A Note for HiveRadical

I promise I'm not ignoring your comment!

I've been taking time to reflect on your post and think about it. I'm finding it very difficult to put my thoughts into coherent sentences that actually convey my feelings on gender roles in our God-given purpose.

I do believe gender has a role to play in our purpose. I believe God did very well creating me as a woman, since the way I think is different from a man. A man and a woman compliment each other on thought processes, and make a great pair when trying to find all angles of a situation. I believe that God blesses marriages between a man and a woman, and blesses that marriage with children to continue our species and create new followers of Christ to fulfill His purposes. I don't believe, however, that EVERY person is destined to marry and have children. Some people God has slated for other tasks. Even then, their gender might play an important role in their task. A woman usually possesses some form of a nurturing nature, which I believe is God-given. A woman that does not marry could be purposed instead for the role of caring for the sick, or ministering to those who need a maternal figure in their lives to lead them to Christ.

I told you I couldn't put a coherent thought together on this. Re-reading that paragraph just let me know I'm not explaining my views very well.

Ugh.

As far as my thoughts on marriage goes, I believe God created us male and female not only in physical body but in mental body as well. I've always liked a saying from my first marriage class: "What if God created marriage not to make you happy, but to make you holy?" A marriage that is Christ-centered would definitely encompass the realm of gender roles, and learning to accept and understand (even if you don't agree with) those that operate differently from yourself. It's almost essential to learn this Christ-like lesson to keep a marriage together (God's will for 99.9999...% all marriages).

There I go rambling again. I'm going to go think some more and I'll try to explain it better later.

IKEA Haiku

IKEA divine
Affordable super-swank
You beguiling tempter!




SO...

I went to IKEA today for the first time. I got so many ideas for my home, and they have so many things there that are not only cute, but reasonably priced. I could really get into this. I'm so glad it's so far away.

But I will have to make another trip soon to get the new light fixture I want.

Princess Dresses

I was extremely surprised to find out which of my daughter's dresses she considered princess dresses. The ones that make her feel pretty, like a princess. I figured it would be the dress-up dresses, like her Swan Lake dress or her fairy dress. But I found out that there are certain characteristics that make up a princess dress, and they put some dresses I wouldn't have imagined higher on the list than others.

Characteristics of a Princess Dress

As Told by My Daughter

And Translated by the Pumpkin Princess

1. The dress must have adequate color. All princess dresses must contain interesting colors. While pink is the preferred color, purple, other pastels, and red are also acceptable.

2. The dress must be girly. Sequins, glitter, and tulle earn bonus points.

3. Length. The longer the better. Interesting hemlines, like in fairy dresses, make the dress more appealing. While short skirts on princess dresses won't exclude a dress from making it to the princess dress category, they won't be as high up on the list of favorites.

4. Accessories. Any dress that has matching shoes, tiaras, wands, purses, fairy wings, or other accessories instantly get bumped up a notch on the scale.

5. Spinnability. This is the most important characteristic of a princess dress. When the princess spins, the dress must accommodate her image of a true princess skirt's ability to flare like a Spanish Dancer. This is why the handmade garage-sale Fourth of July Dress in my daughter's collection ultimately gained the number one spot in the heirarchy of princess dresses, even over her Swan Lake and fairy dresses.

So do you see why we're starting her in ballet lessons in the fall?

Death by Toothpicks

Another story of the antics of my daughter.

You know, I just love having a curious, smart, creative three year old. It reminds me how much I love it when I walk upstairs to find that she's dumped all my toothpicks out onto the loft floor (after scaling cabinet walls to get them from the spice cabinet, of course).

After I cleaned all of them up, it was movie time. So I decided to watch a little bit with them. I set it up, went to sit down, and...

Suddenly searing pain was shooting up my hand. I didn't know what it was, until I tried to get my husband to fix it. When I pressed down on the fluffy couch armrest to show him, what came out?

Toothpicks. My couch was suddenly the Hellraiser couch. I think between me and my husband we fished out around 40 toothpicks that were painstakingly nestled and lodged in our couch. And I am the proud bearer of four puncture wounds to the left hand that hurt really really bad.

I'm glad she didn't decide to pincushion the seat, too.

Bahh!!!

I've been tagged again! This time by the illustrious Leah!!!

Five weird facts:
1. I was bitten by a baboon when I was in Girl Scouts.
2. When I eat, I start with the thing I least like and finish with the thing I like most. I eat all of the item at one time and then move on to the next.
3. I have scars on the bottom of my right foot from where I was cut by a mussel shell my junior year of high school. I spent the first two weeks of band camp in a foot wrap with crutches.
4. I have a fascination that borders on slight obsession with studying Christian marriage, and why a truly Bible-based Christian marriage is different from a secular marriage. I read every marriage book I can get my hands on and study it... religiously... haha!
5. I am one of the few people I know that not only gets along with her mother-in-law, but is very good close friends with her. We talk on almost a daily basis. If I go three days without talking to her, I know something's happened.

I tag Jill, MsD, Heather, Stephanie, and sekondstory!

Tagged!!!

My sweet saltwater princess has tagged me. I feel so loved!

Four movies I could watch over and over:
1. Ever After
2. Oscar
3. The Fifth Element
4. The Lethal Weapon Series

Four jobs I've had:
1. Demoing ice cream for Yarnell's
2. Drive-thru bank teller
3. Fish lady in a pet shop
4. Chaperone for day care field trips (when I was 15, I was actually paid to go to all the amusement parks, water parks, skating rinks, bowling alleys, etc...)

Four places I've lived: (Wow, I can just barely answer that one)
1. Benton, LA
2. Shreveport, LA
3. Stafford, TX
4. Sugar Land, TX

Four TV Shows I love:
1. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (the one Feb 19 is from an area near where I live!)
2. Alias
3. Seinfeld
4. ??? OK, I can't answer this one because I don't really watch TV. The episodes I've seen of the others have all been on DVD.

Four places I've vacationed:
1. Cozumel, Mexico
2. Pittsburg, PA
3. Albert's Pike, AK
4. Orlando, FL

Four of my favorite dishes:
1. Lasagna with Texas cheese toast
2. Enchiladas or quesadillas with a great margarita
3. Cashew Pork & Vegetables
4. Barbeque ribs by de hubby

Four sites I visit daily:
1. My MK
2. Blogs of all my friends (there's like... 15???)
3. eBay
4. News sites (Google News, MSN, CNN, NBC, ABC, etc)

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Rome
2. Ireland
3. Hawaii
4. In bed

Four bloggers I am tagging:
1. Erin
2. Hufflebinks
3. Potor
4. Thugar

Mon, you're going to have to tag Jill, Heather, and Steph for me!!! I can only do four!!!

A Bug's Life

I've decided to start walking every day with the kids. It's fun for them and exercise for me. Good all around. I'm also considering getting a physical and asking the doctor how many calories I should be consuming every day and actually beginning to track them.

But I digress. I have a habit of doing that.

So I decided this morning that I would take my hubby's dry cleaning to the store by walking it there instead of driving it there. I get my exercise, the kids get out of the house, the dry cleaning gets in before 9 so it's out by 5... all the good things in life.

I decided to take another couple of blocks on the way home to extend our walk. While I was pondering the meaning of life as many people do when they're walking aimlessly through their neighborhood, I began thinking about ants. Do they get really annoyed when someone knocks over their pile of dirt, or are they just in a frenzy to rebuild it? Do they even care? Or are they just like, "Well, Sam, it looks like we're gonna hafta rebuild that second hill again. The queen's not going to be happy. You know how pregnant women are." Imagine if they had news reporters:

"This is Ant Antly with a flash news report. Tragedy struck today as the Sidewalk Ridge Apartments were crushed by a passing stroller. 27 were pronounced dead at the scene, while hundreds of others are injured. The Hill Council is immediately planning a relocation for all survivors to the Tunnel Condos, while busy workers are scouring the ruins for more survivors."

Such is a bug's life, I guess.

Oh my...

Umm... no thanks.

Harmony

I have always wanted to sing. The funny thing is, I've never wanted to be a soloist. I've always wanted to be the harmony.

I realized that today while in worship. I told God that I really wanted to sing harmony on his praise songs, and I didn't know how. All I wanted was to make the music I sang beautiful to His ears so that it might be a worthy offering. It was then that I felt the Holy Spirit, and I got the very clear message that God was very happy with what I offered Him, because what I offered Him was everything I had, and it was given in love. And for the first time, I could harmonize with the music without having to learn the part and practice it. I knew it was a gift God had given me, a "red balloon."* I felt fulfilled.

It also gave me a deeper realization, though. Harmony in music is just the beginning. While I love getting attention, I don't like being in the spotlight. It almost embarrasses me. Like the harmonizing vocalist, I enjoy adding that extra layer, giving the music (or whatever it happens to be) depth and beauty. I think that's why I can successfully teach Crown Financial Ministries, because the way the class is set up is for it to be interactive, not a lecture with me at the helm. I think that's why I can successfully sell and recruit in Mary Kay... it's not about me selling and recruiting, but finding a niche for every woman I meet to fulfill HER needs. While I want to be someone who gets things done and makes things happen, I don't want it to be about ME. And it's even more special when it's all about GOD.

* The red balloon reference is taken from a MOPS daily radio devotional. The story was about how God loves us as individuals, with all of our quirks, cares about the little things in our lives, and wants to grant us the little things we want. The mother in the story retrieved a red balloon for her daughter that really brightened her daughter's day. In such a way, God wants to see us happy.

Kill, kill, kill!!!

Lately I've been so moody. I don't really understand why. I know I'm stressed. But I handle stress pretty well, I think. If I get too stressed I usually just shut down completely. Not get moody. Lately at the smallest annoyance I want to dismember something.

And I DON'T have PMS.

This is the first time I've been this moody since... well... ever. I don't think people around me can really tell I'm moody, but that's because I usually take my frustrations out internally, yelling at people in my head and envisioning their hurried and extremely apologetic groveling. It makes me feel much better. Unfortunately, it doesn't make the annoyance stop.

Luckily, my house is about to get very clean. When I'm annoyed, aside from the amusing musings, I take it out on my house with a broom and a cleaning towel.

By tomorrow morning you'll be able to eat off my floors and look under my beds without fear.

My daughter's latest sassy comment: When I discipline her, she says, "We love you Miss Hannigan." Darn musicals.