The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo…..

Have you seen that movie?  I try to keep an open mind on all movies, but I am a girl meant to watch G rated Disney flicks or Pride and Prejudice , these keep my attention.
I watched TGwtDT with a group of friends.  One of the gals choose it.  I tried to stay and watch the whole thing…I did not want to offend  them.  NOPE!  After the kitty was..well..you ..knOw..I was out!



I was recently reminded of this misunderstood main character.  I felt so sorry for her and yet she was a BaDa$$.  She took care of herself and she was smart.  Her appearance was scary.  Her piercings , her hair, her tattoos.  Sets up a certain image that sends a very define message…stay away!  DANGEROUS!


When I see kids with piercing and crazy hair I tend to think the same thing.  I get an image in my head about who the person is.  I judge them.  Not something I am proud of, but it is true.  I assume they have a drug issue a bad family life and no way are they still in school let alone a good student.  Maybe this is showing my age.  Maybe I am too republican.  Maybe it's just what I have experienced.

AnD then…my beauty dyed her hair blonde…Cute..stylish..edgy.
She has always had her own style.  She wears combat boots and knit hats ,that her grandmother makes her.  She gets good grades..AP classes , Honors classes and is an amazing big sister.

AnD then….she dyed her hair purple…now that was a punishment.  Our rule is natural colors…But it was still really cute…kinda like Elsa…from Frozen.


AnD then…she got a septum piercing…that nose ring that looks like a bull ring..not as cute..but I dont see it anymore and she can turn it inside when she goes to work or when I ask her to…this is my least fav of her self expression moves..but it isn't permanent.

That is the key…NOT Permanent.

October 11, 1996……do the math


Yep…big 18th bday is right around the corner…..

AnD then….the girl with the tattoo……………….Crap.


Friends…I am lost on this one.  My first instinct is heck no.  A choice like this is for the rest of your life.  What about jobs?  What about what other people will think about you?….pause….

Did you see what I just said…What about the judgement that the World is going to place on you.? What about the fact that people are going to expect a certain behavior from you based on what you look like?  What about making your way easier?  Clearing the path for success without placing obstacles in your own path.  Swimming up stream sucks.

Then again…she is 18.  She is a good girl.  She has done everything we have required of her.  At what point to I challenge my own paradigm? 

The energy that I have put into this is boarding on obsessive.  I have three other children and a husband.  My bandwidth is getting used up on this one topic and on this one child.  Sounds horrid?  Maybe….or maybe its the truth.   We can get used up….worn down.


We have talked about the cost and the placement.  There are no secrets.  But what we have not done is said no.   Not that we dont ..alot.  But, this one is personal.  She is an artist.  When her grandfather asked her why she wanted a tattoo.  She said "Because art is a part of me.  I can not think of a better way to honor that part of me , then to have it entwined with my body." 

OK then……………

October 11, …..its coming up fast.  

October 11,…..when do you let them fly?

October 11,…..when do you challenge yourself to not judge?

Mama Bear…..I don't care who you are..even a cub.

The moment you find out you are expecting you feel fiercely protective over your unborn child.  You eat right, exercise get rest and avoid all the things that might harm your unborn child.  This feeling does not wavier with each pregnancy.  My four precious people are all very different.  I am just as fierce about each one of them…..

But what happens when its a fellow cub that is causing the pain.  What happens when fists fly and the fun wrestling takes on a new flavor of determination to harm,control.
Our den is a calm peaceful one.  Yelling is not something we do.  It is Summer so there is less scheduled time and more of a chance to get under one anothers' skin or to play leisurely board games….in my mind, that is.

But I digress……

My teen boys enjoy gaming and they share….most of the time.  However, on this rainy evening I got a note under my office door.  It said "The boys are attacking each other and it doesn't look good." Grace.
(imperative to have a spy at all times…reward them well…)

Once I came upon the scene the damage had been done.  One cub was out walking in his garden talking to his tomato  plants and the other was tearing at the computer but not wanting me to see.
It was over a girl….a virtual one but a girl on a server none the less.  Tempers flared and big cub took the small younger one to the floor with a arm hold and made sure he understood who was in charge.
After talking to each and getting the full story we all ate dinner…..I believe it is import to clear my head before I launch into a "coaching moment".

Moon Bear and I lightening the mood before we excused the girls from the table so we could talk with the boys.
After letting each of them explain the situation and each one getting their chance to be heard.  They were both punished for not walking away and calming down or coming to get adult help.
And then….I got angry.

I had no idea how impactful this next few moments were going to be, but parents!! use this!!  It was amazing!

"If you ever lay a hand on my kid again. " "I promise you that you will feel the same pain and humiliation."  "He is mine! and you will never do that again." 

The look on both of their faces.  One was fear…the other…pure love.
They both learned something.
Blessings.

I am not giving up….

Hello friends….
I have a secret….
I think every gal in her 40's has the same one….
Getting older sucks.
Yeap..there it is.
I can't move the same..I can't workout the same..I can't eat the same…NOthING is the Same.
Lets talk about eating.
I have done ok…I stay in the right BMI but things just don't fit right and one..just one bad weekend and nothing zips.
So…I have started Nutisystem.
Never thought I would do that.
NEVER!
The first week was a FAST 5…HAAAAAA
not so much
More like stay out of moms way or she might snap…so hungry and so cranky.
So I stopped and gave the food to  my kids…its is actually very good …just not enough of it.
Well.
The second box showed up..cause you can't cancel until you get two boxes,,, and i thought I would give it another go.
This time is diff.
I am more focused on the entire plan and the tools..like the chat rooms and the nutrition experts.
They have made all the difference.  And i lost!
Turns out I need more protein then the plan calls for…that was why I was soooo mean the first time
THe gals on the chat rooms..the moderators gave me good suggestions and it worked.
Sooo this is now week two and I am going to try very hard to stay to the plan…really not cheat and try to keep the chocolate monster at bay.
Blessings!

Girls and Guns.....In the wrong hands.

I told you I would do it...I told you I was excited..

You know that kind of excited you feel when you casually walk into your favorite store....and they are having a 70% off sale and you have a 20% off coupon!!!!!

UBER EXCITED...send a group message to your entire contact list kind of excited.

That , Ladies is how I feel about telling you about guns.

I was trying to organize my thoughts which can be difficult because my brain runs at super high speed.

 How do I want to share this part of me?

How technical do I want to get?

How will this be received?

So....I started where I always start when even thinking about shooting...SAFETY!

Can not and will not talk about shooting or carrying or purchasing or anything about guns until safety is addressed.

Story time....

I have many family and friend who are terrified of weapons.  They have every right to be.  They are very dangerous, in the wrong hands.

   IN THE WRONG HANDS!!!!!

That is the whole point of my blog today.

A gun is a tool  Like any other tool it can be misused..tragically , horrifically , misused.
I believe all guns need to be locked up.
If you think a weapon in your night stand is a good idea you are wrong.
Legally if a loaded weapon is in your house not locked up it is in your possession..and anyone else who is in your home.  Understand this...you don't have to have a gun on you to have possession of a deadly weapon.  If a crime happens in your home or if someone is in your home who has a record they are braking the law by being in possession of a weapon and they wont even know it.  An unsecured weapon is bad news....always.
BAD NEWS!!!!

Sooooo...lock them up.  But..."If someone gets into my house I need to acted fast."  Yes, you do and you can.  There are hand safes.  These are small and have a fast combination and you can have your loaded gun in two seconds.  I have timed it.  Same time it takes to open the nightstand drawer.

Here is mine.
I have two.
Well...two that I will tell you about.
Keeping one on each floor and in your safe place is ideal.

Next rule.
Never ever point a gun at anyone...loaded or unloaded.  Not only is this dumb...but it is illegal..like go to jail illegal. So dont be a punk.


Next rule.
Your weapon must always be facing a safe direction.  Like at the ground.  Or down range.

Next rule.
Never point your weapon at anything that you dont intend to destroy.

Next rule.
Keep the safety on ...until you are lined up and ready to shoot.  Red means Dead.  Thats the color showing when the safety is off.

Next rule.
Your trigger finger is your final safety. Don't place your finger into the trigger area unless you intend to fire......super super super important....Range Officers will not like you if you dont follow this.


MOST IMPORTANT
RULE!!
TREAT EVERY GUN YOU SEE....EVEN IF SOMEONE TELLS YOU IT IS NOT LOADED AS  LOADED......CRITICAL!!  YOU MUST VERIFY FOR YOURSELF THAT THE CHAMBER IS EMPTY AND THE SAFETY IS ON.
IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE DOING THIS...FIND SOMEONE WHO IS!!!

Or keep following me and I will tell you how.

Ladies...it is your Constitutional Right to own a gun.  Every friend I have taken shooting was terrified.  Shaky, pale, scared to death...terrifed.  That is until the first shot...then they were all smiles and couldnt wait to shoot again.  Guns in the right hands are a tool and a fun hobby.

SMOOCHES!!!

Take Aim...Girls and guns.

I like guns.

My close friends and family know it.  I enjoy the sport.  I always have. But I just didn't want to blog about it.  Maybe it is the heated debates that I wanted to ignore.  Maybe I just wanted to keep this one to myself.  But I cant.......I enjoy it sooooo much.

That's what changed my mind.

When I was little, very little like 40 pounds soaking wet and 8 years old.  I was afraid of everything.   I was terrified of my own shadow.  Didn't want to go to school...didn't want to meet new people...just so scared.

I tried to join sports but was so little I would get sidelined.  I met some friends in softball and volleyball but I never really played.  I wasn't good at it.   I so badly wanted to be good at something.

Having two big brothers and a competitive dad, I always felt small.  Like I couldn't measure up.  I use to tag along with my brothers to their sports and watch them play basketball and football.  

One day I went with them to BB Gun.

It was Michigan in the winter so it was dark early.  The Trenton Sharp Shooters met in my elementary school gym and that was exciting to me...it was my school after all and I was proud of that.

The gym was full of boys.  It was 1976...shooting was not a popular sport for little girls.  

One of the dads was the Range Officer and he was loud!

My brothers lined up for instruction and I took my usual seat on the sidelines.

I was so fascinated by the instruction.  It was very organized and everyone was quiet.  Everyone shot from different position.  Some kids were kneeling, some sitting some laying down.  WOW! what was this!

I kept going with my brothers every Thursday night.  Mr and Mrs Cooper were the Range Officers.  Mr Cooper would advance each shooter after testing and keep everyone safe and Mrs Cooper would score the targets.  I started helping her score the targets and became really good at it.  One day Mrs Cooper went up to the line and started shooting....what was this....maddness!  A mom was shooting!!!  She came back to our table and I was  still amazed.  She must have noticed because the next week she brought me a gun.

I was the only girl on the Trenton Sharp Shooters Team and I cleaned up!  

The fact that it didnt matter with shooting how strong you were or how fast you could run or how far you could throw. It was a level playing field and I loved it!

My brothers on the other hand...not so much.  As my medals and ribbons started adding up they started to like shooting less.  I kept at it and advanced from sitting to kneeling to prone to standing and very quickly....it was awesome...better yet...I was not as scared.

Soooo.....a very shy timid scared little girl was able to get a hefty dose of confidence from shooting.

That sums it up....with all the controversial issues surrounding guns.  I have never heard anyone talk about this angle...the sport that takes away the physical and allows people to compete in shooting right next to each other..man , woman, any age....any size.

My history with shooting has advanced ...alot!   Once married my hubby and I bought a simple revolver.  We enjoyed going shooting together.  It was a cheap hobby and we both enjoyed competing with each other.

Once we had kids the shooting all but stopped....too expensive and we wondered about gun safety.

The guns we had stayed locked up of course ... I did not bring them out around the kids.

Once the kids got older we started introducing them to the sport.  It is now a family hobby.

We love going to Michigan and hanging out with the family on the farm.  All the cousins line up and take turns......I LOVE watching the girls fire off a few rounds on the AR.

They all get so excited....so do I.

Soooo...there you have it...I have opened that door and I am stepping through...I am so excited to share the knowledge I have gained through the years and the perspectives I have on ownership.

Lock and Load Ladies!!

Respect....the story.

Lessons....

We teach our kids lessons all the time.  How to be kind.  How to be honest.  The consequences of not doing what they should have done....like homework.  These are all lessons that as adults we get..we have been there done that.

The other day I was at an auction.  It was a GREAT one!  There were pieces I really wanted and I bid to win.

Victorian dresser with square nails......the antiquity and craftsmanship is lovely

I can get kind of geeeeeked at an auction.  If you have not been....well the energy is palatable. You can taste the competition.   I talk about this obsession in one of my posts...http://joanniedoors.blogspot.com/2012/05/hunt.html

Dont worry...I am not going to add more layers of paint...this guy needs to be stripped..cant wait to see what is under all that paint.

There was a sweet little victorian dresser that had great lines.  It was heavy and it needed me.  As I marked it I heard a conversation in hushed tones behind me.  I tried to ignore it but it was hard too because it was about me.

each drawer has a lock and key............sigh

The little dresser was at auction because a family was liquidating their grandmothers estate.  There was a gal on the phone from across the country who despiritely wanted that dresser.  She remembered it from when she was a child and could not bare to think of it being sold at auction.

This is how you know you have an old piece....always check out the back....thick solid barn type blanks....

I froze.    All these treasures were obviously someones at one time.  That is the whole point.  The idea that things can be repurposed and reused and loved again.  But the heartache...the memories that are infused into the table that you had tea at with your beloved grandmother.  The dresser that held the hand mirror that belonged to your mother.  This is real ....the stories are inside of each piece.  They maybe dusty or covered in layers and layers of old paint...but the stories live on in the treasures and in the hearts of those that loved them before.

Dove tail.............stay tuned on this one...it will be for sale ...Most likely $350, but I need to see how much fun I need to put into it.

I was taught a lesson at auction.....one that intuitively I thought that I knew.  But I really didn't.
So...I want to thank all those old pieces that I have repurposed and loved on....thank the folks that kept them so that I could do what I love....and thank the customers that always become friends for keeping the story going.....it is humbling and i promise to RESPECT THE STORIES......always.

Change is in the air.....

Fall is a favorite time of year for me.  The sun looks different..less intense and the colors are calming ..like things are getting ready to slow down.

Everything has a glow about it.

The kitchen is full of warm smells.  Everything seems to be getting closer, snuggly, more relaxed.

  I kiss my kids more...random hugs.  I dare say that I even linger while folding clothes...to see how much they have grown and neatly tuck their t-shirts in their drawers.  Marveling that each one of them is a gift.  ....and then I trip over the  lego box...but the moment is still precious.


This move has been an awesome gift to me.  Some moves like the last are proving grounds..we already talked about that one... but this one has landed me  in an inspired space.  My love for decorating and junking has been renewed. 


This house has a unique floor plan.  The master is on the main and I have never had that before.  It has been a challenge and I have pulled all my color mastery to determine how I wanted this new space to feel.

I am working on a color palette.  I want this house to feel like a French Cottage, relaxed and elegant.

I have had some help....and I can not wait to share with you.....

Slippery little suckers......

Oh, I wish I was a little bar of soap, bar of soap
Oh, I wish I was a little bar of soap, bar of soap
I'd go slidey, slidey, slidey over every-body's hidey
Oh, I wish I was a little bar of soap, bar of soap.

I loved that song as a girl scout.  It had a great little rhythm and it was good clean fun....haaaa, get it..clean..WOW!  

I like to talk to my kids.  They are funny, intelligent and nice to be around.  They tell me about their views on life.  How they are feeling and what they dream about.  I let them ramble...on and on.


 I have to admit.  Sometimes I dont care for the topic or what their views are on somethings.  But I listen.  I think sometimes they need to hear their own voices saying somethings out loud.  To really hear what they are thinking.  There is sooooo much more to think about today as a teenager.  

The World is smaller.  Social media brings things into their lives that we never had to deal with.  It is normal and healthy for teens to question.  They need to. 

 It is one thing for us as parents to tell them how it is and it is completely different when they experience it for themselves.  It is insanely hard to not jump in and steer them clear of pain or heartache.  But what would that teach them?  What tools would I be giving them if I always gave them the answers or prevented an outcome?  How will they learn?

This is where the slippery part comes in.  I equate raising teenagers like holding onto a bar of soap.

The harder you squeeze the faster they are going to slip right out of your hands.  Choose your battles.  Keep your heart and your head level...open.  It is too easy to squeeze them......to try and control what they feel ......and it hurts.  It hurts us as parents when our kids turn on ideals and traditions that we as parents have held.  It doesn't feel good to let them find their own way.  Its scary as hell.....

We love our kids so much that holding onto them tightly seems like what we are suppose to do.  That pushing them into the way we do things makes sense because we've already done it.  We know what works.  Its logical.  We don't want to see them make mistakes.   Mistakes.....hummmm?  Perhaps the best way to look at that is as opportunities. Opportunities to teach.  Opportunities to show by example what being a Christian looks like.   Opportunities to see that not everything is done the right way but simply "a" way.   That our kids can teach us too.

There are too many broken hearted teens that dont feel heard.  They dont feel understood, like an alien in their own homes.  The emotions that are running through our kids are valid and real.  When they say they are in love.  ITS LOVE!  When they say I am sad.  LISTEN!  When they cry...HOLD THEM!  Get into their beds and cradle those 160lb 6'2" teens......they need us....now more then ever because soon they will be slipping right out of your hands.

Back.....

I could go on about the fact that it has been FOREVER since I have blogged.


I have missed it.  I missed the cataloging of what my people are doing and how I feel about things.
I missed the therapy of writting my thoughts down.  The idea that what I am sharing just might be helping someone, entertaining them, lifting them up or perhaps filling a void of somekind.

So...lament I will not...... NOPE I will just jump into where I am at and not look back.

Georgia!!

We moved!

Hubby has taken a great new opportunity and we jumped on it.
Am I sad that I left Virginia??
Hummmmmmmmm? NOPE!  Not one second of it.  I did not like Virginia!  There it is out there.
My sisters know it.  They had to deal with me through it.  I was not all that nice to be around in The Old Dominion.  MUAHHHHHHH!


Virginia was however an incredible proving ground for me.  You know what I mean by "proving ground"?  The place where things are tested....fortified...get the kinks worked out.  That was Virginia.

I HAD to learn to be happy and to find JOY!  Not the fake kind.  I am talking about the James kind of JOY.  The "Call it all Joy!' kind of thinking.  When you are in a place you dont like you can and do make yourself and everyone else around you miserable.  I did this.   I shut down.  I lived in Phillipians. I was the pitty pitty me girl.  An.....I got called out.  My sisters called me out.  My friends that I had met were and are incredible.  They listened to me and told me I was angry.  They showed up when I wouldnt answer the phone.  They were persistent.  I love them for it!   I had to look deep....very deep into what I was doing by CHOOSING to be miserable.  Because thats what it was...a CHOICE!
Mine  ....   all mine.... to choose.... to decide... to smile.... to laugh..... to be joyfull.  To fake it until I could make it.  To trust!   YES... to trust that God had me. ......God was using me in Virginia.  God was giving me the choice.  I have to admit I choose very poorly at first.  Eventually I did come around.  Not enought to say I would move back, but around enough to enbrace the people around me.
oxxoxoxox

.............................never look back.

How will they know?

  This weekend Aaron and I were sitting in the car after a family trip for icecream.  The kids had all gone into the house and we just sat for a few minutes.  We do this when we need the cone of silence.  It sometimes makes the kids nervous because they know we are "talkin".  Many a huge decisions have been made in the cone of silence.

I asked Aaron how we knew how to be parents?  A profound question.  When growing up no one
talked about when you get married and have kids you are going to need to know how to be patient and you are going to need to be totally selfless.  There was a lot of expectations to go to college and make money but never to be a good parent.  Maybe it was assumed.  I was not raised on the Bible.  We were church going but I did not have a personal relationship with God.   So the question..."How will your kids know how to be parents?"

I am tossing this out there.  I don't have an answer.  It is concerning and scary to me that we dont talk about it openly with our kids.  Our culture does nothing to address being a good parent.  There is lots and lots of talk about not getting "into trouble" and becoming a parent too soon.  But there is nothing that shows or teaches the gift of parenting.

Some folks say that Aaron and I are too hard on our kids.  Our four have lots of chores and they do not have a lot of outside the house activities..ie sports and such.  They do a lot at home and with each other.
They are expected to watch the younger ones when needed and they are expected to do it well.  Maybe this is like on the job training for when they are parents.

I wonder.....what celebrity would make an impact on young people.  What person would be a good spokes person for parenting?  What would they say?  What would you say?

Hummm??

Double for your Trouble

This might turn out to be more of a rant than a blog post...but Im ok with that.

Ladies...(gentlemen I am not ignoring you..but there are just more gals)

Each and everyone of us has incredible talents.

 God has given us these talents and blessings to serve Him.   Every time you get into the elevator to get to your office or cube you are working towards a goal.

Every time you empty the dishwasher you are working towards a goal.

When you pick up the phone to call a friend that has been a little too quiet you are working towards a goal.

Every single day when you get up and see your babies out the door you are woking towards a goal.

It is not a goal of financial wealth or of fame.
 It is not a goal that anyone else in this world will ever see.
 It is a simple formula.
 Painfully simple.
It is about doing the right thing.
 It is about serving others and always looking to Christ.  It is about having "ground hog day " over and over again.
Not because you like to clean the kitchen (maybe you do, but not me) but because you are working towards raising children and having a nice home for them and you want to keep your eyes on the prize.

There are times when we are stopped in our tracks by what is happening to us..what someone is saying, or what someone is doing.  Mean, hurtful things that can take our breath right out of us.  Times when we are on our faces.  Times when evil is lurking and threatening our Faith.  Tests....

These tests dont just show up in small manageable doses.  They slam you to the fence with a tidal wave of circumstances.
The magnitude of the reality of our world is cruel and harsh.
How can we fight such opposition?  What power do we have?

Indeed..."What are our defenses?"

What are your defenses?

Where is your shelter?

How do you respond to the attacks?

Again...it is simple.  You do the work.

Every single day...every single moment.....every single night...you show up.
Ya see....I have been counsel to many a close dear friends.  It is a huge blessing to have sisters in Christ.  You raise one another up.  You dry tears.  You make meals.  You dig in.  You pray.

You basically ignore the bad and focus on the good.  Super simple..but soooo hard.

I have the hardest time when it comes to my kids.  I am a mama bear times a million.  I am a fierce protector.  But I can not protect them from themselves.  Two are teenagers.  They are going to make choices...ones that I might not like.  They are going to push....and test.  This makes me sooo scared.  I have prayed so many times for the days of sleepless nights and diapers.  Watching your kids learning to fly is terrifying....and ohhh sooo exhilarating.

You truly will get double for all your trouble.  Keeping your eyes on the prize.  Showing up.  Listening to the teenage stories and drama.  Making the calls.  Taking the meals.  Fighting the good fight.

 Every single day...focusing on Him.

I love IG..Insta Gram!!!

Merry Christmas....................

Do you feel like the Barbie at the end of "Toy Story 3..."are we done yet?  is everybody gone?...Geeze..my cheeks are killing me..."

Is this you??  All the shopping all the running all the visiting...you just need a brake.

From Thanksgiving until today....I have been on full power. The four kids and the parties and the running.

Now I love every second of it....but I forget some of it ya know???  

That is why I love love love IG....

I have taken more pictures of sweet moments this past season and I am so thankful because today I was able to sit back and look at this busy blessed season and  remember....

Merry Christmas....to all !!!!   come and see me at joanniedoors on IG...so much fun...

Smooches!!

Freedom...

There is a great deal to be said of this last election. 

 But whether your guy won or lost doesn't matter for the purpose of this post. 

 What matters is the process that we took part in.  

The process of choosing. 

 On the days, weeks..leading up to the election we all had the right to choose how to show our support for our values and beliefs.

  Some choose to toss their opponent under the bus...but that too is another post.

  

We had the opportunity to exercise the muscles of democracy. 

 We all had the freedom to think for ourselves and act accordingly.

  

 Simple.....freedom.

But we know that freedom came at a great cost.

We took the family to Washington DC over Thanksgiving weekend.

We walked the National Mall and took in all the sights.

This never gets old to me. 

 I remember going to DC as a child and The Lincoln Memorial steps , though an easier climb still leave me breathless. 
 I hope one day when I am very old they still take my breath away.

My kids are older now and much much wiser.  They know how to connect the dots.

  My William is 13 and the memorials hit him hard.  
He cried openly as he experienced the WWII memorial.

My hubby is fiercely God and Country and he too was overwhelmed by the sacrifices.

It was an extraordinary family trip.  One that left me with the question on freedom....

The fact that many people on our planet do not have freedoms that we take for granted.  

The freedom to think and act as we wish.  The freedom to open our minds and our hearts...

My father in love..(law), but I adore him..so love is more fitting...sent this to me and it was heavenly timing....

“The freedom to be lords of our own tiny skull-sized kingdoms, alone at the center of all creation. This kind of freedom has much to recommend it. But of course there are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talked about in the great outside world of winning and achieving and displaying. The really important kind of freedom involves attention, and awareness, and discipline, and effort, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them, over and over, in myriad petty little unsexy ways, every day. That is real freedom. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default-setting, the “rat race” — the constant gnawing sense of having had and lost some infinite thing.” commencement speech by David Foster Wallace given in 2005 (complete read is about 15-minutes – it’s one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever read). In it he said…

Did you get all that????

Holy Cow!!!

At times being a mom..a parent seems like "Groundhog day,". The endless discipline.  The hearing your voice repeat the same stuff over and over.  The tasks that are the same and never ending......this isn't sexy...this is important...this takes great effort...this is self sacrifice...and we choose to do it every single day...without pay...without rest..because we choose to.

I know this is a twist on freedom....

But it makes so much sense to me.


 
God has given each of us the opportunity to choose.  We are innately free to do His will.  To serve others and to care for other people in our own lives in our own homes.