Sometimes I Crack Me Up...

My sweetie and I are intentional about the way we parent. In fact, we call it "intentional parenting." What does this mean? So glad you asked. It means that we choose what we say, the activities we participate in, the books we read, what we watch, etc. with the goal in mind of equipping our children well for their lives. It also means that we find ways to weave truth into conversations about everyday things and try not to miss opportunities to connect with the little stinkers.

Take, for example, our dinner conversation tonight. I made waffles and bacon. Who doesn't like to come home at the end of the day and, instead of finding a nice casserole or a hearty stew, finding the table set for breakfast? Back to the conversation. Since there is an excessive, and I do mean excessive, amount of candy in our home at the moment, somehow the topic of taking care of your body and putting good things into it came up (which, of course, is why I chose to reinforce the point with waffles and syrup because everyone knows that syrup isn't your regular kind of sugar, it's breakfast sugar which is altogether different...). Back to the conversation. The kids started to ask why people don't always take care of their bodies, take pride in their appearance, etc. My sweetie told them that if someone doesn't feel good about themselves, they might give up on some of the external stuff and then feel bad about that, which leads to a vicious cycle of self-deprecating thoughts and a twisted view of being made in God's image and all this perfectly lovely stuff that you should say when you are intentional about your parenting. Never missing an opportunity to make a point, I piped in with this knee-slapper:

...and if you ever look in the mirror and not find anything you like about yourself, that's the time to look yourself square in the face and say this out loud: "Hey, at least I've got really great parents."

Okay, it was a good one. Even Miss O had a chuckle and that is a rarity when it's a response to her own mother's ramblings.

Here's the thing...

I've thought about this blog thing for a long time. I enjoy reading what others write and I enjoy writing as well. There are some excellent blogs out there. There are also some that are a bit...much. Where is that line between an appropriate level of sharing and putting it all out there for the world to see. I was at a workshop this summer talking about connecting with the uninvolved in women's ministry. The speaker made the comment that the reason that so many (and she was talking specifically about young single women) put all their information on facebook or their own websites is that they just want to be known. I've thought about that for a good while. Sad to me.

I am known. My husband knows me. Too well at times for his liking, I suspect. My children spend every day with me and see the good, the bad, and definitely the ugly. I have a few close friends who I share my heart with. Most of all, I serve a God who knows my innermost thoughts. The One who has known me since I was formed in the womb. Can you ask for more than that? What, then, is the purpose of blogging? There is no void in my life that this exercise can fill.

Maybe, perhaps, it's not just about me. Maybe there is a wee possibility that I can encourage one person. That in sharing my own triumphs and struggles one reader will see a reflection of their own life, examine it, and make a change for the better. Maybe it's just a creative expression because that's how God wired me. Maybe not everything needs to have a grand purpose but can still be profitable in the long haul.

Maybe I'm back. I have a lot of photos worth sharing over the last (almost) year since my last post. I've been growing and learning and trudging along as I seek to follow Jesus in my life. I've acquired a few battle scars along the way and there are more to come. There's joy too. And it's worth every hit.

Blessings on your day if there is anyone out there. *wink*