Random List

Random thoughts...

• I lost my original Kroger Plus Card. I had that thing since they first came out, maybe 10-11 years ago. It started shredding and I have been manually typing the code in for months,because it wouldn't even scan. When I handed my keys to the clerk today I got so sad it had fallen off. Mike says I hate change. Maybe it was some of that Depression era frugality that was passed down through grandparents. I was struck at how silly this all is. I was also struck that last week I reorganized my closet and saw I had 5 white sweaters. If you had asked me if I had a white sweater I would have said "no" before that spring cleaning. Now I have donated 3 of them. Weird this over composition and eagerness for all things and all things new... it makes me crazy sometimes.
  
• I have had a mix of Weird Al's "White and Nerdy" and Singing in the Rain's "Make Em Laugh" going through my head today. I don't really know what to do about this. I mean have you seen those two videos? Someone mash up those videos for me stat.
• D had her first crazy mixed up dream at age 4 where she said, "sometimes I loved it and then it was weird and then "so and so" was there but there were two of her there and one was nice and one was mean!" I love that. I am trying to slow down and be a more active listener. Eye contact, probing/thoughtful questions, clarifying her ideas...It is what I want from people, so why not give it to my kids. You all remind me of this, because we all get too busy and forget.
• Lastly. Look at Mag's sock above. I washed 1 with dark denim and the other with brights. Her favorite socks. Any advice? I guess I could google it, but wondered if anyone had ideas.
• I might have a problem with my inability to let go of butterfly socks and grocery store incentive cards...

Every. single. time.

Every. single. time.

Every time I start on a sewing project (whether it is the beginning or I pick up from where I left off) I plan, design, and sew then I get mad and frustrated and want to throw it away. Every.single.time.

I am up to me ears in projects I need to finish and went to plow through in some free hours where D was playing and M was asleep and it all seemed to go wrong. The logical and organized person would ask why not finish one project, but, all the projects are all the same kind of sewing, so to change thread, machine feet, stitch length etc. It is more logically and organized to piece all the projects, then quilt them all and then bind them all...I think. I'll turn around in a week or 5 and hopefully crank out the 6 quilts I am working on. And hopefully Ezra will get his blanket I started before he was born before he turns 2 and his little brother is born and the other sibling is adopted. THAT is how far behind I am people. What can I say, you all know I had had my plate full with other things.

What I really want to know is how do you creators deal with your frustrations? I love the creative process, and love knowing that sometimes even the greatest musicians, artists and writers want to through it all away before they love it.

A few favorite Valentines Posts

Molly Piper's You Can't Quantify My Love
I love her honesty and realness. She talks about the Gospel but doesn't pretend things are always perfect. Molly has been a real blessing to me and so many of my friends in her writing about motherhood, wife hood, loss, and loving her family and God.

Eric Carle's A Love Story and a Love Song
Chances are you live under a rock if you haven't heard of this guy and his amazing books, yet his blog is so simple and sweet and he reminds me of one my favorite professors from college.

Emily Henderson's Happy Valentine's Day
I like this gal. She has a blog and a TV show. She is funny and real (I like real. OK?). I think she is single handily saving HGTV for us 20-30 somethings (that don't want to be labeled 20-30 somethings). And I love that she takes her marriage seriously. And because I am a pastor's wife and have very mixed bag of readers I will tell she says a word or two that might offend you. BUT most of all. I love her description of when they met and "knew" and were like, uh this wasn't supposed to happen so quick but I am pretty sure you are the one. (I know a couple with names that rhyme with Sike and Marah Sosper that were they same.exact.way) She says " Lets face it, there are a lot of drawbacks of finding your 'person' so young...(BUT) You watch them become different, but the same. Older but the same. And better, but the same."


Well Mike Cosper. The drawbacks of eating Aldi's mac and cheese and Kielbasa and Jiffy muffins for 5 years 4 times a week and being broke and all kinds of sick throughout our 20s and early 30s far under weigh the beauty of you pointing me to laughter, joy and Jesus for the last 12+ years. You are a great man, friend, husband, pastor, guitar player, and dad. I love you.


* Edit. Tera asked how many days we have been married...If my math is correct (and it may not be, I retook algebra...) We have been married 4, 425 days. Yahoo!

Social Networks explained

Here is a funny little picture that someone made to explain social networks.

Overall I love the Internet, but often despise parts of it. It even varies what makes me crazy at times.

Facebook recently breeds discontentment, laziness, even jealousy. There. I said it.



It may often seem annoying or even obnoxious for someone to post monthly on twitter or facebook, "Taking a break from social media. Email or call".

But when my mind is so cluttered from the busyness of technology there is little else that can help me set my mind on God than unplugging from the noise.

I wrote this a few weeks ago after a night of sleeplessness and lurking facebook....
"I have sat here for the last hour and a half while my family sleeps trying to read, trying to pray, not even having my laptop in front of me, but knowing too much about too many, reading to much mundane and important things all at once sometimes makes my mind so cluttered I forget how to think clearly.

I check messages on my phone, email, and facebook and read them quickly then forget to respond. I have systems on how to not miss these messages that I have implemented at less cluttered times in my life, but those are so quickly out the window, when I spend too much time reading hundreds of status updates and hundreds of blogs.

When I can't even remember where I read something or which friend is sick, because there are too many people that I am only acquaintances with on facebook. This is one reason I post fewer pictures and personal stories out there than I use to. Also, statistically I may have some total creepers as facebook friends. I don't need them knowing too much about me and my family.

Sometimes I just want to unfriend everybody (no offense) and only use it for my family, forcing me to be more intentional with our friends and hanging out."

I saw someone say that the printing press was like Internet of the day. Consider how we look back on the printing press. All of the sudden, the bible and other important documents are everywhere. A wealth of knowledge and entertainment they never had before. I wonder: did it ever have negatives? Unfortunately I think the modern day printing press will. It will be tragic and/or amazing to see one day how the explosion of the Internet hurt and helped our world. How it formed psychosis in young minds.

Even someone that doesn't own a computer or even have a place to live can go to their school or library and get on Facebook to read up on what kind of coffee someone had or how someones surgery went. And then forget all about it because they read another 50 updates too. The idea that you can forget someone's hardship with depression or a great celebration because there is so much info going into your brain is sickening to me at times. I have heard more than once that people have found about family members' deaths through facebook instead of a conversation. I have actually heard that 5 or 6 times.

None of what I say here about the need to unplug is unique or new. I have learned this from friends and authors along the way, I am just noting it as a reminder in case you need a break. It is a prescription for me when the focus is hard or my brain is working a mile a minute.

I have currently been on break from Facebook for a week.

I thought in status updates for almost 48 hours.
THAT IS RIDICULOUS!

Then I started being more intentional and I read more to myself and my kids. I actively listened and gave way more eye contact (bc I didn't have any technology in my hand or lap) as D explained every detail of her new favorite show the Octonauts. I got some projects done. I rested more. I prayed more. I worked out more. I was never perfect. I still spent time on my computer, but not nearly as much.

I guess I am just calling for a time out. You don't have to do it. I won't judge you if you don't.

But if you are up for it. Choose one of your social networks that breeds discontentment or jealousy or bitterness or just plan takes up time you could do on something else and take a break from it. A day, a week, a month. 4eva*.

For me it is this facebook break (I totally had my husband hack into my FB to post a link to it, because it would take more self control than I might have not to check updates, while I break). I had a good friend tell me she needs to delete hers altogether because it is a burden while another friend share that Pinterest gives her discontentment because it makes her want more (a very valid point! I am sure I'll need to break from that at some point).

If you are up for it leave me a comment on here or one of my social networks....Just don't expect me to know it right away. I am after all on a facebook break.




*(side note-I love writing like I use to in notes. My greatest note memories are Alison, Carrie and Rosie. Epic LYLAS, SSS etc. What do whippersnappers do now. Text? I guess. I do too. But I guess Oregon Trail = Angry Birds and the perfectly folded and coded handwritten note =texting)