cool thing

Click on my Shelfari button to the left there. Then, please, be my friend.
Make your own shelf, too. It's free and it's fun.
Thanks to Angie Hunt for this!

why do i care?

When I was a kid/teen, I didn't go along with the crowd very much. In fact I usually went against prevailing opinions. The Broncos are the team of choice around here, and when I was in Jr High they played the Super Bowl against the Cowboys. Well, I chose to cheer for the Cowboys. Just to be different.

I still tend to avoid trends and bandwagons. I shudder at over-used sayings.

The weird thing is that I have always been such a people-pleaser. Doesn't make sense. I want them to like me. Care way too much about what people think, but deliberately go against the grain.

Lately, I have been more tempted to go along with the crowd that I used to be. I'm referring to the post on speeding. When faced with that same stretch of road again, I decided to just go with the flow of traffic, rather than worry about what the speed limit is. But immediately I felt convicted about that. To decide to do the wrong thing just because everyone else is doing it? Isn't that exactly what we are trying to teach our kids Not To Do? What is wrong with me?

Well, what's wrong is: I care way too much about what people think of me. Absolute, total strangers. It upsets me no end to know that people are judging me, disliking me, because I am slowing down traffic.

Why do I care what strangers think of me?

It's not just strangers, of course. I care what you think, too. I'm a doggone puppy. " Love me love me love me. Tell me I did good. Tell me tell me tell me. Approve approve approve!"

blech.

God has been really working on me about this. But it isn't easy, for sure.

I know that I need to treat people with compassion and kindness. But the motive should not be to earn their approval!

I'm trying to learn to not care what people think. I would love to loose all those inhibitions. I believe I would still be kind and everything, but the motive would be right and I wouldn't have all the anxiety about whether or not I am acceptable.

Ok, so this is way personal, and I've thrown it right out there all over my blog. But I know that I am not the only person who deals with this. I believe it is one of the devil's favorite tactics to keep us locked up.

Because the question is-- Where do I get my worth? If everyone in the world despised me, would that mean I had no value?

Another question is -- If I care more about what people think than what God thinks, who am I serving?

So, I don't care whether you like me or not. Whether or not you approve of me.

Ok, well, actually, I do care. But I'm trying to learn to not care more than I should.

she never said my name

"Romper, bomper, stomper, boo.

Tell me, tell me, tell me do.

Magic mirror, tell me today.

Did all my friends have fun at play?"

I see Suzy and Betty and William and Lauri.

I see Lupe and Leslie and Megan and all you boys and girls out there.

1800's remedies - just in case

Musquito Bites: (that's how they spelled it, not me)

Salt wetted into a paste, with a little vinegar and rubbed on bite will stop the itch.

(Ok, this really might be worth knowing)

To Stop Blood:

For a prick with a pin, or a slight cut, nothing stops bleeding better than old cobwebs compressed into a lump and applied to a wound.

(Here I was wasting money on band aids)

In Case You're Struck By Lightening:

"For a couple of hours shower in cold water. In case there is still no sign of life, add a cupful of salt and continue for another hour."

-19th century Swiss remedy

(I'll try this next time)

Tooth Powder:

Take pulverized chalk, and twice as much charcoal; make very fine and add castile soap suds and spirits of camphor to make a thick paste.

(mmm. Mothball breath)

Drawn Sinews (is that a pulled ligament?)

An ointment made from the common ground-worms which boys dig to bait fishes, rubbed on with the hand, is said to be excellent when the sinews are drawn up by any disease or accident.

(ok, even the author is taking someones word for it)

I won't even share the one that suggests treating chapped lips with ear wax.

These came from a cookbook called Log Cabin Cooking by Barbara Swell. She has some great little books filled with old recipes and many helpful hints from days of yore.

possibilities

I am considering attending a conference at which Michael Card will be doing the music.

So, if I go, maybe I could tell him that his music inspired my story.

Then, maybe he would be really thrilled.

Maybe he would tell everyone he ever talked to about my book.

Then I guess I would definitly have to finish it, wouldn't I?

two questions

1. Have you seen the Apple vending machines? I don't mean the kind you get fruit out of. I mean the kind you get IPODS out of. Weird.

2. Ladies, where do you keep your purse while at home? I used to keep mine by the door, but now I tend to used all the doors so I don't know where to keep it.

think about it

“Abundance is not so much something to acquire, but something to tune into.”

Anonymous