Healthy Guilt

My family and I have shared along with the Livesay family for years now. We have other connections to Haiti as well,  hso learning about the Livesay's life gave some further insight into the work of our friends and family there. Our "connection" to all of them took a more heartfelt turn with the earthquake in Haiti. I check the blog everyday and today is a particularly touching entry.

They are back home, and feeling guilty about it.  On a very small level I understand this.  Years ago, I went to work with Habitat for Humanity International in SW Georgia.  I spent a few months in West Virginia as well.

Shortly after arriving back from West Virginia I joined my family on a vacation at a resort in the one of the Carolinas. (I don't remember exactly where--Hilton Head?)  The juxtaposition was too much for me.  I felt guilty and overwhelmed by my life in comparison to the lives others live...in many cases by the sheer randomness of who they were born to.  In typical 20-something behavior I took out this guilt on my family with rage and snarky pouting.  They didn't, and probably still don't, understand and the trip goes into the story book of "remember when H did."

I have no idea what the Livesays must feel like today.  But part of me thinks we should all feel like that a bit as we go about our daily lives.  The three part mixture of thankfulness and awareness of how good we have it and a longing to make the life of another better seems to be a worthwhile way to live.

Guilt isn't the most helpful of emotions or reactions...it tends to be debilitating.  But we should feel something beyond ambivalence.

Snow...again. Did I just say that?

I love snow. Love, love, love it. Didn't I wax on about how it is grace falling...or some such phrase? Well, here it comes again.

5 to 8 inches are expected over the next few days. My love for snow developed in regions of the country that are use to snow. Can handle it. Enjoy it. 5 to 8 inches is a typical event...not a "stock up, shut down school, cancel meetings, panic" type of event. Here, roads aren't cleared and people can't drive. Schools are canceled and the kids are home. (my biggest concern, frankly.)

Yesterday, a young woman canceled a meeting with me in anticipation of the possibility of snow. Ok, points for honesty...but it was hard not to (pastorally, of course) laugh at her.

I love to see falling snow. I don't love it where I am. We do Spring really well here...let's get on with that.

A Week in Review

Awe, the joy of Saturday morning. It has been a good week...highlighted by the fact I am no longer experiencing life though the lens of thyroid induced exhaustion. Wow, does that feel good? I can't believe how tired I felt and how energized I feel now.

The other piece that makes my week much easier is that I haven't preached in a while. A few weeks ago I did two weeks in a row. I am always amazing at how much pressure a sermon adds to my overall week. The constant, internal hum of sermon prep wears me down. Everywhere I go and everything I do is done with my wondering, "Can I get something out of this?" Or the scripture ( and often my lack of direction on what to do with it) runs through my mind. The phrase, "I should be..." is said over and over. "I should be working on my sermon." It makes me snap at my kids and feel way too anxious at other times, neither is exactly what scripture was meant to do, right? My hat is off to those of you preaching each week.

While I've enjoyed the free time, I am back at it for next week...

Just for fun, here is a week in review: a few movies, tv shows and products we saw and used, that I wanted to share.

First up is a hair product by Aveda.  My favorite for smells and pure bliss. My hair texture has changed just a bit with each pregnancy. If you didn't study my hair with rap attention you'd probably miss its subtle frizziness. I gave these products , Smooth Infusion shampoo and conditioner a try (with a sample...) and I loved it. It really smoothed out my hair. To the point that my dear husband noticed after I had blow dried it. I don't know how it would be for every shampoo...will it weigh it down? These are the serious issues I will ponder as I think over Luke 5:1-11 this week. But I liked it, so, I'm sharing.

Next up is a movie we watched last night on Nexflix.  If you have Netflix you can watch online--FYI.  We haven't seen a movie set in a foreign country for a while and it felt good to leave America for two hours. Helped enhance the 'escape' we were looking for. 



And then, my latest...sigh...addiction.  I flew through the first season of Mad Men during nap time the past two weeks.


 A scene from the pilot.  It took me 5 or so episodes to really want to keep watching.  In the early episodes the misogyny was just too painful.  (just so you know, there is no violence towards women, just verbal and cultural sexism.  And there isn't the nudity or language of SATC/Weeds/Big Love)  By mid season though, the characters fill out a bit and I was really curious as to how they would all develop.  Here's a clip with the slimiest of men (eww, eww, eww) and the career minded woman.

I may not start season two for a while...I am trying to work on the Mayo Clinic Diet 5 Habits to Keep and Break.

Add five habits

-- Eat a healthy breakfast, but don't eat too much. (Check)

-- Eat at least 3 to 4 servings of vegetables and fruits a day. (eh....maybe?)

-- Eat whole grains, such as whole-grain bread. (Check)

-- Eat healthy fats, such as olive oil and nuts. (Check)

-- Walk or exercise for at least 30 minutes a day. (Nope)

Break five habits

-- Don't watch TV while eating, and spend no more time watching TV than you do exercising. (Nope!!!!!!!)

-- Eat no sugar except what is naturally found in fruit. (Nope)

-- Eat no snacks except vegetables and fruits. (Nope)

-- Limit the amount of meat and low-fat dairy that you eat. (Check)

-- Eat no restaurant food unless it fits in the diet program. (Nope)

Add five bonus habits

-- Keep records of what you eat. (Nope)

-- Keep records of your physical activity.   (Nope)

-- Walk or exercise at least 60 minutes a day.  (Nope)

-- Eat mostly fresh foods and healthy frozen or canned foods. (Check)

-- Write down your daily goals.  (Nope---unless you mean a To Do List??)

Valentine T-shirt-bleach pen

New craft idea with the bleach pen.

rinsing off.

Final product...little hand sneaking in to take it away.

8 years of puppy love

Happy 8th Birthday, Annebelle! 

Here she is this past summer, enjoying her favorite place in the whole wide world.

Love you!