Copycat Post

The featured blogger today on SITS said that someone encouraged her as a post to list 10 HONEST things about herself. I thought Hmmm....that would be interesting...so I decided to copy her! : ) So here we go:

1. I am a Christian who loves God and trusts Him with my life. I know that without him, I wouldn't even be here. I screw up all the time, and God loves me anyway, just the way I am.

2. I have been overweight all of my life, and have recently found the Holy Grail of MY weightloss...Symlin. This is a medication used to help control diabetes, and a "side effect" is weight loss. And it's working. Hallelujah for that.

3. Lack of communication drives me crazy. I would rather beat the dead horse until I KNOW that poor thing is never rearing its head again instead of ASSUME that someone knows what I mean. I have been on BOTH ends of miscommunication, and it's just ridiculous. Make sure people understand you, and that you understand them, BEFORE you end a conversation.

4. People who say things they don't mean make me angry. Very angry. People who say mean, horrible things, and then say, "OH, just kidding." They need a slap upside the head. It's this simple people: SAY WHAT YOU MEAN, AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY. It's not rocket science. Words hurt way more than you know, and as Dr. Phil would say, "You can't un-ring a bell." Your words are powerful. They have meaning. And once they are out of your mouth, you can NOT take them back.

5. The things I hate most about being chronically ill are:
-feeling like I'm not a good enough mom and wife
-losing my independence almost completely
-having the trach and losing my ability to sing (I sang in a quartet in college, and at weddings
here and there)
-I can't have more children (well, I could TRY, but I don't think I'd live through that again!)

6. The things I am most grateful about being chronically ill are:
-I am much closer to God than I was before my I became ill
-I am more patient
-Little things just don't bother me anymore...takes too much energy
-I really appreciate life; and I try reeeallly hard not to take things for granted
-I am not afraid to speak my mind (even MORE so than before, for those who knew me
before!) good, bad, or ugly.
-I love more quickly, more fully, and more deeply
-I forgive more easily

7. Looking at 5 and 6, I guess I'm thankful I got this stupid illness. More pro's than con's. Important ones anyway.

8. I LOVE where I live, out in the country, but it's too far from my family.

9. My husband is my best friend. Every year he gets more handsome. He is brilliant. He has the ingenuity of McGuyver, Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett all rolled up into one. He is good at everything he tries. He has a steady job, which he works very hard at, and is good at it. I love him with all my heart, and pray we are together for many, many, many years.

10. My son is the light of my life. He is so smart, and precious and special. There aren't even words that can describe the feelings my heart holds...joy and sadness and expectation and love. Protection and recklessness. Amazement and awe. They just aren't strong enough. Often I look at him and get tears in my eyes. I think, "I can't believe I really get to keep you." I have never known such fierce love. I will fight for him to the death...especially if you're a ROOSTER!

True Character

I wonder why we think we can change without God's help. I wonder how we EVER think we can change others. I mean, we can mold our children, and we can mentor young adults, but once a person is who they have become, well, that's it. Unless God moves. And I ain't God, I can tell ya that much! And He ain't movin'. I know most of the time the Mov-ee needs to want to move, but we're talking about God, the mountain Mover!

I can't seem to get over the fact that I continue to believe that people will do what they say they will do. (I truly can't be the only one out there, can I???) GOD does what He says He will do...I have to get that through my thick head. I cannot depend on the word of another. I know people get caught up in their lives (Oh, before I go any further, I'm not talking about anyone who reads this blog, so don't send me e-mails of panic) and their focus can get myopic. I know my own focus can be myopic, especially when I'm not having such a good day (like today).

I know I'm not the only person on the planet who means what she says. I also say what I mean. So if I hear a crappy comment from someone directed toward me, I'm going to believe that's how they really feel...after all, the gospel of Matthew tells us that "out of the abundance of the heart, the man speaketh."

Lord knows I'm not perfect. Lord knows I've let people down. It's just the time and time again from someone who should be the soft place to fall. I mean, I really am learning that God is the ONLY One who can meet all my needs. I get that. But it would be nice to have a little compassion and understanding here on earth as well. Call me naive, but I thought that people who loved each other were supposed to be nice to each other. Why is that so much to ask? So much of this just does not seem like rocket science to me, and yet....is honesty with love THAT difficult? Is being a man or woman of character just SO impossible today? Is doing what you say you will do a foreign concept? It's like, if you don't mean it, just shut up. Don't tell me you'll do or be or are something you won't or aren't or can't. Just don't.

Thank God I know Who holds my future. I don't know what's going to happen, but I KNOW that "He who began a good work in me WILL carry it on to completion." Don't know how, but I've learned long ago that the how is so far out of your control ya might as well stop worrying about it. If God gives you a peek, great. If not, hang on for the ride.

Truth

Okay, so to me, truth has always been one of those absolute things. Black and white. Something is either true, or not. Not that difficult, right?

So why is it that so many people are offended by truth? Even if'/when your only motive is love? I'm not talking subjective truth, like, "your dress is ugly," I'm talking objective truth like, "your dress is purple." Why should someone get all bent out of whack because the dress really is purple??

If people in this world would only wake up and smell reality.

Ug.