Beautiful

One of my dear friends, Shannon, sent me a note recently that spoke of women and beauty in the church. This is a subject that she is very passionate about and I have enjoyed the conversations we've had about this in the past. As she was saying, there is a certain image that woman often times try to display of what a good "church woman" should be. These women are productive, modest, giving, kind, hard-working...and busy, stressed out, and tired. But as church ladies, it shouldn't be about what we do-- it's not about fitting into an image and wearing ourselves out doing it. It's about who we are reflecting. God is a beautiful God, and women shine so much of that beauty, but we don't even know it.

Women grow up with numerous confirmations, verbal and non-verbal alike, that we are not beautiful. When a little girl dances for her dad, she needs to hear that she is beautiful. When a teenager is going through puberty, she needs to hear that she is beautiful. When a grown woman scrubs the toilet, she needs to hear that she is beautiful. Now, all you readers who are women know deep within yourselves that you have been told in some shape or form repeatedly that you just don't measure up. That you are not enough. This subject of beauty and women (I think) is oftentimes a neglected subject in the church. (Not necessarily by the leaders of the church-- we have heard the sermons on Mother's Day.) The people of the church don't take time to cherish the amazing beauty God has given to every woman on earth. The women don't take time to notice or embrace the beauty within themselves. The men don't take time to honor that beauty.

But here's the thing...God gave women a mysterious beauty that is intrinsic to every woman in creation. When God made Adam, he said it was not right for man to be alone. So he fashioned a beautiful partner for Adam. After Eve was created, everything was good and right. She was the last thing God created. John Eldredge puts it well in his book "Captivating" when he says that Eve is the "crowning glory" of creation. (I HIGHLY recommend this book by the way, for men and women alike. He co-wrote it with wife Staci and they really tackle this subject on a deep level. It has made me see women in a whole in a new light, as well as value myself and see the beauty I display.)

In the book, Eldredge points out that women display the beauty of God. They reflect his soft, gentle, tender, merciful, loving, nurturing and mysterious characteristics. God did not only make Eve as a partner for Adam, but also as a mirror unto himself. God shines through women in every gentle touch and soft word spoken. Every woman shines this beauty, no matter what the culture dictates. When a woman believes wholeheartedly that she is not beautiful, she fogs that mirror and God's image is not allowed to shine freely.

This subject has become increasingly intriguing to me. As I dig deeper, I realize more and more the importance of this issue. Although some may think this sounds semi-feminist, it doesn't have anything to do with a power-trip for women. It's simply that there is a lot to be learned about God, through women. Women are BEAUTIFUL. That's something they do not hear enough. Period.

My life in the ZOO

This morning was going to be a good morning until I walked downstairs to find a nasty surprise. So I have been having some animal trouble lately (we have 3 by the way, 2 cats and a dog).

The story goes like this... I got to sleep in a bit, until 8:30 or so. I lay in bed and stretched a good stretch. I felt very relaxed and comfortable, but it was time to get up. So I arose and flung open the curtains. Warm, golden sunshine streamed in, bathing the room in light... it was going to be a good day. I looked down at the floor beside my bed where I keep all my books, magazines and misc. odds and ends that accumulate there. One thing that was laying in the pile that shouldn't have been was a new thermometer I bought. I knew I had not carelessly put that on the floor. I bent down to pick it up, and immediatly saw teeth marks and scratches all over it. Dang cat! I knew the younger cat had found it on a counter or something and played its way to the floor, many scratches and bashes later. I was very annoyed. At this opportune moment, the guilty cat, Ruby, came up to me, purring her sweetest purr, and rubbed on my leg. (It seems like she always knows when she is in trouble and tries to be cute to get out of it. I'm serious, it's the same almost every time. It's weird.) But I would have none of it. I was too annoyed about the thermometer. So I got up, pushing her aside, and headed for the kitchen, determined to still have a good day. I would make myself a good breakfast to turn things around. I lazily thumped down the stairs, a little hope returning to me with each new step. I walked into the kitchen and was just about ready to decide on my breakfast of choice, when I caught a wiff of a not-so-pleasant smell. I crinkled my nose and with disgust looked around for the source of this nasty smell. As my eyes wandered the room, they soon fell on the source. There behind the kitchen table was a monsterous pile of poop. Wait...there's more, oh glee. This pile must have been laying there much of the night and my darling cats had tried with all their might to cover it up. Let me explain the problem with that idea-- the kitchen floor is linoleum and there isn't much litter laying around on the floor to cover a huge mound of shit! So instead these precious cats simple smeared the pile all over the place (including on their own water dish), and IT DRIED THAT WAY.

Shoot me now. Anybody want some free animals? The're adorable. I promise.

Daytime TV

This morning I woke up and had that feeling in the pit of my stomach that I would need to clean, (or at least get SOMEthing done) before I could be calmed. It was that nagging feeling of unrest that can only be apeased by the accomplishment of a task, large or small. So, since I had an equal desire to actually enjoy my day, I jumped right in to the (rather large) task of cleaning up the house. There was things to be put away, dishes to be done, carpet to be vaccuumed, and an accumulation of 3 loads of white laundry to be folded and put away (the worst kind, where you have to match all the socks...eeww!).
So after all my toilsome labor (haha, the hard work of an unemployed woman without kids!), I threw a pan of Nestle Toll House cookies in the oven, and sat down on the couch to enjoy a good hour or so of good old TV. Well, I flipped randomly through the stations. Then I flipped through them again. I quickly realized that the only entertainment a stay-home person like myself is offered is well, DUMB. I had my choice of soaps, weather, or of course the spanish channel. Yipee! So much for that hour of rest in front of the "good old TV." I guess all of you in the working world truly are rewarded for going to further the economy everyday, cuz all the good shows come on when you get home.
These were the woes I faced today. I need to get a life.

The brown spot...

Last night Erin and Richard came over for dinner. We were all sitting around the table enjoying a nice conversation when Richard asked, "Is Bumper (dog) licking your cat?" We all turned around to see what, in fact, Bumper was licking. There was a very large dark brown spot on the carpet (that did resemble our cat). I got up and went over to the carpet to identify this mystery spot only to find a monsterous pile of partially processed dog food that Bumper's stomach decided it really did not want after all. Turns out he snuck down to the garage where he made a meal of the clutch dust that was covering the floor. I will not go into any further detail on this particular subject as it seems to cause a certain gagging reaction when things of this matter are discussed.


Here is a haiku poem dedicated to Erin:

Yucky Bumper, Gross
You ralphed on our white carpet
I don't like you much

A Whole New World

So here I am, creating my own blog. I have heard mention of this being a "geekish" thing to get involved with. But I have pushed all those accusing comments aside and now plunge into a world I know little about.
I would like to share my conversion story of how I came to enter this new world...Last night a friend of mine recommended that I read her blog. So this afternoon, I spent the last 3 hours reading every single blog she has ever posted. That was enough...I was hooked.

I have made a few discoveries already in this world of blogging (not necessarily all from this friend's blog, but also from the comments other people made, as well as the few other blogs I visited.)

1. People are very clever
2. Blogging gives you a chance to share your deep (as well as petty) insights that don't fit normally into everyday conversations.
3. Reading people's thoughts and reactions to life is very amusing. I am pretty sure it feeds the inate relational needs within us. We enjoy getting in on someone else's life and stories. In some cases, it is mere entertainment. In other cases, it makes our own boring lives a little more interesting.

Well, how was that for my first blog? Am I going to make it here? Will I survive in this new unexplored world?