Saturday, July 30, 2016

This last week

The kiddos spent the week with their grandparents so David and I had a week to ourselves! We still had to work, of course, but we made great use of the time we had together. Out of 5 nights sans kids we went on three dates, I had dinner with a friend one evening while he had volleyball, and he ran some errands and worked late one evening while I had my Nourish group over. It was ah-mazing! I LOVE my husband even more after this week - we talked and shared and connected. It was exactly what I needed.

David and I couldn't have timed it better if we'd tried (and we didn't try). It was Charlotte restaurant week last week, so we were able to try two new restaurants that we'd never been to, which was so fun! That's one of our favorite things to do together - try somewhere new and different while catching up and chatting about life. We also went to see the new Star Trek movie - Beyond - one night. I just love those movies and we had a nice time rewatching the previous movies the week before. I'd been anticipating this one!

I caught up on some housework (read: my floors got mopped! YES!) and some reading and some alone time.

And I miss my kiddos now. I'll admit that it took me a couple of days, but now I'm so ready to see them! So, let me get off this computer and go pick them up. Absence makes the heart grow fonder - I love those two with all my heart. Can't wait to hear of their adventures with grandparents, aunts, uncle and cousins. Peace.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

Inner Struggles

I don't write a whole lot about my inner struggles. Today, I will. With everything our country is going through right now, I am uncertain. I am disturbed, saddened, dumbfounded and, frankly, embarrassed. From the shootings in Orlando, Minnesota, Baton Rouge and Dallas, to our political situation with the presidential election coming up in November. What is going on?!?!


I could probably break this into many posts, but I only have it in me to write this one.


As far as our country's unrest, I've struggled over the last few weeks with understanding what is right. I want to hear everyone's side and make the decision to choose the one that seems right to me.
I am a white woman.
I have family and friends in law enforcement.
I have friends and co-workers who are African American, Mexican American, Latin American, and Indian American.
What choice do I make?


And then it hit me.


The question I ask my kids multiple times a week:


Is it better to be right or to be kind?


And that's just it. It doesn't even matter if I'm right or wrong. The only choice I want to make is love.
Do I reflect the love and kindness of my Creator? Or do I judge and show mistrust and hate?


Honestly, I'm not sure there is a right or wrong. We all have beauty and we all have evil inside of us. We're all capable of doing wonderfully amazing things AND horrific acts. And I'm sure the blame falls somewhere in the middle.


This article, though. She has a way with words, I tell ya.




And Trump? Or Hillary? Please, God help us.


I won't go into how I feel about Donald Trump. If you've been around me at all for the past several months then you probably know anyway. (Lord, keep reminding me of Proverbs 10:19!) This letter does justice to my heart's feelings, though.


This article about Hillary and democrats is very interesting.
It closes with these incredibly insightful lines:
"Third, you’re going to have to answer hatred with love. Your tendency so far in your career has been to answer hostility with distrust, and secretiveness.
You’ve ended up projecting coldness but also weakness and hurt. People who build emotional walls amid conflict do so out of fear, not strength."

And that's where we are. Let's answer hatred with love.