MY BLOG POSTS
Bring Barney Back?
That’s mostly a good thing. I’m sorry, but Caillou’s voice was SUPER annoying. And one can only answer Dora’s questions so many times.
Sometimes, though, I miss the little kid shows. I really loved Diego’s “Rescue Pack” song. I used to salsa around the house whenever that came on. If I wasn’t in the room, my kids would call for me, knowing I wouldn’t want to miss it..jpg)
But here’s what I especially miss — those shows, shows like Barney and Dora, Dragon Tales and Blue’s Clues, they had nice people in them. Or nice animals. Or accessories. Whatever. And they were even nice to the bad guys. They didn’t yell or scream or curse. They taught good lessons like share with your friends, use kind words, always carry a blow-up raft with you in case you’re caught in the terrible current of raging river rapids while looking for an endangered bird.
Why are shows like that only for little kids? Don’t older kids need those lessons? Teenagers? Adults?
Don’t you think this world would be a better place if Barney moved up with us? If there were a cute song all about how we shouldn’t yell at our brother just because he ate that candy bar we had been saving? An adorable Vera Bradley purse waltzing around and keeping us out of trouble? Some peep-toe pumps that led us to clues about where to go to college?
How much nicer would we be if we all walked around singing the “I love you” song? If we really were all a big, happy family. “With a great big hug and kiss from me to you”?
Maybe the solution to all the violence and anger in this world is simply because we leave the shows like Barney behind when we grow up.
Conflict is Good
This is a note I get every time I turn in a manuscript. I tend to make life too easy for my protagonists. I need a push to add in difficult situations, to create tension. It reflects who I am in real life – a hater of conflict, a “wisher” that life could be problem-free.
But my editor knows what makes a good story is the conflict the characters have to overcome in order to achieve their goal. Think of Cinderella. Would we love that story as much if she was born into a loving home, treated like a princess as a child and became a princess as an adult?
No!
It is only after Cinderella has overcome the conflicts presented by her father’s death, her stepmother’s mistreatment, her stepsisters’ ridicule, even her fairy godmother’s deadline, that makes us truly happy for her. She has battled to become a princess, her character has been revealed through all that mess. Cinderella goes through a lot to end up in the palace, and we love her for that.
This is true in fiction, but it is also true in our lives. Like so much else, stories reflect life and reveal God – the Author of our stories. He knows that we need conflict in order to develop our characters. James tells us to be joyful in the face of trials because they mature us as believers (James 1:2-4).
I think back on difficult times, and I see how God has used them to teach me lessons that I would not have learned otherwise. And they equipped me to help others going through similar situations. Trials draw me closer to God and bring the truly important aspects of life to light. Conflict is not pleasant, but it is necessary. It is good.
So choose to see conflict as a gift. Face them with eyes on Jesus and not your circumstances, asking what you can learn from them, how you can grow from them. God allows difficult times to make us better, stronger, more like Him. So face your trials like a Princess, daughters of the King. Our Happily Ever After is guaranteed!
Forever 24
Why?
Because it was the night before my birthday, and because I was a week before my due date. No way was I having my first child then.
But I was! I was having my first child then.
After convincing my midwife this was for real, I made it to the birthing center about 11pm. Nine hours later, I held my first child in my arms.
On my 24th birthday.
I could not have asked for a better gift.
I gave my birthday to Emma that day. It is now hers. It would have been rude to take it back!
So, technically, I’m still 24.
Forever.
Emma and Me, January 31, 2007
(the 8th anniversary of my 24th birthday)
Forgiveness
I have to be honest here – I can enjoy refusing forgiveness. I can delight stewing in anger and submerging myself in self-righteousness. “How DARE that person do/say that?” “She thinks I’m wrong? After what she has done?” I have spent days, weeks thinking of all the ways someone has wronged me. I find new reasons to stay angry in every look, email, even body language. Sometimes, I even bring others in. To “advise” me of course. I tell them how I have been wronged and wait for them to agree that I am SO right and that person is awful. So I add the sin of gossip to
my sins of bitterness and anger.
You can see the problem here. First, I am miserable. Then, people around me are miserable. Worst of all, my relationship with God is affected because I am blatantly disregarding His word. In many ways. Even my health is affected – I don’t sleep as well, my head aches and stomach does strange things.
And many times, I refuse to forgive because the other person hasn’t asked for it, yet. They don’t think they have done anything wrong. How dare they!! Therefore, I MUST be angry and let them know it so they will see their wrong and seek my forgiveness.
But, as much as I have tried, there is nothing in the Bible that supports any of that. God doesn’t give me permission to hold onto anger and bitterness. He does not allow me to withhold forgiveness. Not for any reason.
There is joy in forgiveness. Freedom. Peace. It is hard, no doubt. And we can think of MANY reasons why we shouldn’t have to forgive. But those reasons are not from the Lord. Here’s what He has to say about it:
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” ~Col. 3:13