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Adult Manifesto
I have been trying to figure out what it means to be an adult. This is not an easy thing to define. Wishing people would “grow up” is one thing; defining what is meant by the expression is another. To that end, I’ve been working on a writing down the characteristics of maturity. This list is by no means exhaustive, nor is it completed, but I think it’s time to share it. I call the “Adult Manifesto”. I invite your feedback. I am committed to self-growth no matter how painful. I am aware of the human tendency to have personal blind-spots and will therefore, carefully and prayerfully examine my own life and my...
Read MoreYour Choice
It’s true that hard times can lead to personal growth but it’s not always true. What I mean is, there is a relationship between pain and growth but the relationship does not necessarily work both ways. Adversity is required for maturity but maturity is not always the consequence of adversity. This reality was recently brought home to me in a very powerful way. My parents are a potent example of overcomers who have become stronger and more effective because of the trauma they encountered in their lives. Both my father and my mother know the suffering of war and trauma in a very personal way. In the aftermath of the II World War, my father at age 13, was transported...
Read MoreMore Grace
Everyone is so uptight these days! Recently, while on vacation, my husband and I got on a city bus. It was one of those buses that has sensors which disallow the closing of the vehicle doors if someone is standing too close. It happened to be the route to the airport and we were crowded in amongst people and suitcases. After a stop to take on even more passengers, the last few people did not make it inside the sensor line. In spite of the bus driver’s pleas to move away from the doors, these hapless individuals were confused (there may have been a language barrier) and therefore, slow to respond. Unfortunately the bus was prohibited from moving until...
Read MoreCrazy
Everyone always wants to hear my carwash story. I have mixed feelings about sharing it. On one hand, it’s rather funny and I love to laugh. On the other hand, it’s embarrassing. I always emphasize that it happened many years ago. I remember the approximate date by the fact that my niece was a baby in a car seat at the time. She is now an adolescent. My sister was visiting from out of town with my niece. We were driving around and I decided to go through the car wash. Our neighborhood car wash has an awkward entrance. You have 2 options when you pull off the street. Either you basically make a u-turn to get into the line-up or you...
Read MorePizza with Crust?
Early in our marriage we invited over a bunch of people for home-made pizza. I worked diligently to make preparations for our impromptu party. Overcoming my qualms about baking with yeast, I followed the instructions to the letter – kneading the dough, maintaining perfect temperatures, waiting while it rose. Triumphant when it did, I rolled out the dough, applied the toppings and waited for my masterpiece to emerge from the oven. I had timed it perfectly so the guests were ready, soft-drinks in hand when it came out of the oven. More then eager to consume this aromatic, golden-brown, veggie and meat combo, the guests watched as I set out to extract the...
Read MoreNever good enough
I wish that we could all have a more realistic image of ourselves. I’m a bit bitter about the fact that we as women have been so completely indoctrinated about what we should look like – what we weigh, our hair, our body parts, everything about our physical attributes. Ok – I’m more then a bit bitter. I find it sad that we spend so much time worrying about these things. I’m as guilty as anyone. I don’t know that I’ve ever been completely content with who I am. No matter what season of my life, there have always been some parts of myself (usually multiple) that were undesirable. Funny – any self assessment would...
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