loads of laundry and deep cleaning the bedroom and bathroom but when I actually started I lost my luster. My wonderful hubby told me to take it easy, so that's the plan! He really is awesome!!!! :D I'm leaving the deep-cleaning until my day off Monday and just doing one light laundry load. Other than that I'm going to spend the evening catching up on some tv and perusing some fun cookbooks I borrowed from Molly for some new recipies to try. Jason has bowling so I'm on my own tonight.
Anyway, now that I've bored you with the details of my life.................my confession this week: Frustration has overtaken me! You may have read my vent on Friday and let me tell ya....I'm still ranting away! For some reason lately things have really been getting on my nerves and the thing that is still sticking with me today is the inability of so many people to simply state things the way they are. To be who they are regardless of who it might offend and to be open and honest about everything. I certainly don't think we should set out to deliberately hurt or offend someone, but if the truth offends then there is nothing you can do about that. It's certainly better to offend than to be wishy-washy....at least in my opinion. My fall-back example for this has always been this: If I ask you if you like my new haircut, I want you to say what you really think. If you don't like it, tell me. Don't worry about hurting my feelings......if I didn't want to know what you thought I wouldn't ask. To me, it is far more hurtful to go home and look in the mirror and see that I look hideous but that my "friend" said I looked great. Does that make any sense? I prefer honestly even when it's uncomfortable. Otherwise I feel like people are fake and that makes it hard to ever hear anything they say as genuine. Why the sudden onset of craziness about this? Well, I think it's partly due to the presidential election season coming up and all of the grand-standing we see associated with that, but yesterday and today two more examples came up. Yesterday we read a story of Tim Thomas, the goaltender for the Boston Bruins who opted not to attend the White House for the celebratory meeting with the president (they won the Stanley Cup). He chose not to attend because, as an American citizen, he feels like the government is not doing their job and did not want to be supportive of them right now. That is the right of every citizen yet he is being criticized. I'm sorry, but is getting a pat on the back from the president for winning a hockey game HONESTLY more important than standing up for your beliefs? Sheesh! And then today an actress who is a homosexual is being chastised because she stated that she believes being gay is a choice that she is making. She says she feels like for some it is not a choice but for her it is. Apparently that opinion is not allowed because the gay community is going nuts! I say a hearty AMEN to both of these people for standing up for what they believe in. I may not agree necessarily with everything they said, but at least I can respect them for making a stand. Which is more than I can say for most people these days.
Okay, off my soap box now. ;) Sorry for being a little nasty and crabby these days.......it's just something that has really been eating at me. I'm trying to spin it for a more positive outcome by applying this principle of open and honest to my life with regards to my faith. I want to tell people about Christ and not worry that they will look at me funny or be offended. Because it is just too important to worry about that. And the Bible tells us that people will be offended by Christ, but that we are to go into the world and tell them about Him just the same.
Today I'm learning to stand for what I believe in. I will speak my mind and if you are offended, I am sorry but I cannot be anything other than who I am. I will not compromise my beliefs for the sake of comfort or convenience.
Hmmmm...............time to think of a fun topic now don't you think?! Maybe puppies or kittens. ;)
Have a great Tuesday!
Laura
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