Man of Mine

I was recently bragging about my husband.  I don't do that often, mainly because he hates it.  But I was was talking with some friends at lunch yesterday, and they were asking me what I was doing this summer.  I indicated my husband and I were building a storage shed in our back yard.  They ended up asking me what my husband can't do, and the only answer I could give them was "stand in a spotlight." 

It's true, though.  Big Dad can do anything.  He has supplied me with two homes. He's a provider.  He fixes our cars so that we don't have to give tons of money to other people for doing it.  He builds things like sheds.  He hunts to provide food for our family.  He fishes.  He has raised bees.  He quilts (yes, my daughter actually has a quilt he made for her, completely by hand.  No sewing machine touched it!).  And before you starting thinking he's not a manly man, just check out the picture below.  He's a mountain conqueror (twice), a language learner (three times), and a major backpacker.  Even with a hurt back, he could out trek men half his age who hired personal trainers in order to get into shape to come trek with him.

More than that, though.  He's loyal.  Extremely so.  To lose his loyalty means a betrayal in a big way.  He's funny.  No, hilarious!  He's a risk taker. He's patriotic. He works hard at whatever he does.  He doesn't do anything halfway.  It's all or nothing.  I believe I mentioned he's hilarious.  You just can't point that out enough.

Finally, though, he's a man of principle.  He will stand for what he believes in.   He can tell just by being with someone for a few minutes if they are genuine or not.  He values genuineness, and does not put up with the personality ethic.  If you say it, you better do it, and be a person of your word.

Yep, Man of Mine is a man among men.  I think I'll keep him.

Three and a Half Muskateers

After visiting my parent's home this weekend and looking through old photo albums, a lot of childhood memories came flooding back.  I mentioned Joey the Crow.  That was an unusual one. 

But another fun memory was with a few twenty somethings that let me hang out with them.  I was in jr. high, but they liked me and let me in on a lot of their hooligan behaviors.  Bonnie, Melanie and Geri enjoyed a bit of mischief every now and then, and I could keep a secret.  I can't remember why they let me come along, but they did.

At first they were the "Three Muskateers" and were known for surprise TP attacks.  I had to be part of it.  I learned the art of TPing from them.  There's a toss and spin that has to happen to keep the streamers long.  You have to use cheap toilet paper.  It makes clean up that much harder.  And if you really want to make things tough, you turn on the sprinklers.

We got caught once.  A police officer saw us running up to a house with rolls of toilet paper in hand, and stopped us.  One of the sweet talkers pleaded with the officer, letting him know that a church staff member had this coming.  "Go ahead," he said.  "And make sure you're quiet about it!"  Yes!

After that night, we became the "Three and a Half Muskateers."  I was a privileged member of an elite TP attack squad.  That's sayin' something.

So apparently...

...I get to present at the State TAG conference next November.  I'd be nervous if I wasn't so passionate about the topic.  Of course, it's not November yet.

Joey the Crow

When I look back on the events of my childhood and all of my various experiences, I find that I have a few that are a little bit strange.  Joey the Crow is one of them.

It's not all clear.  More like snapshots, but one thing is clear:  Joey like to dive bomb.  I don't think he lived on our block for long, and I remember hearing that he was let go in the wild somewhere in Big Bear mountains. 

There are two specific memories.  One is of me riding my bike down the street, and Joey landing on my back.  The boys on the block, who had a football game going in the middle of the street, all fell on the ground laughing.

The second is of Lewis.  Lewis was the guy who lived across the street.  My brother and I were out in the front yard in our Sunday clothes, and Joey started diving.  Lewis came outside, laughing hysterically and pointing. He shouldn't have.  It took Joey's attention away from us!  Joey started on Lewis until Lewis literally crawled back into the house.  It was absolutely perfect timing.

I haven't thought about Joey the Crow in awhile, but the memories that are coming back kept me smiling all day.  I love how memories work like that.

Seen and Heard during trip to Galveston:

*Pelicans flying in formation
*A volunteer with a passion for teaching kids about conservation
*Dolphins in the wild
*Shrimp boats
*Oil derricks
*Pelicans skimming the ocean, inches above the water
*"This is so COOOOL!"
*Waking up to a seal looking down at me
*Seahorses
*"There's no way this trip can get better than this."
*Hotdogs on the beach
*Sandcastle contest
*Free coffee mugs from diners
*Giggling, laughing, screaming
*"Mrs. Hugheses!"
*eyes wide open
*sweetness and kindness in the midst of tiredness
*a bright, new, shiny shed
*sunburns
*thank you's
*"I'll come see you next year"

***sigh***

A Little Disturbing

I really appreciate my upbringing.  I truly do.  I know it sounds cliche'd, but the older I get the more I realize how much wisdom was imparted to me in my youth, and I'm so thankful for that.  It makes me grounded, and allows me to look at others through a different lens.

I guess that's why a conversation I had this week was so disturbing to me.  It was with a fellow christian.  I was talking about how alarming it was to be out of the States for 10 years, only to come back and see some of the shows that are on TV.  The shows the glorify pregnant teens is particularly disturbing to me.  In this conversation, I relayed my disappointment in how some of the girls my boys were interested in behaved.  They either tried to hang on them constantly, or expected them to drop everything and have the boys' worlds revolve around them.  (My point was that they were only going out, they weren't engaged.)  This person's response was that she told her kids they were not allowed to marry someone who's parents were divorced.  It stunned me into silence.  Aaaakwaaaard.

See, one of the things I was taught was that there's this little thing called grace.  It should be abundant in us, because it's been shown to us. In my opinion, and knowing this lady and others like her, this was about appearances. But I have to confess my own thoughts when coming to this realization.  It's a tad bit judgmental.  So how do I discourage this woman's thinking, without being confrontational, and in a way that will be received? 

I think, for me, it is to live an imperfect life.  Not a life with freedom to make mistakes without consequences or to flaunt and celebrate them, but to lay bare my struggles and show I am not perfect, but living under grace myself.  It's a huge risk, especially if critics abound.  However, I do believe it's the only way others can learn it's OK to let their imperfections show:  to see it lived out on a daily basis.

A friend recently wrote, "The process of emotional healing is only for the weak, the needy people broken and tired of who they have been, the ones who finally know their deep inner ugliness and will let God and others readily see it..for as long as it takes. And trust me, this will take some time."  

Time and courage.  Live a REAL life. 

Quiet Moments

"Be still and know that I am God."

It's hard to be still these days.  Truly.  There is so much going on in the world around us, so much to think about and so much to think ON.  Our pace is fast, we go here and there constantly, and we get upset when we actually have to wait for any length of time.

My prayer for all of you today is a chance to be still.  Think.  Reflect.  Worship.  Be thankful.  God created today, and His mercy is new each and every day.  Enjoy.