books

In the past couple of weeks I've read two books. The first came highly recommended to me - Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. I think when a book or movie comes highly recommended I build it up a little too much in my head and by the time I read/see it I feel disappointed. This was definitely a good book but not my favorite. It is about an old man remembering back on his days with the circus during the great depression. I wish I had a book group to discuss it with. In an interview with the author at the end of the book she mentions how she parallels this story to the story of Jacob in Genesis and frankly I'm just not seeing it.


This past week I read this. Through the Shadowlands contains a brief biograpy of C.S. Lewis and of his wife Joy Davidman. It tells us how they met and how their relationship developed. It was very interesting and inspiring. I happened upon this book in the Bargain Bookstore and thought I would enjoy it - and I did. I often build up a great theologian, writer, artist in my head to be about perfect. Its usually encouraging to get to know these famous folks and find out what weaknesses and imperfections made them just as human as the rest of us. And at the same time it is inspiring because they did live their lives exceptionally as well.

Here's my hang-up as a reader. I like to read. I like to read different genre's but I tend to stay with Christian literature mostly. Which sometimes is flat or just gets boring. So I branch out and read some of the bestsellers - which are usually full of complex characters and amazing details. But then sometimes I feel dragged down by the depravity that is depicted. My heart says "I don't want to know that people are capable of doing such things. I like my sheltered little world. I've dealt with enough of my own pain and depravity in my life."

Then I think, how am I going to relate to this world I live in if I shelter myself. Not that I need to go down every depraved path possible but should I really stick strictly to Christian authors? I think the answer is no, of course. So I guess I'll just keep doing what I am doing which is mixing it up and staying away from those books that when I read the backs seem like they will be too disturbing or upseting to me. Sometimes I think I'm just a big wimp!

the Scratch Test

Today, I took my middle son, Jay, to the allergist for a scratch test. This is where they give him about 40ish "pokes" in his back with little plastic "pokey-things" (the technical term, I believe). Each poke is a different possible allergen. The reason for this testing is because Jay is just miserable in the spring time with allergy symptoms. It makes it difficult for him to get much accomplished in school at the end of the year. And I am hoping for something to control it better than the over-the-counter remedies we've been using.

I wish I could post a photo of his back after the "pokes". The side where they were testing tree and grass pollens and weeds looked like he had been bitten by a couple dozen mosquitoes. I was very impressed with him because he was so anxious about getting poked but he held it together and never let out a full scream (which the entire office would have heard). He also laid still on his stomach another 15 minutes without touching his back even though he complained that it itched.

Turns out that he has some severe allergies to the tree and grass pollens that are in our area April-June. So now we are discussing whether we want to put him through routine allergy shots - anywhere from once a week to once every 8-12 weeks throughout the year - or just try to use a few prescription meds in the spring to control it. I can already hear the screams that will come when the give him the shots. Will he get used to them or will it be more trouble than its worth? I hate making these decisions.

Face your Manga

Yeah - I don't know. Does it look like me at all?

You know you're a child of the 70's if...

First off I want to apologize to my devoted readers (I am talking to all 8 of you) for not updating my blog in almost 2 months. I plead busyness - school began, fall activities began and its a busy time with the special needs ministry....and worst of all I now have a facebook page which is just one more time sucker in my life! But I'm back.

This will not be a post where I list all the ways you know you were a child of the 70's. Instead I will just tell you of the two moments that this was made clear to me yesterday by my children.

First, my 13 y/o son was trying to call a family friend, who is an older lady who does not have call waiting or voicemail (or a cell phone - eek!). So Sam dials and listens and he is making a funny face, says he doesn't know what this is and hands me the phone. "It's a busy signal", I say. He still has the same confused, blank expression. This is when I realize that not only does he not recognize the annoying intermittent tone but he has never even heard the term "busy signal". I wasn't sure if I wanted to laugh or cry.

Then, as I was driving with my 8 y/o he began talking to me about seeing men on TV who were twirling and throwing sticks with the ends lit on fire. He asks me if I've ever seen this and I say yes I have on TV. (of course I am thinking about luau at the end of the Brady Bunch episode when they are in Hawaii) Then on the ride home he is talking about this man who was talking to a statue and when he watched the fire show he said, "I wish Oliver could see this". At this point, sadly, a light bulb goes on in my head and I ask Luke if he watched the Brady Bunch at his friends house that afternoon. I actually remember that the "bad guy" would talk to this idol he named Oliver!!! What does that say about my upbringing? It says I watched A LOT of Brady Bunch reruns after school each day.

So there is my trip down memory lane yesterday. What do you remember about the days gone by when you were a child?

Happy 8th Birthday Jedi Luke

And may the Force be with you.

Procrastination is my middle name

I remember the first time I heard the word 'procrastination'. I was about 10-11 years old and my mother used it to describe me as I was putting off some task I had to do. I stopped and asked her to say the word again and tell me what it meant. I repeated it. I just loved the sound of it - the way it rolled off the tongue. Of course what I didn't realize was that somehow my soul innately felt drawn to this word.

And here I am on this August afternoon avoiding (or should I say procrastinating) folding the rest of the clean laundry. Folding laundry isn't so bad but for some reason today I have found several other things to do rather than fold (like post a new blog entry). It sits there as I clean out my closet and finish unpacking from our trip (yep - I got home on Monday from that and I'm just getting around to putting the rest of the odds and ends away on Friday). I worked out, made breakfast and lunch (oh wait, I bought lunch on my way home) for my boys. I needed to water the plants outside (its been dry lately) and then a few friends dropped by to say hello or drop something off. And now I need to go bake those cupcakes for Luke's bday celebration tomorrow. The laundry can wait.

The thing about us procrastinators is we have a love/hate relationship with deadlines. We, of course, hate them because it is this looming time-bomb just waiting to go off. "What if we don't have *it* finished by then? What if *it*s not just right by then?" But then there's the appreciation of knowing that it gives us a boundary to work in - us procrastinators really need boundaries.

So my self-proclaimed deadline is tonight by the time my husband arrives home from his trip. That will probably be around midnight so I still have a few hours to go. I know that when I am getting ready for bed tonight, I am going to be kicking myself for not folding this laundry earlier in the day when I wasn't feeling like I could fall asleep standing up. Maybe I'll just spend this next 5-10 minutes folding it and then it will be off my shoulders.....or maybe I should get those cupcakes started.

Riding the Rapids!

Last week we had an incredible time at Young Life's family camp (Trail West) in Colorado! It was truly a week of adventure for our (adventure-challenged) family. We rode horses, hiked up to the continental divide, (some of us - not me) conquered our fear of heights by completing a high ropes course, and we went white water rafting on the Arkansas River. Here is a great photo of our family riding the rapids (that's Murphy, our guide in the middle - and his first name is Murphy, not his last - and he told us he was in fact named after the family dog - ha!). We had a blast - until we were drenched in a 33 degree rain shower, which made the melted-mountain-snow river seem much warmer! It was definitely an adventure we are all proud to say we experienced together.

I will post more photos later. And pray that I can figure out how to post a video. We were so proud of Jay going thru the ropes course despite his extreme fear of heights and I'd like to get it on my blog here.