Black and White

I am definitely a black and white person. I love practicality. For me it has always been easy to know (notice I said KNOW and not DO) the difference between right and wrong. I like it that way - no grey areas in my life. Either do it or don't do it. Say it or don't say it. Think it or don't think it. You know, choose to do what is right. I have always thought of it as a gift. Lately though, I have been realizing that being so pragmatic can have a downside too. For instance, when you are such a black and white person and you are dealing with people who tend to be more of an abstract thinker type, there can be problems. I can find myself becoming impatient with my more theoretical friends as they take all kinds of time to reason all the different angles of a situation out. "For crying out loud, you know you will come to the same conclusion as me eventually, so let's get on with it!" I want to shout. Also, I fear that my realistic approach to life can appear to be arrogant and maybe a bit pompous to others who like to think things through. And it disturbs me a little bit, well, okay, more than a little bit to know that some definitions of pragmatic include hard-headed and hard-nosed. Surely, people don't see ME that way! Another negative aspect to being such a black and white person is that I can tend to make impulsive decisions. Not that it's always a bad thing - it saves me alot of time, but maybe once in a while it would be a better idea to think things through a little bit.
I don't know - this is all causing me to spend more time than I like to think hard about something! But I am coming to realize that I need to sort this out. I don't want to be a hard head! I want to be patient and gentle and kind and loving. I think you can be a black and white person and still have these qualities but I probably have to work harder at it then my more conceptual counterparts. So the question remains: Am I a



or a

Practicing Video with Paisley

I know, I'm shameless! I just love this little puppy! I am trying to figure out how to post with video, so this is my first attempt. Just click on the box to the left and see the cutest little most willfull puppy ever!

Puppy Love

Isn't she just the sweetest? Her name is going to be Paisley and she is going to be living with my brother and sister-in-law! I'm so glad because she is my favorite out of this litter and it will be fun for me to watch her grow! She is so tiny and so very, very fiesty!

Teenagers!

One would think that since one has already, somewhat successfully, raised 3 teenage daughters that the fourth one would be a snap. You might think that after going through three rounds of pms, boyfriend problems, girlfriend problems, joys, heartaches, disobedience, happiness, proms, graduations, and college that perhaps I could write a book on how to raise the perfect child. Not so. As in every other area of child rearing - children are all different, with very different personalities and struggles unique to themselves. Typically daughter #4 and I get along very well but every once in a while (like this week, for instance) every little thing blows up into huge, monumental events and us two women resemble a couple of mountain goats going at it, butting heads. Just when you THINK you have a handle on being the parent, some big, new, and earth-shaking crisis unfolds and you find yourself running back to the bookshelves to see what good old Dr. Dobson recommends for this particular instance. I have decided that I have absolutely no parenting advice. I know nothing. Don't ask me what works and what doesn't because I simply do not know. The best advice I guess I ever heard was "just get them through it".
My Bible reading this morning was in James chapter 1. It opened by saying that I should count it all joy when I face trials and persecutions. Yikes! What was James thinking by starting his book with THAT? Anyone in their right mind would close that book and find another one! But I didn't, I kept reading. And I read that every trial would teach me something, something that I need to know. I will learn perseverance, and only then will I become mature and complete. Then the next verse told me that if I need wisdom I only need to ask for it and believe that God will give it to me. Thank you Lord. I DO need Your wisdom. I don't want to attempt being a mother without You. I want to grow mature and complete in You.
I am so thankful for God's Word - it is so alive and fresh and applicable to everyday life. I am also thankful for a Christian husband who can somehow place himself inbetween two hormonal women and look good to both sides! I will be spending some quality time praying and seeking wisdom in how to handle this latest moment of teenage angst. Come to think of it, I remember doing this alot with the first three!

My Test

Remember that Theology test? I GOT A 96!!!!!!

Simple Things

I have been thinking recently of how it is the simple things in my life that bring me so much contentment, joy, and even happiness. Here is a short list of some of the simple things in my life:

*My husband brings me coffee in bed every morning except Sunday, that's the day I bring it to him. That is such a special time and when we are apart I really miss it.

*Praise from a loved one. My daughter left me a voicemail this week telling me she was proud of me and that I had done a good job on an event I planned. My heart still wells up when I think of it - I love making my family proud of me.

*The joy of reading a good book! I love when I find a book that I don't want to end. When I am done it is almost like waking up from a delicious dream!

*Watching home videos of when either you or your kids were younger! It just whips me back in time and isn't it amazing how time seems to erase all the bad and ugly feelings and leaves us with just the good memories?

*Any time at all spent in my sewing room!

*Having an afternoon free - with no plans!

*Saturday mornings, when I can putter around my home, clean, bake, and do all the things I long to do during the work week.

*Hearing a song that takes me back to a happy memory.

*Watching my husband work with his horses - it gives him so much joy. It is good to see a hard-working man relax and have fun. He looks really sexy too!

*Observing my married daughters adjust to sharing their lives with the men they love.

*Doing something nice for a good friend.

*Treating myself to a fat-free sugar-free caramel latte - something I don't do very often because it is hard to justify the cost.

*Pulling weeds! Yes, I really said that - pulling weeds. I love gardening and pulling weeds gives me time to think and pray and put my flowerbeds in order. It feels so good when I am done and I solve all the worlds problems during the process!

*Blogging has become a simple joy to me as well! I love "meeting" new people and keeping a journal of my thoughts and experiences.

*Reading along in my Bible when something just jumps off the page and I just KNOW it is a message to me from my God!

I'm very thankful for the simple things in my life - things I don't have to plan or work for - they just occur because of someone else's thoughtfulness or just because I take the time to notice them.

And, oh yeah, here is a picture of another simple joy:

Read my VisualDNA™ Get your own VisualDNA™

I found this over at Nan's blog. It is pretty interesting me and described me pretty closely, although it got some things wrong - I am NOT fearless. I'm afraid of flying, heights, snakes, lizards, failure, disappointing people, not doing a good enough job, etc. But it's interesting how just choosing some photos can tell so much about a person!
I always hate taking self-surveys because they frustrate me so much. I can take them for other people and it seems easy but when I am choosing how to describe myself it seems like I can see myself in almost every answer I have to choose from. Does anyone else feel like that? When I see a personality test coming my way I usually run far the other direction!

Puppy Update

The little buggers have opened their eyes - it's so nice to meet them after they were in the dark for so long!

This little one is getting weighed - she has doubled her weight in two weeks! She is up to 8 ounces now.




So far the mama dog does all the work but in the next two weeks all of that will change and it will become MAJOR work to keep them fed and clean. So far, two of them are spoken for. It's always bittersweet when they go to their new homes - I am ready to be done with the work but I always miss their sweet little personalities. We have learned to not become too attached.

I Think I'm Too Old For This!

I work at a university, not because I WANT to, but kind of because I HAVE to. I would much rather stay home, but that's a topic for another time. I have worked here for several years and never taken advantage of the fact that I can take classes for free. One day, after feeling so sorry for myself because I have to work outside the home and I can't stay home and be a mom, wife, and pastor's wife, I decided to buck up and make the best of my situation. I then decided that I was going to take some classes. Without giving it much more thought than that I signed up for Intro to Theology. What was I thinking???
My first day of class was very humbling. As I looked around me I realized that I was definitely the OLDEST person in the room, including the professor! As I felt the comings on of a hotflash I contemplated on the fact that not one person in that room knew what I was feeling. It took me several days to work through this. As I sit in class I labor intensively writing down every word the professor says with my Pentel fine point pen and my new paper notebook purchased especially for this class. All the other students have fancy little notebook laptops in colorful cases that they take notes on. Their computer desktops all have pictures of themselves with their boyfriends or girlfriends in various activities. Actually, from where I sit they aren't taking too many notes but they are playing an awful lot of solitaire and writing emails. Instant messenger pops up alot too!
The next awkward moment came with my first paper I had to write. We were instructed to write it in MLM style. What the heck is that? Thank goodness for my 16 year old daughter - she knew all about it and even gave me a handout with more rules and regulations for MLM style paperwriting then I will ever care to know. She never even told anybody (thank you honey!)
Today was my first test. I was so nervous I thought I was going to throw up for sure. The students around me didn't seem to nervous. In fact, they said things like, "If I flunk this I will just do some extra credit." I can't imagine! I have studied for 3 entire days and nights and memorized pages and pages of information. Today my daughter even asked me if I was studying in the shower. "Yes, how did you know?"
"Because I heard you."
"You mean I was talking out loud???" She just laughed at me. Well, I took the test. I think I did okay - at least it didn't seem too hard. I was probably one of the last 5 or 6 in the room. I won't get the results back for a while yet so I will continue to eat my fingernails for the next few days. I am so glad it's behind me though - I am longing to spend just a little bit of time in my sewing room this weekend!
Yep, I think I'm much too old for all this stress!