Seeking Him

Creativity

Creativity- the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, or the like and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc.; originality, progressiveness, imagination.

I've been thinking about creativity this week.  With the passing yesterday of one of our generations' most creative minds, it has struck me that creativity is perhaps at the heart of what makes us fully alive.  On a spiritual level, creativity is our very connection to our Creator- the life force that makes us most like our Heavenly Father in whose image we were created.  

My eldest daughter and I had the privilege this past weekend to be in the cast of an original musical called Weaver.  The story and the music  of Weaver (except for 2 songs) were written entirely by my friends Don and Zoe.  This particular story, the melodies, the lyrics were not present in our world prior to Don and Zoe deciding to bring it into existence.  Something within them decided that, in a world full of songs and stories, something new was needed...something different...something beautiful.  Something we didn't know we were missing until we experienced it.  As actors, singers, artists and musicians, we then became part of the creative process by adding our own touch to the story...a collective work of creation that further touched the lives of both the participants and the members of the audience.

Multiply our experience by every song you hear, every play you watch, every book you read, every piece of artwork you enjoy.  What causes someone to decide that the world isn't enough with just the status quo?  Why do we build a more beautiful building, sing a different song, paint another painting?  What inspires us to dig deep within ourselves and expose ourselves to criticism and judgement by offering up our creations to public scrutiny?  

While I have been speaking specifically of more traditional forms of "art" such as theatre, music, and painting, I think the opportunity to look back over the life of Steve Jobs reminds us that creativity occurs anytime we allow ourselves to think outside the confines of that which already exists.   Mr. Jobs, in his short life, created products that we didn't even know we needed and now we are sure we just can't live without.  He didn't allow failure to stop him from imagining something new, something better, something different.  I don't know whether he was a man of faith, but it seems to me that he lived his life with an understanding that being in touch with his creativity meant making a difference in the world.  I love these words from his address to the Stanford students in 2005:

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

As a believer, following my "heart and intuition" is directly related to staying connected to the originator of that Creative spark within me.  Knowing that God made each of us with the ability and the yearning to be creative forces within this world challenges me to pay attention to those opportunities that I am given to step outside of the status quo and do something different, even when it is scary.  I read this quote from Julia Cameron last week while we were in our final days of rehearsal for Weaver and it really resonated with me:  

‎"We are ourselves creations. We are meant to continue creativity by being creative ourselves. This is the God-force extending itself through us. Creativity is God's gift to us. Using creativity is our gift back to God."

As I said before, it makes sense to me that the creative spark within each one of us is the very thing that most exemplifies the "family resemblance" we have with the One in whose image we were created.  As I sought to describe what I think that feels like for us, I recalled the words to one of my favorite songs from another musical Children of Eden.

 
I've got an itching on the tips of my fingers
I've got a boiling in the back of my brain
I've got a hunger burning inside me, can not be denied 
I've got feeling that the Father who made us
When he was kindling a pulse in my veins
He left a tiny spark of that fire, smoldering inside

The spark of creation, is flickering within me
The spark of creation,is blazing in my blood
A bit of the fire that lit up the stars
And breathed life into the mud, the first inspiration
The spark of creation

I see a mountain and I want to climb it
I see a river and I want to leave shore
Where there was nothing let there be something, something made by me
There's things waiting for me to invent them 
There's worlds waiting for me to explore
I am an echo of the eternal cry of
Let there be!

The spark of creation, is burning bright within me
The spark of creation, won't let me rest at all
Until I discover or build or uncover
A thing that I can call, my celebration
Of the spark of creation

The spark of creation, may it burn forever
The spark creation, I am a keeper of the flame
We think all we want is a lifetime of leisure
Each perfect day the same
Endless vacation
Well that's alright if you're a kind crustacean 
But when you're born with an imagination
Sooner or later you're feeling the fire get higher and higher
The spark of creation!!!

Having the opportunity to participate in the colloborative creative process of Weaver this past weekend was truly a privilege.  Performing with my daughter, who is passionate about the art of theatre, was a tremendous blessing.  She is in several shows a year and it gave me an even greater sense of admiration for her work ethic, her talent and the courage she displays every time she puts herself out there in the hopes of creating something meaningful.  Zoe and Don are my heroes for believing in their own spark of creation and trusting the process even when the end result was unclear.  I am inspired by all the artists with whom I worked these past few weeks.

"I am an echo of the eternal cry of Let There Be!"

His Mercies Are New Every Morning

I love a clear morning after a night of steady rain.  The world looks like it has been washed clean.  I particularly enjoy seeing my flowers as the sun comes out and they stretch out, energized by their soaking nourishment.  As much as I water my plants, they always seem stronger when God does the watering.  When I stand there with my hose, I get bored or distracted and probably move on to the next container or flower bed before they have had their fill.  A long, deep drink of water takes time and I am an often impatient gardener.

I saw a link this week on Facebook that caught my eye.  A friend referred us to a blog entry entitled "The Disease Called Perfection" and I was moved by what I read.  I'll let you read it for yourself but, suffice it to say, I could definitely relate.  The comments generated by the author's challenge to be "real" numbered well over 4,000 the last time I looked.  I read a few pages of them and they broke my heart with their desperation and hopelessness.  Person after person in bondage to their inability to overcome the parts of themselves that they hated and too ashamed to reach out for support.  Many expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be "real" and to discover that they weren't alone in their struggles to be a better version of themselves.  The fact that almost 5,000 people commented and well over 100,000 people have recommended the post to others speaks volumes about the universality of this issue.  We live in a broken, hurting world and we are unable to fix that brokenness or fix ourselves.

As I have continued to think about what I read and the ways in which I can personally relate, it became increasingly clear to me that it is for this reason that Jesus came.  This shame, this brokenness, this helplessness to change ourselves and the isolation we feel as we pretend to have it all together...this is the very human condition that makes the Good News such very good news. 

On my own, I struggle to change enough of my bad habits and stupid choices to "clean up nice" for company.  If I can look like I have it all together...that my house is perfect, my marriage is perfect, my children are perfect, my church life is perfect...then perhaps noone will suspect the areas where I struggle to keep my head above water or the issues which threaten to rob me of peace.

In Christ, by contrast, I can choose to remember what scripture says about Who God is and who I am in Him.  In Christ, I can hold firm to the promise that the good work begun in me WILL be carried on to completion...not by my own power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit within me.  In Christ, I am reminded that God sees me as holy and forgiven.  I am His precious child and He delights in me, sings over me and rejoices over me.  He will continue to work in me to transform me into the image of Christ and I can do all things through Him who gives me the strength.  Whatever my struggles, He will never leave me or forsake me.  There is no condemnation in Christ.  It is for freedom that Christ has set us free and we no longer have to be slaves to that which has formerly kept us in bonds of shame and despair.  Whatever it is, whatever the struggle, we are more than conquerors through Him who LOVES us!  

Some days I forget all that.  Some days, I can get bogged down in the frustration of my humanity, my "so not perfectness."  Some days I put on a happy face and pretend.  Yet, more and more often, as I remember His promises to me, I choose to believe Him instead of the world.  His mercies are new every morning, but I must drink deeply to reap the benefits.  I have to return to the well of His Word often and linger there a while.  In God's time, His will for me unfolds and I see the fruit of His tender care.  I am so grateful that someone shared that good news with me.  In case you hadn't heard, this good news is for you as well.  His Kingdom come, His will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

Living Life Online- Facebook, Blogging, IPhones, Etc.

If you are over 40, you perhaps share my amazement at how the world has changed in our lifetime.  I recently blogged about my journey parenting teenagers, but neglected to mention the additional challenges created by the fact that my kids can be connected to their peers 24/7 due to their access to cell phones and Facebook.  Living life online is the only way my kids know how to be teenagers.  It is a challenge that our parents did not face when we were making our journeys through adolescence, so we have no model to follow on this front.  As I find with much of this parenting thing, we are making it up as we go along...even more so, in terms of guiding our children and their use of social media and technology.  Perhaps a good addition to my list in that previous blog entry: remember that we as parents have to teach our kids that computers and cell phones are not a right, but a privilege...a privilege that can be lost, if not handled responsibly.

But I digress...I am not interested in talking today about my kid's use of technology, but my own.  Although I ostensibly originally got on Facebook to spy on my teenagers, I have found myself to be every bit as enamored by it as they are.  In fact, I love ALL of this stuff!  I was thrilled by my first car phone in the early 90s...remember, they were actually installed in your car?  You couldn't carry it around with you!  No phone in the grocery store; how did we survive?  And I remember when my girlfriend in Michigan showed me this cool Internet thing when I was there visiting her in the mid 90's. Funny how antiquated that first computer we had then would be now that we are a house of multiple computers.  The phones got smaller, the hard drives got bigger, the internet access got faster and now I can access my email and Facebook from my phone from anywhere in the world!  And don't even get me started on how much I love my IPhone...it is ridiculous!  Frankly, it still seems like some kind of magic to me that I can be on my wireless home phone with my sister in North Carolina and email her a picture, either with my cell phone or my computer, while I am still talking to her and she can instantly see what I am referencing.  Crazy!

I began blogging in September of 2005 after being introduced to the blogging world by my friend Neil (whose blog I still enjoy.)  Initially, I blogged A LOT and found that it opened up a whole new world for me.  I loved the creativity of writing and I have been blessed by the opportunity to share my faith journey with the folks who stopped by to read what I had to say.  When I added Facebook to the mix a couple of years ago, I found that I backed off blogging a bit to play with this "new toy."  In the last couple of months, I have begun to connect my Facebook community and my blog readers with some extremely cool technology that my blogging host Typepad has recently offered. 

Please join me on a tour of the new features that we now offer here at Seeking Him  :-)

• My blog is set up to automatically post my entries on Facebook.  My friends on Facebook can then click on the link and be taken directly to my blog.
• Once here, my readers have the opportunity to "Like" my blog by clicking on the Facebook "like" button on the left side of the page.  Besides making me feel validated (as in you aren't really liked until you are "Liked" on Facebook :-)) I think that it somehow gives the "fans" of my blog some additional notification when I post a new entry.  For those of you who have "liked" my blog, thank you so much! 
• There is also a Facebook "like" button under each particular blog entry.  This gives readers the opportunity to express their enjoyment of a particular entry and thereby "recommend" it to their Facebook friends by it showing up on their Facebook page as something they "liked."  Everyone still with me?  
• This is my favorite one!!  Under each post, there is a feature called "LinkWithin" that recommends three other posts I have written in the past.  Through some kind of internet magic, this application scans the entry for key words and topics, then recommends three "you might also like."  I have really enjoyed this one, as it has reminded me of things I have written in the past and showed me how God was working in my life at that point in my journey.
• Also under each entry, there is a "Favorites" button.  Although I love the idea that readers could mark some of their favorite entries, I don't actually know what happens when you click that link.  If you read something you particularly like, would you click on that button for me and let me know what happens?  :-)
• There is also a "Reblog" button.  I think this allows you to copy my entry and share it on your own blog....again, you can see that I didn't exactly read the fine print when I added this feature.
• Lastly, the banner across the top is another new feature that I love.  That is a picture of flowers from my very own garden!  I love that I can personalize my blog by using my own pictures, so stay tuned for seasonal changes!  

So there you have it!!  Before I added anymore bells and whistles, I thought I would update everyone on some of the cool stuff that is already there.  I'm sure Typepad will come up with more fun toys to add to my blog and I will have to add them as well.  Did I mention that I can also access my blog from my phone?  So far, I have never posted a blog entry from my phone, but the fact that I could if I wanted to makes me giggle. So fun!

Why I Gave Up Facebook for Lent

First of all, I love Facebook.  I do not think that Facebook represents the decline of civilization, the root of all evil, or the single most likely factor to destroy our children.  I love Facebook!  Facebook is fun and I have had a blast getting in touch with childhood friends, spying on my teenagers, finding out the latest news, looking at pictures and generally plugging in to my culture through this new phenomenon of social media. During the recent snowstorm here on the East Coast, FB was a fabulous way of connecting and commiserating while we were all stuck in our houses....even when our power was out, many of us went on FB on our phones!  It was fun to see everyone's snow pictures, to share our snow totals with friends in warmer climates, and to generally stay connected with my community.  I did not decide to take a break from Facebook because I think Facebook is bad.  Furthermore, I do not think everyone else, or for that matter, anyone else should give up Facebook for Lent.  In fact, I have no opinion whatsoever about your relationship with Facebook.

So why then, you ask (at least one of you,) did I decide to take a break from Facebook during this season of Lent?  It's really none of your business.

Just kidding!!   I chose to inform my Facebook friends of my "status" for Lent so that noone would take it personally if I don't respond to their friend request, their comment, their awesome pictures, their inspirational message or any other overtures of interaction that may be directed my way.  Before I disappeared, I thought I would alert anyone who checks their Newsfeed every day JUST to see what I am doing :-)  Since you (Neil) are interested, here is why.

In my Protestant background, the observance of Lent is largely left up to the individual.  We are not required to observe any particular dietary restrictions and noone really talks that much about "giving something up" for Lent.  In my church, the youth actually tend to take the lead on the discussion and observance of Lent.  Their media fast during Lent last year actually gave me the idea of "fasting" from Facebook this year.  In past years, I have been more likely to add a spiritual discipline during Lent, rather than give something up. 

For me, Lent is about preparing for the re-birth and renewal of the Resurrection.  As Easter approaches, I like to take inventory of where I am in my journey with the Lord.  What is working as I seek to hear His voice and see His glory in my day to day life?  What gets in the way of me seeing Him at work?  My experience tells me that where there is lack of peace in my life, it is there that there may also be a lack of obedience.  What spiritual disciplines bring His will and word into greater focus...prayer, study, sabbath rest, worship, fellowship?  And where have I blurred that vision with distractions that draw my gaze elsewhere?  Am I missing opportunities to be a blessing because I am rushing through my life with my spiritual eyes shut? 

As I consider those questions, I naturally had to consider how I use my time.  Because I do not work outside the home, I have a large degree of flexibility in how I plan my days.  Taking care of my family, fulfilling my volunteer obligations, serving in my church, spending time with friends can all be done in the order and with the priority that I choose.  Because of that, I often find myself "working" without any clear deadlines.  It is awfully easy for me to get distracted by things that, if I thought about it, are not a priority for me.  And that brings us back to Facebook. 

Facebook, FOR ME, is a huge time waster (re-read my first paragraph if that statement causes your to feel defensive or protective of FB.) FOR ME, much of what I do on Facebook is useless.  While I love connecting with my friends, I have to honestly admit that 75% of the time that I am logged into my Facebook account is primarily a vehicle for procrastination...again, FOR ME.  Checking the FB newsfeed numerous times a day has become a habit that is no longer about community or connection, but rather a way of putting off folding the laundry, paying the bills or other mundane tasks that I may be putting off.  And FOR ME, that procrastination contributes to me feeling too busy, too rushed, and spread too thin when that really isn't the case at all.  So time management is one reason I am taking a break from Facebook.

The second reason is really more important.  FB, FOR ME, can serve as a shortcut for my attempts to meet really important needs in my life...ways in which I take care of my emotional and spiritual well-being.  Because I don't work in an office and my kids are gone all day, I am alone a great deal of the day.  I have my afternoons at the Lamb Center and occasional meetings with church committees or school obligations, but I spend a lot of time alone.  Alone is good...sometimes.  I think sometimes I go on Facebook to connect to friends and find fellowship when what I really need to do is call a friend to meet for coffee or lunch.  FOR ME, it is like being really hungry and choosing to eat a candy bar instead of sitting down for a healthy meal...it satiates the hunger for the short term, but it doesn't really provide much nutrition.   Yes, FB can be part of community, but it can't become a substitute for community.  It is a shortcut, a quick fix for my need to connect to friends, for my need to share my thoughts through my writing, for my need to see into my children's world.  Disconnecting from FB for a while is my way of choosing to do my connecting face to face during this Lenten season.  Face to face with my family, face to face with my friends, face to face with myself through more writing, and face to face with God through more study and prayer. 

My blog automatically posts to FB, so many of you may actually be reading my ramblings on FB and I love that!!  And I still get all my FB email updates, so I am not completely cut off.  I would love to hear your thoughts or comments about your relationship with Facebook...what are the good things you get from Facebook and what are the not-so-good things?  Also, what are the ways that you observe Lent that you find most meaningful?

FOR REAL!!

My daughters and I attended the Revolve Tour this weekend with a group of 50 moms and daughters from our church community.  Along with 4,000 others, we listened, laughed, danced, sang and worshipped.  This event was produced by Women of Faith and was a celebration of all the beauty and promise that is a young woman in her teenage years.  I loved everything about the weekend; spending time with my daughters, spending time with many of my very best friends and hearing from some incredibly talented young women and men who have devoted themselves to letting teenage girls know that God loves them...for real!

Truly, I enjoyed the entire production and I was so grateful that we had made the effort to get this many girls to the conference.  The message, in my opinion, was something that every girl going through these tumultous years needs to hear...be real.  Who you are right this minute, the unique individual that God made YOU to be, is just the person that the world needs now.  Not a version of yourself that seeks to be like everyone else, not the version of yourself that blends in with the crowd, not the version of yourself that looks more like the magazine covers...but the REAL you, with all your quirks, your passions, your talents, your beauty. 

All the performers were wonderful and reinforced the theme message of the weekend.  The girls particularly enjoyed a young man named Chad Eastham who unraveled the mystery of what guys really think.  The girls in my car spent the ride home reading excerpts of his book out loud; much laughter!!  We are all inspired by a 14 year old young man named Austin Gutwein who showed them that even a kid can change the world.  The Drama Team made us all laugh and think.  The musical artists had us on our feet dancing and singing; Group 1 Crew, Stellar Kart, and Britt Nicole.  We truly worshipped and made a seriously LOUD and joyful noise to the Lord!

My favorite speaker was Jenna Lucado, the daughter of author Max Lucado.  Jenna's message struck home for me personally and is the one that I will continue to pray over my daughters.  Jenna started on Friday night by showing us the various ways the world defines us and then making the suggestion that we won't know who WE really are until we understand who God really is.  On Saturday, she expanded on that by relaying to the girls some really important points about who God is.

First, she suggested that we follow a God who really GETS us.  She talked about the special kind of friends who really know us and love us anyway...who know our quirks, our passions, our talents and our weaknesses and love us for all of them!  She said that God is that friend who gets us in ways that other people can't even begin to understand...in ways we can't even understand about ourselves!  He created each of us in unique ways that fit perfectly with the plans that He has for us.  Because of Jesus, He understands how hard life can be sometimes; what it feels like to hurt, what it feels like to be rejected, to be lonely, to be left out. to be disappointed.  He is the God who really GETS us!

She also suggested that we follow a God who has GOT us.  She shared a story with which many of us were familiar to illustrate this idea.  She talked about being scared of the deep end of the pool when she was little and how her dad tried to help her with her fears.  He would stand down in the deep end, hold out his arms to her and say "Jump!  Don't be afraid; I've got you!"  Our heavenly Father is the God who says to us "Don't be afraid!  I've GOT you!"  Scripture tells us over and over that He will never leave us or forsake us; that whatever we face in this life, we will never walk through it alone.  He doesn't ever promise that life will be easy, but He does promise that He will be with us in all circumstances.  This one brought me to tears as she spoke directly to those girls who perhaps did not feel that kind of safety net from their earthly fathers.  This God is the Heavenly Father who's GOT us!

Finally, she suggested that we follow a God who wants to GIVE us a new name.  She used the visual of big name tags with "names" we might give ourselves...names like "defeated," or "nobody" or "not loved."  She shared with us specific scripture verses that refuted those names and gave us the truth about who we are to God.  God names us "more than conquerors."  God names us "daughters of the King."  God names us each "Beloved."  God names us "Forever."  With the names that God gives us, we know who we really are and we begin to live with confidence from that reality. 

Who are we?  We are God's Beloved!  What did we learn this weekend?  God loves you, the REAL you...FOR REAL!!

Our Patchwork Heritage

My daughter made this photo art from one of the pictures that she took at the Inauguration on Tuesday.  The words in the photo are from President Obama's speech.  I thought is was really cool!

This is what it says:

For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus — and non-believers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.

Witness to History

As most of you know, we live in the Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C.  From the moment that Barack Obama first announced his candidacy, I told the girls that we would be attending this historic inauguration in person.  And Tuesday morning of this week, we were there with close to 2 million of our American brothers and sisters to witness arguably the most significant historical event of my lifetime up close and personally. 

  Because of the unprecedented crowds expected for the inauguration, we moved into Georgetown on Monday night.  Friends of ours were kind enough to lend us their lovely home in Georgetown, in spite of the fact that they had been offered BIG money for it!  If you don't know, Georgetown is about a 2 mile walk from the National Mall. 

We got up at 6:00 a.m., quickly dressed in MANY warm layers (picture heading for the ski slopes) and hurriedly headed to the local Starbucks on our way towards the Capitol.  As we came out of Starbucks, the soon-to-be President's motorcade sped by us on his way to that morning's prayer service. The closer we got to our destination, the more people we found ourselves walking beside until we were part of a crowd that completely filled the otherwise quiet streets of the city.  It was eerie to see the streets of D.C. with absolutely NO car traffic whatsoever!  As you can see from the picture, as we entered the Mall area, the sun was just rising.  My eyes repeatedly filled with tears as I took in the sights of the many, many joyful people surrounding the historic monuments as we all moved closer to the Capitol.  The red hatted volunteers had clearly been instructed to greet the crowds warmly and that they did!  As strangers greeted one another, many of us agreed that indeed THIS was going to be a very, very  good day.

As we walked towards the Capitol, they began to replay Sunday's We Are One concert on the Jumbotrons that lined the Mall.  One moment that I found particularly moving was the when the National Anthem began to play from the beginning of that broadcast and the many soldiers who lined the area stopped whatever they had been doing and uniformly took the position that you see in the photo (click on it to make it larger.)  In the photo you can also see that there were many, many, many potties on the Mall that day.  In fact, we later agreed that there may have actually been more than they needed!  As the owner of the smallest bladder in my family, I was very pleased with this decision by the planning committee! 

We finally decided to stop moving forward when we found ourselves about mid-way down the Mall.  For those of you who are familiar with this area, we were between the Smithsonian Castle and the Musuem of Natural History.  Although we could see the Capitol building clearly, we could only really see the staging area with binoculars.  However, the enormous Jumbotrons lining the expanse that is called the National Mall made it easy to experience the entire ceremony like you were in the front row.  When we had picked our spot, we settled down to wait.  We had filled the pockets of our ski jackets with newspapers, books, playing cards and snacks.  In addition, the girls had each downloaded a movie onto their Ipods.

The energy in the crowd was incredible!  We met people who had traveled from all over the country to be here for this momentous occasion.  People of every race and generation were represented that day and, in spite of the cold, everyone was in a great mood.  For those who also enjoy people watching, this was a front row seat to the best show in town.  As they began to introduce the dignitaries entering the grandstands, people started to get more and more energized and excited.  We were all on our feet by then and would remain on our feet for the rest of the day.

I could give you all the details of each moment as it unfolded from there, but I am sure that anyone reading this was watching the whole thing right along with us that morning.  It was a series of moments that I will never forget.  It is a morning that I hope my children will relish telling their grandchildren about someday.  By then, I hope the novelty and import of a person of African-American heritage being sworn in as president of the United States is a common place occurence.  I pray so.  But this time...this first time...it was a really important, transformational moment in the life of our country.  As a person with white skin, I can only imagine and attempt to understand the emotion that I saw on the face of the elderly African-American woman who stood next to me, tears streaming down her face.  I would guess that in her lifetime, she experienced first hand the hostility and hatred that builds separate drinking fountains and posts "white only" signs.  I don't think we can overestimate the healing that took place to our collective psyche on Tuesday morning when our nation entrusted Barack Obama with the leadership of this country.   I just hope and pray that we can take this moment and build on it into the future.  

After the ceremony was over, we began the much more difficult task of leaving the Mall.  Although we were trying to go North and West towards Georgetown, it quickly became apparent that we were only going to be allowed to go South.  After a lovely detour by the Jefferson Memorial and then the World   War II memorial, we finally found ourselves heading back to Georgetown to warm up and get something to eat.  We had no problem driving out of the city and were back at home by 4:30 that afternoon.  Obviously, we skipped the parade which lasted well past dark!

I have been talking about my support for Barack Obama here on this blog for well over a year.  I find him to be an inspirational leader unlike any I have seen, listened to or read about in my lifetime.  Based on the sheer enormity of what happened in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, it appears that I am not alone.  Whether you voted for him or not, I believe Americans are joining together in wishing him well and praying for his success.  I appreciate that he continually reminds us that this is not about him, but about all of us joining together and believing that we can contribute to our collective well-being.  That we all have a responsibilty to be part of the solution.  As a Christian, that begins by committing to pray daily for him and his administration as they begin this journey.  Will you join me?

Thank You, Misters President

This bought tears of joy to my eyes.  These faces, these men of diverse backgrounds, ages and ethnicities, these words of what I believe to be heartfelt good wishes and genuine respect....this is what democracy is all about.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

On a Lighter Note

Received this interesting scientific information in an email today:

UCLA Study

A study conducted by UCLA's Department of Psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle.

For example: If she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features. However, if she is menstruating or menopausal, she tends to be more attracted to a man with duct tape over his mouth and a spear lodged in his forehead while he is on fire.

No further studies are expected.

 

 

Words from Thomas Friedman

Thought this article from Thomas Friedman was excellent!  I have so many thoughts and feelings about what happened Tuesday.  He articulated many of my thoughts better than I could have.  I'm sure I will blog more later about all of it.

November 5, 2008

Op-Ed Columnist, New York Times

Finishing Our Work

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

And so it came to pass that on Nov. 4, 2008, shortly after 11 p.m. Eastern time, the American Civil War ended, as a black man — Barack Hussein Obama — won enough electoral votes to become president of the United States.

A civil war that, in many ways, began at Bull Run , Virginia , on July 21, 1861, ended 147 years later via a ballot box in the very same state. For nothing more symbolically illustrated the final chapter of America’s Civil War than the fact that the Commonwealth of Virginia — the state that once exalted slavery and whose secession from the Union in 1861 gave the Confederacy both strategic weight and its commanding general — voted Democratic, thus assuring that Barack Obama would become the 44th president of the United States.

This moment was necessary, for despite a century of civil rights legislation, judicial interventions and social activism — despite Brown v. Board of Education, Martin Luther King’s I-have-a-dream crusade and the 1964 Civil Rights Act — the Civil War could never truly be said to have ended until America ’s white majority actually elected an African-American as president.

That is what happened Tuesday night and that is why we awake this morning to a different country. The struggle for equal rights is far from over, but we start afresh now from a whole new baseline. Let every child and every citizen and every new immigrant know that from this day forward everything really is possible in America .

How did Obama pull it off? To be sure, it probably took a once-in-a-century economic crisis to get enough white people to vote for a black man. And to be sure, Obama’s better organization, calm manner, mellifluous speaking style and unthreatening message of “change” all served him well.

But there also may have been something of a “Buffett effect” that countered the supposed “Bradley effect” — white voters telling pollsters they’d vote for Obama but then voting for the white guy. The Buffett effect was just the opposite. It was white conservatives telling the guys in the men’s grill at the country club that they were voting for John McCain, but then quietly going into the booth and voting for Obama, even though they knew it would mean higher taxes.

Why? Some did it because they sensed how inspired and hopeful their kids were about an Obama presidency, and they not only didn’t want to dash those hopes, they secretly wanted to share them. Others intuitively embraced Warren Buffett’s view that if you are rich and successful today, it is first and foremost because you were lucky enough to be born in America at this time — and never forget that. So, we need to get back to fixing our country — we need a president who can unify us for nation-building at home.

And somewhere they also knew that after the abysmal performance of the Bush team, there had to be consequences for the Republican Party. Electing McCain now would have, in some way, meant rewarding incompetence. It would have made a mockery of accountability in government and unleashed a wave of cynicism in America that would have been deeply corrosive.

Obama will always be our first black president. But can he be one of our few great presidents? He is going to have his chance because our greatest presidents are those who assumed the office at some of our darkest hours and at the bottom of some of our deepest holes.

“Taking office at a time of crisis doesn’t guarantee greatness, but it can be an occasion for it,” argued the Harvard University political philosopher Michael Sandel. “That was certainly the case with Lincoln , F.D.R. and Truman.” Part of F.D.R.’s greatness, though, “was that he gradually wove a new governing political philosophy — the New Deal — out of the rubble and political disarray of the economic depression he inherited.” Obama will need to do the same, but these things take time.

“F.D.R. did not run on the New Deal in 1932,” said Sandel. “He ran on balancing the budget. Like Obama, he did not take office with a clearly articulated governing philosophy. He arrived with a confident, activist spirit and experimented. Not until 1936 did we have a presidential campaign about the New Deal. What Obama’s equivalent will be, even he doesn’t know. It will emerge as he grapples with the economy, energy and America ’s role in the world. These challenges are so great that he will only succeed if he is able to articulate a new politics of the common good.”

Bush & Co. did not believe that government could be an instrument of the common good. They neutered their cabinet secretaries and appointed hacks to big jobs. For them, pursuit of the common good was all about pursuit of individual self-interest. Voters rebelled against that. But there was also a rebellion against a traditional Democratic version of the common good — that it is simply the sum of all interest groups clamoring for their share.

“In this election, the American public rejected these narrow notions of the common good,” argued Sandel. “Most people now accept that unfettered markets don’t serve the public good. Markets generate abundance, but they can also breed excessive insecurity and risk. Even before the financial meltdown, we’ve seen a massive shift of risk from corporations to the individual. Obama will have to reinvent government as an instrument of the common good — to regulate markets, to protect citizens against the risks of unemployment and ill health, to invest in energy independence.”

But a new politics of the common good can’t be only about government and markets. “It must also be about a new patriotism — about what it means to be a citizen,” said Sandel. “This is the deepest chord Obama’s campaign evoked. The biggest applause line in his stump speech was the one that said every American will have a chance to go to college provided he or she performs a period of national service — in the military, in the Peace Corps or in the community. Obama’s campaign tapped a dormant civic idealism, a hunger among Americans to serve a cause greater than themselves, a yearning to be citizens again.”

None of this will be easy. But my gut tells me that of all the changes that will be ushered in by an Obama presidency, breaking with our racial past may turn out to be the least of them. There is just so much work to be done. The Civil War is over. Let reconstruction begin.

I Voted

I voted yesterday.  It was good to see so many people there, even for absentee voting.  If you didn't get a chance to watch Senator Obama's infomercial last night, here it is.  I loved it, of course, even with my husband walking in and out of the room muttering about propaganda and socialism and such :-) 

Whatever you think about his politics, this has been one of the most amazing campaigns that I have ever seen.  If he runs the country like he has run this campaign, we are in good hands. It has been brilliant and this week's final events, including last night's production, are being orchestrated with precision, focus and grace.  The local campaign office, which I visited once, exhibited the same commitment to maintaining the tone of the Obama message that we have seen nationally.  Millions of people feel like they are part of this process.  Empowerment and ownership of our common goals and shared challenges has ignited the kind of passion that we saw in that stadium last night at the end of the infomercial. 

It looks very likely that Senator Obama will be our next president.  I pray that he is up to the task and can deliver the leadership we so desperately need.

A Life Well Lived

I was so sad to hear the news this afternoon that Tim Russert has died.  I have shared here before that I am a big fan of MSNBC political coverage and Tim Russert is, to a large degree, responsible for my loyalty to that network.  Beyond his incredible enthusiasm and love for the game of politics, he just always seemed like such a nice guy.  I have spent the last half hour or so listening to his colleagues struggle to maintain their composure while they talked about the loss of their friend.  They have hardly mentioned what an amazing journalist he was.  To a person, they have gone on and on about the kind of father he was to his son, the kind of son he was to his father, the kind of husband he was to his wife.  They talked about his faith and how his faith impacted who he was as a person, both personally and professionally.  One person even said "he was a great fisherman for his faith."  They have talked about the ways that he comforted and supported the people around him as they went through various challenges in their lives.  They have talked about the phone calls to check on someone who was sick, the notes to follow up with a friend who was mourning....they talked over and over again about his incredible kindness and love to those with whom he shared his journey. 

A testament to the things for which we will be remembered and the things that really matter when we are gone. 

My prayers and thoughts are with his family and friends and colleagues this evening.  I can't believe he won't be here to finish out this election with us.  You will be missed, Mr. Russert. 

We Were There!

I just posted pictures originally, but figured that I better go back and give a little more information about our trip to the Obama Rally at Nissan Pavilion on Thursday.  It was a hot day, but we were fired up and ready to fight the crowds.  I attended the rally with one of my best friends, her 14 year old son and my youngest daughter.  My older daughter had a dress rehearsal for this weekend's dance recital, so she unfortunately was not able to go with us.  My husband....well, he is a....well, how do I say this....he is actually a Republican :-)  All joking aside, my husband really pushed baby girl and I to attend...witness to history, always remember this experience, etc.  So, I pulled her out of school early and we fought the crowds to be part of the 10,000 others who felt compelled to hear Obama speak in person. 

In addition to Senator Obama, we had the opportunity to hear from VA Governor Tim Kaine and VA Senator Jim Webb.....both, by the way, being discussed as potential VP candidates.  I have long admired Tim Kaine for his ability to articulate the ways that his faith informs his politics.  Senator Webb is also a very smart man, while a bit a cerebral in his speaking style, and he had the privilege of introducing Senator Obama to a wildly enthusiastic crowd.  We arrived just as the parking lot opened at 2:00, stood in line with our fellow Obama-ites until 3:00, then waited comfortably seated until the first speaker went on at 5:00.  At 5:45, Senator Webb took the stage with Senator Obama.  After a rousing introduction, Senator Obama took over the mic at 6:00.

Most of what Senator Obama had to say I had heard before.  I rarely miss his major speeches on TV and, if I do, I watch them later online.  Yet, the magic in being there in person was significant.  As one of his first major appearances since he clinched the nomination, his focus was fully on the general election, although he took plenty of time to compliment his rival from the primaries, Senator Clinton.  The crowd was very supportive of this gesture of respect and cheered loudly as he listed the ways that Senator Clinton's candidacy had positively influenced him as a candidate and our country as a whole.  I loved when he talked about the ways that seeing a women candidate run such a fierce campaign had impacted our daughters and their vision of their role in the world.  After I heard about his meeting with Senator Clinton later that night, I told some friends that he clearly needed to meet with me and my friend Chris before he met with Hilary for their clandestine meeting....we were able to give him a few pointers in handling strong, opinionated women!!  :-)

The most powerful part of being there was standing side by side with the 10,000 other people.  There were many, many children there....all young witnesses to history, all taking an early interest in the peaceful process of transferring power in our country.  While it was powerful for my daughter to be there, I was particularly moved by the large number of African-American families there with their children.  As I said in my last post, I have to believe that my emotional reaction to the certainty of Senator Obama's nomination is doubled within the spirits of my African-American brothers and sisters.  I have to believe that my pride in sharing this historic event with my daughter was nothing compared to the experience of the elderly gentlemen in the hat that identified him as a World War II veteran....an African-American man who had certainly grown up in a very different world than the world that these children were experiencing as they watched this dynamic man inspire a crowd of many colors.  Perhaps one day, it won't matter that Senator Obama is a man of color....perhaps one day, we won't even notice.  For now, I think it is right to notice and to celebrate....until we finally don't have to talk about it anymore at all.

Lastly, I was impressed once again by Senator Obama's commitment to make this a different kind of campaign.  He stood there in front of 10,000 people and promised to not allow this to be a campaign of "politics as usual."  He recounted a conversation with John McCain where they had agreed to a substantive debate on the issues.  While I support Senator Obama, I have long been a fan of John McCain's independent spirit and willingness to think outside the box politically.  I admire both of these men for their willingness to work across the aisles and to refrain from villifying the other party.  I am excited and hopeful about this campaign between two honorable men.  We'll see if that hope is based in reality!

Finally

Last night marked an historic moment in American politics, perhaps in all of American history.  An African-American has been nominated by a major party as their nominee for President of the United States of America.  I don't know, but I have to believe that young men and women of color have to see their opportunities as citizens of this country a little differently this morning.  I also have to believe that African-Americans who lived through the tumult and sacrifice of the civil rights movement feel some validation at what they have symbolically achieved through Senator Obama's journey to this place in time.

As you know, if you have ever read this blog before, I am an enthusiastic supporter of Senator Obama and his politics of unity and hope.  I was impressed by his words last night, particularly when he expressed his humility at being placed in this position and his continued commitment to rise above the politics of division and separation.  I believe he defied the odds and clinched this nomination because people are tired of the ugliness of the status quo and want to believe that someone is capable of doing this thing we call public service in a different way.  I pray fervently that we have invested our votes wisely and that our optimism will be rewarded by real change.  I plan to take one of my kids to hear Senator Obama speak here in our area tomorrow, so stay tuned!

The Power of Inspiration

As we mark the 40th anniversary of Dr. King's assassination today, it seems appropriate to celebrate the legacy of his life's work.  Dr. King was a powerful speaker and his words inspired a generation of Americans to dream bigger dreams about the future of ALL of our children, regardless of the color of their skin.

40 years after a gunman attempted to silence Dr. King's voice, we once again are debating whether leadership can be measured by the power of inspiring, visionary words.  Are they just words?  Is there power in those words that can be translated into real change? 

Watch this 13 minute video and see the impact that Senator Obama's movement for change is having on a group of teenagers in the Bronx.  Regardless of your politics, you will be moved by the impact that the election is having on this group of kids.

Words matter.

Rejecting Cynicism

Quick update on my fuzzy brain before we talk about politics.  Praise God, I am SO much better!  I took the last dose of the devil medicine on Sunday evening.  As soon as I started decreasing the dosage last week, I saw immediate improvement.  With God's help, through some wonderful suggestions of a friend, I also found a way to deal with the ongoing dizziness, nausea, etc. that went along with the "detoxing" process.  While I can still feel some residual effects, I am 90% back to normal.  Feeling horrible for a month really makes you appreciate feeling good, and I am indeed grateful.  Thank you to all of you who asked me how I was doing and told me that you were praying for me.  God has used many of you to wrap me in His arms and remind me that I am loved and that He is on my side. Watch out though, as the fog has lifted, my family has been laughing at my comparative giddiness and energy level!  I'm back!

Enough of that....how about my man Obama last night?!?!?!  Because of some ugly weather last night, the rehearsal that I was supposed to attend was cancelled and I got to spend 4 + hours watching election coverage on MSNBC last night!  I was in heaven!  Because I love all of this so much and because I couldn't read very well for several weeks, I have watched A LOT of coverage of this primary process and I feel like all the gang at MSNBC are my pals.  It cracks me up to see them fall all over themselves about the exit polls after the polls close on these primary/ caucus nights.  Have you ever been part of an exit poll?  Have you ever seen anyone asking questions for the famed exit polls?  I want to be in an exit poll!!!

It was a privilege and an honor to go vote yesterday morning.  I got tears in my eyes as I stood in line at my daughter's middle school to wait my turn to vote.  I have never paid that much attention to the primaries before and, living in Virginia, my vote as a Democrat has never really amounted to much more than a symbolic act of my rights before now.  I was humbled by the realization that much of the world does not have the right to engage in the process of choosing their leaders.  Whatever happens in the coming months, this process is still honorable and it matters that we participate.  It mattered that I got to finally say "Yes We Can" with my vote.

I watched Senator Obama speak last night.  He was in Wisconsin, campaigning for the race there next week.  As always, I was moved by his eloquence and his insistence that we not give in to cynicism.  He said "cynicism is a weak kind of wisdom."  The definition for cynicism is this: "an attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others."  Isn't that exactly how many people have come to feel about politicians?  Isn't that indeed how many of us have come to feel about our government?

Cynicism is not my natural state.  My DNA leans more towards optimism and hope...a "glass half full" view of the world.  Yet, years of watching how special interests and lobbyists have ruled Washington, D.C. can darken even the rosiest colored glasses.  Senator Obama, it seems to me, offers us a different choice.  By refusing to take money from political action committees and lobbyists, by refusing to engage in the politics of negativity and personal attacks, by releasing his personal tax returns and being transparent about who he is, he is rising above politics as usual.  His brand of hope based on raising our expectations, and dreams realized through hard work and opportunity resonate with me and apparently, with many others.  He is a visionary leader, with a unique ability to communicate his vision for change and motivate others to participate in the process.  Can you tell that I am fired up?

Perhaps I love Senator Obama so much because he gives me an excuse to set aside the cynicism that feels so against my nature.  Perhaps we are, as one friend suggested, "being over-promised."  Perhaps all of us who choose to suspend our cynicism and believe that change might really be possible after all will just look like fools in the end.  Naive, trusting lemmings following a charismatic charlatan down the yellow brick road of false hope and unattainable dreams.  Dreams of a government where the two parties treat one another with respect as they debate and problem-solve their way to creative solutions and bigger ideas.  Dreams of a leader who, instead of villifying those who disagree with him, chooses to listen.  Dreams of a government who, as John Edwards continues to remind us, hears the voices of those amongst us who have the least and need the most.  Big dreams requiring much hard work and exceptional leadership. 

Today, I am choosing to go ahead and suspend my cynicism and take the risk of looking the fool for buying what Senator Obama is selling. I choose not to settle for the status quo.  I choose to believe that we can do better.  I am excited about this election and I look forward to volunteering for the campaign once Footloose is over (I'll update you on that in a future post.)  I would love to hear what others think.  All opinions are welcome here! 

 

   

Judgment?

I have been amazed by the response I have gotten to my last post.  Although there are only 3 comments here, numerous people have emailed or approached me in person to discuss the things about which I wrote.  Apparently, I hit a nerve.  As I read back through it today, my first thought is that I shouldn't write on my blog when I have had more than 2 cups of coffee.  Whew...talk about multiple cascading thoughts!!  Beyond that observation, I notice the distinct note of judgment in my tone throughout the entry....a little holier than thou, perhaps?

But, what is the difference between moral outrage and being judgmental?  Or is one just a fancy name for the other?  I am far from being a perfect parent.  In fact, like many of you, we are just making it up as we go along.  What right do I have to judge the job that another parent is doing in raising their child?  I certainly don't have all the answers, but perhaps sometimes it is important to state the questions out loud.  That is really my intention here.

I think my concern is not so much that we are making poor choices as parents, but that we aren't making any choices at all.  We are simply letting adolescence "happen" to our families.  We are throwing our hands up in defeat and muttering "oh well" as we watch the children in our community crash and burn.  As Christian parents, we certainly have the responsibility for proactively parenting our own teenagers, but what further responsibility do we have to the rest of those kids?  The kids we, in all honesty, may want our children to avoid.  Wouldn't they be among those Jesus is asking us to reach and, more importantly, to love?  I am hopeful that many of the things our churches are doing are designed to do just that....love these kids and offer them a place of safety.  Or maybe that is just my guilty conscience speaking.

Our kids are growing up in an exhibitionist/ voyeuristic culture.  They are living their lives online for all the world to witness, whether we like it or not.  From a parenting standpoint, we have a window to their world unlike any our parents had when we were growing up.  All we have to do is get on their MySpace or Facebook sites.  Or look through the text messages on their phone.  Their AIM profiles alone can tell you all you would want to know about what they consider important.  Yet, when I look at some of these kids' sites and profiles, I have to believe that none of the adults in their lives are reading it.  If they were, wouldn't they intervene?  Or is that naive of me?  If we know the kid involved, do we have a responsibility to intervene ourselves? 

I have recently gotten a Facebook site, even though my daughter has not gotten on Facebook yet.  I hear that, while MySpace is popular with the middle schoolers, the high school kids all like Facebook.  I have gone around looking at the Facebook sites of kids in our youth group at church.  Our youth minister, being an extremely wise lady and a parent of a teenager, is way ahead of me and listed as a Friend on all their sites.  I love peeking into their worlds and seeing what great kids they are.  They aren't perfect....whatever that means...but they seem to be holding their own and staying true to themselves.  It reassures me that many kids are on the right track.  I know our youth group kids can fall prey to the same temptations as any other kids and I think, as parents, we have a responsibility to educate ourselves about how our kids are communicating and attempt to enter their world so that we know what they are facing.

Anyway, just some more thoughts on this new stage of my life....raising teenagers.  I am SO grateful that my husband and I have the privilege of traveling this journey with our amazing friends from church and our larger community.  Many of you who read this are parents to whom I look for guidance, perspective and support.  We are in this together.  With apologies to those of you who bristle at all things ever said by a Democrat (particularly one who may be our first woman president!) it does indeed take a village...I'm so glad you guys are part of my kids' village.

Living In My Bubble

This has been a week of being shocked by the world in which my children are going to spend their adolescence.  There are some stories going around about some pretty outrageous behavior going on at the local high school's homecoming dance ON THE DANCE FLOOR.  Don't get me wrong, there were teenagers having sex back in the 70s as well, but I don't remember them doing it on the dance floor.  Perhaps I was attending the wrong dances.  I remember the raciest thing happening on the dance floor being my short friend-who-was-also-a-boy being unusually fond of slow dances....he was just enough shorter than all of us to make his view....um...interesting when he was dancing with us.  "Stairway to Heaven" is a very looooooong song when you are trying to keep someone's head off your chest.

Anyway, back to the 21st century, where they are doing things on the dance floor that have names that I can't bring myself to type.  OK, now I am really upset, because I actually tried googling freak dancing (there is another term that I learned this week that I can't even bring myself to Google) and I started reading an article about someone's opinions about children and this form of dancing.  I found myself giving a hearty "Amen, brother" to the author.  Then, I looked to see who the author was and....oh my gosh...I actually AGREED with Bill O'Reilly!!  This is even more upsetting than body parts that rhyme with Venus being displayed on the dance floor at homecoming!  Don't those children have back seats in their cars?  Agreeing with Bill O'Reilly...how did I get this conservative?  I think I am turning into my father.

All joking aside, this is just one of many reminders that I am not going to be able to keep my children here in this bubble with me for much longer.  Another example.  My almost 14 year old daughter asked me recently if she could subscribe to Seventeen magazine when we were doing our part to further her education by supporting the magazine drive at school.  In a moment of unusual clarity and wisdom, I said "I think I better see what is in Seventeen magazine these days before I let you subscribe to it."  So today, I am getting my hair colored.....wait, before I finish the magazine story, here's a question for you.  How do you know when it is time to get your hair colored?  When your 11 year old daughter looks across the dinner table from you and says "Mommy, have you decided to let your hair go gray?".....so, ANYWAY, thanks to my daughter's suggestion, I am getting my hair colored today.  Part of the fun of this beauty chore is flipping through all the magazines that I never get to read otherwise.  Today, there happened to be a Seventeen magazine amongst the stacks.  Being the good parent that I am, I chose to look through this magazine as research.   HAVE YOU READ A SEVENTEEN MAGAZINE LATELY???????  Am I the only parent in this country who actually expects that their child will have a driver's license before they have intercourse....with multiple partners??????

Let me give you a little background on me.  I was not a perfect angel when I was growing up.  I did stuff in high school and college that I PRAY my children will not do.  I worked for 10 years with kids with substance abuse problems....these are not children who are famous for their good judgment and wise choices.  I am aware that teenagers are hormone-driven, impulsive and ruled by their emotions.  Teenagers have been making poor choices about drinking, sex, etc. for a very long time.  I am not shocked that they are still doing so.  What shocks me is that we adults seem to have decided that it is OK.  We have given in and given up.  In fact, we are in many ways almost condoning it.  I thought our job as the adults was to keep them as safe as possible by setting boundaries and guidelines. 

Here is just one example: apparently, many parents are allowing their teenage daughters to dress like 25 year old "professionals" for homecoming.  Here is an example of the kinds of dresses we saw when we were out the other night on 14, 15, and 16 year olds....and many of the girls had on push-up bras to further accentuate the low cleavage.  This dress is found on the first site that comes up when you Google "homecoming dresses," under the heading "homecoming dresses." Do you think this model is 15?  I would guess no.

In case you don't have time to look through a Seventeen magazine, the message within the pages I read basically assume that the readers are all sexually active.  "Don't worry if your breasts are different sizes when they are first developing, your guy will like them anyway."  "If you are "hooking up" and you get these particular STDs, here is what you should look for and what you should do about it."  "Here is how you get a sexy butt without exercising...it will drive your guy wild."  Again, I am not saying we shouldn't give information to kids about STDs....kids will keep having sex, so they need to be educated.  But a fun, fashion magazine for young girls should NOT make it sound like choosing to be sexually active with multiple partners is all just "part of growing up."  And, we shouldn't be so comfortable with teens having sex that we don't mind them doing it on the dance floor.  This sounds like the "I'd rather them drink in my house" rationale.

This rant is getting long, so I won't go into the quest for an appropriate Halloween costume for my 13 year old daughter.  Ok, I will, but just a little.  She is no longer able to wear the child size costumes at Party City, so we were forced to look at the Teen costumes.  Again, 25 year old models in push-up bras dressed as Naughty Nurse and Sexy Pirate.  Am I the only parent outraged that we are sexualizing our little girls?  Personally I think it is really disgusting.....and sad.  My 13 year old still brings her Bubba and blankie to sleepovers...could she wait a few years to start dressing like a seductress?

I don't have any answers, if you were waiting for me to get to that part.  If I wasn't already struggling with Algebra, I might homeschool high school.  Today, I just want to whine about it.  Besides, I am still trying to get over agreeing with Bill O'Reilly....I may need therapy.

To end this on a humorous note, here are some pictures of me as a teenager.  One is my mom and I before Homecoming (my mother was 38 in this pic.)  The other is my husband and I at our Prom.  I am so mad I can't find the one of Steve and I at Homecoming.  He has on a seriously sexy blue leisure suit and a silky white shirt with a HUGE collar.  If I remember correctly, his dog is in the picture with us.  If I find it, I will share!  In the meantime, please enjoy my courdoroy jacket (it had suede patches on the elbows, if I remember correctly) and my lovely sky blue prom dress.  My mom couldn't buy groceries that month to buy me that dress.  I loved it so much!  Thanks, Mom!

What am I gonna do if the dress first-born LOVES next year for Homecoming looks like that one up there?????  Besides say NO, of course??

And I do not want to hear one comment about the color of my hair in high school.  The sun is very strong here in Virginia :-)

More Harry Potter Fun

You scored as Hermione Granger, You're one intelligent witch, but you have a hard time believing it and require constant reassurance. You are a very supportive friend who would do anything and everything to help her friends out. Hermione Granger 85% Albus Dumbledore 80% Draco Malfoy 75% Remus Lupin 70% Ron Weasley 60% Sirius Black 55% Harry Potter 50% Severus Snape 35% Ginny Weasley 30% Lord Voldemort 25% Your Harry Potter Alter Ego Is...? created with QuizFarm.com

Harry Potter has arrived!

Here is a picture of our house for the last couple of days; since Saturday mid-day to be precise.

We discovered after HP5, that we needed more than 1 book...mom and dad had to wait too long for their turn!  With HP6 and now with HP7, we pre-ordered 2 books from Amazon and then sat by the door all day waiting.  I was in the backyard, petting my flowers, when the mail came on Saturday.  This is what I found when I came inside.

Here is what happened to the rest of the mail that day:

  What fun!  There is nothing like opening a new book that you KNOW is going to be fantastic.  The girls have been reading non-stop since Saturday, with only occasional breaks.  The big one is taking less breaks, so I think she will probably finish it today.  I will be standing over her shoulder ready to grab it the minute she finishes!  In fact, yesterday I told my little one to go read when I saw her taking a break...."hurry up, finish that book!"  Now, if I can just keep them from telling me how it ends before I get my hands on it!