things I wrestle with...

I know it will come as a huge shock to those who haven't been around the last 10 years- but I have no children yet. (Those of you who have been around know that and don't try to pretend you didn't!) However, that doesn't mean that I'm exempt from parenting chores. There are many, many children in my life that I have the opportunity and responsibility to help mold into holy and well-adjusted adults. As you parents know, this is no easy task.

Three of the children that I have the most influence with and on are the Myers kids. I'm very blessed by my friendship with Scott and Shelly. They share their children with me with no reservations (and sometimes with shouts of praise that I'm carting off all three!). I take this responsibility very seriously.

Lately, I've been struggling with how to influence and shape the way that God would have me. Jake turned 10 last August and since then, I've noticed (along with his parents) that some personality traits are emerging that aren't the best. Jake has always been a great kid. He hasn't stopped being a great kid. But he has moments.

I have no idea how to help a 10 year old boy cope with his anger over not hitting a baseball in a game. I have no idea how to reign him in more when he is torturing his younger brother. I have no idea how to help him see that his best is all we ask of him, not perfection.

So, I'm wrestling with these things. Hopefully, I'll gain some insight. Until then, I'll keep doing what I do best-love him to pieces and call him on the bad stuff while praising him for the good.

blast from...

I went to Compassion to have lunch today with some of the "gang" that I used to work with. Aimee came into town for the weekend and it served to pull a bunch of us together. So I get there and there is this gal who looks very familiar but I can't place her (or her three adorable girls). So I finally ask her who is she and she laughs at me. Turns out, we worked together at Compassion 8 years ago. Yeah, so I was feeling silly.

Then I'm in the cafe and I hear my name (not uncommon for a visit there) and I see another face that should be familiar but again, I can't place her. I finally caught a glimpse of her name badge. Turns out to be one of my good friends from high school who I haven't seen or heard from in 12 years!

When it rains it pours...

Anyway, Robert over at Poetic Asides, has agreed to unveil the poetry form that one of the CPer's and I developed. So once I touch base with my co-creator, I'm sending off the info on the form. Wahoo! See, being the 2008 Poet Laureate of Poetic Asides comes with some advantage!

I'm floored...

Unexpected!

today...

* my right foot is hurting. Badly.

* I went to the library with the Myers kids and Shelly.

* I made up a new game in the library. Walk down a random row in fiction, pick a book by the title only and take it home to read. I got three books this way.

* it is lovely outside and my window is open.

* there is a 20 degree difference between upstairs and downstairs in my house. I'm glad that I live downstairs for the most part.

they can't take that away...

I have a confession. I really like the Harry Connick Jr station on Pandora. And I have a new favorite song, They Can't Take That Away From Me. I'm not too picky on who sings it.

I was in an interview today and my interviewer asked that horrid question, "If you could live life over, what would you do differently." I hate that question. Because, sure, there are mistakes that I would like to avoid, choices that I would like to have made better, relationships to avoid or encourage. But we can't do it over. And if we could and did, we wouldn't be the same person. So I say you can't take away one piece of my past and still have me be fully me as I am in this moment.

Anyway, that was random philosophy. Sorry for the scare!

Keep that interview in prayer--I'm cautiously optimistic.

learning to love pickles...

I'm on a diet. I've been on it before, but a few things have changed to make it easier (which is a plus) and to make it more effective (also a plus). But the biggest, most challenging part is that I can't have carbs. This means NO bread and NO soda. As a bread lover, I'm going crazy. And it has only been 3 days!

But I can eat as many "free" veggies as I like. Pickles (dill) are on the list. I'm not a huge fan of pickles, but I decided I would learn to love them since they are a more flavorful snack (not to mention easier) than some of the other veggies (like mushrooms. I mean, I love mushrooms, but only with other food, not by their lonesomes). So if you see me puckering, most likely, I just ate a pickle!