I love to write, and I love to blog. But over the last year blogging has really begun to ware on me. Not just my blog---after all, I've hardly written on here at all---but just the whole concept of it. I can't help but feel that blogging has become yet another step towards narcissism. I mean, it's already strange enough that I have an entire Facebook page dedicated to myself, complete with over a thousand tagged pictures, far too much personal information, and practically every band, movie, book, and board game I've ever liked listed for all to critique. And now they think I need a life-sized cover photo of myself across the top of the page? How on earth can I take this seriously anymore? (Hence the reason I pasted my face on to the body of a woman in a flowy red dress riding a unicorn.) And now when I turn to the blogging world I see the same sort of thing. Don't get me wrong, I love the idea of far away family and friends being able to see family grow on a blog, and I love all of the great craft, food, fashion, and party ideas, but at the same time it's a little overwhelming. After all, we're only seeing the GOOD things. We're essentially photoshopping our lives for the public eye. All I can think is "Wow, what a cute apartment! Must be nice, cuz in my apartment my trash is currently overflowing, there's a leak in my dining room, my sink is full of dishes, I have leftover food from a month ago in my fridge, and I'm not home enough to actually maintain a clean living environment." We keep seeing everyone else's best and assuming it's their normal, then feel like a failure when we can't seem to find the time to make a wreath out of coffee filters, throw a homemade themed birthday party, find perfectly fitting clothes at a thrift store to photograph ourselves in, and let's not forget those new gourmet recipes we still have to try! And heck, blogs sure make motherhood look like a breeze, too! After all, it's just pretty nurseries, craft projects, photo sessions, cute outfits, and baby smiles, right? Because that's all I'm seeing anymore. As if the unrealistic physical expectations aren't enough for us women, now we all have to be domestic goddesses as well? So you're telling me I need to have a boob job, liposuction, highlights, fake nails, and a truckload of makeup on my face in order to be considered beautiful in this world AND I have to master the arts of wifedom, child-rearing, home decorating, cooking, cleaning, sewing, gardening, wreath-making, basket-weaving, and family photography as well? AND work a full-time job? AND volunteer in the community?
Yeah, no thanks.
As a fellow blogger, let me just go ahead and tell you how incredibly UN-glorious and UN-impressive my life is:
Exhibit A) As mentioned before, my apartment looks like it got hit by a tornado. (Oh wait, it DID get hit by a tornado. But that's another story for another day...)Dirty laundry is scattered across my bedroom floor (the floor is the biggest shelf in the room, I always say), dirty dishes have nearly hidden my kitchen sink from view, and my dining room carpet looks to be growing its own colony of mold due to the recent leak that's taken up residence. Is my decor cute? You betcha! But the rest of it sure ain't!
Exhibit B)As much as I would love to be able to cook gourmet meals and desserts every day like the apparent rest of the blogging world and post recipes and pictures for all to ogle, that ain't gonna happen. How about I post pictures of leftover Thai food instead? Or the salad I just had at Old Chicago? Yes, it's true. I end up eating out a lot. Why? Because a) I get home late b) I'm a terrible cook c) I'm too tired to cook d) It feels pointless to cook for one or e) I don't have food in my apt. to cook with. First world problems, I know. But for me, on a GOOD day, I might make spaghetti. That's gourmet in my life.
Exhibit C)When it comes to me and weight loss, I'm a complete and total failure and I'm a steady size 12. No, I didn't accidentally enter an extra digit in there. I said 12. Why do I fail so often at dieting? Because salads get really old really fast, and as much as I'd like to spend two hours every day running on a treadmill in a gym so that I can look like a Victoria's Secret model who probably spends more time with her finger down her throat than actually exercising, I'd much rather spend my free time doing something other than running in place. So no, you won't be seeing me post pictures of me in my newly acquired cute outfits on this blog, and the day I start making posts dedicated to how cute I look in my new outfits...someone please shoot me.
Exhibit D) Every day I fight feeling like a failure in my ministry. Every. Single. Day. Ministry is utterly exhausting. Not physically (most of the time), but emotionally, mentally, and spiritually it takes a toll and burns you out in a mere matter of months. I don't know how pastors do it. In case no one realized, the church is FULL of sinners, and every week we're dealing with the consequences of that sin and trying so desperately to lead people to Jesus and hang on to the hope we have in him. Most jobs have a sense of closure and you can physically see the fruit of your labor, but in ministry all you're left thinking most of the time is "Is anybody even listening to this?" In ministry (well, all of life...because your life is a ministry), all you can depend on is Jesus, and the second you try to depend on yourself...BAM! Another crisis. So you turn back to Jesus and pray, pray, pray for him to work in their hearts and do all of the things that you have clearly demonstrated you're NOT capable of. Unlike the rest of the world, I can't leave my work at the office. I carry it around with me every single day in my heart and in my constant prayers for God to please save these kids, and help them make wise decisions, and keep them from harm, and help their families, and the list goes on and on and on. Do I love my job? Absolutely. I wouldn't trade it for the world! But it's exhausting and not as pretty and easy as most people think it is.
Exhibit E) I SUCK at staying in touch with friends. Whether they live near or far away, I still suck at it. And it always seems that as soon as I get in touch with one friend there's another friend getting frustrated that I'm NOT in touch with them. I got so exhausted trying to please everyone that I instead opted for the please no one option, which still sucks by the way. Has anyone actually communicated that they're frustrated with my lack of communication with them? Only one out of the many. But I'm pretty sure they're all frustrated with me. I could post happy, smiley pictures of us when we're together, but what you don't see is the months spent apart and the many failures in communication.
Exhibit F) Today I tried on swimsuits at the mall and literally looked like a stuffed sausage. Not only that, it looked like cottage cheese had spilled out of my stuffed sausage body and permanently into my thighs. I ended up buying a one-piece, skirted swimsuit at SEARS. I'm 26 years-old. It does not get much worse than that, people. For any woman...that is the lowest of lows. But instead of curling up with a gallon of ice cream and watching "Cutting Edge" three times in a row, I'm instead going to just declare it my "vintage" swim look and move on with my life. Besides, while the bikini-clad girls are constantly picking wedgies and adjusting their tops, I'll be carelessly flipping into the pool not having to worry about any wardrobe malfunctions...so take that, bikinis!
And there you have it. My completely UNglorious, UNimpressive, and UNblogworthy life. Odds are I won't be sharing any craft ideas on here, unless I just colored a picture from a My Little Pony coloring book and want to brag about how I stayed in the lines this time. You probably won't be seeing very many recipes on here either, unless I share a cupcake recipe I got from someone ELSE's blog. There won't be many pictures of myself, though I may some day decide to do an actual update of my life, in which case the world can observe how fat I've gotten. I might share some home decorating photos, but that will require some intense cleaning sessions...so personally, I wouldn't count on it. So what WILL you see on here? Probably some cat pictures, funny YouTube videos, and lots and lots of Jesus...and let's be honest, I'll probably complain about how messed up this world is, too...which will in turn lead to more Jesus. More than anything, I want this blog to be a place that glorifies God, that speaks the truth in love, that sees the world through God's eyes, encourages others, and points them towards Him. So for all you readers out there (all two of you), I hope this is a blessing to you as I try to write more on here. And to all you women out there in bloggy-blog land, remember that whether you're a size 2 or 20, a domestic failure or domestic goddess...you are loved more than you could ever possibly imagine by the God of this universe. Don't let yourself get caught up in believing that your worth as a woman depends on the way you look or what you do...God Himself has already given you value and confirmed it when He bore the punishment for your sins on the cross. You don't have to prove anything to Him for Him to love you...He already does, always has, and always will...that's more than we can say for any precious blog followers. :-)
Monday, April 23, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Good Reads
I love to read. But over the past few years my love seemed to dwindle in the midst of all the college textbooks and articles that took up the majority of my reading time life. Those of you who have been through college understand how painful the reading can be. No matter how hard you try, you can never read any of it with anything other than a droll, lifeless monotone that makes you want to just curl up and die, or at least take a 2 hour nap. It's just the way they're written---there's no escaping it.
However, since the recent download of the Kindle app to my iPad, my love has been rekindled (Baha. Did you catch my totally awesome pun?) I never knew I would love e-readers so much. In fact, as a library degree holder I thought my allegiance would always be to the paperback, but as it turns out the iPad is just too convenient for me not to give it the credit it's due. I can have hundreds of books on one device, plus they're so much cheaper! Not only are all classic books FREE, but every month Amazon has a collection of 100 Kindle books for under $3.99 here. Holy moly, this is stupendous.
Anyways, the POINT of this post was to share two really great books I recently read in the hopes that you would enjoy them too. So without further adieu, I give you some good reads:
First up is "When A Nation Forgets God: 7 Lessons We Must Learn From Nazi Germany" by Erwin Lutzer. If you want an eye-opener, this book is it. And the scary part is, after reading this book I realized that I myself might have actually voted for Hitler. He was a nation's dream, and incredibly well-liked by the German people. He revived a collapsed post-war economy in just four years, instituted nationalized health care, began a vacation program, established training schools and brought the nation to full employment, brought crime under control, built freeways, and returned national pride to the German people. He was a prime candidate and just like Americans, the people voted with their pocketbooks. Economy, economy, economy---that's all that mattered, and unfortunately the democracy that they once cherished eventually became the doorway to a dictatorship that would later slaughter millions. In the midst of prosperity, the German people forgot God, just as America has. Would a booming economy be nice? Of course. But perhaps we should consider the moral character and personal beliefs of the person we're putting into power, and let us hope and pray for the best.
Here are a few quotes pulled from the book to further entice you to read this: :-)
"As long as the economy was strong, people didn't care whether they had freedom of speech, freedom of travel, or freedom of elections. Under the Republic, people were starving in the big cities; they agreed that bread on the table was more important than a ballot at a voting booth. The people were willing to forgive Hitler's purges and his ruthless massacres in return for the right to live."
"Today we should be wary of the promise that if we will only accept the bridle, the government will deliver us from our economic woes."
"After Hitler was defeated, war crime trials were held in Nuremberg to judge the guilt of Hitler's henchmen. But a dispute arose as to what laws should be used to try the accused. after all, Hitler's cronies agreed, quite plausibly, that they had not broken any laws; their actions were carried out within the protection of their own legal system. They could not be accused of murder because personhood had been redefined to exclude Jews and other undesirables. These men were simply following the laws handed down by the courts of their day."
"The experience of Nuremberg and the silent holocaust in our abortion clinics bear eloquent witness to the fact that when a state is accountable to no one except itself, it simply assumes that whatever is legal is moral."
"Yes, it is possible for ordinary people to commit atrocities they never thought possible when they are swept up into a cultural current where everyone is both expected to fall in line and be rewarded for it. In such a climate, anyone who swims against the stream is demonized by misrepresentations, false evidence and ridicule. With such pressure, even rational and decent people who refuse to be co-opted begin to question their own sanity. Can they alone be right when everyone else is wrong?"
"Rome did not mind if people believed in Jesus; Rome had many gods and if Jesus were just one among many, that was of no concern to the Roman authorities. What Rome could not tolerate was the idea that Jesus was the ONLY way---that He was unique as the Son of God."
"It is not how loud we can shout but how well we can suffer that will convince the world of the integrity of our message."
Okay, so by a few quotes I guess I meant half the book. :-) But seriously, I would copy this entire book onto this blog if it meant more people would read it. I didn't even touch on the influence of propaganda in our society and the public education of our children in these quotes. Now THOSE chapters will make you uncomfortable. But nonetheless, I am incredibly thankful that I stumbled upon this book, because not only have my eyes been opened to the world in which I live, but I feel as though God has used this book to prepare me for persecution, something which I will be more than glad to endure if it means that the truth of Jesus Christ (The REAL Gospel, not the prosperity one) will be spread across our nation. And believe me, after reading this, I truly believe persecution is coming to America. In small ways it's already here, but it will get worse...and in many ways that's a gift---it's God's way of telling us to get our butts in gear and firmly believe, preach, and live out the Gospel.
Next up is "Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage" by Kay Bratt, a midwest native! It's based on journal entries Kay had written during her time living in Shenxhi as expatriates, and more specifically during her time volunteering in a local orphanage. The title gives it away, because this book is seriously a tear jerker. Children being abandoned because of the one-child policy, little girls and children with deformities being seen as having little or no worth, babies dying in an orphanage on a constant basis, children being abused and neglected...sometimes only experiencing the sensation of touch for their quick, cold, weekly bathing. For the majority of the book you're wondering if the hope suggested in the title even exists. But more and more you begin to see it as Kay continuously perseveres on behalf of the children, gathering volunteers and donations to love on the children and help provide, food, supplies, surgeries, foster families, and even adoptions for the little ones. Your heart towards the orphanage workers even softens by the end of the book as you begin to understand the difficult world they are caught in the middle of, and how emotionally distancing themselves from the children is more a matter of survival when you've seen what they've seen on a daily basis. I would provide quotes for this one, but alas, my iPad has just run out of battery, so perhaps I'll put some on here later. Nonetheless, if you've adopted a child from China, want to adopt a child from China, or would never on earth consider such a possibility (you'll change your mind), this is an inspiring read that serves as an example that we really can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. As for me, I think I'll go adopt a Chinese child...or two or three...or ten. ;-)
However, since the recent download of the Kindle app to my iPad, my love has been rekindled (Baha. Did you catch my totally awesome pun?) I never knew I would love e-readers so much. In fact, as a library degree holder I thought my allegiance would always be to the paperback, but as it turns out the iPad is just too convenient for me not to give it the credit it's due. I can have hundreds of books on one device, plus they're so much cheaper! Not only are all classic books FREE, but every month Amazon has a collection of 100 Kindle books for under $3.99 here. Holy moly, this is stupendous.
Anyways, the POINT of this post was to share two really great books I recently read in the hopes that you would enjoy them too. So without further adieu, I give you some good reads:
First up is "When A Nation Forgets God: 7 Lessons We Must Learn From Nazi Germany" by Erwin Lutzer. If you want an eye-opener, this book is it. And the scary part is, after reading this book I realized that I myself might have actually voted for Hitler. He was a nation's dream, and incredibly well-liked by the German people. He revived a collapsed post-war economy in just four years, instituted nationalized health care, began a vacation program, established training schools and brought the nation to full employment, brought crime under control, built freeways, and returned national pride to the German people. He was a prime candidate and just like Americans, the people voted with their pocketbooks. Economy, economy, economy---that's all that mattered, and unfortunately the democracy that they once cherished eventually became the doorway to a dictatorship that would later slaughter millions. In the midst of prosperity, the German people forgot God, just as America has. Would a booming economy be nice? Of course. But perhaps we should consider the moral character and personal beliefs of the person we're putting into power, and let us hope and pray for the best.
Here are a few quotes pulled from the book to further entice you to read this: :-)
"As long as the economy was strong, people didn't care whether they had freedom of speech, freedom of travel, or freedom of elections. Under the Republic, people were starving in the big cities; they agreed that bread on the table was more important than a ballot at a voting booth. The people were willing to forgive Hitler's purges and his ruthless massacres in return for the right to live."
"Today we should be wary of the promise that if we will only accept the bridle, the government will deliver us from our economic woes."
"After Hitler was defeated, war crime trials were held in Nuremberg to judge the guilt of Hitler's henchmen. But a dispute arose as to what laws should be used to try the accused. after all, Hitler's cronies agreed, quite plausibly, that they had not broken any laws; their actions were carried out within the protection of their own legal system. They could not be accused of murder because personhood had been redefined to exclude Jews and other undesirables. These men were simply following the laws handed down by the courts of their day."
"The experience of Nuremberg and the silent holocaust in our abortion clinics bear eloquent witness to the fact that when a state is accountable to no one except itself, it simply assumes that whatever is legal is moral."
"Yes, it is possible for ordinary people to commit atrocities they never thought possible when they are swept up into a cultural current where everyone is both expected to fall in line and be rewarded for it. In such a climate, anyone who swims against the stream is demonized by misrepresentations, false evidence and ridicule. With such pressure, even rational and decent people who refuse to be co-opted begin to question their own sanity. Can they alone be right when everyone else is wrong?"
"Rome did not mind if people believed in Jesus; Rome had many gods and if Jesus were just one among many, that was of no concern to the Roman authorities. What Rome could not tolerate was the idea that Jesus was the ONLY way---that He was unique as the Son of God."
"It is not how loud we can shout but how well we can suffer that will convince the world of the integrity of our message."
Okay, so by a few quotes I guess I meant half the book. :-) But seriously, I would copy this entire book onto this blog if it meant more people would read it. I didn't even touch on the influence of propaganda in our society and the public education of our children in these quotes. Now THOSE chapters will make you uncomfortable. But nonetheless, I am incredibly thankful that I stumbled upon this book, because not only have my eyes been opened to the world in which I live, but I feel as though God has used this book to prepare me for persecution, something which I will be more than glad to endure if it means that the truth of Jesus Christ (The REAL Gospel, not the prosperity one) will be spread across our nation. And believe me, after reading this, I truly believe persecution is coming to America. In small ways it's already here, but it will get worse...and in many ways that's a gift---it's God's way of telling us to get our butts in gear and firmly believe, preach, and live out the Gospel.
Next up is "Silent Tears: A Journey of Hope in a Chinese Orphanage" by Kay Bratt, a midwest native! It's based on journal entries Kay had written during her time living in Shenxhi as expatriates, and more specifically during her time volunteering in a local orphanage. The title gives it away, because this book is seriously a tear jerker. Children being abandoned because of the one-child policy, little girls and children with deformities being seen as having little or no worth, babies dying in an orphanage on a constant basis, children being abused and neglected...sometimes only experiencing the sensation of touch for their quick, cold, weekly bathing. For the majority of the book you're wondering if the hope suggested in the title even exists. But more and more you begin to see it as Kay continuously perseveres on behalf of the children, gathering volunteers and donations to love on the children and help provide, food, supplies, surgeries, foster families, and even adoptions for the little ones. Your heart towards the orphanage workers even softens by the end of the book as you begin to understand the difficult world they are caught in the middle of, and how emotionally distancing themselves from the children is more a matter of survival when you've seen what they've seen on a daily basis. I would provide quotes for this one, but alas, my iPad has just run out of battery, so perhaps I'll put some on here later. Nonetheless, if you've adopted a child from China, want to adopt a child from China, or would never on earth consider such a possibility (you'll change your mind), this is an inspiring read that serves as an example that we really can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. As for me, I think I'll go adopt a Chinese child...or two or three...or ten. ;-)
Monday, January 30, 2012
Just Because...
Nothing makes me happier than to share the gift of laughter and awesomeness that abounds from YouTube...so here you are, friends...enjoy!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
My New Years' Resolutions...And How I'll Actually Keep Them
***Warning: This post contains EXTREME sarcasm.
Every year droves of people make a list of inspiring new years’ resolutions, and every year I join the crowd and jot down about one or two. And every year I fail miserably like every other person on the face of the planet…within the first week. So this year I’ve taken a different approach. I’ve made a list of resolutions that I know I’ll be able to accomplish beyond a shadow of a doubt, and here I am to share it with the world. Behold, world.
1. Gain 5 lbs.
I accomplish it every year, so there’s no need to think I won’t accomplish it again this year. Sure, I’ll lose weight too. But then I’ll just gain it all right back again within that horrendous two month span of October to December. If you need any advice on how to gain weight, feel free to ask. I can give you plenty of advice, because this is one thing I’m really, REALLY good at.
2. Bake my troubles away.
I’ve discovered baking to be quite therapeutic over the past year and I intend on using it for therapy this year, especially now that I have my very own Kitchen Aid mixer. The only problem with baking your troubles away, however, is that you end up eating your troubles after you bake them…which just leads to more trouble (see #1)
3. Not accomplish crafts I’ve pinned on Pinterest.
I can accomplish recipes, no problem, but those crafts…they’re just too time consuming. Would I like to do that awesome project where you melt crayons onto canvas? Absolutely! Am I going to? Hiiiiighly doubt it. And would I love to create my own inspirational art for my bare living room walls? You bet! But am I going to? Noooooope. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that this girl does NOT have time to become a master crafter, and when I do have time, I’d much rather spend it napping or vegging on the couch…or better yet, napping. So for this year, I’m going to let my definition of crafting refer more to coloring a page in a coloring book than spending two months on a single project that I’ll never actually finish. And as for those bare living room walls of mine…that’s what Etsy’s for. Let the people who actually ARE master crafters furnish my walls.
4. Hit the snooze button approximately 365 times.
Now there’s something I can accomplish. I do it every. Single. Morning. The only things I wake up on time for are flights, meetings, and dentist appointments. You know, the things that actually keep you from sleeping the night before because you’re afraid you’ll miss them and then wake you in a panic because you think you’ve missed them? Every other thing in the world…I wake up for you at 8. Which used to be 7:30. And before that was 7. And before that was 6:30. Have I mentioned I’m not a morning person?
5. Have my phone die at the most inopportune time, always.
Have an emergency and need to make a call? Don’t ask me for my phone, because it’s probably dead. Need to wake up in the morning but don’t have an alarm clock? Don’t depend on my phone, because it’ll probably die in the middle of the night without me noticing. On the road and had a change of plans? Don’t expect me to call you to tell you, because my phone is probably dead. On the bright side of things, it only took me a year to finally crack down and buy what I would deem the best purchases of my year: a car charger…and an actual alarm clock. But odds are, they won’t make a difference. My phone will still be dead.
6. Drink lots of pop. Or soda. Or Coke. Or whatever you wanna call it.
Everyone else is giving it up, but I shall strive to continue. I’m gonna drink it, and I’m gonna like it. And then I’m gonna regret it and spend every day feeling fat because of all the carbonation that will currently be giving my belly the illusion of pregnancy. And then I’m gonna regret the five pounds on top of the five pounds that will be gained because of it. And yes, in years to come, I will no doubt regret the cancer that will no doubt take up residence within my body. But boy will that Diet Coke be delicious when I drink it with that burger and fries.
7. Set a goal to run a 5k, then not run a 5k and quit running altogether. Gosh, this year is already looking good. I love setting goals I know I can accomplish. What can I say? I’m just so darn good at quitting. Remember that time I took up running then got utterly bored out of my mind once I made it up to 3 miles? Remember how that was every single year for the last five years? Let’s just face it: Running is seriously the most boring sport on the face of the planet and setting a goal beyond two miles is just begging me to quit. I mean, seriously, how about I find a sport that doesn’t require me to focus on the fact that my side hurts, my legs are throbbing, and I can’t breathe for every minute that I'm participating in that said sport? But no worries, I have a solution, and here’s what it is. How about I hire a masked stranger to chase me around the track at the Y with a knife in hand, screaming that they’re going to kill me the entire time, for a distance of up to five miles? Or better yet, maybe someone should hire ME to chase THEM with a knife in hand. Now THAT would get me to run, and you, for that matter. This way I’d actually run AND I’d make a little extra money on the side. Gosh I’m a genius. I guess running really CAN be fun after all. All you need is a little creativity.
8. Quit smoking. It’s especially easy when you’ve only taken two puffs of a cigarette in your entire life. Done….and done.
9. Not use a planner. Almost every year I buy a planner with the intent of being more organized, seeing as how I tend to be quite the scatterbrained moron, and almost every year I don’t use it and yet again fail at becoming more organized. This year, I’m gonna save myself the money and simply not buy one. I’m just gonna be my disorganized self and let it bite me in the butt when I miss my dentist appointment, forget to go to a party I said I’d go to, and send out my Christmas cards three weeks late. Disorganization is a way of life, and this year, I’m going to embrace it.
10. Facebook just as much as I did last year. Let’s be honest, disabling a Facebook is just a way of saying “I’ll be back in three weeks.” And complaining about Facebook is just a way of saying that you wish you had a life (as I so often demonstrate). This year, I’m just going to accept it as a way of life. Do I care that Billy Bob just had a Diet Coke but regrets it and wishes he got a Coke Zero? Do I actually want to see a picture of Susie’s dinner on a daily basis? Do I want to see the cliché song lyrics that have spoken to every newly single person in the depths of despair’s heart in a status update? Do I want to see every other girl's profile picture that's been edited to make them look like Cindy Crawford and then feel obligated to comment about how beautiful they are? No. No I do not. In fact, I would much rather gauge my eyes out. But alas, this year I’ll just accept the fact that I’m STILL going to read about it nonetheless. I’m still going to look at pictures of people I barely know. I’m still going to read the endless stream of passive aggressive status updates. And I’m still going to read about what a great time you just had in Vegas while I’m stuck reading about it here in Kansas. And why will I do all this? Not because I don't care (because if I didn't care at all, I wouldn't read it), but more so because I’m too lazy to call, that’s why. And because it’s a whole lot easier to keep up with 800 “friends” by reading about them instead of asking them. Did I mention brutal honesty is also a new years resolution? I would feel worse about writing it if I didn't already know that it's just as true for everyone else...
And there ya have it: the new years resolutions of a painfully honest, slightly irresponsible, selfish, silly, awkard, and creepy cat-loving weirdo. They may be bad resolutions, but hey, at least this year I’ll have the opportunity to boast about actually keeping them.
Every year droves of people make a list of inspiring new years’ resolutions, and every year I join the crowd and jot down about one or two. And every year I fail miserably like every other person on the face of the planet…within the first week. So this year I’ve taken a different approach. I’ve made a list of resolutions that I know I’ll be able to accomplish beyond a shadow of a doubt, and here I am to share it with the world. Behold, world.
1. Gain 5 lbs.
I accomplish it every year, so there’s no need to think I won’t accomplish it again this year. Sure, I’ll lose weight too. But then I’ll just gain it all right back again within that horrendous two month span of October to December. If you need any advice on how to gain weight, feel free to ask. I can give you plenty of advice, because this is one thing I’m really, REALLY good at.
2. Bake my troubles away.
I’ve discovered baking to be quite therapeutic over the past year and I intend on using it for therapy this year, especially now that I have my very own Kitchen Aid mixer. The only problem with baking your troubles away, however, is that you end up eating your troubles after you bake them…which just leads to more trouble (see #1)
3. Not accomplish crafts I’ve pinned on Pinterest.
I can accomplish recipes, no problem, but those crafts…they’re just too time consuming. Would I like to do that awesome project where you melt crayons onto canvas? Absolutely! Am I going to? Hiiiiighly doubt it. And would I love to create my own inspirational art for my bare living room walls? You bet! But am I going to? Noooooope. If there’s one thing I know, it’s that this girl does NOT have time to become a master crafter, and when I do have time, I’d much rather spend it napping or vegging on the couch…or better yet, napping. So for this year, I’m going to let my definition of crafting refer more to coloring a page in a coloring book than spending two months on a single project that I’ll never actually finish. And as for those bare living room walls of mine…that’s what Etsy’s for. Let the people who actually ARE master crafters furnish my walls.
4. Hit the snooze button approximately 365 times.
Now there’s something I can accomplish. I do it every. Single. Morning. The only things I wake up on time for are flights, meetings, and dentist appointments. You know, the things that actually keep you from sleeping the night before because you’re afraid you’ll miss them and then wake you in a panic because you think you’ve missed them? Every other thing in the world…I wake up for you at 8. Which used to be 7:30. And before that was 7. And before that was 6:30. Have I mentioned I’m not a morning person?
5. Have my phone die at the most inopportune time, always.
Have an emergency and need to make a call? Don’t ask me for my phone, because it’s probably dead. Need to wake up in the morning but don’t have an alarm clock? Don’t depend on my phone, because it’ll probably die in the middle of the night without me noticing. On the road and had a change of plans? Don’t expect me to call you to tell you, because my phone is probably dead. On the bright side of things, it only took me a year to finally crack down and buy what I would deem the best purchases of my year: a car charger…and an actual alarm clock. But odds are, they won’t make a difference. My phone will still be dead.
6. Drink lots of pop. Or soda. Or Coke. Or whatever you wanna call it.
Everyone else is giving it up, but I shall strive to continue. I’m gonna drink it, and I’m gonna like it. And then I’m gonna regret it and spend every day feeling fat because of all the carbonation that will currently be giving my belly the illusion of pregnancy. And then I’m gonna regret the five pounds on top of the five pounds that will be gained because of it. And yes, in years to come, I will no doubt regret the cancer that will no doubt take up residence within my body. But boy will that Diet Coke be delicious when I drink it with that burger and fries.
7. Set a goal to run a 5k, then not run a 5k and quit running altogether. Gosh, this year is already looking good. I love setting goals I know I can accomplish. What can I say? I’m just so darn good at quitting. Remember that time I took up running then got utterly bored out of my mind once I made it up to 3 miles? Remember how that was every single year for the last five years? Let’s just face it: Running is seriously the most boring sport on the face of the planet and setting a goal beyond two miles is just begging me to quit. I mean, seriously, how about I find a sport that doesn’t require me to focus on the fact that my side hurts, my legs are throbbing, and I can’t breathe for every minute that I'm participating in that said sport? But no worries, I have a solution, and here’s what it is. How about I hire a masked stranger to chase me around the track at the Y with a knife in hand, screaming that they’re going to kill me the entire time, for a distance of up to five miles? Or better yet, maybe someone should hire ME to chase THEM with a knife in hand. Now THAT would get me to run, and you, for that matter. This way I’d actually run AND I’d make a little extra money on the side. Gosh I’m a genius. I guess running really CAN be fun after all. All you need is a little creativity.
8. Quit smoking. It’s especially easy when you’ve only taken two puffs of a cigarette in your entire life. Done….and done.
9. Not use a planner. Almost every year I buy a planner with the intent of being more organized, seeing as how I tend to be quite the scatterbrained moron, and almost every year I don’t use it and yet again fail at becoming more organized. This year, I’m gonna save myself the money and simply not buy one. I’m just gonna be my disorganized self and let it bite me in the butt when I miss my dentist appointment, forget to go to a party I said I’d go to, and send out my Christmas cards three weeks late. Disorganization is a way of life, and this year, I’m going to embrace it.
10. Facebook just as much as I did last year. Let’s be honest, disabling a Facebook is just a way of saying “I’ll be back in three weeks.” And complaining about Facebook is just a way of saying that you wish you had a life (as I so often demonstrate). This year, I’m just going to accept it as a way of life. Do I care that Billy Bob just had a Diet Coke but regrets it and wishes he got a Coke Zero? Do I actually want to see a picture of Susie’s dinner on a daily basis? Do I want to see the cliché song lyrics that have spoken to every newly single person in the depths of despair’s heart in a status update? Do I want to see every other girl's profile picture that's been edited to make them look like Cindy Crawford and then feel obligated to comment about how beautiful they are? No. No I do not. In fact, I would much rather gauge my eyes out. But alas, this year I’ll just accept the fact that I’m STILL going to read about it nonetheless. I’m still going to look at pictures of people I barely know. I’m still going to read the endless stream of passive aggressive status updates. And I’m still going to read about what a great time you just had in Vegas while I’m stuck reading about it here in Kansas. And why will I do all this? Not because I don't care (because if I didn't care at all, I wouldn't read it), but more so because I’m too lazy to call, that’s why. And because it’s a whole lot easier to keep up with 800 “friends” by reading about them instead of asking them. Did I mention brutal honesty is also a new years resolution? I would feel worse about writing it if I didn't already know that it's just as true for everyone else...
And there ya have it: the new years resolutions of a painfully honest, slightly irresponsible, selfish, silly, awkard, and creepy cat-loving weirdo. They may be bad resolutions, but hey, at least this year I’ll have the opportunity to boast about actually keeping them.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Voice of the Martyrs
Sometimes I almost let people convince me that Christians suffer no more when it comes to persecution than any other religion does. And then I read the Voice of the Martyrs Blog...
Nepal - "Buddhists Force Christians From Village"
India - "Pastor Released From Prison"
Laos - "Christians Arrested During Christmas Eve Service"
Uganda - "Muslim Extremists Throw Acid On Bishop"
Nigeria - "Nigeria Fears More Church Attacks"
Israel - "O Little Town: Christians Vacating Bethlehem
Iraq - "14 Car Bombs in Iraq: Remaining Christians Fear for Their Lives"
China - "Gao Zhisheng Given Three Year Prison Term"
Uzbekistan - "Christians Warned To Stop Evangelism"
Burma - "Christmas Goes Forward Despite A Time Bomb In Burma"
U.S.A. - "InterVarsity Suspended From New York University"
Vietnam - "Gang Attacks Church Heads"
Pakistan - "Muslims In Pakistan Beat, Shoot At Christians In Land Grab"
These are just a fraction of the headlines in the last month. Yes, I said MONTH.
Jesus wasn't lyin' when He said we would be hated simply because of Him. As of right now, He is illegal in 53 countries, restricted in 38, and hostile in 14. People all over the
world are being beaten, raped, pillaged, imprisoned, and murdered simply because they worship Him. It is a life of faith most of us know little about, but let us pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering for His name. We simply can not forget about them.
Matthew 10:22 "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."
Nepal - "Buddhists Force Christians From Village"
India - "Pastor Released From Prison"
Laos - "Christians Arrested During Christmas Eve Service"
Uganda - "Muslim Extremists Throw Acid On Bishop"
Nigeria - "Nigeria Fears More Church Attacks"
Israel - "O Little Town: Christians Vacating Bethlehem
Iraq - "14 Car Bombs in Iraq: Remaining Christians Fear for Their Lives"
China - "Gao Zhisheng Given Three Year Prison Term"
Uzbekistan - "Christians Warned To Stop Evangelism"
Burma - "Christmas Goes Forward Despite A Time Bomb In Burma"
U.S.A. - "InterVarsity Suspended From New York University"
Vietnam - "Gang Attacks Church Heads"
Pakistan - "Muslims In Pakistan Beat, Shoot At Christians In Land Grab"
These are just a fraction of the headlines in the last month. Yes, I said MONTH.
Jesus wasn't lyin' when He said we would be hated simply because of Him. As of right now, He is illegal in 53 countries, restricted in 38, and hostile in 14. People all over the
world are being beaten, raped, pillaged, imprisoned, and murdered simply because they worship Him. It is a life of faith most of us know little about, but let us pray for our brothers and sisters who are suffering for His name. We simply can not forget about them.
Matthew 10:22 "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."
Monday, December 12, 2011
Thursday, November 10, 2011
SlutWalk
SlutWalk. Yes, that’s right. It’s a real thing.
You see, back in January, Toronto Police Const. Michael Sanguinetti told a personal security class at York University that "women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized" and since then the man has been crucified. That one statement set off a tidal wave of angry responses and in turn began a movement called SlutWalk, in which women gathered together in the streets of Toronto, some (though not all) purposely dressed in slutty clothes, some even going as far as scrawling the word “slut” across their bellies, and marched against what they deem to be the misogynistic and archaic mentality of slut-shaming and victim-blaming that the officer had apparently displayed.
Now first of all, call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure that dressing like a slut and putting your goods on display for all to see while carrying around signs that declare “No Means No!” isn’t actually going to send the message “No Means No!” Because what you’re wearing is screaming “Yes!” and that’s EXACTLY what the officer was trying to say. You see, the thing is, though the police officer certainly made a bad decision in using the word “slut,” his advice was still sound, because the way you dress as a woman MATTERS, and it will play a large role in whether or not men actually respect you. What he is quoted as saying was in fact a tip in a long slew of statements he was giving to help women make safe decisions and lower their risk of being raped. He did not by any means say, “If you dress like a slut, you deserve rape.” Nor did he say, “Dressing like a slut causes rape.” He really just made the suggestion, though certainly not very tactfully, to dress modestly because it does factor in to the situation. He wasn’t excusing rape, as these women seem to be portraying him as doing. The fact is that no matter what you wear or what situation you’re in, rape is indeed an inexcusable crime and a violation against humanity that nobody deserves. But the truth is---whether or not you want to admit it---there are many instances (though certainly not all) in which the events leading up to a rape were a string of unwise decisions carried out by a woman, and had she made safe and wise decisions---instead of wild ones---the whole instance could have been avoided. This police officer was honestly trying to help women, and now women everywhere are crucifying him for it.
Yup, EVERYWHERE. That’s right, folks. SlutWalk has gone international. Boston, St. Louis, New Delhi, London, Seoul, and just recently, right here in our own backyard…Kansas City. Here are some fun pics from the event... (Taken from the SlutWalkKC website)
You see, back in January, Toronto Police Const. Michael Sanguinetti told a personal security class at York University that "women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized" and since then the man has been crucified. That one statement set off a tidal wave of angry responses and in turn began a movement called SlutWalk, in which women gathered together in the streets of Toronto, some (though not all) purposely dressed in slutty clothes, some even going as far as scrawling the word “slut” across their bellies, and marched against what they deem to be the misogynistic and archaic mentality of slut-shaming and victim-blaming that the officer had apparently displayed.
Now first of all, call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure that dressing like a slut and putting your goods on display for all to see while carrying around signs that declare “No Means No!” isn’t actually going to send the message “No Means No!” Because what you’re wearing is screaming “Yes!” and that’s EXACTLY what the officer was trying to say. You see, the thing is, though the police officer certainly made a bad decision in using the word “slut,” his advice was still sound, because the way you dress as a woman MATTERS, and it will play a large role in whether or not men actually respect you. What he is quoted as saying was in fact a tip in a long slew of statements he was giving to help women make safe decisions and lower their risk of being raped. He did not by any means say, “If you dress like a slut, you deserve rape.” Nor did he say, “Dressing like a slut causes rape.” He really just made the suggestion, though certainly not very tactfully, to dress modestly because it does factor in to the situation. He wasn’t excusing rape, as these women seem to be portraying him as doing. The fact is that no matter what you wear or what situation you’re in, rape is indeed an inexcusable crime and a violation against humanity that nobody deserves. But the truth is---whether or not you want to admit it---there are many instances (though certainly not all) in which the events leading up to a rape were a string of unwise decisions carried out by a woman, and had she made safe and wise decisions---instead of wild ones---the whole instance could have been avoided. This police officer was honestly trying to help women, and now women everywhere are crucifying him for it.
Yup, EVERYWHERE. That’s right, folks. SlutWalk has gone international. Boston, St. Louis, New Delhi, London, Seoul, and just recently, right here in our own backyard…Kansas City. Here are some fun pics from the event... (Taken from the SlutWalkKC website)
A large task many are taking on is that of taking back the word "slut" and no longer allowing it to have a negative connotation. Why? Because according to this frame of mind, women have suffered from slut-shaming for far too long and should be given the same sexual freedom that men have without any societal consequences...Including the consequence of shame. They demand society to accept immodest and promiscuous behavior as good.
Sorry for the language. I just want you to grasp the extent of the protest. Just imagine how much fun parents had explaining all of these signs and inappropriately dressed women to their kids on September 17th.
Now here's the thing. I get the "no means no" tagline. I understand the point that they're trying to get across. But here's the problem: Over 90% of communication is nonverbal. Only about 7% of communication is done through actual words...the rest is determined by tone, facial expressions, appearance, body language, etc. Don't you think it's a little idiotic, then, for us women to think that the way we behave and dress DOESN'T MATTER? Do you REALLY think that your appearance, your behavior, and even the tone of voice you're speaking to someone in can't possibly play a role in leading up to a scenario even as heinous as rape? Should women not have to be accountable for anything anymore? For example, if you're present at a bar or party or rager or whatever you wanna call it where drinking and drugs and sex are a regular and expected occurrence, should you not take responsibility for the fact that you went there? If you're there, you're already giving the people around you the indication that you are there to do those exact same things. You may not want to do those things, but they don't know that. Though “no means no,” the environment in which you have placed yourself already says “yes.” The same goes for the way you are dressed. If you’re wearing a short, tight dress and fishnet stockings, or perhaps you’ve just got all your goods hangin’ out, what you are wearing also says “yes.” It is ridiculous for you to take on the mentality of “I’m going to dress like a slut, but how DARE men notice that I’m dressed like a slut. I’m going to make the areas of my body that I know men are sexually attracted to clearly visible to them and then get upset when men make it known that they're sexually attracted to me.” The same goes for men’s grabby hands. If you’re on the dance floor rubbing up against a guy, dancing provocatively, then again…your body language is saying “yes.” Don’t be surprised if his hands begin to wander, because as far as he can tell, you’ve given him free reign of your body. No guy in that environment is going to wait for you to say “Okay, you can put your hands here, but not here. And over here, but not there,” because as is the case, no woman ever actually says that. He is going to determine what your boundaries are by the boundaries that you are demonstrating to him.
And if you start touching and making out with a guy, then go to a private place with him, I can guarantee you that you are screaming “yes.” You’re not in the kind of place where guys and girls go off to a closet to discuss the latest in politics or how much you both love Star Wars. No, you’re going there because that’s where people go to have sex. He is expecting and hoping for sex, and you are signaling just by going there with him that you’re going to give it to him.
This isn't to say that men shouldn't be held accountable for THEIR actions, because yes, they absolutely should. They know better than to ogle, grab, make lude comments, push a woman for sex, and especially rape a woman. They shouldn't pursue those situations and they should definitely be punished when they do. But seriously, this feminist crap is getting out of hand. Teaching women to do whatever they want sexually, to dress provocatively, and to send men mixed messages and expect no negative consequences isn't helping women, it is hurting us. There is a reason instances of rape have tripled since the feminist and sexual revolutions of the 1960s...and it's certainly not because society was pushing moral standards upon us women---it's because women rebelled against those moral standards that were already in place and men didn't hesitate to take advantage of it. After all, how many men AREN'T going to support a cause that gets them free sex? And now, after having peaked in the 90s, we're seeing a decrease in rape instances again. But let's not deceive ourselves into thinking it's because rape education is a raving success. It's most likely because younger generations of girls are being taught that it's healthy for them to sleep with whoever they want. We're teaching young boys that "no means no" while teaching young girls that it's good to say "yes," and hey, a greater number of willing women means less instances of rape. And let's not even think about the number of girls who don't even report rape because the lines are so blurred these days. But hey, as long as it looks good on the charts, I guess...
I am so tired of women teaching young girls that it's healthy to give their bodies away as if they have no worth. That it's healthy to behave or dress in a way that demeans them. That it's healthy to stomp on men and strip them of their manhood. That it's healthy to hate and distrust all men because of bad experiences in the past. Really, it's healthy? Eating is healthy. But eating too much isn't. Nor is eating the wrong kind of food. Blowfish is a food that's healthy, but if you eat the wrong part of it you die because it's poisonous. Sex is good...within the boundaries God has given us. Outside of those boundaries, it's poisonous...to our hearts, souls, minds, relationships, and yes, bodies. So no, giving into every sexual desire you have is NOT healthy. What is healthy is healing the scars that are leading you to behave as you are, and giving your body away doesn't bring healing. Sex does not heal. Beauty does not heal. Attention from men does not heal. Hatred and bitterness does not heal. Profanity does not heal. Inappropriate protests do not heal. And trying to change the definition and perception of what is bad to good does not and will not heal.
I wish I would have known this was taking place in Kansas City. I would have loved to create signs that said "God loves sluts...AND rapists" or "God redeems sluts AND rapists. Who are you redeeming today?" I know they're claiming to try to redeem rape victims. To point out that they are in fact victims. But honestly, the way in which they did so only made things worse. It's sad that they took such a good cause and turned it into such a filthy display. But hey, if anything, I hope this whole SlutWalk thing opens our eyes and reveals to us the immense need for us to teach young women that God loves them, has redeemed them with the blood of Christ, and that because He loves them he really does care what they do with their bodies. He created them with worth, and has proven their worth to them on the cross. He gave us boundaries because they're what's best for us. Yes, it's true. Not even science has been able to disprove those boundaries in terms of what is considered physically and emotionally healthy. So if you're a "slut" and proud to be one, know that Christ became a slut in the eyes of God and took on the punishment of being one so that you would no longer be called a slut, but a child of God. Christ's refusal to protest on the cross has accomplished far more than any SlutWalk protest ever could to redeem women. His lack of words puts their plethora of empty words to shame.
So let us learn from 1 Corinthians that just because the world and the law allows such behavior, and just because some twist it and deem it "healthy," does not mean it's BENEFICIAL.
And now I'll just leave you with these three videos. One is coverage from the Toronto SlutWalk and the other two help shed light on the history of feminism and its effects on our culture. I hope the eyes of those who watch it will be opened:
“Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I will not be mastered by anything. 13“Food for the stomach and the stomach for food”—but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also. 15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! 16Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”b 17But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.
18Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. 19Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.
---1 Corinthians 6:12-20
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
